PT-2 “The Picture of the Good News” (Luke 2:15-21)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/7/2026 10:02 AM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus:  PT-2 “The Picture of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:15-21 

            Message of the verses:  “When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And 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.” (NASB)

            I will be continuing to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary as I begin this second SD on the verses above.  “The shepherds seeking out Mary, Joseph, and Jesus illustrates the next step in the salvation process.  Those who truly believe the revelation of God in Christ will come to Him.  They will accept His invitation, ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light’ (Matthew 11:28-30; cf. John 5:40; 6:37, 44; 7:37).

            “There must have been an interesting dialog between the shepherds and Mary and Joseph between verses 16-17.  The young couple was no doubt overwhelmed by the shepherds’ recounting of the amazing event they had just witnessed.  The words of the angel provided further confirmation to Mary and Joseph of who their Child was.  And Mary’s account of Gabriel’s appearance to her (1:26-38), coupled with Joseph’s account of his dream (Matt. 1:20-23) could only have increased the shepherds’ amazement.

            “The angels’ appearance to them and their conversation with Mary and Joseph had the shepherds’ privy to information no one else had.  Their enthusiastic response was to make known the statement which had been told them about this Child.  They went everywhere proclaiming the news that the Savior, Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, had been born.  The shepherds thus became the first New Testament evangelists.

            “Once they had heard, believed, and acted on the truth, the shepherds could not help but tell others about it.  Their witnesses to the good news they had received reveals something else that happens in the life of a newborn soul.  The response of those who come to Christ is to tell others about Him.  Usually the most bold and passionate people in proclaiming the gospel are the newest Christians; the longer people are saved, the less excited they seem about their salvation, and the less eager they are to share their faith.  But true spiritual commitment is determined by the quality and tenacity of believers’ long-term joy over their salvation.  One measure of that joy is how eagerly they share the gospel.  Lack of zeal and passion that compels believers to tell others about Christ betrays a sinful heart of indifference and ingratitude.”  I believe it is good that I highlight this paragraph so those believers who read this will search their hearts to find out if they are not witnessing to others about the salvation they were given to them when they confessed to being a sinner, realizing that Christ died for them and accepting the forgiveness that only He can do for them.

            “The shepherds did not have that problem.  The astounding nature of their message, coupled with the eagerness and enthusiasm with which they shared it, caused all who heard it to wonder at the things which were told them by the shepherds.  Thaumazo (wondered) appears frequently in Luke’s writings (cf. 1:21; 63, 2:33; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14, 38; 20:26; 24:12, 41; Acts 2:7; 3:12; 4:13; 7:31; 13:41).  From the very beginning the life and ministry of Jesus Christ caused people to marvel and be amazed.  Unfortunately then, as now, much of that amazement produced not commitment, but merely curiosity.  When the shepherds heard the good news of the Savior’s birth, they immediately sought Him out. But all that is said of those to whom they witnessed is that they wondered.  After their initial amazement wore off, most of them probably just went on with their lives as if nothing had happened.

            “In contrast to the shallow, superficial reaction of many who heard the news, Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.  She reflected deeply on the significance of the birth of God’s Son, and on what that birth portended for her and Joseph as His earthly parents.  In addition to the normal thoughts that go through the mind of any new mother, Mary had many other things to think about.  She considered God’s redemptive purpose, how just as He had promised, He had sent a Savior to redeem His people.  But that redemption would come at a fearful cost.  As Simeon would later warn Mary, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed’ (2:34-35).  Years later, Mary would watch her Son die on the cross bearing God’s wrath against sin (John 19:25-27).”

(John 19:25-27)

“25  but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26  When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

            “Mary’s deep meditation on the Savior illustrates another aspect of what it means to truly embrace Christ.  Salvation’s initial euphoria and excitement deepens into a richer, fuller, more profound understanding of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The apostle John described the Christian life as a progression from being a spiritual child, who only knows God as Father and forgiver of sins, to being a spiritual young man will grounded in biblical truth, to being a spiritual father, with deep understanding of God’s person (1 John 2:12-14).”

