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Lessons From Luke

Luke 1:8-11 (3/28/13)

March 28, 2013 • Benham Brothers

The angel didn't show up until he was on duty Don't look for a sign, just do your job!

Luke 1:18 (3/23/17)

March 23, 2017 • Benham Brothers

* Faith is a matter of focus. * If we keep our focus on God we gravitate toward faith. * If we keep our focus on man we gravitate toward fear & doubt. * Zechariah fell for the same thing Moses fell for - when God’s word came he focused on himself and not the God Who was giving the message. * His punishment? * He lost the ability to do what he was created to do. * He was a priest and had to communicate as a part of his job - but now that was gone. * Other people could no longer be nourished by Zech, the priest. * God wants to be a nourishment for others through us, but it requires our faith in God for that to happen. * We have to keep our eyes on Him and not on ourselves.

Luke 1:24-25 (3/22/18)

March 22, 2018 • Benham Brothers

Luke 1:24-25 - Motive * How do you know if you’ve done something with the right motive? * By how you respond when the thing either comes to pass or doesn’t. * If it doesn’t, do you say, “not my will but Yours be done?” * This means you had the right motive. * If it does come to pass, do you have a meek and humble response (like Peter & Elizabeth)? * Notice Elizabeth got alone and simply wanted to thank God for blessing her. * She didn’t go out and announce to everyone. * A pure motive is always humble before the Lord and grateful for His role in your life.

Luke 1:26-38 (3/20/14)

March 20, 2014 • Benham Brothers

Mary's conversation with the angel reveals many things about what type of person she was and why God chose her to be Jesus' mom. Here are 5 observations about Mary: 1) vs 28-29 - God was "with" her - she didn't understand that. She knew God was "with" the nation of Israel but not with individuals. God was with her because of the WHO she was. She says later on she was a "bondslave of the Lord." 2) vs 34 - She had great faith - Her question regarding clarity and not a lack of faith. Zecherias, John the Baptist's dad, questioned the angel due to a lack of faith, but not Mary. Her question was "how" not "if." 3) vs 36 - Sin & Salvation both came through women. Satan used a woman to bring sin into the world and God used a woman to bring salvation into the world! 4) vs 38 - She gave her reputation to God. People would think she had fornicated because she would be a pregnant, unwed teenage mother. She considered herself a bondslave - a person who had no rights. How you see yourself determines how you conduct yourself. 5) Luke 2:19 - she never said a word! She never said a word when she got pregnant and she didn't say a word when she gave birth. She didn't defend her dignity and she didn't brag on the fact she had just birthed the Messiah!

Luke 1:38 (3/24/16)

March 24, 2016 • Benham Brothers

• Mary wasn’t concerned with how she would be perceived as being pregnant before marriage. • How was she able to do this? • Because she saw herself as a bondslave of the Lord. • A bondslave had no rights - they were completely owned by someone else. • She didn’t focus on perception - she focused on truth. • The truth was that she was God’s servant. • Elizabeth & Simeon saw themselves in the same way. • Luke 2:7 - she was able to give birth in a barn because she knew who she was. • I’m sure Joseph looked all over but when he told her the innkeeper only had a barn she took a deep breath and reminded herself of who she was. • God is in the business of orchestrating circumstances to remind us of who we are. • The test of a true servant - how do you respond when you’re treated like one. • How you see yourself determines how you conduct yourself.

Luke 1:48 (3/27/19)

March 27, 2019 • Benham Brothers

* Mary is the most “highly esteemed” woman in history. * There’s even a religion based on her life. * But notice that Mary being “highly favored of the Lord” wasn’t written until after she was most likely dead. * Luke was written in 58-60 AD (roughly 25 years after Christ’s death). * Tradition holds that Mary died between 10-15 after Christ’s death. * So there was a 10 year gap between what people believed about Mary and what was true about Mary was revealed. * She lived her life keeping the secret of what God’s angel had said to her so many years ago. * For the time being, while she was young and single and pregnant, she would not be highly esteemed at all. * She endured a temporary painful reputation to inherit a permanent powerful reputation for all time!

Luke 1:67-80 (4/2/20)

April 2, 2020 • Benham Brothers

* When God goes silent, be quiet and listen - when He speaks again, it will be good! * Before John was born his dad was mute. * His inability to talk was a visible sign that he had seen a vision. * PAUSE - up to this point God had been silent for over 400 years. * No prophets and no prophecy from anyone. * The last prophecy came from Malachi and it predicted someone coming who would clear the way for the Messiah. * Everyone was waiting for a word from God. * Now, everyone was waiting for a word from Zechariah! * When he named the boy John, his tongue was loosed, and so was God’s! * Vs 67-80 - the first words out of his mouth were a prophecy!!!!! * Is there any wonder why God raised John the Baptist in the wilderness? * Everyone was probably watching him to see how he turned out, so God had to get him away from the crowds. * And when John entered the scene, the world hasn’t been the same since!

