Transcript

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 1 ERV; Ch. 2 NASB

Associate Producer

Anonymous, Michael Haner

Podcast Introduction

This is the Gospel Saturday, and we’ll read Luke 1-2. The title is this episode is “Taking Another Look.”  

Comments on Luke 2

I love reading reading the account of Jesus’ birth. But in reading such familiar chapters as these first two of Luke, do we really hear them? Every Christmas season, we hear these verses read. So can we find anything new? Is it important to see something new? I think the answer to that question is probably different for each person, because each of us has a completely unique walk with God. At my age, I’ve probably heard or read Luke 1 and 2 many hundreds, if not thousands of times. And I love it when God shows me something I haven’t seen before.

Let’s see if this gives you a new insight. When Jesus was twelve years old and stayed behind in the temple, as Mary and Joseph were returning to Nazareth, we are told in Luke 2: 46 and 47, “46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.”

Verse 46 said Jesus was listening to them and asking them questions. Listening and asking. But verse 47 says those who heard him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. His answers. 

What do you make of that? If He’s listening and asking, why is He giving answers? 

In the past, when I read these or heard these verses, I never thought very deeply about this little vignette. I just thought of the boy Jesus as sort of just a smart, as in intelligent, twelve-year-old. Sure, He is God, but He’s also a child, not yet bar mitzvahed. I thought He was just asking good questions for a kid. But as I was thinking about this, it occurred to me that in listening to the rabbis, and asking them questions, the questions were more like the probing questions that a university professor might ask a classroom of grad students. Jesus wasn’t asking questions to gain understanding, he was asking questions to cause the rabbis to think deeper. Which would precipitate questions from the rabbis to Jesus, asking for clarification and direction, perhaps. Or hints, like a student might ask a professor. And I think the answers Jesus gave might have brought more questions to their minds than answers.

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
Like a student might ask a professor

Steve Webb 0:10
Well, hey there How you doing? This is the Lifespring one year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California. And podcasting since 2004. I’m your og Godcaster. Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. If it’s your first time here, welcome. This is gospel Saturday, and we’re going to read Luke one and two, the title of the episode is taking another look. But before we read, let’s pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, how we thank You for Your Word. And we thank you for the chapters we’re going to read today. We thank you for sending your son Jesus to be born into this world. As we read today, touch our hearts touch our mind and touch our spirits. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. Okay, are you ready to get started? Let’s go.