(1 John 2:12-14)

“  12 ¶  I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 13  I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14  I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

“But no Christian will ever be satisfied with the level of knowledge they have attained.  Paul many years into his Christian pilgrimage, yearned to know Christ even better.  He expressed to the Philippians his desire to ‘know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death’ (Phil.3:10).

            “The shepherds had had an amazing evening, one that forever changed their lives.  But life goes on, and eventually the shepherds went back to their flock, glorifying and praising God (cf. 1:64; 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47; 24:52-53) for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.  Their hopes and longings that the Redeemer would come had been realized, and their lives were marked by a newfound attitude of praise and worship.  That same attitude characterizes all who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Ps. 22:26; 30:4; 33:1; 34:1; 100:4; Acts 16:25; Heb. 13:15), whom Paul describes as ‘the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 3:3).”

Spiritual Meaning for my Life Today:  I believe that like many, if not all believers that there are ups and downs in their (my) walk with the Lord.  I believe one thing that certainly helps in my walk with the Lord is doing my Spiritual Diaries which causes me to study His Word.  In the paragraph that I colored yellow in this SD it shows me how I desire to do things for the cause of Christ.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trusting the Lord to continue to cause me to grow in the Lord, and to trust the Lord for what is going on in my wife as she continue to battle with cancer .  May I be a help to her in this battle.

4/7/2026 11:02 AM

 

 

 

PT-1 “The Picture of the Good News” (Luke 2:15-21)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/6/2026 8:07 PM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus:  PT-1 “The Picture of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:15-21 

            Message of the verses:  “¹⁵ When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the ^[manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.²¹ And when eight days were completed ^[so that it was time for His circumcision, He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” (NASB)

            It looks like to me that the commentary on these verses will take a more than one SD in order to get through it.  These are wonderful verses to take a look at as we continue looking at the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and how Luke describes the things surrounding it.  One of the things that is not in the gospel of Luke is telling the story of how His parents take Him to Egypt because Herod is trying to kill him.

            MacArthur begins his commentary on these verses by writing:  “How long the angels lingered is not known, but eventually they returned to heaven to resume their praise and worship before the throne of God (cf. Rev. 5:11-14).”

(cf. Rev. 5:11-14)

“11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14  And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

“After the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds immediately started discussing the amazing event they had just witnessed, and what they should do next.  Although the angel had not specifically commanded them to do so, they excitedly 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.’ Understandably, they wanted to get to Bethlehem as soon as possible.  But since they were responsible for the sheep under their care, they could not just drop everything and leave.  Either some of them had to remain with the sheep, or they had to find outer shepherds to watch over them.  As soon as those details were worked out, the shepherds went at once to Bethlehem.

            “The shepherds’ response illustrates the first two involved in a person’s coming to Christ: they heard the revelation.  In Romans 10:14 Paul described those same two steps (in reverse order):  “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?’  As noted earlier, these shepherds were most likely devout worshipers of the true God, who were looking for the redemption of Israel.  Their hearts were prepared so that when they heard the revelation of the Savior’s birth they believed it.

            “After making provision for their sheep to be cared for, the shepherds came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby.  The traditional site of the field were the shepherds watching their sheep is about two miles from Bethlehem. Luke does not describe how the shepherds found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus.  However, there would not have many babies born in a small village like Bethlehem on any given night.  Certainly news of any birth have spread rapidly by word of mouth, especially since Mary gave birth in a semipublic place…When the shepherds saw the Child as He lay in the manger, the angel’s prophecy was confirmed and their faith verified.”

            I continue to talk about what I posted on one of my Christmas Spiritual Diaries that perhaps I will use again by putting it onto this Spiritual Diary.  To me this makes the most sense to do this again, and so I will use this quote to end this SD.  I hope you will enjoy reading it!

