Dec 5 - Luke 1:38

 

And Mary said,

“Behold the maidservant

of the Lord! Let it be to me

according to your word.”

Luke 1:38

 

Adult Devotion …

 

Did you ever watch Candid Camera?

 

One of my favorite old black and white episodes featured an elderly lady who had called tow truck driver. As I remember it, she said, "I don't understand it. Last night I parked my car in the garage just like I always do. But this morning I can't seem to get it out."

 

The tow truck driver opens the garage door to find a long, long sixties style sedan parked perfectly sideways in the garage. This car is precisely as long as the garage is wide. I mean, to pull off the Candid Camera joke, a team of twenty had to have spent three days wedging that car in there with a forklift.

 

And the elderly actress was perfect. She played haplessly confused. 

 

And the tow truck driver - on whom the trick is being played - is perfectly confused. In fact, on the show, they show six tow truck drivers in a row hem and haw and ponder, first, the elderly woman's parking prowess ... and, second, the impossibility of even extricating that huge old car from that tiny little garage. 

 

Then … suddenly ... "Smile! You're on Candid Camera." 

 

Now, why am I telling you about Candid Camera? Why am I talking about an old show where people were regularly shocked … just to see their reactions. Why?

 

Because when the angel came to Mary, I would have loved to have seen this girl’s reaction to the shock and awe and surprise.

 

Think about it … Can you imagine what it would be like to be barely a teenager and have a mighty angel suddenly appear before you! I think it would be fear. I’m certain there’d be terror! I’m sure I’d fall on my face. 

 

But guess what ... the magnificent surprise is the simple part of this story!

 

What I really can't imagine is what it would be like to suddenly have an angel appear before me and say, "You (and your fiancé) are having a baby. And by the way, it’s not just any baby. Your child will be the Messiah, the Son of God!"

 

That would be my Smile-You're-on-Candid-Camera-Moment! Like most people on the show, I would be utterly dumbfounded. I’d be disbelieving. I'd probably say, "Thanks, but no thanks." But Mary said, "Okay!”

 

Mary said, “Let it be! Just as you've said. I'll be your handmaiden. I'll be your servant. God, I trust in you."

 

In the last few devotions, I've used the word "wow" a lot. This is the one devotion that really deserves a thunderstruck exclamation the most. "Mary! ... Wow!" 

 

Or maybe, what I ought to be exclaiming is, "God, give me the faith of Mary." 

 

Or maybe, my comment needs to be more like the father who was asking Jesus to heal his son, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief."

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who's not quite

ready for Candid Camera

 

Children’s Message

 

Have you ever had a big surprise?!

 

How did you react? What did you do?

 

Do you know who I think had the biggest surprise in the history of the world? I’ll bet it was Mary, the mother of Jesus. What do you think her face looked like when the angel came to Mary?!.

 

Can you imagine what it would be like to be barely a teenager and have a mighty angel suddenly appear before you! I think my reation would be fear. I’m certain there’d be terror. I’m sure I’d fall on my face! 

 

But guess what ... the magnificent surprise is the simple part of this story!

 

What I really can't imagine is what it would be like to suddenly have an angel appear before me and say, "You (and your fiancé) are having a baby. And by the way, it’s not just any baby. Your child will be the Messiah, the Son of God!"

 

How would you react? I think that I would be utterly dumbfounded. I’d be disbelieving. I'd probably say, "Thanks, but no thanks."

 

But … Mary said, "Okay!”

 

Mary said, “Let it be! Just as you've said. I'll be your handmaiden. I'll be your servant. God, I trust in you."

 

In the last few devotions, I've used the word "wow" a lot. This is the one devotion that really deserves a thunderstruck exclamation the most. "Mary! ... Wow!" 

 

Or maybe, what I ought to be exclaiming is, "God, give me the faith of Mary." 

 

Discussion Questions:

 

1.    What amazes you most about Mary’s story?

2.    How do you think you would have reacted?

3.    Based on this story, what do you think your prayer needs to be?

Dec 4 - Luke 1:32

 

[The angel prophesied about Jesus]

“He will be great, and will be called

the Son of the Highest.”

Luke 1:32

 

Adult Devotion

 

What does the angel proclaim about Jesus' future? The angel says, "He will be great."

