Pastor How to Read LukeSample

Please read the Gospel of Luke 2:21-24,

Verse 21 - he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Only fathers and mothers have the right and authority to name their child. Jesus was not named by Joseph but by His Father in heaven. He is the Son of God.

Verse 24 - So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

The offering was supposed to be lambs, “But anyone who is too poor and cannot afford these offerings may bring... two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever the person can afford. (Leviticus 14:21-22)

2 thoughts hit me here:

A divine exchange just happened.

2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV) ...though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

Jesus became poor so that we can be blessed. This reminds me of when we had an HR exercise to increase the pay of our church staff. Somehow it was mentioned in the Board Meeting that when Pastor Lia and I pioneered the church in the early years, we didn’t take a salary and subsequently received just a small allowance. Then Pastor Charleston spontaneously said, “We are around your age now, but earning so much more than you both.”

To which Pastor Lia responded, “If you all are still poor like us, then we would have failed.”

Mic drop moment.

Every good father, leader wants the next generation to have a better life.

I tell this story to illustrate the heart of our Heavenly Father. If earthly fathers know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11). Jesus gladly became poor so that we can be rich. I am not into the Prosperity Gospel, yet we should not go to the other extreme to reject or condemn God’s prosperity and blessings. If we are still poor and our children are “born in a manger”, then Jesus “would have failed”. He suffered poverty so that we don’t have to. That’s the heart of Father God.

My second thought is – if you are going through a difficult financial situation and you feel like you are raising your children in a ‘manger’, don’t be discouraged. Jesus understands what you are going through because He was poor before. And don’t be too worried that your children will be disadvantaged, because Jesus still grew up to be a godly Man.