            Now as far as the place where Jesus was born and who was there when He was born, it is not like the nativity scenes we see in people’s yards or in their houses.  I read a historic novel a few years ago and the author incorporated into the birth of Jesus a place called Midgal Eder and this place is mentioned in the book of Micah 4:8 where we read “8 "As for you, tower of the flock, Hill of the daughter of Zion, To you it will come-Even the former dominion will come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”  The words “tower of the flock” in the Hebrew is Midgal Eder, and this place was near Bethlehem on the way to Jerusalem and is where the lambs were born who would go to the temple and used for sacrifices.  There was a cave there and many believe that Jesus was born in that cave where these sacrificial lambs were born.  When you think about this it all makes perfect sense.  Now as far as who was there we know that Joseph, Mary, Jesus and later on the shepherds came, but as far as the wise men they did not come and see Jesus until he was near two years old.  They probably came from what was once Babylon and they probably got their information from Daniel who prophesied in his book of the time when the Messiah would die and so they would know when it would be near time for Him to be born and looked for Him following a star.  They first came to see Herod and asked him where the Messiah would be born and then went to find Him, giving gifts to Him and were then told in a dream not to go back to tell Herod.  Herod then had all male boys from the age of two years old and younger killed as was prophesied by Jeremiah. 

As far as Midgal Eder is concerned, there is no universal identification of the site. But I do believe it was a real site. The best thing I’ve read on the subject is from Alfred Edersheim’s The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah. (You can find his complete work online at Google Books.) I’ll include his quotation here, and then I’ll follow it with a few observations. (I’ll also highlight the key point he makes in the quote.)

 

But as we pass from the sacred gloom of the cave [i.e., he was just talking about the birth of Jesus in a cave] out into the night, its sky all aglow with starry brightness, its loneliness is peopled, and its silence made vocal from heaven. There is nothing now to conceal, but much to reveal, though the manner of it would seem strangely incongruous to Jewish thinking. And yet Jewish tradition may here prove both illustrative and helpful. That the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, was a settled conviction. Equally so was the belief, that He was to be revealed from Midgal Eder, “the tower of the flock.” This Midgal Eder was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks which pastured on the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town, on the road to Jerusalem. A passage in the Mishnah leads to the conclusion, that the flocks, which pastured there, were destined for Temple-sacrifices, and, accordingly, that the shepherds, who watched over them, were not ordinary shepherds. The latter were under the ban of Rabbinism, on account of their necessary isolation from religious ordinances, and their manner of life, which rendered strict legal observance unlikely, if not absolutely impossible. The same Mishnaic passage also leads us to infer, that these flocks lay out all the year round, since they are spoken of as in the fields thirty days before the Passover—that is, in the month of February, when in Palestine the average rainfall is nearly greatest. Thus, Jewish tradition in some dim manner apprehended the first revelation of the Messiah from that Migdal Eder, where shepherds watched the Temple-flocks all the year round. Of the deep symbolic significance of such a coincidence, it is needless to speak.

 —Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, pp. 186-87

 

If Edersheim is correct (and I believe he is), the location for Midgal Eder would be north of Bethlehem and near the old road from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. (That road is the old “Hebron road” one drives on between Jerusalem and Bethlehem today!) I believe this puts the location somewhere between the Jewish kibbutz of Ramat Rachel and Bethlehem, probably just to the west of Har Homa. There used to be an actual sheepfold in this area where I would take our groups but, sadly, it has been covered over by the modern road that now goes to Har Homa.

 

A key point here. Edersheim indicates that Migdal Eder was an actual spot, but he is not saying it was a town or village. Rather, the name means “watchtower of the flock” which seems to identify it as a specific pasture area for sheep. And the sheep that grazed here were those specifically destined for Temple sacrifice. In that sense the shepherds keeping watch over the temple sacrifices were the ones to whom God announced the birth of the ultimate “sacrificial lamb.”

 

I’m attaching a screen shot from Google Earth that might be of help in identifying the location for Midgal Eder. Note that Ramat Rachel is at the top of the picture and Bethlehem is at the bottom. The road running along the left side of the picture is the old Hebron Road, and Homat Shemu’el/Har Homa is just to the right of center in the picture. Based on Edersheim’s description, I would place Migdal Eder almost in the center of the picture…north of Bethlehem, just to the west of Har Homa, and east of the road from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. Since the word means “tower of the flock” it is likely a high spot in this area where sheep would graze. The hills right around (or right at) Har Homa are probably the best possible location.

 

I hope this is helpful!

