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This week I was reading a story about a new minister who had just moved into town. It was late at night by the time he and his wife had arrived and started unpacking some of their belongings. The minister was in bed, and his wife was getting ready to get into bed when all of sudden she remembered that their dog, Trouble, needed to go out. Since it was late at night, and she assumed that all the neighbors would be asleep, she slipped on her robe, put the dog on a leash, and stepped out the back door. No sooner had she stepped out the back door, when the leash slipped out of her hand, and the dog ran off to investigate new territory. She ran after the dog along the side of the house. When she arrived in the front yard, a police car arrived. The policeman saw her, stopped, and asked her if she needed some help. She said, “No thank you, I am just out here looking for Trouble.” When I heard that story, I thought I would like to know the rest of the story. It was a great story.

Now why did I tell that story? I told the story because it was about looking for something valuable. Her dog, Trouble, was valuable to her. All of us on occasions look for something that is valuable. In preparation for today’s service, I was looking for a goblet to use during the communion service. We all look for things that are valuable. Maybe it is a long awaited trip to someplace very special. Many of you may have had a trip like that. Or maybe it was a wedding. Everyone at some point looks forward to finding something very valuable.

Birth of Jesus Christ

Our study is about two people who are looking and waiting with passion for something very special. Our passage is in Luke 2:21-38. The first part of Luke 2 is about the birth of Jesus. He has already been born, angels have already appeared to the shepherds and the angels have given the shepherds some great news. The angels told the shepherds that a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, had been born. We are told a heavenly host appeared in the sky. Then the shepherds left their field and went looking for Jesus in the village of Bethlehem. Some wonderful things occurred when they finally found Christ. But when we come to verse 21, eight days have elapsed since Jesus was born and an important event occurred. Here is the way the verse reads:

And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21 (NASB)

Circumcision and Naming of Jesus Christ

Here we are told that eight days have elapsed since Jesus was born. So He was circumcised. Medical experts tell us that on the eighth day after a boy is born, the vitamin K and the Prothrombin levels in his body are at their very maximum level for his life span—110 percent of what is normal.[1] The eighth day is significant; because if circumcision had occurred earlier, bleeding would have been very severe.[2] That is, on the eighth day bleeding is minimized. It is the safest day for the surgery. So God prescribed that on the eighth day a male was to be circumcised (Leviticus 12:1-3). God in His great wisdom, prescribed the optimal time for circumcision to occur. This is a strong argument that reveals God intends for males to be circumcised. When God gives us a commandment, He does it for our good.

Then notice what happened next. Not only was Mary’s baby circumcised on the eighth day, but He was given the name of Jesus. In our culture when a child is born, we try to name them immediately. We often have a name picked out in advance. Mary and Joseph had already been told that His name was to be Jesus, but they did not name him on the day He was born. The naming took place on the day that He was circumcised. So verse 21 is important; it was the day of His circumcision and the day He was named. We are told that His name was given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb (Luke 1:31).

Sacrifices of Dedication

When we come to Luke 2:22, Luke does not tell us how many days have elapsed since Jesus’ circumcision. He assumes that we know Leviticus 12:4-5 says that thirty-three days were required in the white spaces between verse 21 and verse 22. The passage says,

And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Luke 2:21 (NASB)

Now if we add the thirty-three days that were required for a woman’s purification and the seven days that were required for a woman’s uncleanness (Leviticus 12:1-2) we obtain 40. So forty days had elapsed since Jesus had been born. Current medical practice says that six weeks are prescribed for a woman before she is completely healed after giving birth. If we take the six weeks and multiply that by seven days, we get forty-two days. But God requires forty days—two days shorter than more current medical practice. It is wonderful to see scripture and science coincide. God prescribed this timeline for the health of women before modern medical science concluded that was a good time frame for healing.