 

"Great"! I looked it up. What does it mean? It means "he will be [considerably above average]."

 

Wow! That's impressive, isn't it? 

 

I think the angel was trying to convey that Jesus was going to be something a little bigger than just average-plus-a-little.

 

"Considerably above average" were the first two definitions in my online Oxford Dictionary. But I think definition three begins to hit closer to the angel's intent. According to definition three, Jesus is "most important" or -- and I like this one -- "most worthy."

 

Great, in this sense, means biggest and best. It means not just holy, but holiest. Worthy and worthiest. Great, in this sense, means magnificent, majestic, and preeminent. 

 

When Jesus walked the earth, he was fully human ... and he was much more. He is also fully God. 

 

What does "great" mean? Hebrews 4:15 puts it this way: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin."

What does that mean? Well, I may try greatly each day to refrain from sin ... but I sin and fall short ... daily. But Jesus is great - most holy and most worthy - because he succeeded in weathering temptation and avoiding sin throughout his entire life!

 

Jesus loved the unlovable. He embraced the untouchables - like the lepers. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. And he forgave even those who nailed him to a cross. He was not just above average; he was great!

 

He calmed the seas. He healed the sick. He walked on water. Jesus was not just above average; he was God!

 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is grate

(Yes, I just spelled that

precisely like I intended.

Jesus is great.

I occasionally grate

... on people's nerves)

 

Children's Message

 

What does the angel proclaim about Jesus' future? The angel says, "He will be great."

 

What does "great" mean? 

 

I looked it up in the dictionary. It means that Jesus is "the most worthy," "the most important."

 

"Great" means "the biggest" and "the best," and Jesus was certainly the most powerful to have ever walked the earth. 

 

"Great" means that Jesus was not just holy, but that he was holiest. He was worthy and is the worthiest. 

 

Great, in this sense, means that Jesus is magnificent and majestic. He is the King. 

 

When Jesus came to earth, he was fully human ... but he is so much more. He is also fully God. 

 

What does "great" mean? Hebrews 4:15 puts it this way: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin."

 

What does that mean? Well, you and I may try greatly each day to refrain from sin ... but we still sin and fall short ... daily. Jesus, however, is great because he succeeded in weathering temptation and avoiding sin throughout his entire life. Wow!

 

Jesus is great because he truly loved the unlovable, embraced the untouchables (like the lepers), ate with tax collectors and sinners, and  forgave even the very people who nailed him to a cross. Jesus calmed the seas, healed the sick, and walked on water. He was not just above average; Jesus was and is great! Jesus was and is God!

Discussion Questions:

 

1.    What does "great" mean to you?

2.    What is the greatest thing you've ever seen on earth?

3.    In what ways is the angel's prophecy fulfilled and Jesus is greater than anything on earth?

Dec 3 - Luke 1:31

 

And behold, you will …

bring forth a Son, and

shall call His name Jesus.

Luke 1:31

 

Adult message

 

God has many names. On ChristianAnswers.net, I found a page entitled, “948 Names and Titles of God.” 

 

948! Wow! 

 

The list starts with abba which is a familiar Hebrew form of “Father” (thus, “daddy”) and it ends with zur, which is the Hebrew word for “rock” (as in, “the Lord is my rock and salvation").

 

There are, indeed, nearly a thousand names for  God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - but today's lesson (and the whole season of Advent) prompt us to focus specifically on the names for God-the-Son. 

 

·         He is the Christ (the anointed one, in Greek).

·         He is the Messiah (the anointed one, in Hebrew). 

·         He is the Alpha and Omega - the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 

·         He is the Good Shepherd, the Great High Priest, and the Bread of Life. 

·         He is King of kings and Lord of lords. 

·         He is the Holy One of Israel. 

·         He is Immanuel - which means "God with us."

·         And ... well ... I'm barely half of the way through the alphabet!

 

Most of all, however, God-the-Son is "Jesus."

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, he said to her, “And behold, you will … bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus.” 

When the same angel visited Joseph, he added an explanation to this revelation. He said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

 

What does “Jesus” mean? The answer is found in the angel's phrase: "He will save his people from their sins." 