4/6/2026 9:32 PM

 

“The Purpose of the Good News” (Luke 2:13-14)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/6/2026 9:45 AM

My Worship Time                                                         Focus:  “The Purpose of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                Reference:  Luke 2:13-14

            Message of the verses:  “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (NASB)

            MacArthur writes: “While the angel was speaking to the shepherds something even more amazing took place.  Suddenly (cf. v:9; Mal. 3:1; Mark 13:36; Acts 2:2; 9:3; 1 Thess. 5:3) there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.”

(cf. v:9; Mal. 3:1; Mark 13:36; Acts 2:2; 9:3; 1 Thess. 5:3)

“9  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.”

“1 ¶  "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.”

“36  lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.”

“2  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”

“3  Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.”

“5  For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.”

“How many of the millions of holy angels (‘myriad’ is the Greek word for 10,000, the highest number for which there was a word, hence the use of the expression ‘myriads of myriads’ to indicate more [Rev. 5:11]) appeared is not revealed, but the term multitude signifies a large group.  The appearance of so many angels at once is unprecedent in Scripture.”

[Rev. 5:11]

“11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,”

            “These angels were doing what angels constantly do, praising God (cf. Rev. 5:11-12; 7:11-12).”

(cf. Rev. 5:11-12; 7:11-12)

“11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

“11  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12  saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”

“All heaven broke loose with rejoicing at the birth of the Son of God.  The angels knew Him as the second person of the Trinity before His incarnation, where they saw His ineffable glory.  They understood that the fall had transformed the human race into sinful rebels against God, but they also knew that God had provided a way of salvation for man.  Their deep concern for the salvation of sinners causes there to be ‘joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents’ (Luke 15:10).  The angelic chorus of praise reflects the transcendent pinnacle of all thought and action; the highest of all truths; the supreme reason for all that exists—the glory of God.  The ultimate purpose of the good news of salvation is to save sinners so they can join the angels in glorifying God.

            “The angels ascribed glory to God in the highest; that is, heaven.  On earth, the lowest place in comparison with heaven, they proclaimed peace among men with whom He is pleased.  The peace of which the angels spoke is the peace with God that results from salvation (Rom. 5:1; cf. Acts 10:36).”

(Rom. 5:1; cf. Acts 10:36)

“1 ¶  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“36  As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),”

“Through faith in the Messiah, the ‘prince of Peace,’ God and sinners are reconciled (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20-22).”

(Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20-22)

“10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

“18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

“16  and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

“20  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21  And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22  he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

            The peace of which the angels spoke is only for men with whom God is pleased.  That does not, of course, mean that He gives salvation to those who please Him by their good works, since salvation is ‘not as a result of works, so that no one may boast’ (Eph. 2:9).  The Greek text literally reads, ‘men of His good pleasure.’ As Marshall explains, ‘The phrase means ‘those upon whom God’s will/favor rests’, and expresses the thought of God’s free choice of those whom he wills to favour and save’ (The Gospel of Luke, The New International Greek Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids; Eerdmans, 1978], 112).  Salvation peace belongs to those to whom God is pleased to give it; it is not a reward for those who have good will, but a gracious gift to those who are the objects of God’s good will.”

Spiritual Meaning for my life Today:  I am so very thankful for what is written in the highlighted portion above, for I know that I could never earn salvation, so that makes me very thankful for what God has done for me in giving me the gift of salvation through what Christ did for me on the cross.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Continue to trust the Lord in giving His mercy to my wife as she goes through these cancer treatments, knowing that He is in control.  Grace for both of us as we go through this difficult time in our lives.

4/6/2026 10:24 AM

           

PT-2 “The Person Of The Good News” (Luke 2:11-12)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/5/2026 9:30 PM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus: PT-2 “The Person Of The Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 2:11-12

            Message of the verses:  “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.”

            I want to continue quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary as he brings up some wonderful commentary on this section:  “Lord in a human sense is a term of respect and esteem, given to someone in a position of leadership and authority.  Especially it was the title borne by slave owners; kurios  (Lord) and doulos (slave) were connected.  To call someone Lord was to acknowledge your subservience.  In the New Testament Sarah called Abraham lord, acknowledging his authority over her as her husband (1 Peter 3:6).”

(1 Peter 3:6)

“6  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.”