After the days of Mary’s purification were completed, they made the trip to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord. Verse 23 explains why Jesus was taken to the temple and refers to Exodus 13:2, 12-14,

(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”) . . . Luke 2:23 (NASB)

So why are they making a trip to Jerusalem after Mary’s days of purification were completed? The first reason is to dedicate Jesus to the Lord. This is a requirement from Exodus 13, verses 2, 12-14. And verse 24 tells us …

… and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.” Luke 2:24 (NASB)

Now verse 24 is important. If you are like me, the first time I read the verse I said, “Oh, okay,” and kept reading. But we need to stop and read carefully. We are told in verse 24 that they offered a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. There is a reason we are given this information. Leviticus 12:7-8 explains why they offered a sacrifice for purification. They offered a sacrifice because Mary had just given birth to a child. There were two kinds of sacrifices that could be given. One of them was prescribed for a poor couple. They could give a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Verse 24 tells us that Joseph and Mary were poor. They were not a wealthy couple or a middle-income couple. They were poor. That is why verse 24 is so important.

I want you to think about this. There are at least three things we have learned about this couple already. First of all, they were godly or righteous. This couple wanted to obey the Lord. The second point is that they did not ignore biblical responsibilities. They could have skipped going to Jerusalem. They could have named Jesus on another day. They could have circumcised Him another day. They could have done whatever they desired. But the Mosaic Law prescribed that things were to be done in a very exacting way. Now think about what God might want you to do. Have you ever read scripture and thought, “Ah, this is just too much. I am not going to do this. I do not have to do that. We do not believe in legalism. I can do what I want. I have freedom!” Joseph and Mary could have responded in a different manner, but they obeyed because they wanted to please the Lord. I hope the reason that you obey the Lord is because you want to please the Lord, and not just because you have to do it. If you obey because you feel you have to do it, then it is legalism and God is not pleased. But if you obey because you want to obey, that pleases God. This couple obeyed because they wanted to honor God.

They could have stayed home. They could have dedicated Him at home. They could have said, “We will just have a little prayer service at home, lay hands on Him and read some scripture. We do not need to make a trip to Jerusalem and do all that stuff. Mary is tired. Mary has just gone through a difficult time.” Can you hear the potential rationalization some people might make and ignore what the Lord wanted? This couple did not do that. They did what God wanted. Even though they were poor, they gave anyway! They were willing to sacrifice in order to please the Lord. The Lord was more important. This is the type of parents that Jesus would have wanted, and He was given them. Why? He chose this great couple. He chose a couple that we should all be like.

Dedication—Simeon Blesses Jesus

When we come to verse 25, Mary and Joseph have now completed their trip to Jerusalem and are at the temple. When they arrived, they met a man named Simeon.

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke 1:25 (NASB)

Here we learn some very wonderful things about Simeon. First of all, he was righteous and devout, just like Mary and Joseph—holy or godly. Then we are told he was full of the Holy Spirit. That is really important. The Holy Spirit was upon him.

This man was also a prophet. At the end of verse 25, we are told he was looking for the consolation of Israel. The word for “looking” in the Greek is prosdechomai. It has the idea that he was looking with expectancy. He was not simply looking. In the Greek there are different words for “to see” or “to look.” This word has the idea that they are not just looking. I can say I am looking at the wall or at the tree. This word has the idea he was looking for and expecting something specific to happen. So it tells us that Simeon was intently looking and waiting for the consolation of Israel.

What is the consolation of Israel? The next verse gives us the answer. Verse 26 says,

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Luke 2:26 (NASB)

For what was he looking? He was looking for the Lord’s Christ. He is looking for his Messiah because we are told the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before he would see the Lord’s Christ. What a glorious privilege! He would see the One promised to Adam and Eve. He had the incredible privilege of seeing his Savior.

Verse 27 adds,

And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms . . . Luke 2:27 (NASB)

As Mary and Joseph came into the temple, Simeon was there and he saw them. He took Jesus into his arms. The only way that happened was because the Spirit led him to do that.

What was his reward? He is allowed to see the Lord’s Christ. He saw the baby Jesus. Verse 28,

. . . then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said . . . Luke 2:28 (NASB)

Verses 29 through 32—I have coined the phrase—is the Psalm of Simeon. There are a number of things for you to notice. The first one is that Simeon was a man of faith. Look at verses 29 and 30. It says,

Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation . . .
Luke 2:29-30 (NASB)

This man of faith said, “Now Lord, you are releasing your bond-servant to depart in peace according to your word.” He had been trusting the Lord that he would be allowed to see the Messiah. He had waited and trusted. The book of Romans tells us that one of the ways we glorify God is by trusting Him. We have faith in Him. If you want to glorify God, have faith! Simeon was such a person. I have found waiting is the hard part of faith because we want things to happen now, and we want it our way. When it does not happen now, our faith starts to weaken. Simeon did not do that. He had faith and waited. Notice what he said, “Your bond-servant is ready to depart in peace according to your word.”

