Pam Padgett ... teacher
In Luke chapter 2, we are shown examples of words God had given
being fulfilled. There words were delivered in different ways ...
by an angel, by a prophet, by the Holy Ghost ... but they were all
fulfilled, according to the will of God.
Mary, a virgin, gave birth to the child spoken
of to her by the angel Gabriel ...
Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent
from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin
espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto
her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is
with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw
him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what
manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto
her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there
shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall
this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and
said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that
holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God.
Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city
of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is
called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great
with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the
days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7And
she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was
no room for them in the inn.
This also fulfilled the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah that a
virgin would bear a son ...
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call
his name Immanuel.
An angel spoke to shepherds, telling of the birth of Christ
and giving the sign that the baby would be wrapped in swaddling
clothes lying in a manger ...
Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And,
lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which
is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger.
Luke 2:7And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and
Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
The Holy Ghost had revealed to Simeon that he would see Christ
before he died ...
Luke 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose
name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting
for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he
should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Simeon was led by the Spirit to the temple when Jesus was brought by
his parents ...
Luke 2:22 And when the days of her purification according to
the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to
Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23 (As it is written in
the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be
called holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according
to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of
turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
Luke 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the
custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and
blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant
depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have
seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face
of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory
of thy people Israel.
The word given by God will be fulfilled, according to His will.
Also, when I read about the birth of Jesus in Luke 2, it stood out to me
that there was nothing lush and splendid in the physical environment
Jesus was born into. It wasn't the physical things that testified
that Jesus was the promised Saviour. It was the word God sent by
the angel to the shepherds that proclaimed that Christ had
been born that day.
Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And,
lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which
is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of
the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Throughout the time Jesus walked on this earth, the power of God was
seen in what Jesus spoke and did in obedience to the Father. His
kingdom was not of this earth ... not a physical kingdom that could
be seen by the natural eye. Jesus said ... It is the spirit
that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
And so it is with us. The power of God is seen as we speak and do
those things given to us by God ... not according to the wisdom of
man or things of the flesh .... that we might glory in God and not
in the flesh ....
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them
that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the
power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of
the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the
prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the
disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of
this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a
sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ
crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the
weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that
not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of
the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28
And base things of the world, and things which are despised,
hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his
presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God
is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
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