            But in this context Lord is no mere elevated human designation; it is a divine title.  To say that this Child is Lord is to say that He is God.  When used in reference to Jesus Christ kurios  (Lord) conveys all that is implied by the tetragrammaton YHWH (“Yahweh,” which the Septuagint translates kurios)—the name of God (cf. Ex. 3:14-15).”

(cf. Ex. 3:14-15)

“14  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’" 15  God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”

“The most fundamental and basic confession of Christianity is, “Jesus is Lord’ (1 Cor. 12:3).”

(1 Cor. 12:3)

“3  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says accursed “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”

“No one who does not affirm Christ’s full deity and equality with God the Father can be saved for, as He warned the Jews, ‘Unless you believe that I am [God], you will die in your sins’ (John 8:24).  Romans 10:9 declares that ‘if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’

            “The Angel then gave the shepherds a sign by which they could recognize this remarkable Child:  they would find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  That the baby would be wrapped in cloths would not single out Jesus for the shepherds, since that was done to all Jewish babies…To fail to properly care for a newborn baby, including wrapping it, was unthinkable (cf. Ezek. 16:1-5).”

(cf. Ezek. 16:1-5)

“1 ¶  Again the word of the LORD came to me: 2  "Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, 3  and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4  And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5  No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.”

“But Jewish mothers did not usually put their newborn babies in a manger, so that would narrow the shepherds’ search to the Child of whom the angel spoke.  The stark contrast between Jesus’ exalted status as Savior, Messiah, and God and the humble circumstances of His birth emphasizes the magnitude of His ‘[emptying] Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men’ (Phil. 2:7).”

4/5/2026 9:52 PM

"PT-1 “The Person Of The Good News” (Luke 2:11-12)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/5/2026 8:06 AM

My Worship Time                                                  Focus: PT-1 “The Person Of The Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 2:11-12

            Message of the verses:  “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.”

            We have seen that when the angel came to the frightened shepherds that he had to reassure him telling them the good news, the angel then gave them the details of what that good news was.  I want to look at Galatians 4:4-5 to help us understand this:  “4  But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5  to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”  What we are reading about here is history’s most significant birth which just took place here.  It happened in the most unlikely of places—in the city of David which was the tiny hamlet of Bethlehem.  The angel prefaced his threefold description of the newborn Child by telling the shepherds that the One of whom he spoke had been born for them.  Collectively, as noted earlier, Jesus is the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles; individually, He is the Savior of everyone who believes in Him as seen in John 3:16 “16  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  The angel did not give the Child’s earthly name; Savior, Christ and Lord are all titles.  But since the name “Jesus” means “Lord is salvation,” it’s meaning is encompassed by the term Savior.

            MacArthur writes:  “The description of Jesus as Savior is an apt one, since the reason He was born was to “save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21; cf. Luke 19:10).  The obvious truth is often obscured in contemporary presentations of the gospel.  Too often Jesus is presented as the One who will rescue people from unfulfillment in their marriages, families, or jobs; from a debilitating habit they cannot overcome on their own; or from a sense of purposelessness in life.  But while relief in those areas may be a byproduct of salvation, it is not its primary intent.  Mankind’s true problem, of which those issues are only symptoms, is sin.  Everyone (Rom. 3:10, 23) is guilty of breaking God’s holy law and deserves eternal punishment in hell.  The true gospel message is that Jesus Christ came into the world to rescue people from sin and guilt—not psychological, artificial guilt feelings, but true, God-imposed guilt that damns to hell.”

(Rom. 3:10, 23)

“10  as it is written,: "None is righteous, no, not one;”

“23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

            “Christ is an exalted title for a baby born in such humble circumstances.  The name and its Old Testament counterpart, Messiah (Dan. 9:25-26), both mean ‘anointed one’; one placed in a high office and worthy of exaltation and honor.  Jesus was anointed first in the sense that He is God’s appointed King, the ‘King of kings’ (Rev. 17:14; 19:16), who will sit on David’s throne and reign forever, as Gabriel told Mary (1:32-33).  He was also anointed to be the great High Priest (Heb. 3:1) for His people; the mediator between them and God (1 Tim. 2:5) who makes intercession for them (Heb. 7:25).  Finally, Jesus was anointed as a prophet, God’s final and greatest spokesman (Heb. 1:1-2).”  This section that we are looking at in this mornings SD is a very, very important section to go over and to understand and so I think that I will go ahead and copy and paste the verses in this paragraph in order to help us understand this important message that we are looking at this morning.

