March 16

For my eyes have seen your salvation ~ Luke 2:30

You say, “Well wait a minute, isn’t Savior a New Testament idea? Isn’t Savior a New Testament concept that Jesus came to save and He’s the Savior and how would those shepherds know?” Being a Savior is not a New Testament concept. It’s an Old Testament concept. Shepherds would know what that meant because all who were in Israel knew God as Savior. That is a Jewish concept. Oh I know there are liberal theologians who want to put a great gulf between the New Testament and the Old Testament and they say that the Christ of the New Testament is a compassionate, loving, saving personality. But the God of the Old Testament is an angry, vengeful, envious, vitriolic, hostile, punishing kind of deity. But that is not accurate by any stretch of the imagination. ~ John MacArthur

Bible Reading For Today

Listen to Today’s Bible Reading

Numbers 24:1-25:18
Luke 2:1-35
Psalm 59:1-17
Proverbs 11:14

New Testament

Luke 1:57-80

Summary
The Birth of Jesus Christ
The Shepherds and the Angels
Jesus Presented at the Temple

Simeon thanks God for sending Jesus

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” ~ Luke 2:29-32

Listen to John MacArthur on today’s scripture below:

Mark by John MacArthur

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem, Part 1

Luke 2:1–7

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem, Part 2

Luke 2:1–7

Testimonies to the Incarnation

Luke 2:1–38

The Announcement of Jesus’ Birth, Part 1

Luke 2:8–11

The Announcement of Jesus’ Birth, Part 2

Luke 2:8–14

God, the Savior of Men

Luke 2:11

The God of the Old Testament was known to His people as a Savior. Israel knew God as a Savior. Now that was not the way it was with gods, the gods of men’s making. There’s only one God, the one true and living God, the eternal God, and He is by nature a Savior, He is a saving God. To use another word, a synonym, He is a Deliverer. He delivers people from threatening things. He is a rescuer, that’s another synonym. And He is that by nature and that’s not how it is in the science of ethnology and the world of religion and deities. In fact, you can study religions and you’re not going to find gods who are by nature saviors. You’re going to find in every religious system in the world a means by which somehow man can do something to appease the god and somehow by his own efforts and his own works save himself. But you’re not going to find any God who is by nature a Savior, a rescuer.

The Announcement of Jesus’ Birth, Part 3

Luke 2:15–21

Testifying to Jesus: Joseph & Mary

Luke 2:21–24

Testifying to Jesus: Simeon, Part 1

Luke 2:25–30

Testifying to Jesus: Simeon, Part 2

Luke 2:31–35