What does Luke 2:16 teach about responding to God's revelations in our lives? Setting the scene Luke 2:16: “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.” What the shepherds teach us • Immediate obedience—“they hurried off.” • Active pursuit—they went to see, not merely ponder. • Expectant faith—they trusted the angelic word would prove true. • Personal encounter—they met the Messiah firsthand, not second-hand. Principles for our own response to God’s revelations • Act without delay – Hebrews 3:7-8: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” – Delayed obedience often becomes disobedience. • Move toward the place God directs – Genesis 12:1-4: Abram “went as the LORD had told him.” – Revelation demands relocation—of priorities, schedules, even geography. • Seek confirmation in God’s presence – Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” – The shepherds’ discovery verified the angel’s message; God welcomes such faith-filled verification. • Treasure the encounter, then testify – Luke 2:17: after seeing, “they spread the message.” – Acts 4:20: “For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Scripture echoes • James 1:22—“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” • John 14:21—love for Christ shows up in obedient action. • Psalm 119:60—“I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.” Putting it into practice • When Scripture speaks or the Spirit convicts, respond at once—schedule changes, conversations, repentance. • Go where God’s word points—into prayer, into reconciliation, into service. • Verify through Scripture and godly counsel, then hold fast. • Share what God has shown you; revelation received is revelation to be relayed. |
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