What Jesus Did

And while [Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem], the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

—Luke 2:6-7 NLT

Key Thought


We all wait in anticipation for the birth of a child in our families. We are waiting for the time to come. No one can be sure when that time will arrive. The sages may debate about how the baby is...

 

And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home [for the census]. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

—Luke 2:4-5 NLT

Key Thought


Bethlehem may not have been much of a village in Jesus' day, but it was King David's village. More importantly, Luke helps us establish a link in Jesus' heritage to King David...

 

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.

—Luke 2:1-3 NLT

Key Thought


The Good News of God does not occur in a vacuum. Luke wants us to know that Jesus' life was lived out in the real world, at a real time, with real people, who dealt with real problems. God does...

 

John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

—Luke 1:80 NLT

Key Thought


John was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb according to the promise of the angel (Luke 1:15). We should not be surprised that John grew "strong in spirit." Since it is not possible from the Greek manuscripts to determine whether the "s" in spirit should be lower case or upper case, the matter can be...

 

[John's father, Zechariah, continues his prophecy:] "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."

—Luke 1:76-79 NLT

Key...

 

Then [John's] father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant — the covenant he swore with an oath to our...

 

Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened [about baby John] spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "What will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

—Luke 1:65-66 NLT

Key Thought


Speculation about a newborn is nothing new. Parents, family, and friends have looked down on a sleeping newborn and wondered, "What will this...

 

When [Zechariah and Elizabeth's] baby was eight days old, they [along with neighbors and relatives] came for the circumcision ceremony. [The others] wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, "No! His name is John!" "What?" they exclaimed. "There is no one in all your family by that name." So they used gestures to ask the baby's father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone's surprise he wrote, "His name is...

 

When it was time for Elizabeth's baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

—Luke 1:57-58 NLT

Key Thought


So often today, it seems that those who are not blessed with unexpected joys are jealous, even critical, of those who do receive them. Isn't it wonderful that Elizabeth's neighbors weren't that way? We can follow their lead and rejoice with those who...

 

[After Elizabeth's exclamation of how blessed Mary was,] Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down...