Christmas Miracles: Part V

This coming year God is going to do many things. Some people will be a part of what God is doing, while others will not. Some will see God’s moving, and others will miss it. This coming year, there will be answered prayers; some people will be healed; some will be saved, and others blessed. We have the opportunity to be a part of what God is about to do. What’s required to join God? Availability.

In Luke chapter 2, after the Shepherds leave, we are told about the days after Christmas.

• Luke 2:19, Mary “pondered” the things that had happened. She held on tight to these special memories. It also reveals that Mary was a major source of Luke’s material. The Christmas story in Luke is very much from Mary’s point of view.
• Luke 2:21, On the ninth day after his son was born, Joseph would have circumcised his son and given him his name. It’s interesting to note that in the middle ages, dozens of churches in Europe claimed to have the “Holy Foreskin.”

Miracle #10: The miracle of

• Luke 10:22, the Family made a short trip from Bethlehem to Jerusalem.
• It says it was time for “their” purification. Both mother and baby needed to be purified after childbirth.
• According to the law, a firstborn male child needed to be ransomed back by sacrifice. This goes back to the Passover, when God said all the firstborn belonged to him. The firstborn male child could be bought back with a sacrifice of a year old lamb, or if the family was poor, two pigeons. Joseph and Mary’s economic status is demonstrated by the offering of the pigeons.
• It is interesting to me that the Messiah was sacrificed for. Every single sacrifice in the Old Testament was prophetic of his eventual death. As they held him, and the sacrifice took place, they were holding the very one who would one day end all sacrifices with his death at Golgotha.
• Luke 2:25, Simeon means, “God has heard.”
• Tradition is that Simeon was 112 years old.
• Simeon walks into the temple area right as Joseph and Mary dedicate Jesus. I wonder what the young couple thought when he took Jesus into his arms.
• The Song Simeon is called the “Nunc Dimittis” from the first words of his song, “Now Lord”
• Luke 2:31, the Messiah is not just a “Jewish” thing, but a light for the world.

Miracle #11:

• Luke 2:36 tells us that Anna was of the tribe of Asher.

Gen 30:13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher .

Gen 49:20, “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.

• Anna was probably at least 105 years old.

Miracle #12: .

• Matthew 2:2, wisemen come from the east to Jerusalem. Notice that they say they saw, “HIS” star. Exactly what the star was, is not made immediately clear in the text. I think they followed the glory of God Himself.
• Matthew 2:11, notice the young family is now in a house. The Magi “worship” him, displaying faith that He is God.
• The Magi were the first Gentiles to worship Jesus. This was prophesied in Isaiah 60:3 and Isaiah 60:6.
• Gold would have represented royalty.
• Frankincense was holy oil that would have reminded them of a visit to the temple.
• Myrrh was oil used for embalming the dead. (David was anointed by Samuel with Myrrh. Jesus was given myrrh on the cross, Mark 15:22)

God uses people who are available to Him.

How do I make myself available to God this year?

1. Commit myself to

2. Be ready be