He knew that God was going to keep His promise, and when he saw the Messiah, when he saw the Lord’s Christ, he knew his life would be coming to an end. Everything about Simeon reflected a faithful man.

Now the second thing I want you to see is also in verse 30. We are told he said,

… for my eyes have seen your salvation.

I thought it was interesting he did not say “our” salvation—but “your” salvation. “My eyes have seen your salvation.” He was talking to God. Did you know that our salvation is of the Father, from the Father? Salvation is His plan. He designed salvation for you and me. Salvation is not in ritual. Did you notice what Simeon said? “I have seen. My eyes have seen.” Watch this: salvation is in a person, not a ritual. Salvation is found in the person of Jesus Christ. Yes, we are required to believe in Jesus Christ. We need to believe we are sinners. Saving faith realizes that we need to have our sins forgiven. Saving faith responds with repentance. Saving faith believes in the work of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection where He paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins. I just love what he said when he gazed at the babe in Mary’s arms. “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

The next thing I want you to see is in verses 31 and 32. He said,

Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Luke 2:31-32 (NASB)

The third point is that salvation is for Jews and Gentiles. I have discovered this year that the real test of faith is not just believing that we have our sins forgiven and that we are going to heaven. Salvation is more than just going to heaven and having our sins forgiven. Salvation includes trusting Him for everything in this life. The real test of faith is do you trust Him for all your needs? Do you trust Him for your health? Do you trust Him for your family? Do you trust Him for your income? Do you trust Him for…. You fill in the blank. For what are you trusting Him? Jesus is the object of faith. If you really trust Him, you will trust Him for everything in your life. Salvation is not just something in the future. Salvation is living your life today dedicated to Jesus and trusting in him. Simeon was a great, great example in both his life and in what he has said.

Now for truly great news. Look at verse 33.

 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. Luke 2:33 (NASB)

I rejoice with Joseph and Mary! I would have been stunned too! Verses 34-35 state,

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed — and a sword will pierce even your own soul — to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35 (NASB)

Simeon made a couple of important comments. When he said “the rise and fall of many,” he was referring to the fact that Jesus would be accepted by some and rejected by others. We know that there were people who believed in Christ, but most of the people rejected him. When he said that He would be a “sign to be opposed,” I believe it was referring to Christ’s ultimate rejection, His crucifixion, and His death. When Simeon said that “a sword will pierce even your own soul,” I believe that was referring to Mary’s own anguish as she stood at the foot of the cross and watched Jesus die. Even though she knew that He was going to return to life—at least she should have known—she still would have had pain. Simeon was a prophet. His prophetic statements were very accurate.

Dedication—Anna Blesses Jesus

Verse 36 says there Anna, the prophetess was at the temple.

And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage . . . Luke 2:36 (NASB)

She had been married for seven years. Then verse 37 says she became a widow and then lived to the age of eighty-four. We are told,

. . . and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. Luke 2:37 (NASB)

Anna was dedicated to the Lord. She was at the temple night and day. This lady was incredible. Notice that Scripture did not condemn her for her incredible commitment. In fact, she is praised. She is honored in the pages of scripture.

Verse 38 then tells us Anna walked over to Jesus.

At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38 (NASB)

Like Simeon, Anna was looking and watching. Two incredible people – a prophet and a prophetess, were looking for Jesus, for the Messiah to come.

Conclusion

What have we discovered? I want to address two points. The first is that we have more confirmation about who Jesus really is through Simeon and Anna. We have already discovered from Mary and Joseph and the shepherds that Jesus is the Savior and King. Simeon and Anna have just echoed this truth.

I would like to share a reading from the pen of William S. Plummer.

