Luke 2:8-10
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Mary was the first to carry the Gospel, and the angel of the Lord was the first to preach the Gospel after Jesus had been born. Can you imagine the fright on the faces of the shepherds as a great Light shone round about them? The glory of the Lord was shining bright for them to see, yet they were afraid. The angel brought comfort and peace, saying, “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” There is Joy in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Great joy! And this joy is not reserved for just a few or some…it is for all people. Remember the joy you felt when you first accepted Christ? If it seems lost, you can find it again. Psalm 51:12 “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” If you’re fearful today, remember how the angel calmed the shepherds that night…by bringing them “good tidings of great joy”. Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Share the Joy of the Gospel with someone else today. Bible Reading: Nahum | 1 Peter 5 | Psalm 146
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Luke 2:6-7
“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Joseph and Mary had made it to Bethlehem from Galilee for the taxing. Mary was great with child. The Scripture does not mention specifically the pain that Mary went through or if there were complications to the birth. It simply says, “the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son”. The Son of God took His first breath upon this earth and Mary wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, which are none other than grave clothes. He came die. He knew He would not be here long, for His purpose was not to live. Matthew 20:28 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” When we go on a journey, we often find a hotel to stay in for the night. In Bethlehem there were no hotels, only an inn; however, there were no vacancies there. They had no room for Christ and His earthly parents. He was born and laid in a manger, a place where cattle feed. This lowly crib was the first place Christ would lay His head on this earth. His humility was evident from His very first breath to His very last on the cross where He willingly gave His life so that all may come to the Father. The innkeeper missed out on seeing the miracle of Jesus’ birth because he did not make room for Him. We are all innkeepers who choose whether or not to make room for Jesus in our lives. Think about what we have missed out on because we said there was no room for Him. Oh, we’ll invite Him in for salvation, but do we allow Him to have room in our day-to-day lives? 2 Corinthians 4:15-16 “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.” Is there room for Him in your life today? Bible Reading: Micah 5-7 | 1 Peter 4 | Psalm 145 Matthew 2:2
“Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” These men were searching for Jesus. They had heard of Him; and wanted to meet Him and worship Him. It’s no wonder that Scripture refers to them as “wise men”. Wise men still seek Him today. Matthew 2:9-10 “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” The star led them to Jesus. Contrary to many nativity scenes we find in stores today, the wise men did not visit Jesus at the manger. It is believed their visit occurred within the first two years after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. Scripture called Jesus a young child, likely a toddler, during this time. The wise men followed the star until it guided them to the house where Jesus and the family was and when they came into His presence, they fell down to their knees in worship to Him. They gave the very best treasures they had to show the honor and reverence they had for Him. Matthew 2:11 “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” Where is Christ in our lives? Seek Him today. Give Him your life for Him to use for His glory. Shine your Light today so that others may come to Him. Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Bible Reading: Micah 1-4 | 1 Peter 3 | Psalm 144 Luke 1:46-50
“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” Mary not only accepted the Lord’s purpose for her life, she rejoiced in it. She knew that the task ahead of her was far too great for her to bear on her own; she knew it was of the Lord and for His glory. The God that can do the impossible had chosen her for His will to be accomplished in the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through Mary, the earthly Gospel record began. Before the foundation of the world, God had a plan that He would send His only begotten Son to be born of a woman. He had to be born so that we could be born again. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” We must remember our need for a Saviour and the trust we placed in His finished work on Calvary and His resurrection. We too can magnify Him and say, “For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.” May we rejoice today in the great things Christ has done in our lives. Bible Reading: Jonah | 1 Peter 2 | Psalm 143 Luke 1:37-38
“For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” Engaged to a carpenter, Mary was planning her wedding and new life with her future husband, Joseph. Her plans changed when Gabriel visited and declared that she had been chosen by God to bring forth the Son of God. She was an ordinary woman whom God chose to do extraordinary things through. Mary was chosen to suffer for the cause of Christ. “be it unto me according to thy word” Mary accepted her calling. She not only made herself available to be used, but she was also willing to bare the cost of her divinely appointed task. Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Think of the physical pain she suffered during His birth, and the emotional pain during His crucifixion & death. She was the only one who was there to witness both. What pain this mother must have experienced; but she willingly accepted it in order to fulfill God’s purpose in her life and even ours. 1 Peter 3:19 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” Mary was willing to allow the Lord to use her life for His glory. What are we willing to endure for the cause of Christ? May we have the faith to say as Mary did, “be it unto me according to thy word.” Bible Reading: Obadiah | 1 Peter 1 | Psalm 142 Luke 1:34-35
“Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” No other woman had ever been in Mary’s situation before…nor has any since for that matter, “How shall this be”. How many times have we asked the same question that Mary did? Can we not relate with Mary on her confusion after receiving news that seemed absolutely impossible to occur? Abraham and Sarah must have felt similar to Mary after they were promised to have a son in their old age. How shall this be? They even thought they had to manipulate the situation in order for it to happen. They were impatient and took matters into their own hands…and look at the outcome. Even after the birth of Ishmael, God gave them Isaac just as He had promised. Instead of manipulating, Mary trusted. Just like the angel began to further explain to her how this would happen, we have been given the Word of God to give us evidence to believe that God can do the impossible. When we are faced with what seems like an impossibility, we must remember that God has ordained the circumstance within our life, just as He did in Mary’s. He not only has a purpose, He has a plan. Our part in it is simply to trust and obey Him, just as Mary did. If you are questioning, “How shall this be?” today, you can rest in the example that Mary has set for us. Although she questioned what was happening, she allowed God to show her He had a plan. Trust God’s plan and allow Him to work the impossible through you today. Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” Bible Reading: Amos 5-9 | James 5 | Psalm 141 Luke 1:28-33
“And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Out of all the women ever created, God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus. “highly favoured” This refers to obtaining grace. Mary had been found to be graciously accepted to birth God in the flesh. She had not known a man, because the blood of man could not be involved in the redeeming of the souls of mankind. The blood of a baby comes from the father. The Holy Ghost came upon her to conceive within her the blood of the Father required to redeem us from our sins. She had been given the special honor of literally feeling the Gift of God move within her. Favoured Grace. I John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” She was predestinated to be the mother of Jesus. God had chosen her to be the vessel who carried the Son of God into the world so that we might have life in Him. We are accepted through the blood of Jesus. He has chosen us to be one of His. Favoured Grace. Ephesians 1:3-7 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” Mary was the first to carry the Gospel. The Living Word grew inside of her, just as God desires the Word of God to grow within us. May we carry the favoured grace of God today to those around us. Bible Reading: Amos 1-4 | James 4 | Psalm 140 Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Immanuel means God with us. The very Son of God left His throne in Heaven to be made flesh just like us; but He was God in the flesh, and He chose to dwell among us. John 1:1,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” He walked the same streets that the multitudes that followed Him walked. He sat in the temple teaching and at the table with sinners. He felt pain when His friend died, because He was a man; yet He raised His friend from the dead, because He was God. He hungered in the wilderness because He was man; yet He fed the multitude with the lunch of a lad because He was God. Colossians 2:9 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” The same God that came to this earth to fulfill His purpose to save His people from their sins is the same God that is reaching out His hand today. When we are fearful, He is God with us. When we are dismayed, He is God with us. When we need strength, He is God with us. When we need help, He is God with us. When we feel alone, He is God with us. Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” There is no need to fear today…He is God with us. Bible Reading: Joel | James 3 | Psalm 139 Matthew 1:21
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Joseph was a just man. As a carpenter, can imagine him sitting amongst his woodworking shop as he began to think on how he was not willing to make a public example of Mary who was found to be with child of the Holy Ghost. The verses preceding display Joseph’s character even before he fell asleep and the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream. The angel comforted him, “saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” He then heard what His Name and His purpose would be. When he awoke from his sleep, he did not question…he simply obeyed. Mary was to have a Son, Joseph was to name Him JESUS. Why? Because He came to save His people from their sins. We are His people when we place our faith and trust in Him for salvation…to know the Truth of the Gospel. John 18:37 “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” Jesus Himself explained to Pilate His purpose for coming…”that I should bear witness unto the truth.” He came so that all could come to Him. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” How can a missionary go into a remote village where there is no church and find people hungry for the Word of God? Because His purpose in coming was so that they could know the Truth. During the Christmas season gives us the opportunity to tell others why Christmas is celebrated…because He came. Our purpose is to tell others about His purpose. Bible Reading: Hosea 13-14 | James 2 | Psalm 138 Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” The Christmas season is here. The Reason for the season should be at the forefront of our minds as we prepare to celebrate His birth in the days ahead. He is the Only Reason for this season. In this prophecy of the Birth of Jesus Christ, we see both His humanity and His deity. Christ was 100% God in the flesh, but He was also 100% man. Our finite minds cannot fully comprehend this fact, but it does not make it any less true. John 1:1,14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” A Child Is Born His humanity is shown in the fact that He was to come as a child born of a woman just like any other human being after Adam & Eve. Matthew 1:16 “And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” A Son Is Given His deity is displayed as God’s Son is given so that we might have life that is only found in Him. A gift cannot be given if it does not already exist. This Gift left His throne in Heaven to be born of woman, take upon Him the form of a servant, and fulfill His purpose to die for the sins of mankind. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Unto Us We see that this is a personal Gift, given “unto us”. A child was born, and a Son was given. There was only a need for One because He is the Only One who could have came; and He came for us. Romans 5:15 “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” We see in the latter part of the verse today are five descriptions that His Name shall be called. These five were given before He came, showing that by His grace we can become His children and experience the power of His Name. “Wonderful” – We can adore Him because He is Wonderful. “Counsellor” – We can be advised by Him because He is our Counsellor. “The mighty God” – We can see His almighty strength because He is The Mighty God. “The everlasting Father” – We can always find Him because He is The Everlasting Father. “The Prince of Peace” – We can be assured by Him because He is The Prince of Peace. Rest in Him today, the Only Reason for the season. Bible Reading: Hosea 10-12 | James 1 | Psalm 137 |
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