Steve Webb 1:01
Luke chapter one, most honorable Theopolis. Many others have tried to give a report of the things that happened among us to complete God’s plan. What they have written agrees with what we learned from the people who saw those events from the beginning. They also serve God by telling people his message. I studied it all carefully from the beginning. Then I decided to write it down for you in an organized way. I did this so that you can be sure that what you have been taught is true. During the time when Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He belonged to a by Jews group. His wife came from the family of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth Zechariah. And Elizabeth were both good people who pleased God. They did everything the Lord commanded, always following his instructions completely. But they had no children. Elizabeth could not have a baby. And both of them were very old. Zechariah was serving as a priest before God for his group. It was his group’s time to serve. The priests always chose one priest to offer the incense and Zechariah was the one chosen this time. So he went into the temple of the Lord to offer the incense. There was a large crowd outside praying at the time the incense was offered. Then, on the right side of the incense table, an angel of the Lord came and stood before Zechariah when he saw the angel Zechariah was upset and very afraid. But the angel said to him Zechariah, don’t be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by God. Your wife, Elizabeth will give birth to a baby boy, and you will name him John, you will be very Happy, and many others will share your joy over his birth, he will be a great man for the Lord. He will never drink wine or beer, even before he is born, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. John will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God. John himself will go ahead of the Lord and make people ready for His coming. He will be powerful like Elijah, and will have the same Spirit. He will make peace between fathers and their children. He will cause people who are not obeying God to change and start thinking the way they should. Zechariah said to the angel, How can I know that what you say is true. I am an old man. And my wife is also old. The angel answered him. I am Gabriel, the one who always stands ready before God. He sent me to talk to you and tell you this good news. Now listen, you will not be able to talk until the day when these things happen. You will lose your speech because you did not believe what I told you. But everything I said will really happen. Outside. The people were still waiting for Zechariah they were surprised that he was staying so long in the temple. Then Zechariah came outside, but he could not speak to them. So that people knew that he had seen a vision inside the temple. He was not able to speak so he could only make signs to the people. When his time of service was finished, he went home. Later Zechariah his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. So she did not go out of her house for five months. She said look at what the Lord has done for me. He decided to help me. Now people will stop thinking there is something wrong with me. During Elizabeth six month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin girl who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said greetings The Lord is with you. You are very special to him. But Mary was very confused about what the angel said? She wondered, What is this mean? The angel said to her, don’t be afraid, Mary because God is very pleased with you. Listen, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, you will name him Jesus, He will be great. People will call him the Son of the Most High God, and the Lord God will make him king like his ancestor, David. He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end. Mary said to the angel, How will this happen? I am still a virgin. The angel said to Mary, the Holy Spirit will come to you. And the power of the Most High, God will cover you. The baby will be holy, and will be called the Son of God. And here’s something else. Your relative Elizabeth is pregnant. She is very old, but she is going to have a son. Everyone thought she could not have a baby. But she has been pregnant now for six months. God can do anything. Mary said, I am the LORD servant. Let this thing you have said happened to me. Then the angel went away. Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hill country of Judea. She went into Zacharias house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped in she was filled with the Holy Spirit and a loud voice. She said to Mary, God has blessed you more than any other woman. And God has blessed the baby you will have. You are the mother of my Lord, and you have come to me. Why has something so good happened to me? When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy. great blessings are yours because you believe what the Lord said to you. You believed this would happen. Then Mary said, I praise the Lord with all my heart. I’m very Happy because God is my Savior. I am not important, but he has shown his care for me his lowly servant. From now until the end of time, people will remember how much God blessed me. Yes, the powerful one has done great things for me. His name is very holy. He always gives mercy to those who worship him. He reached out his arm and showed his power. He scattered those who are proud and think great things about themselves. He brought down rulers from the thrones and raised up the humble people. He filled the hungry with good things, but he sent the rich away with nothing. God has helped Israel, the people he chose to serve him. He did not forget his promise to give us his mercy. He has done what he promised to our ancestors to Abraham and his children forever. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went home. When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth, she had a boy. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord was very good to her and they were Happy for her. When the baby was eight days old, they came to circumcise him. They wanted to name him Zechariah because this was his father’s name. But his mother said no, he will be named John. The people said to Elizabeth, but no one in your family has that name. Then they made signs to his father, what would you like to name him? Zechariah asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, his name is John. Everyone was surprised. Then Zechariah could talk again. And he began praising God and all their neighbors were afraid. In all the hill country of Judea. People continued talking about these things. Everyone who heard about these things wondered about them. They thought, What will this child be? They could see that the Lord was with him. Then Zechariah John’s father was filled with the Holy Spirit and told the people a message from God. Praise to the Lord God of Israel. He has come to help his people and has given them freedom. He has given us a powerful Savior from the family of his servant David. This is what he promised through his holy prophets long ago. He will save us from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us. God said He would show mercy to our fathers, and he remembered his holy agreement. This was the promise he made to our father Abraham promised to free us from the power of our enemies so that we could serve him without fear in a way that is holy and right for as long as we live. Now, you little boy will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go first before the Lord to prepare the way for him. You will make his people understand that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven. With the loving mercy of our God. A new day from Heaven will shine on us, it will bring light to those who live in darkness in the fear of death, it will guide us into the way that brings peace. And so the little boy John grew up and became stronger in spirit. Then he lived in areas away from other people until the time when he came out to tell God’s message to the people of Israel.

Steve Webb 10:21
Luke chapter two. Now in those days, the decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census be taken of all the inhabited Earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone was on his way to register for the Census each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary who was engaged to him and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the yen. In the same region, there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who was Christ the Lord, this will be assigned for you, you will find a baby wrapped in cloths in lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God on the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased. When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem then and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as he lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this child, and all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. And when eight days had passed before his circumcision, his name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days for their purification, according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord. every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child, Jesus to carry out for him the custom of the law. Then he took him into his arms and blessed God and said, Now, Lord, you are releasing your bondservant, to depart in peace, according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people, Israel. And his father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to marry his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the Fall and Rise of many in Israel, and for assigned to be opposed, and a sword will pierce even your own soul to the end, that thoughts for many hearts may be revealed. And there was a prophetess Anna, the daughter of renewal of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of 84. She never left the temple serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began giving Thanks to God, and continued to speak of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own city of Nazareth. The child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom and the grace of God was upon him. Now his his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he became 12, they went up there according to the custom of the feast. And as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But his parents were unaware of it. But suppose him to be in the caravan and went a day’s journey. And they began looking for him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for him. Then after three days, they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When they saw him they were astonished. And his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. And He said to them, Why is it that you were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my father’s house, but they did not understand the statement which he had made to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he continued in subjection to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.