Luke 2:4-5 (3/26/20)

March 26, 2020 • Benham Brothers

* Waiting for God to move is one of the best things you can do in your work. * In Micah 5:2 it was prophesied that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. * All Jewish boys were raised to learn these Scriptures, so Joseph most likely knew this prophecy. * I can see him working hard in Nazareth to provide for his pregnant fiancé, sticking up for her when people gossiped about her. * In the back of his mind, he may have thought, “Wait - I know what the angel told us. But He’s supposed to come from Bethlehem - how is all that gonna work?” * THEN ONE DAY!!!! * It happened - a law was enacted, nailed to the door of City Hall, and Joseph knew once again God was moving! * Imagine how this felt to Joseph. * He could’ve moved to Bethlehem before this law, but it wouldn’t have been the right time. * His one job was to be faithful where he was and wait for God to move! * God wants us to be faithful in our work, just as Joseph was, and let Him make things happen in His time in His way.

Luke 2:7 (3/23/17)

March 23, 2017 • Benham Brothers

* When Gabriel showed up Mary referred to herself as a bondslave. * This was the slave that got paid nothing, and typically was by the door to wash peoples’ feet. * She saw herself properly, so she was able to forfeit her reputation in order to carry the Lord. * Now, nine months later, she’s faced with the reality of having her baby in a barn. * I can see her bowing her head, taking a deep breath, knowing she was about to be in hard labor, and reminding herself, “I am a bondslave of the Lord.” * Her attitude was one of gratitude for the assignment God had given her. * How we see ourselves determines how we behave ourselves. * God is in the business of orchestrating circumstances so we remember who we are. * We are His bondslaves.

Luke 2:8 & 20 (3/20/14)

March 20, 2014 • Benham Brothers

God chose to make the announcement of Jesus' birth to a group of working men. These shepherds were "doing their duty" when the angel showed up. When we are simply doing our job, the duty at hand, we are in the way of God's divine visits. David was tending sheep when Samuel showed up, Amos & Elisha were plowing their fields, Gideon threshing wheat, etc. These shepherds were "keeping watch." When you keep watch while on duty you aren't surprised by the enemy nor your ally! These dirty, stinky shepherds were the first to see the face of Jesus Christ. When the drama was over these shepherds went right back to their duty, just like David did after he was anointed king.

Luke 2:8 (12/17/20)

December 17, 2020 • Benham Brothers

Luke 2:25-27 (3/26/20)

March 26, 2020 • Benham Brothers

* The Holy Spirit will make connections for you if you learn to listen to Him! * A priest named Simeon had been waiting for the promised Messiah his whole life, and even received a promise from God he would have that opportunity. * But how? When? Where? He didn’t know. * Vs 25-27 - Notice how Simeon “just so happened” to meet Jesus in the temple at the exact same time! * He was “moved by the Holy Spirit” to go there. * The HS was like, “Hey, why don’t you head to the Temple today?” * How did Simeon receive this nudge? * He was a lover of God (vs 25) * He kept himself pure (vs 25) * The Holy Spirit was “on” him (vs 25) - it’s what fueled his actions. * He believed Scripture (vs 25) * He communicated with the HS (vs 26) * He was led by the HS (vs 27) - he didn’t try to do his own thing. * Do you want to be led by the Holy Spirit like this? * Then let’s be like Simeon!

Luke 2:8, 25-32 (3/28/13)

March 28, 2013 • Benham Brothers

At the beginning and end of Jesus' life "keeping watch" was a common theme God shows up to those who are keeping watch The shepherds kept watch Simeon was keeping watch The magi were keeping watch

Luke 2:14 (3/24/16)

March 24, 2016 • Benham Brothers

• We’ve all heard, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” • The proper translation is, “…peace among men with whom He is pleased.” • Why the qualifier? • Because the only people who will experience God’s peace are those with whom He is pleased. • What pleases God? • Surrender and obedience - committing your heart to Him and then obeying His commandments. • This is available to everyone. • But only those who surrender to Him and obey His commandments will experience God’s peace. • Peace is on earth now, but not everyone gets to experience it.

Luke 2:34-35 (3/26/15)

March 26, 2015 • Benham Brothers

In Matthew 10:34 Jesus says, "....I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Christ was and is the great divider of men. You either believe in Him and are a part of His kingdom or you don't and are not. Everyone can go along in their lives doing their thing but the minute "Jesus" is brought into the mix everything changes - they now have to make a choice. God sought to bring peace on earth, so He sent His Son to earth to pave the way for peace. Here's the catch - only certain people will experience this peace, although it's meant for everyone. Jesus is ike a gift - everyone has the choice to open it and accept it or not. The same boiling water hardens the egg and softens the carrot. How people react to Jesus reveals what's in their hearts. This means when people recognize the Jesus in us they'll either resist us or find us irresistable.

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