Jesus has an almighty arm and a brother’s heart.
None is more exalted; yet none stoops so low.
None is mightier; yet none is more tender.
He will not break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax.
He is meek and lowly, merciful and mild;
At the same time He is the Omnipotent Jehovah.
He enlightens, purifies and comforts the heart.
His word cannot be broken; His power cannot be resisted.
The ultimate in divine love and kindness is in His heart.
Great is His faithfulness.
His royal titles are Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,
To the righteous, Jesus is the source of all hope, all joy,
All peace, all life, and all comfort.
Jesus is still as gentle, as kind, as tender, as when he wept at the grave of Lazarus, and He gave eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, or granted mercy to a wretch hanging by His side.
Jesus: in Him dwells all the excellences.
He is full of grace and truth.
He takes the poor, vile, ignorant, guilty, helpless sinner, and He raises him to son-ship with God when they believe in Him,
And makes them partakers of His holiness.
There is none like Him—no, not one.[3]

That is who we have been reading about. That is who we have been discovering during this Christmas season. There is none like Jesus.

There is a second point I want make by asking a question. But first let me remind you that Simeon and Anna were a righteous man and a woman who were seriously looking for Jesus Christ. Titus 2:11-13 reminds us,

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus . . . Titus 2:11-13 (NASB)

This passage tells us that believers need to be pursuing godliness, and looking for the appearing of Jesus Christ. Jesus promised that He would return and now we are to look for His second coming! That is what we ought to be doing as believers. If you really truly love the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be looking for Jesus to return. In 1 John 3:2-3 we find that believers will be those who are looking for the Lord Jesus will seek to purify themselves by living pure lives. 1 John 2:28 says that if we will do that, we will not shrink away at His coming. We are to be just like Simeon and Anna—looking for Jesus. The day is coming. You are going to see Jesus. It may be in heaven, or it may be at the Rapture.

Now are you ready for my question? Are you looking for Jesus? If so, why? Is it because you are hoping to escape the world or the troubles that you have? Or are you looking to be with Jesus? Why are you looking for Jesus? The answer is important, because if you are looking to escape the world or the troubles of this world, you have your eyes in the wrong place. But if you are looking to be with Jesus, then you have your eyes on the right place. You are looking for Jesus. You should not be running from His return; you should be running to Jesus. If you are running to Jesus, then you are going to run hard and be seeking to please Him in everything that you do. You should have a passion. Your passion should be to pursue a life that pleases Him, and you will be eagerly looking, eagerly waiting, for Him. Is Jesus the passion of your heart?

I would like to close with a story that is told by Chuck Swindoll. He said,

I worked in a machine shop for four-and-a-half years, alongside a fellow named George. His job was to sweep and to clean out the shavings underneath a huge lathe and the machines that we were running. George was born again, and he loved the teaching of scripture on prophecy. I remember hearing him sing hymns as he worked. Many of them had to do with the coming of Christ, such as “In the Sweet By and By,” and “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.” Late one Friday afternoon, about ten minutes towards quitting, when we were all weary, I looked at George and I said, “George, are you ready?” He said, “Uh-huh.” But he was all dirty and it was obvious that he was not ready. In fact, he looked like he was ready to keep on working. I said, “Are you not ready to go home?” And he said, “Yup, I am ready.” I countered, “Look at you, man! You are not ready, you have to clean up!” “No,” he said, “let me show you something.” So he unzipped his coveralls and underneath were the cleanest, neatest clothes you can imagine. He had them all ready. All he had to do when the whistle blew was just unzip and step out of his coveralls and walk up and punch his clock, and he was gone. He said, “You see, I stay ready to keep from getting ready—just like I am ready for Jesus.”[4]

Are you ready for Jesus? Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? I trust you have found Him and are now looking for His return. Is Jesus the passion of your heart?

References:

1. McMillen and Stern. None of These Diseases. Revell Publishing. 2000. p. 83.
2. McMillen and Stern report that from the first day to the sixth day the Prothrombin levels are below 80 percent. Between the second and third days the maximum levels are about 40 percent.
3. William S. Plumer, “Sinners Saved by Unmerited Kindness.”
4. Charles R. Swindoll. The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart. Word Publishing. 1998. pp. 506-507.