 

The Hebrew way of pronouncing Jesus is “Yeshua” which – with I’s and Y's and J’s interchangeable – is a form of the name “Joshua.” And it literally means “salvation” or “the Lord is salvation.” Thus, Joseph, why are “you … to name him Jesus”? Because “he will [literally] save his people from their sins.” 

 

Why? Because Jesus will literally be the Savior!

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s own

name means “kingly”

(feel free to pay your

taxes to "King Edward")

 

Children's Message

 

Jesus has many names in the Bible. 

 

·         He is the Son of God. 

·         He is the Christ (which means the anointed one, in Greek). 

·         He is the Messiah (which means the anointed one, in Hebrew). 

·         He is the Alpha and Omega - the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 

·         He is the Good Shepherd, the Great High Priest, and the Bread of Life. 

·         He is King of kings and Lord of lords. 

·         He is the Holy One of Israel. 

·         He is Immanuel - which means "God [is] with us."

Yes, Jesus has lots of names. But do you know where he got the name Jesus?

 

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary, he said to her, “And behold, you will … bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.” 

 

When this same angel visited Joseph, he added an explanation to this revelation. He said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).

 

What does “Jesus” mean? The answer is found in the angel's phrase: "He will save his people from their sins." 

 

The Hebrew way of pronouncing Jesus is “Yeshua," which is a form of the name “Joshua.” And it literally means “he who brings salvation.” Thus, Joseph, why are “you … to name him Jesus”? Because “he will [literally] save his people from their sins.” 

 

Indeed, the baby named "Jesus" will literally be the Savior!

Discussion Questions

 

1.    What is your favorite name for the Son of God? and why?

2.    If Jesus means "the Savior," what do you think that you need most to be saved from?

3.    How might you thank Jesus today for coming to save us?

 

Dec 2 - Luke 1:30

ADVENT DAY 2

we’re starting before the official Sunday start

·         Normal devotions … plus …

·         scroll down … Kid’s devotion near bottom

·         scroll down … Discussion Questions at bottom

·         Corresponds to kids advent chains from church

·         How-To Advent Guide sent out on Wednesday

 

 

The angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for

you have found favor with God.”

Luke 1:30

 

Adult Devotion …

 

Angels must be quite a sight!

 

Why do I say this? Because every time a human meets an angel in the Bible, they seem to fall to their knees, terrified! (I guess a flying, glowing beyond-human creature who suddenly appears from the middle of nowhere and calls you by name would be a little startling.)

 

We learned recently that there are 365 times in Scripture when God or his messengers tell his people, “Do not be afraid.” 

 

Yet Mary had more reason than most to tremble. She was just a teen, a virgin. Not only was she about to have a baby, but it was to be the Son of God!

 

Now, the coming of the Son of God had been proclaimed to Israel for century after century. Famous verses from famous prophets surely echoed in Mary’s heart. But … if I were Mary, I doubt that I would be singing verses like Isaiah 9:6 with the confidence found in Handel’s Messiah. (See if you remember this verse. Scripture proclaims …)

 

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

To Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc

 

The nativity might have been glorious prophetic fulfillment – and this certainly was glad tidings of good news for all the people – but if I was Mary, I would have been terrified. At the very least, this was utterly life-altering. A teen pregnancy would likely carry a huge amount of earthly shame. When Joseph found out, would he still want her? She might be an unmarried teenage mom! Would she be financially able to support this child?

 

Those are my human questions. If I were Mary, I sure wouldn’t be singing Isaiah 9 with the confidence found in Handel’s Messiah.

 

And yet Mary did sing with confidence! In a prayer/song that we now call The Magnificat, Mary sang …

 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who wants to be

as tough – and faithful –

as a girl

 

SEE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AT END

 

Children’s Message …

 

Angels must be quite a sight!

 

Why do I say this? Because every time a human meets an angel in the Bible, they seem to fall to their knees, terrified!

 

We learned recently that there are 365 times in Scripture when God or his messengers tell his people, “Do not be afraid.” 

 

Yet Mary had more reason than most to tremble. She was just a teen. Not only was she about to have a baby, but it was to be the Son of God.

 

For a thousand years, the prophets had foretold the coming of the Messiah, but I were Mary, I don’t think I’d be singing Isaiah 9:6 with the confidence found in song based on this verse in Handel’s Messiah …

 

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

To Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc

 

This song/verse might have been glorious prophetic fulfillment – and this certainly was glad tidings of good news for all the people -- but for Mary, personally, the unexpected coming of this child would be utterly life-altering. (Would you be singing Isaiah 9 with the confidence?)

