Luke 2:22-35
We all live hopeful because all of us long for change. Change in the violence we see around the world, change in our communities, change in the strife in our families, change in our child’s waywardness, change in our own struggles.
In fact, you cannot live without hope. The Harvard School of medicine, "Hope is an essential component of our well-being…It is an essential factor for developing both maturity and resilience."
Not only is hope a vital piece to our humanity BUT we all hope in something. The good news from Luke 2 is that Jesus brings hope to those who are hopeful.
Luke 2:8-21
In Luke 2 we have the greatest baby announcement in the history of humanity that brings with it the greatest news that you and I could ever hear. God announces through an entire heavenly host of angels that He is sending His One and only Son — Jesus: The promised Savior of the world.
And as a result — Jesus is coming to bring peace. Contained in that one line is the most important thing that you could ever know and truly believe. Jesus came to bring the outsider in. This is the peace that Jesus came to bring and it’s the type of peace that not only do we really need, it's the type of peace that we genuinely long for.
Luke 1:67-79
There are moments in life when the light finally breaks through—when what was confusing becomes clear, when what felt dark begins to dawn with hope. Scripture tells us that when God moves, His people often respond in song. That is exactly what happens with Zechariah. After months of silence, he is filled with the Holy Spirit and bursts into a prophetic song declaring that God has come to shine His light into a dark world.
In this Spirit-inspired song, Zechariah proclaims that the coming Messiah brings salvation—God’s long-promised rescue. He reminds us that this salvation leads to worship, for we are redeemed to serve God without fear. He announces that his own son, John, is God’s chosen instrument, the forerunner who will prepare the way for the Lord. And he ends by celebrating the profound peace that God’s light brings, guiding our feet out of darkness and into the way of peace.
This Advent season, as we continue through the Songs of Luke, Zechariah’s song invites us to behold the One whose light brings a plan, a purpose, a prophet, and peace. Jesus has come—and the dawn has broken.
Luke 1:46-56
If you’ve ever observed little kids when they get excited you realize that they will easily and spontaneously burst into song. Whether a birthday party is around the corner, a friend is coming to play, or a long-awaited Christmas present is being unwrapped, their joy overflows in a made-up melody.
From the beginning of time, song has been a powerful way to express emotion, tell a story, and stir our memory. Songs don’t merely resonate with us intellectually but they have the ability to connect with us at a deep soul level.
This Advent season, we are going to look at four songs from the book of Luke. The first of those songs is Mary’s, which shows us that Jesus came to bring us true joy.