There is a story told about a little boy who was looking for appreciation. He approached his father with a request, “Dad, let’s play darts. I’ll throw them, and you say ‘Wonderful! Wonderful!’” I could not help but think that the little boy really was looking for appreciation. At the Christmas season, we often look for appreciation. Christmas is a warm time for many people, if not everybody. At Christmas time we look for approval. We look for love. We look to be included. We measure how people feel about us based on the gifts we receive, based upon the friends who invite us over for a meal, invitations we have, and cards we receive. We are looking for the evidence that we are important to someone or to many people. What is our value, what is our worth?

Mary, The Favored One

In thinking about that, I could not help but think of Mary.

Luke 1:26 says,

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:26-28 (NASB)

If you look at the Greek text, it actually does not say “greetings.” But that is the way it is translated, and I think the Holman Christian Standard Bible, one of the better versions on the market, translates it correctly. It actually says, “Rejoice, favored one.” What it communicates by the word “Rejoice!” is that Mary has a reason to be happy. The reason for her to rejoice is because she is favored. If you look at the Greek tense of the word, “favored,” it is a perfect participle. That means something happened in the past—she has been favored from the past. That is important to think about. She was not favored just because the angel was showing up. God was not trying to manipulate her. She simply had been favored, and the participle implies that the favor was ongoing. She had been favored in the past and she still is being favored, so the angel says, “Rejoice! You have a reason to rejoice because you are favored.” I could not help but think that is what happens at Christmas time. We are looking for someone to favor us, someone to say we are good, we are okay. I love you. I care about you. You are important to me!

In effect God told Mary, “You are important to me. I love you. There is something special about you.”

Rejoice, favored one, the Lord is with you.

I looked up the phrase “The Lord is with you.” It is not said of everyone in scripture. It is said of only five other people. Mary is in a very special class. It is said of Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jeremiah, Paul … and Mary. Maybe it was said to other people, but it is not recorded in scripture. Mary is in a very special class. Have you ever wanted to be favored in your life? Do you want the appreciation and approval of others? Mary had that approval.

Mary’s Surprising Response

Verse 29 says,

But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. Luke 1:29 (NASB)

There are many ways she could have reacted. Had Mary been a very proud person, looking to be affirmed, then when she heard the phrase “favored one,” she might have thought, “You sure do have that right!” But scripture says she was perplexed. She was trying to understand why is this being said. It says something about her character. Mary was special. This woman was not just another proud woman. Scripture does not say it, but she may have wondered, “Why is he calling me favored? What is this all about?” The angel then said to her,

Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. Luke 1:30 (NASB)

Once again the angel said it. I think the angel was trying to respond to her perplexity. He wanted to affirm her, to let her know that she is favored. Some of us tend to tell people how great they are, how wonderful they are, and how much we approve of them. At times we are guilty of flattery. We can be guilty of manipulation. God does not manipulate. God is not in the business of flattering people just to get them to do what He wants them to do. We are told in scripture that God tells the truth. He does not lie. The Bible says He is not a man that He should lie. God’s message to Mary was real.

Mary Thinks There Is A Problem

Verses 31-33 add,

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. Luke 1:31-33 (NASB)

What a great statement! If I had been Mary, I would have been thrilled just to think about the fact that the Savior is coming. But there was a problem with this plan from Mary’s perspective. This is obvious from verse 34 because she said,

“How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Luke 1:34 (NASB)

This tells us something else about Mary. She was a virgin and was waiting for marriage to engage in sexual activity. In our culture we would say she was a moral woman. What God said in scripture was that she was a godly woman. That is a different statement because the term moral does not equate with the biblical meaning of godliness. In our culture, we speak of being moral as doing the right thing. God just simply calls it godliness. This woman was a godly woman. When I thought about that, I wondered what else we could learn about this lady.

For example, verse 35 reads,

The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35 (NASB)

Wow, this is an awesome statement! This is difficult to comprehend! She is going to receive a gift, and it is not just for her. This is a gift for everyone. It is a gift for you and me. This baby will grow to be the one who will die on a cross for us and be resurrected. At some point in our lives, we will all die – unless the rapture comes first. But Jesus died and rose again. That is the gift we will receive! First a miraculous birth gave Him a sinless life. Then He was willing to give up that sinless life by dying on the cross so that you and I could have our sins forgiven.

That is ultimately what Christmas is all about — Jesus was born and the purpose of His birth was to eventually die on a cross so that you and I could have our sins forgiven and be in right relationship with God.