 

Well, Mary did sing with confidence! In a prayer/song that we now call The Magnificat, Mary said,

 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”

 

 

Discussion Questions:

1.    Why do you think someone (like Mary) might be afraid when suddenly encountering an angel?

2.    Why do you think Mary – instead of being consumed by worries and fears – was able to sing with such confidence?

3.    What do you want to learn from Mary?

 

 

Dec 1 - Luke 1:26-27

ADVENT

·         Advent officially starts on Sunday, but …

·         These devotions correspond to kids’ advent prayer chains from church (which start Dec 1)

·         Below is my normal devotion

·         Plus … scroll down … there’s a kids’ devotion

·         Plus … there’s family discussion questions at the end

·         How-To Advent Guide sent out yesterday

 

 

the angel Gabriel was sent

by God to a city of Galilee

named Nazareth, to a virgin

[whose] name was Mary.

Luke 1:26-27

 

Adult Devotion …

 

Angels are spiritual beings. They were created by God to serve God.

 

Throughout Scripture, humans generally encounter angels as messengers. Indeed, “messenger” is what the word “angel” (angelos) literally means.

 

·         Lot, for example, received an angel as a messenger – the angel told him to flee Sodom and not look back.

·         A few chapters later, Abraham received an angel as messenger too. In Abraham’s case, the angel told him where to find a ram as a substitutionary sacrifice for his son, Isaac.

·         Daniel – among many others – also received an angel as a messenger. Michael, the archangel, was sent to Daniel as an answer to prayer, but as this angel reports in Daniel 10, his mission and message was delayed for twenty-one days. Why? Because along the way he had to fight his way past a powerful demon (“the prince of the kingdom of Persia”).  

 

Throughout the pages of Scripture, God frequently used angels to speak to his people. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that when God was finally ready to send his Son into the world, God first sent an angel as his messenger!

 

That messenger was the angel Gabriel. God the Father sent this angel to a teenage girl in the village of Nazareth. Gabriel would foretell the miraculous birth of a Messiah named Jesus to a virgin named Mary.

 

Now, in future days, we’ll contemplate this angel’s message. Today, however, let’s stop to thank God for speaking to our world and into our lives.

 

·         God spoke through angels.

·         And he speaks continually through his Word.

·         When Scripture says that “the Heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps 19:1), we are reminded that any- and everything that God created speaks of God’s power!

·         How else does God speak? The first words of Hebrews proclaim that “in many and various ways, God spoke his people of old by the prophets …

·         but now in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.”

 

In other words, God speaks through angels, prophets, creation, and through Jesus himself.

 

As we journey through Advent, are you hoping to hear from God?

 

I pray that you approach your Advent devotions with listening ears and an open heart. May God speak to you and make you eager for Christ to be revealed more fully in your life.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who has been in

several Hospice rooms

where patients report

seeing angels –

could it be that the barrier

between heaven and earth is

thin at these sacred moments?

could it be that God is speaking

a word of assurance at

these moments through

these messengers?

 

SEE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AT END

 

Children’s Message …

 

The word “angel” means “messenger.”

 

Before Jesus was born, God spoke again and again through his angels. For example, God gave answers, directions, and encouragement to people like Abraham and Daniel.

 

Then, when it was time for God to send his Son into the world, our Lord sent the angel Gabriel to a teenage girl in the village of Nazareth. Gabriel told about the miraculous birth that was to come: Jesus would be born to a virgin named Mary.

 

In future days, we’ll consider what Gabriel said to Mary. But today, let’s give thanks that God loves us enough to speak to our world.

 

·         God spoke through angels.

·         He spoke through prophets.

·         He speaks continually through his Word.

·         The wonders that God has created – stars and starfish and you and me – continually testify to His power and purpose.

·         And finally God speaks to us through his Son.

 

This Advent, I hope that you hope to hear from God!

 

Questions for Discussion …

 

1.    How did Mary hear from God two thousand years ago?

 

2.    What did the angel Gabriel say to Mary?

 

3.    How do you hear from God today?

 

4.    What do you think God is currently saying to you?