| Church School Lesson: Living With What You Didn't Ask For |
"Living With What You Didn’t Ask For"
July 26,2026
Background: Luke 2:15-19; John 2:1-5; 19:25-27;
Print: Luke 2:15-19; John 2:1-5; 19:25-27
Key Verse: Luke 2:19; Devotional: Revelation 12:1-6
Luke 2:15-19 (ESV)
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.
17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
John 2:1-5 (ESV)
1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.
3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
John 19:25-27 (ESV)
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.
Luke 2, John 2, John 19 (Commentary)
Luke 2:13-15 Yet even though the circumstances of his entrance into the world were lowly, his birth announcement was anything but. Suddenly the angel was joined by a multitude of angels! The army of heaven came together to praise the Lord (2:13). They gave glory to God and announced peace on earth to people he favors (2:15)—to all those who would submit themselves to the Messiah.
The angelic announcement of “peace on earth” repeated so often at Christmastime is not about quiet tranquility or merely the absence of animosity between people. It is a declaration of the coming end of hostilities between a holy God and sinful humanity through the atoning work of the Messiah: peace with God. The Son of God came to pay the penalty for our sin and impute to us his righteousness. Only when “we have been declared righteous by faith,” can “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Peace among people is only possible when humanity is living at peace with God and submitting to his kingdom rule.
Luke 2:16-20 After an announcement like that, it’s no surprise that the shepherds hurried off to find the baby . . . in the manger (2:16). They wanted to see this wonderful truth for themselves! And afterwards, they became the first human heralds of the good news of the Messiah, amazing all who heard it (2:17-18). The shepherds went back to work as changed men, glorifying and praising God (2:20). Mary, however, quietly reflected on the events (2:19). Of all the women in Israel, God had chosen this ordinary, humble young woman to bring the Messiah into the world. God regularly works through the lowly to fulfill his kingdom program (see 1 Cor 1:26-29).
John 2:1-3 Jesus, his mother, and his disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee (2:1-2). But as the festivities were proceeding, his mother informed him that they had run out of wine (2:3). Wedding celebrations often lasted for several days, so this was indeed an embarrassing problem. Though the Old Testament condemns drunkenness (e.g., Deut 21:20-21; Prov 20:1; 23:19-21; 31:4-5), wine is often spoken of in terms of celebration, blessing, and joy (e.g., Ps 4:7; 104:15; Prov 3:9-10; Songs 1:2; Isa 25:6; 55:1).
John 2:4-8 Mary knew Jesus was able to solve the problem. But Jesus said, What does that have to do with you and me? . . . My hour has not yet come (2:4). Apparently she thought this was the perfect opportunity for him to publicly reveal his identity, but Jesus didn’t agree. It was not yet the time to publicly manifest his supernatural activity for all to see. Nevertheless, he solved the dilemma without advertising his identity. His mother told the servants, Do whatever he tells you (2:5).
John 19:25-27 Standing by the cross were four women who had followed Jesus, including his mother Mary (19:25). Jesus saw the disciple he loved—that is, John the son of Zebedee, the author of the Gospel (see the introduction), and told his mother that John was now her son, and he told John that Mary was now his mother (19:26-27). And from that hour the disciple took her into his home (19:27). Even as he hung dying on a cross, then, Jesus fulfilled his obligation to care for his widowed mother.
Jesus entrusted the well-being of his mother to John rather than to one of her biological sons because they had not yet believed in him (see 7:5). Spiritual relationships are to take precedence over biological and physical relationships (see Matt 12:46-50).