Luke 2:21–38 takes us beyond the manger to the temple, where Simeon and Anna meet the long-awaited Messiah. Their response—faithful obedience, Spirit-led praise, and boldproclamation—teaches us that hope fulfilled in Christ isn’t the end of the story; it’s the beginning of a life that worships and witnesses. Today we’ll explore how Jesus makes obedience and intimacy with God possible—and how we can respond with gratitude and courage to share the good news.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, a pattern of twos emerges: expectant mothers, two infants, two songs of praise, and two birth narratives. There is a central theme in this pattern: Great mercy comes from a great God through His great Savior. As we take a closer look at the birth of John and the song of praise and prophecy from Zechariah, we will see the effects and the implications of God’s mercy.

In our passage, Luke combines these two separate birth announcements of John and Jesus by showing us what happened when these two mothers encountered each other. Usually, when pregnant women meet, they naturally discuss their expected babies. From maternity leave, birthing plans, car seats, and baby clothes. But these women, in joy and filled with the Holy Spirit, speak about the Lord’s favor, His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, and are looking forward to the great reversal that Mary’s son (Jesus) would usher in.

Luke turns our attention to the announcement of Jesus’ birth, as we compare it with the announcement of John’s birth. We will discover that the mighty work God had done in John’s conception would be surpassed by an even greater miracle in the conception of Jesus. This leads us to ask, “What does it mean, and how should we respond?

As Advent begins, we open the Gospel of Luke with the story of Zechariah—a faithful man caught in a long season of silence. But in that silence, God was not absent. He was preparing something beautiful. This week’s message, “Hope in the Silence,” reminds us that waiting is not wasted, and that God often does His deepest work in the quiet. For the believer, it’s a call to trust again, to listen again, and to prepare room for Jesus. For the seeker, it’s an invitation to consider that the ache in your soul is actually a longing for the One who came to bring peace, joy, and hope. So come ready to reflect, respond, and begin this Advent season with your eyes fixed on Jesus—the One who came, and the One who will come again.

In our passage, Peter continues to address false teachers by raising a question that many of us have: How is it that, as false teachers seem to be succeeding, it appears God remains silent while they distort God’s Word and lead people astray? Peter will answer this question and show us that their judgment is coming soon. He will also equip his readers to recognize a false teacher by their character and teachings. 

As Peter directly addresses false teachers, one wonders whythe Lord allows them to infiltrate the church. The Christian life is hardenough in dealing with the world, our flesh, and the devil; now we need to dealwith false teachers as well. How do we discern between a false and a trueteacher?

In Peter’s last letter, he makes clear that he will soon facedeath, and Peter wants to leave his readers with a final reminder of what he has taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ: The return of Christ in glory. Peter is going to provide us with two witnesses to establish the truthfulness of Christ’s return in glory—the witness of the apostles and the prophetic word.

If God has given us a faith that is equal to that of other Christians, what is our responsibility in receiving and possessing this faith? Peter, in addressing us with the challenging task of exercising our faith, providestwo essential truths that must serve as the foundation for exercising our faith. These two truths keep us grounded from falling into the trap of performance-based Christianity or inactive-based Christianity.

In the first letter of Peter, the hostile powers came fromoutside the church, and in the second letter of Peter, the hostile powers comefrom inside the church through false teachers. If there are dangers outside andinside the church, how is the Christian supposed to live?  Peter, in his greeting, encourages the churchby reminding them that they have received a faith equal to that of otherChristians through the saving work of God, and they can experience a growinggrace and peace even in the midst of hostility.

As Peter closes his letter, he speaks from personal experience — not as a perfect leader, but as one who has failed, suffered, and been restored by Jesus. He calls the church to lead with humility, to clothe themselves in trust, and to stay spiritually alert as the enemy seeks to devour.

In times of fiery trials, believers are called to remember God's sovereignty, knowing that suffering is not random but part of His refining purpose. We are to trust God's faithfulness, rejoicing that we share in Christ’s sufferings and will also share in His glory. And in every circumstance, we must do good, even when wronged, because Jesus is our example—He entrusted Himself to the Father and endured suffering for righteousness' sake.

Peter instructs us by reminding us that because of Christand his suffering in the flesh, we must have a different mindset or perspective when it comes to suffering. This mindset of suffering affects our relationship with sin, our relationship with the world, and our perspective on the end of all things.

Why should Christians suffer well for righteousness? Peter reminds us of Christ's suffering and what He has accomplished for us through His substitutionary death. Just like Christ was vindicated and accomplished the ultimate victory, we too will be vindicated as we share in Christ’s victory. 

Peter addresses that the Christian life is marked by suffering for righteousness. How do we suffer well for righteousness? Why should we suffer well for righteousness? A common theme in the answers to these critical questions is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter addresses the life of a Christian marked by submissionin the context of marriage. This passage not only confronts our culture but has also confronted the values of all cultures throughout the centuries for almost two thousand years. Peter gives clear instructions to the wife and husband.When wives live in submission to their husbands, and husbands live with their wives in showing honor and protecting them, both actions are a witness to thewatching world.

Nothing comes more naturally to our hearts than self-defense and retaliation against those who mistreat us. To embrace a life of submission and unjust opposition requires a supernatural power and example to follow. As Christians, we have both in our crucified and risen Savior – Jesus Christ. 

When Peter addresses the Christian life, he reveals to us that the Christian life is marked by submission. Understanding the Kingdom of God helps us understand the command to submit to every human authority, as well as why and how we should submit.

The Christians who have been bought by the blood of Christ, chosen as God’s people, shaped to be a temple for God’s presence, are to live unique and countercultural lives so that the world cannot help but notice. When the world gives in to the desires of the flesh, the Christian abstains from sinful desires. We will examine sinful desires, how we abstain from them, and why.

Through Christ, God is building a spiritual house that grows as people come to him and are converted into living stones. Just like the temple and the priests in the Old Testament who mediated the presence of God to the people, believers in Christ mediate the presence of Christ to the outside world by offering the “spiritual sacrifice” of witness. In what we say and do, we mediate the presence of Christ by testifying to his “excellencies,” so that others might embrace him as Lord and Savior.