THE SEND: Luke & ActsSample

In these rich chapters, Luke tells us some really important details about how Jesus, the King of Kings, came to earth.

• Jesus came bringing joy. From angels and shepherds, old men and prophetesses, and even from God himself, the birth of Jesus is marked with joy, celebration, and praise (Luke 2:10, 13-14, 20, 28-32, 38; 3:22).
• Jesus came in humility. He wasn’t born in a palace but in a manger (Luke 2:7). He wasn’t born to world leaders or celebrities but to a poor couple from an obscure town. The offering they present at his circumcision is for those who couldn’t afford to give a lamb (Luke 2:22-24, see Leviticus 12:8).
• Jesus came to the forgotten. The good news of his birth wasn’t announced on a stage but to shepherds (Luke 2:8-15). Shepherds were poor men whom people thought were lazy and untrustworthy.
• Jesus came to those who were waiting for him. Both Simeon and Anna trusted in what God had spoken through the prophets (in the Old Testament). They were waiting for God to fulfill his promise, and they saw him do it (Luke 2:25)!
• Jesus came prioritizing his relationship with his Father. I find it fascinating to read that Jesus had to be in his Father’s house (Luke 2:49). What does that mean? And what does it mean that he heard his Father say, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (Luke 3:22) before he had done any ministry?
• Jesus came as a human who had to grow. In Luke 2:40 and 2:52, we read about how Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and people. Now this doesn’t mean that Jesus grew wiser by learning lessons from doing the wrong thing (he never sinned). But it does mean that he experienced what it’s like to grow up just like us.
• Jesus came as our ultimate example. Maybe (like me) you find the genealogy in chapter 3 a bit boring. But Luke is making a really important point through it. Unlike Matthew, Luke traces Jesus’ roots all the way back to Adam. He is showing that Jesus is not just the promised King from the line of David but, that he is the Son of God, the sort of human God had always desired. You can read more about this in Romans 5:12-21.
• And, before Jesus came, someone had to get people ready. John the Baptist’s life is so interesting. He prepared the way for God’s coming, so that all peoples would be able to see God’s salvation (Luke 3:4-6). He did so by calling people to repentance, but he knew that his ministry was nothing compared to what Jesus would do (Luke 3:16-18).

What strikes you most about how Jesus came to the earth and began his ministry? Is it his humility? The joy he brings? His care for the forgotten? The way he prioritizes his relationship with his Father?

How is he calling you to follow his example?