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December 25 - Luke 2 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends, it's Sean here and I do not need to tell you
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  what date it is because it is Christmas Day that you have in
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  the midst of the most wonderful, exciting day full of family,
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  tradition and things to do, you have chosen to stop and tap on
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  play and invite me into your day.
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  And ah, friends, I'm so grateful.
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  Thank you, Thank you for being a part of this journey with me
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  that we get to spend it every day soaking ourselves in the
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  rhythm and the glorious grace of God's Word.
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  And what better grace filled reading than to read the account
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  of the God of the universe coming down to human form, born
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  on this very morning so that we can know God.
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  Oh, what a wonderful thing. Let's read this chapter
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  together. Let us celebrate Christmas.
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  Merry Christmas to you friends and God bless you as we read
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  together. Luke chapter 2.
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  At that time, the Roman Emperor Augustus decreed that a census
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  should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
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  This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of
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  Syria. All returned to their own
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  ancestral towns to register for this census.
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  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had
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  to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home.
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  He travelled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.
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  He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now
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  expecting a child. And while they were there, the
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  time came for her baby to be born.
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  She gave birth to her first born son.
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  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a
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  Manger. Because there was no lodging
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  available for them that night, there were shepherds staying in
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  the fields near by, guarding their flocks of sheep.
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  Suddenly an Angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the
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  radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them.
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  They were terrified, but the Angel reassured them.
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  Don't be afraid, he said. I bring you good news that will
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  bring great joy to all people. The Saviour, yes, the Messiah.
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  The Lord has been born to day in Bethlehem, the city of David,
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  and you will recognise him by this sign.
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  You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying
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  in a Manger. Suddenly the Angel was joined by
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  a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God
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  and saying, Glory to God in highest heaven and peace on
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  earth to those with whom God is pleased.
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  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to
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  each other, Let's go to Bethlehem.
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  Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has
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  told us about. They hurried to the village and
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  found Mary and Joseph, and there was the baby lying in the
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  Manger. After seeing him, the shepherds
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  told everyone what had happened and what the Angel had said to
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  them about this child. All who heard the shepherd's
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  story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her
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  heart and thought about them. Often.
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  The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising
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  God for all they had heard and seen.
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  It was just as the Angel had told them.
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  Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named
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  Jesus, the name given him by the Angel even before he was
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  conceived. Then it was time for their
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  purification offering as required by the Law of Moses
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  after the birth of a child. So his parents took him to
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  Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
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  The Law of the Lord says if a woman's first child is a boy, he
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  must be dedicated to the Lord. So they offer the sacrifice
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  required in the Law of the Lord, either a pair of turtle doves or
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  two young pigeons. At that time, there was a man in
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  Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and
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  was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue
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  Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and
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  had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen
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  the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to
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  the temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to
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  present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon
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  was there. He took the child in his arms
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  and praised God, saying, Sovereign Lord, now let your
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  servant die in peace as you have promised.
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  I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all
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  people. He is a light to reveal God to
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  the nations and He is the glory of your people, Israel.
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  Jesus parents were amazed at what was being said about him.
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  Then Simeon blessed them and he said to Mary, the baby's mother.
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  This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and many
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  others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from
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  God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest
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  thoughts of many hearts will be revealed, and a sword will
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  Pierce your very soul. Anna, a prophet, was also there
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  in the temple. She was the daughter of Faneuil
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  from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old.
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  Her husband died when she had been married, only seven years.
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  Then she lived as a widow to the age of 84.
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  She never left the temple, but stayed there day and night
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  worshipping God with fasting and prayer.
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  She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph
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  and she began praising God. She talked about the child to
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  everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue
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  Jerusalem. When Jesus parents had fulfilled
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  all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home
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  to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy
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  and strong. He was filled with wisdom and
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  God's favour was on him. Every year Jesus parents went to
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  Jerusalem for the Passover festival.
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  When Jesus was 12 years old. They attended the festival as
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  usual. After the celebration was over,
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  they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in
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  Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at
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  first because they assumed he was among the other travellers.
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  But when he didn't show up that evening, they started looking
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  for him among their relatives and friends.
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  When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to
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  search for him there. Three days later, they finally
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  discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious
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  teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
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  All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his
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  answers. His parents didn't know what to
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  think. Son, his mother said to him, why
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  have you done this to us? Your father and I have been
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  frantic searching for you everywhere.
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  But why did you need to search? He asked.
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  Didn't you know that I must be in my father's house?
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  But they didn't understand what he meant.
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  Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to
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  them. And his mother stored all these
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  things in her heart. Jesus grew in wisdom and in
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  stature and in favour with God and all the people.
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  What a joy it is to celebrate your coming today.
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  Jesus, thank you that You gave up the creature comforts of
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  heaven and eternity to come and be bound by a mortal body and
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  time and space. We don't understand the depths
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  of your love and therefore we cannot understand why you would
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  choose to do this. But you did, and today is proof
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  of that. And so we just praise you, our
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  incredible Saviour, born this day so that you could be known
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  by us. And know you we do.
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  We just want to know you more and more every day.
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  So just broaden our hearts and broaden our minds to know more
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  of you today and every day and to know more of your love.
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  Ah, you're the best and we love you Jesus.
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  And we pray this in your precious and wonderful name.
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  Amen.