what's going on guys welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Crawford podcast I'm Bryce and today we're on day two of the Christmas Luke Series where for the whole month of December from December 1st through December 24th we're going to be breaking down each chapter of Luke verse by verse so that by the time you get to Christmas Eve you will have read the entire Gospel of Luke we're on chapter 2 of Luke if you guys want to print out a free pdf bible plan to track your readings and to make sure that you're watching these verse by verse breakdowns on YouTube or listening to them on Spotify go to our ministry website at Jesus street.org Luke and download the free pdf today you can enter your email and download the free pdf so that you can print it out or keep it on your phone as an image and track your things it's going to be great we're about to read Luke Chapter 2 you guys are loving the merch right now I love that you guys are loving the merch for the holiday season and it's getting cold we have hoodies and crew necks as well you can go to Jesus inth street.com for the merch today now let's get into Luke Chapter 2 this is beautiful we're about to read about the birth of Jesus Christ the Angels visiting the Shepherds and then we're going to look at Jesus actually one of the only times in scripture if not I think it's the only time in Scripture that we see something about Jesus being a a like a little teenage boy almost it's going to be awesome let's read the first few verses in those days the decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered this was the first registration when quir quarius was governor of Syria and all went to be registered each to his own town and Joseph also went up From Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betroth who was with ch who was with child and while they were there the time came from her to give birth and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a Manger because there was no place for them in the end there's a couple things I want to identify about verses 1 through 7 here all right I love Luke's simple presentation of the birth of Jesus he's like look there's extensive stories extensive details about it I'm just going to keep it simple we know an angel visited Mary she's gon to she's bearing the Messiah and it's like oh she was there while they were in Bethlehem she gives birth to Jesus Christ and wrapped him in a swallow and cloth and laid him in a Manger so we know the gist of the story the second thing I want to identify here was briefly mentioned at the very beginning this is in the time period of Caesar Augustus Reign all right we're in a crucial time period now where Caesar Augustus is one of the most important figures of history in this time period Caesar Augustus he's in reign he's in power here and this is important because the same world that Caesar Augustus is reigning in and governing in is also the same world that Jesus is about to be born into and this world is in shambles right now I mean it it's it's drowned in Morality and War and destruction and brutality and this is the world that Caesar Augustus is reigning in and the world that Jesus is about to be born into this is important for us to recognize because people are in need of Hope and Jesus Christ is about to be hope in the midst of this war filled brutality filled violent time period of life so we see that and then we also look at this simple birth story let's go to verse eight and look at the Angels visiting the Shepherds verse eight in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night now we need to understand the flock that these Bethlehem shepherds are watching over aren't just any flock it's the temple flock which means that these Shepherds would be protecting the Lambs that would be used as offering in the temple why is this such an important thing because Jesus is described as the perfect Lamb of God the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world past present and future and these angels are about to deliver a message to the Shepherds who look over the flock of lambs that are used to be led to the slaughter for the sins of the world that are temporary payment saying Hey listen you guys have watch over the Lambs that are used for sacrifice to the temple on behalf of sins well I'm about to introduce you guys to the Lamb of God who's going to take away the sins of the world once and for all this is a beautiful picture we need to understand here the role of the Shepherds they watch the flock of sheep and Lambs that are used at Slaughter and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were filled with great fear and the angel said fear not for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people for For unto you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior who is Christ the lord and this will be a sign for you you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly hosts praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is pleased okay so the the angel not only de delivers the message and says Hey listen the Messiah is here but he gives them a sign to recognize the Messiah by which is the baby's going to be in a Manger the king of the universe is going to be delivered in a horse feeding trough not in a hospital not in a place that was nice and clean he comes humbly in a horse trough and then after that angel appears a multitude of angels appear and they Worship the Lord verse 15 when the angels went away from them into heaven the shepherd said to one another let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened with which the Lord has made known to us there was Z hesitation for the Shepherds they said oh my gosh the Messiah is here we got to go see this thing and they gave them M sign to recognize the Messiah the the feeding trough and they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger that's key they didn't just find any baby they found the baby lying in the major the sign that the angel said that they would witness and when they saw it they made known the saying that had been told them concerning the child and all who heard it wanded at what the Shepherds had told them verse 19 but Mary treasured up all these things pondering them in in their heart what a beautiful thing instead him being filled with pride Mary and Joseph were just in awe wonder and joy that God is a fulfillment of a promise that he spread in the word and so they treasured the fact that this truth this promise that had been given to them is UN unfolding before them and this isn't just a promise of a child on their behalf this is a promise of the savior of the world that they're watching unfold and the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it had been told to them at the end of the 8 days when he was circumcised he was called Jesus the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb and we look at the story of the Shepherds who were so moved by the birth of Jesus Christ if the Shepherds were moved so much to go tell people about the hope of the savior of the world just by seeing him as a child being born in a feeding trough then how much more should we be moved as Christians by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that takes away the sins of the world that gives us a clean slate and unites Us in relation with in relationship with him how much more should we be moved to share the love of Christ with people because now we have hope and a purpose and unity with Jesus Christ because of his sacrifice such a beautiful thing if the Shepherds were moved by just the birth of Jesus Christ then how much more should we be moved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ now we're going to look at Jesus being presented at the temple and this needs to be important here because because although Jesus was fully God he was also fully man which means he humbled himself and limited himself in his Humanity to submit himself to the law of God the law of Moses 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 as it was written in the law of the Lord every male who first opens the womb Shall be Called holy to the Lord and to offer sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons now there was a man in Jer okay let me pause there sorry before we go further Jesus Christ we're going to watch him as a child two things here Mary and Joseph were obedient to the Lord and the law of the Lord they went through the motions and being obedient to the law of the Lord and did exactly what they were supposed