(Dan. 9:25-26)

“25  Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26  And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.”

(Rev. 17:14; 19:16)

“14 ¶  They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.’”

“16  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

(1:32-33)

“32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’”

(Heb. 3:1)

“1 ¶  Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,”

(1 Tim. 2:5)

“5  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”

(Heb. 7:25)

“25  Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

(Heb. 1:1-2)

“1 ¶  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” 

Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today:  This morning is what I like to call Resurrection Sunday, many call it Easter.  In this SD we are looking at the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and some 33 years after He was born on the earth He died for the sins of the world, and then was resurrected to show us that God was satisfied that Christ paid for all sins.  The thing that one must do in order to become a true believer is realize that your were born a sinner, and because you were born a sinner you sin.  One must realize this and then accept the forgiveness that Christ has provided for you.  In doing that you will become a born-again believer in Jesus Christ.  Please if you have not done this do it today for no one is guaranteed tomorrow.  Pray something like this, “Lord Jesus I realize that I am a sinner, and I now realize that You died for me as You took my place on the cross.  I accept Your forgiveness and desire for you to come into my heart to rule my life in the way You desire my life to be.  Thank You for dying in my place.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I trust the Lord through His Holy Spirit that people who read this Spiritual Diary will come to know Christ as Savior and Lord.

4/5/2026 9:07 AM

 

 

 

 

"“The Pervasiveness of the Good News" (Luke 2:10b)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/4/2026 8:25 PM

My Worship Time                                                Focus:  “The Pervasiveness of the Good News

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                  Reference: “Luke 2:10b”

            Message of the verses:  “which will be for all the people;”

            Now this did not come out the way that I wished that it would, as this section will be very, very short, and then tomorrow morning’s will be longer, but that is the way that it turns out and so that is the way that I will do it.

            Now the good news the angel proclaimed is for all the people.  MacArthur explains that Laos (people) refers first to Israel as seen in (Luke 1:68; 7:16; 19:47; 21:23; 22:66; 23:5, 14), since “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22; cf. Rom. 1:16).

(John 4:22; cf. Rom. 1:16)

22  You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”

“16 ¶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

However the promise of salvation is not only for them.  Praising God after seeing the baby Jesus in the temple, this is what Simeon said “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’” (2:30-32).  MacArthur then adds “Significantly, laos in verse 31 is plural, while it is singular in verse 32.  Simeon’s words reflect the truth expressed in Isaiah’s prophecy:

“1 ¶  Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

“The good news of salvation, having been proclaimed first to Israel, is now proclaimed throughout the world (Matthew 28:19-20).

(Matthew 28:19-20)

“19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

            Now that ends this rather short SD, however I would like to explain something that I have learned about the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah is the first of what is called the major prophets of which there are four, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.  Now major prophets are classified as being major prophets because of the length of them, and not for who wrote them.  Now what I want to say about Isaiah is that it is kind of like a miny Bible as the first 39 chapters mostly speak of Old Testament things, but then in verse forty we read:  “1 ¶  Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that

her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”  One of the things that I learned when I was studying the book of Isaiah is that there were “scholars” who thought that there were two authors writing Isaiah, and that is because of how things change when you get to verse 40.  So remember if you are reading some of the verses in Isaiah, it is good to check the chapter number to see if it is like the Old or New Testament.

Have a happy, joyful, and a great Resurrection Sunday, for Christ has risen, He has risen indeed.

4/4/2026 8:47 PM

 

 

 

PT-2 “The Proclamation of the Good News” (Luke 2:8-10a)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/4/2026 9:40 AM

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  PT-2 “The Proclamation of the Good News”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                 Reference:  Luke 2:8-10a

            Message of the verses:  “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 (2:8-10a).