Steve Webb 16:20
I’ve got some comments today on chapter two. I love reading the account of Jesus birth. But in reading such familiar chapters, as these first two of Luke, do we really hear them? I mean, every Christmas season we hear these verses read. So can we find anything new? Is it important for us to see anything new? I think the answer to that question is probably different for each person, because each of us has a completely unique walk with God. If my age have probably heard or read Luke one and two, many hundreds, if not 1000s of times, and I love it when God shows me something I haven’t seen before. Let’s see if this gives you a new insight. When Jesus was 12 years old and stayed behind in the temple is Mary and Joseph were returning to Nazareth were told in Luke two verses 46 and 47. Then after three days, they found Him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. Now, verse 46, says that Jesus was listening to them and asking them questions, listening and asking, but verse 47, says that those who heard Him were amazed at his understanding, and his answers his answers, well, what do you make of that? If he’s listening and asking, Why is he giving answers? So in the past, when I read these or heard these verses, I never thought very deeply about this little vignette. I just thought of the boy Jesus is sort of just as smart as an intelligent 12 year old. Sure, he’s God, but he’s also a child, not even yet Bar Mitzvah it. I thought he was just asking good questions for a kid. But as I was thinking about this, it occurred to me that in listening to the rabbis and asking them questions, the questions were more like the probing questions that a university professor might ask a classroom of grad students, he wasn’t asking questions to gain understanding. He was asking questions to cause the rabbi’s to think deeper, which would precipitate questions from the rabbis to Jesus asking for clarification and direction perhaps, or hints like a student might ask a professor. And I think the answers Jesus gave might have brought more questions to their minds than answers. Wouldn’t you like to have been there to hear the conversation? What do you think he must have asked them? Call the Lifespring family Hotline at plus 1-951-732-8511 and tell me what you think. You can also come in at comment.lifespringmedia.com or email me at Steve at Lifespringmedia.com. And if you’ve got a modern podcast app, comment via boostagram boostagram. Tomorrow we’ll be epistle Sunday, and we’ll read Second Corinthians nine and 10. We’ll also have a time of praise and prayer requests. I’ve got a praise in some prayer requests to share and if there’s something you’d like to share with the Lifespring family, let me know if prayer.lifespringmedia.com Do it while you’re thinking about it. Prayer dot Lifespring media.com.

Steve Webb 19:45
We have a couple of associate producers. Weekly donations came in today from anonymous in the amount of $22.22 a row of ducks, and Michael Haner with his Stryiper donation of $7.77. Thank you for those and God bless to you. And beloved, what does the Lifespring one year Bible mean to you? Is it helping you to stay in God’s word? Maybe this is the first time you’ve been able to stick to a daily reading schedule? If so, would you be willing to help support the show? It would be a great help to me, since the Lifespring. Family is the only source of outside funding there is, as you know, I won’t accept any advertisers here to be completely immune from any pressure to water down the message of God’s word. That’s the way it has to be. So can you help me keep the lights on? Now the amount is up to you? What value do you receive from the show? Pray about it. Would you allow the Lord to lead you and then go to

Jingle 19:45
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Steve Webb 19:45
I’ll thank you. And I believe that God will bless you. And also, Thanks to the boosters and sat streamers. As you know, my bitcoin node was offline for a couple of weeks or so. And I got it limping along several days ago, but now it’s humming right along as a good little node should able to receive boosts and booster grams of almost any size. And I just want to thank those of you who are sending SATs my way. I appreciate you and I thank you. God bless you.

Steve Webb 21:18
If you’re new to the show, would you send me an email and let me know how you found out about the show? st***@*************ia.com. And in the subject line put, here’s how I found you. Thanks. And while I’m thanking people, I’d like to thank the team Sister Denise who does the transcripts, Michael Haner, who does the chapters Scott Snider and Jason Paschall, who do the art and Brittaney who sends out the newsletter. Did you get your newsletter this week? If not, be sure you go to news dot Lifespringmedia.com and sign up. Of course it’s free and of course I will never spam you or share your information. News dot Lifespring media.com Today’s show art is by Scott Snider Thank you, Scott, you demand and until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day by

Announcer 22:11
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