Luke 2:21-24
God Testified
We have been studying this book for some time and we have just come
to Jesus’ birth. In our last study, Jesus was born and this verse
picks up just eight days later.
Let’s jump right in and consider some thoughts:
I. While Jesus’ birth was humble, God testified of His Son is several
ways.
A. We have noted that Jesus’ birth was humble.
1. Born to common people—not royal or even notable people.
2. Born in a stable—not a palace.
3. Born in a manger—not a bed.
4. Born in almost complete anonymity, that is, almost no one
knew.
B. Yet, we do not want to overlook the testimonies that God did
give.
1. \\#Luke 2:9-14\\ The angels of God testified of Jesus.
a. These angels did not send themselves.
(1) \\#9\\ They were sent from God. "angel of the
Lord"
(2) They were dressed by God. "the glory of the Lord
shone around them."
(3) The news that they gave was from God.
(4) \\#13\\ The rejoicing that they rendered was to
God. "…praising God and saying, "Glory to God
in the highest…."
b. Therefore, this is God testifying that the Messiah
had come.
2. \\#Matt 2:1-9\\ The heavens of God testified of Jesus.
a. The second is like the first.
b. That star did not create itself.
(1) It is interesting that it just appeared.
Matt 2:2 …we have seen his star in the east…
(2) It is interesting that this heavenly object
guided these men to a particular town and then
to a particular house.
(3) It is interesting that they knew what the star
meant.
c. This was God bearing testimony that the Messiah had
come!
3. \\#Luke 2:21-24\\ The law of God testified of Jesus.
a. Jesus was born UNDER the law.
Ga 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was
come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law,
b. The speaks of Jesus’ obedience. Jesus had to obey
to be sinless. If Jesus were ever rebellious, He
could not have been our Savior.
c. There were three authorities that Jesus obeyed.
(1) He obeyed God’s law, meaning He obeyed God.
(a) Of all the authorities that Jesus had to
obey this would be the most COMPLICATED.
(b) I have never understand why some of God’s
laws exists.
i. Can’t wear wool and linen
\\#De 22:11\\.
ii. Can’t mix seed in the field
\\#Deut 22:6\\.
iii. Can’t eat pork \\#Lev 11:7-8\\.
iv. So many laws regarding holy days,
sacrifices, cleansings.
(c) The Jews have hundreds of laws, many of
them seeming illogical and foolish to us.
(d) Is it possible that God made so many laws
just to make it more complicated for Jesus
to keep them all?
(e) Who knows but Adam and Eve had only one law
to obey and failed. Jesus had hundreds of
laws and kept everyone.
(f) God’s law was bearing testimony that Messiah
had come.
(2) He obeyed Man’s law.
(a) Of the three authorities that Jesus had to
obey this would likely be the most
oppressive.
(b) While Rome was a better government to live
under than some, it was also very
barbaric.
(c) Man’s law was bearing testimony that Messiah
had come.
(3) He obeyed His parents’ laws.
Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came
to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his
mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
(a) Some parents are not good parents. Some
are not even good people!
(b) I am not saying that was the case with Mary
and Joseph, but while there has been one
perfect Human there has never been a
perfect parent.
(c) Jesus had 4 brothers \\#Matt 13:55\\ and
they were all kind of bratty.
\\#John 7:3-5\\.
(d) Parental law was bearing record that Messiah
had come.
4. \\#Luke 2:25-40\\ The Holy Spirit of God testified of
Jesus.
a. Here we have the account of two people, Simeon and
Anna.
b. Notice that these were filled with the Holy Ghost.
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.
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,
(1) The Bible does not say this of Anna but it does
say:
Luke 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore
and four years, which departed not from the
temple, but served God with fastings and prayers
night and day.
(2) I think they were both filled with the Holy
Spirit.
(3) The Holy Spirit through these two will testify
that Messiah had come.
c. What kind of a person does the Holy Spirit fill?
(1) \\#Luke 2:25\\ Simeon was just and devout.
(2) \\#Luke 2:37\\ Anna was a prayer warrior.
(3) Does God use something less? Yes, but apparently
He prefers just, devout, people who pray.
d. Notice what else the Bible says about Simeon.
Luke 2:25 He was… waiting for the consolation
of Israel….
(1) Consolation means the comforting of Israel. He
was waiting for God to comfort Israel by
sending the Messiah.
(2) This man was not just living and he certainly
was not waiting for death. He was watching for
the Messiah.
i. He was watching for Messiah to come the
first time.
ii. We are watching for Messiah to come in the
rapture, but we should be waiting for Him
to come as surely as Simeon was!
(3) By the way, Simeon was not living in the most
spiritual of times.
i. In fact, Israel will REJECT God’s Messiah.
ii. Yet, people can be filled with the Holy
Ghost and faithfully wait for the return
of Jesus in any spiritual climate if they
have the mind to do so.
5. \\#Luke 2:41-52\\ The Child’s wisdom testified of Jesus.
a. \\#Luke 2:46-52\\ At the age of 12, Jesus know more
about the Scriptures than the most learned of them.
b. And why not? He wrote them.
c. Some have the belief that Jesus became God or that He
was God but had to come to the knowledge of it as He
grew up?
(1) The first thought is just plain false.
i. The story of the incarnation is not that man
became God but that God became man!
ii. The Bible says He was God from the beginning.
(2) As for the second, why? Why would you believe
that Jesus had to realize He was God?
i. Throughout Jesus’ whole earthly ministry, He
laid aside His divine abilities; but as far
as the Bible reveals, Jesus always knew
who He was.
ii. There is no reason to believe that Jesus at
12 did not know He was God.
iii. In fact, there is no reason to believe that
Jesus in the manger or even Jesus in the
womb did not know who He was.
iv. Someone asks, "You mean the babbling Babe
who could not even speak knew He was God?"
v. Why not? Just because Jesus laid aside an
ability does not mean He laid aside the
knowledge of who He was.
d. Jesus’ wisdom, knowledge, and understanding testify
that the Messiah had come.
II. While the Word of God is always true, in Jesus the Word is more
complete.
A. Human words can seldom be complete.
1. I suspect that in heaven, God will give to us a more
complete language.
2. Today, for most every truth we speak, there is much more
that needs to be said.
a. Jesus is God. Jesus is Man.
b. Jesus died on the cross. He arose from the dead.
c. Heaven is real. It is not on our level of existence.
3. We lack both the time and ability to speak in complete
truths.
4. Such is the case with Jesus.
B. Jesus was the Jewish and Gentile Savior.
Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and
the glory of thy people Israel.
1. The Old Testament primarily spoke of Jesus as the
Jewish Messiah.
2. This verse speaks of Jesus as the Gentile Messiah.
3. Together, they give us a more complete picture.
4. One thing is for certain, God always intended to save the
Gentiles.
a. In the Old Testament, the only way they could be
saved was by becoming a Jew.
b. Today, we can still be Gentile and be saved!
C. Jesus will save some and condemn others.
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said
unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set
for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;
and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
D. Jesus was a delight and a sword to Mary.
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto
Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for
the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and
for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own
soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may
be revealed.
1. Notice that Simeon spoke these words to Mary—not to Mary
and Joseph.
2. Why not Joseph? For the Holy Spirit knew that Joseph
would be died before Jesus reached the end of His
ministry.
a. Joseph’s absence from Jesus’ ministry and death is
another reason most believe Mary was considerably
younger than Joseph. (Of course, that is not
necessarily the case.)
b. Joseph is never mentioned in the life of Jesus, the
trial of Jesus, the death of Jesus, or any other time
after Jesus’ 12th year.
c. Marriages were commonly arranged with the man being
older.
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