            I continue looking at the commentary on these verses in this morning’s SD as John MacArthur writes:  “Throughout Scripture, God’s glorious presence was manifested in brilliant light (e.g., Ex. 24:17; 33:22-34:5; Deut. 5:24; 2 Chron. 7:1-3; Ezekiel 1:27-28; 43:2; Luke 9:28-32;; Rev. 21:23; cf. Ex. 34:29, 35; Psalm 104:1-2; Hab. 3:3-4; Rev. 1:13-16).  The glory of God first appeared in the garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve had intimate fellowship with God and enjoyed His presence.  But after they sinned, God banished them forever from the garden and posted an angel with a flaming sword at the entrance to keep them out.  God’s glory manifested itself to Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 34:16-17), especially at the dedication of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35), as it would later appear at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11).

            “But after centuries of sin and rebellion, the glory of God left the temple (Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4, 18, 19; 11:22-23), symbolizing its withdrawal from Israel.  It would not appear again until this very night, where it signified that God’s presence had once again entered the world through the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Later in His life Jesus would reveal His divine glory to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-2).  The next visible manifestation of God’s glory to the world will be at the second coming, when ‘the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and…all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory’ (Matt. 24:30).  Heaven will be lit by the all-pervasive glory of God throughout eternity (Rev. 21:10-11,23).

            “The shepherds understandably were terribly frightened by the appearing of the angel and the manifestation of God’s glory.  Fear was the normal response whenever anyone in Scripture either encountered an angel (cf. Dan. 8:15-18; 10:7-9, 16-17; Matthew 28:2-4; Luke 1:12, 26-30) or saw the glory of God manifest (Isa. 6:1-5; Ezek. 1:28; 3:23; Matt. 17:5-6; Mark 4:41; 5:33; Acts 9:4; Rev. 1:17).  Those who experience the presence of the Holy God are acutely aware of their sinfulness.  Isaiah cried out, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts’ (Isa. 6:5), and Peter exclaimed after witnessing a miracle performed by the Lord, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’ (Luke 5:8).

            “Seeing the shepherds’ obvious terror, the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.’’  The sequence of events in the angel’s appearance to the shepherds is the same as in Gabriel’s appearances to Zacharias and Mary: the angel appeared, those to whom he appeared were frightened, the angel spoke words of comfort, delivered his message, and promised a sign.

            “There is a sense in which it is right to fear God; the Bible declares that ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (Prov. 9:10; cf. 1:7; 15:33; Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Mic. 6:9), and godly men are marked by reverence for Him (Gen. 22:12; 42:18; Ex. 18:21; Neh. 7:2; Job 1:9; Ps. 66:16; Eccl. 5:7; 8:12; 12:13; Matt. 10:28; 1 Peter 2:17).  But the redeemed need not be terrified of God.  ‘For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again,’ Paul reminded the Romans, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’’’ (Rom 8:15; cf. Gal. 4:6-7).  God says to His people, as He did to Abraham, ‘Do not fear’ (Gen 26:24; cf. Judg. 6:23; Isa. 43:1, 5; 44:2; Jer. 46:27-28; Lam. 3:57; Dan. 10:12, 19; Matt. 14:27; 17:7; 28:5, 19; Luke 5:10; 12:32; Rev. 1:17).

            “The shepherds did not need to fear, for the angel had come bearing good news.  His message was not one of judgment, but rather that ‘the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world’ (1 John 4:14).  Euangelizo (‘to proclaim good news) is one of Luke’s favorite terms; he used it more than any other New Testament writer (cf. 1:19; 3:18; 4:18, 43; 7:22; 8:1; 9:6; 16:16; 20:1; Acts 5:42; 8:4, 12, 25, 35, 40; 10:36; 11:20; 13:32; 14:7, 15, 21; 15:35; 16:10; 17:18).  The good news of the gospel is that the saving God sent the Savior to redeem sinners.  That news produces great joy; the joy that Peter described as ‘inexpressible and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8), which is reserved for those whose sins have been forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

            Spiritual Meaning for My Life Today:  Now as I look at all of the verse references that MacArthur included in this section it just shows me that the Bible is true and the best commentary for the Word of God is the Word of God.

            My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am thankful that God has given me 78 years, as I begin the 79^th year that He has given me today, and it is my desire to live a life this year that will be pleasing to Him.  Trusting that the Lord will deal with my wife and me with goodness and grace.

4/4/2026 10:21 AM