to do with a newborn child now Jesus Christ would na would be exempt from these purification laws because he wasn't born into sin he was born of a virgin he was fully God but we watch himself I identify himself with mankind by going through the same law of Moses showing himself being fully submitted to the law of the Lord to the will of the lord it's a beautiful thing now we see in verse 25 there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and this man was righteous and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him and it had been revealed to him by the holy spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord Christ so Simeon being a righteous man been revealed to him by the Lord some time ago that he would not die die until he saw the Messiah what a beautiful promise and thing to hold on to and he was led by the spirit into the temple being a devout righteous man leaning into the unctions of the Holy Spirit he was led by the spirit to the temple and he came by the spirit into the temple and when the parents brought the child in in it says and when the parents brought in the Child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said Lord now you are letting your vant depart in peace according to your word for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of All Peoples a light for Revelation to the Gentiles and for Glory to your people of Israel and his father and mother marveled at what was said about him and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary's mother behold this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is opposed so that thoughts for many hearts may be revealed semon holds the baby up and the Lord makes it very clear to him that he is witnessing the Messiah of the world and he gives thanks to God saying Lord you have fulfilled your promise to me now I can die in peace die in peace knowing that the sins of the world past present and future about to be taken care of and that there is hope for despair and sin in the world he says that his eyes have seen the salvation of the Lord he has prepared in his presence of all the peoples the light of the world the light of the Gentiles and then he tells Mary and Joseph he says this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel meaning that Jesus is either one of two things for people Jesus is either a magnet for people that people are drawn to Jesus because they are hopeless and in need of Hope in need of Eternal hope in need of undying hope in need of unfailing Hope or he's repellent he is truth Jesus Christ is the is the embodiment of Truth so much that he is either a magnet of Hope for people or he repels people that want to live on their own and that don't want to live for the Lord that's what he says and he says and he is for a sign that is a post so that thoughts for many hearts may be revealed see like man many people are going to say nasty things about him because he's the Messiah and then it says in verse 36 that there was a prophet as Anna of the tribe of Asher she was advanced in her years having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin and then as a widow until she was 84 she did not depart from the temple worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day and coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and speak of him to all who are waiting for the Redemption of Jerusalem so again we have a devout woman Anna a propheus is all we know about her she was devoted when it say that she was devoted to the temple she wouldn't leave the temple she was devoted to the Lord she was just righteous and faithful to the Lord and she stayed in the temple praying and fasting and when she had witnessed the Messiah Jesus Christ before her she could not but speak about him that's what the what scripture says verse 39 and when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord they returned in Galilee to their own town of Nazareth and the child grew and became strong filled with wisdom and the favor of God was upon it verse 39 is confirmation they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord and they had returned to Galilee this just means that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law on the earth he was obedient to God both in his calling and to the law that was on the earth it's a beautiful thing now here we go we get into this the last bit of Luke Chapter 2 here I think is so beautiful because we're about to see young Jesus in action verse 41 now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover and when he was 12 years old they went up according to custom now every year these people had to go to Temple on behalf of the holidays and and celebrations and they were there for the Feast of Passover when the feast Ended as they were returning the boy Jesus had stayed behind in Jerusalem his parents did not know it but supposing him to be in the group they went a Day's Journey but they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances when they did not find him they returned to Jerusalem to Jerusalem searching for him this would have been very easy to lose Jesus there's such a big crowd going to the Feast of Passover I mean it it it's not like weird that they lost Jesus in the crowd there's so many people there after three days they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding his answers so they come to the temple and not only is Jesus still at the temple but he's teaching these guys what he knows this 12-year-old boy Jesus Jesus fully God but we see his Humanity at work as well when his parents saw him they were astonished and his mother said to him son why have you treated us so behold your father and I have been searching for you in great distress and these are the first recorded words that we have of Jesus Christ here in the gospel timeline verse 49 and he said to them why were you looking for me did you not know that I must be in my father's house and I love the scripture because when I was studying the scripture I found out that at the age of 12 years old that a boy in this time period would start to grow in their calling as a man that they would have this deep connection with their father that they would be building this connection in this longevity with their father at around 12 years old and so Jesus Christ saying this to Mary and Joseph is there was acknowledgement that he he was the Messiah he had to have known it because he said that but number two he's emphasizing that he does have some very particular calling there's something special and different about him and he has to consult with his true father God the Father verse 50 and they didn't understand what the saying that he spoke to them and he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them again showing Jesus being fully obedient to the law of the Lord you shall honor your father and mother Jesus Christ in his younger years was submissive to his parents and his mother treasured up all these things she cherished the time of him being young and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and in favor with God and man we know as as Jesus was submissive to his parents we know that at some point Joseph was out of the picture Jesus became a carpenter and became a man of the house but this shows that Not only was Jesus acknowledging his special relationship with God the father but he was also acknowledging his submission to the law of the Lord that had been established on the earth and he is the Fulfillment of the law of the Lord this is so beautiful because now we have seen the birth of Jesus Christ we have seen the promise delivered to the Shepherds and the Shepherds deliver the good news then we see young Jesus here who says hey I recognize that there's something different about me I don't and he's not being prideful about it but he's got to make a distinction with God the Father here he's building his relationship with God the father and he's submissive to the law of the Lord and everything the purification laws and everything and he submits it to his mother and father and in Luke chapter 3 we're about to see John the Baptist prepare the way for the Lord here and begin to walk in the calling that John the Baptist has on his life I love you guys I pray that this episode blessed you guys like And subscribe follow Bryce Crawford podcast on all social media platforms and I look forward to seeing you guys tomorrow for Luke chapter 3 as we dive into John the Baptist's calling and him preparing the way for the Messiah to begin his Earthly Ministry