God Gives Us Exactly What We Need
Read: Luke 2:36-40, Matthew 5:17-18
The Old Testament commands us to love God and love others (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18). Yet, as Israel learned over generations, we’re unable to fully keep God’s law on our own.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them”(Matthew 5:17).
Seeing Jesus in light of the Old Testament, we understand why Anna “began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). Israel had been longing for a Savior, and Anna, Simeon, and John the Baptist all recognized Jesus as that promised Messiah. Jesus fulfilled the prophets’ words, though often in surprising ways.
Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we gain freedom from sin. When we trust in Him, we receive the Holy Spirit, who enables us to love and live out God’s law. Like Anna, we can rejoice in our salvation and share God’s message of hope with others.
TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK:
> How does knowing Jesus fulfilled the law affect your view
of the Old Testament?
> What can Anna’s joy teach us about recognizing
God’s work in our lives?