Mary Gives Herself To God

Verses 36-38 are very interesting.

And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:36-38 (NASB)

In verse 38 we are told Mary said, “Here I am, do with me as you want.” I am impressed every time I read that she was willing to just give herself. This is a stellar example of self-sacrifice. Most of us do not really aspire to live a life of self sacrifice. When most of us experience conflicts with people, we look out for ourselves. Such behavior reminds me of the little boy who said, “Hey, Dad, I’ll throw the darts and you tell me ‘Wonderful!’” We are always looking for something for ourselves. In contrast Mary said, like the godly woman she was, “Here I am. Do with me as you want.” When was the last time you told the Lord Jesus, “Do with me as you want”? When is the last time that God told you to do something and your response was, “No, I won’t.”

In the years ahead, Mary was going to face ridicule and ultimately she would see the One to whom she would give birth, die on a cross.

What God did with Mary tells us something about our God. The fact that He would even take the time to tell Mary that He favored her, that she was favored among women, tells us that God cared about Mary. Do you realize that just as God loved Mary, He loves you also? Have you realized that Christmas is about God’s love for you, and not just about Mary?

Insights Into Our God

We know what happened about nine months later. Jesus, that little baby who was born from her womb, entered this life. He lived a human life as you and I live our lives. But He died on a cross. He suffered greatly on our behalf. While on earth, He taught us about God the Father and helped us to gain insights and truth about ourselves. He told us in John 3:16 that,

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish . . . John 3:16 (NASB)

Is that the end of Jesus’ statement? Is that the sum total of what He said? No!! The verse continues and says we can have everlasting life. Jesus taught that He came to offer us eternal life. The word for “favor” that the angel used of Mary is found only two times in scripture. The second time the word appears in scripture is Ephesians 1:5-6.

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace . . . Ephesians 1:5-6a (NASB)

Do you see the word “grace”? Now listen to the rest of the verse.

… which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5b (NASB)

Who is the Beloved? Jesus! Did you see the phrase, “bestowed on us”? The writer, the Apostle Paul, said God’s grace was freely bestowed on us. That word “bestowed” is the word previously translated as “favored.” So we could change the phrase so that it reads like this: “grace which He, freely favored on us.” Do you realize what that tells us? God has given us grace because He favors us. He does not just give grace to us. He pours grace out on us! If God has done all that for us, what do you think God wants from us?

I was watching a very captivating video this week. The video began by telling us God made the universe, the solar system, the galaxies and the planets. It said that God made seventy sextillion stars. That is a lot of stars. That is more than a billion – more than trillions. It is a lot of stars, seventy sextillion stars. That is a seven with a whole bunch of zeros after it! That is a lot of stars. Then the video raised an interesting question. Why did God make us? The first possibility the video asked, “Did God make us so that we could give Him something?” The answer to the question was “No! What could we give Him? He has everything.” That was a great response. Question two was, “Did He make us so that we could flatter Him?” Were we made simply to praise Him for creating everything? The answer is that He already knows that. So why did He make us? We cannot give Him anything since He already owns everything. Further, we cannot praise Him enough! What then can we do for Him? What does He want from us? The answer is He wants you. He wanted Mary, He told her she was favored. He wants you. He wants you to believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. He wants you to escape the lake of fire or eternal condemnation. He wants you! He wants you to believe in Jesus so that He can spend eternity with you.

This Is Christmas

What do you think Christmas is all about? Christmas is about the birth of Christ – the miraculous birth that Mary experienced! Remember how the angel said to the shepherds, “This is good news! This is great news”? The good news is that God has favored believers. He favored Mary, and He favors us. This Christmas season if you are looking for encouragement, for someone to tell you that you are loved and cared about, that you are favored, guess who is proclaiming that to you through the story of that first Christmas? God is! He wants you to know that He favors you. Every believer in Jesus Christ is favored and will spend eternity with Him in Heaven. I want to close with Ephesians 2:6-7. It says,

And [He] raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7 (NASB)

Do you know what Christmas is? Christmas is a sign of God’s favor. Therefore, you can shout and rejoice that we are favored, if you put your faith in Jesus Christ.