What to Think on December 26th
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by Jon Buck
A 5000 Year Christmas Eve
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by Jon Buck
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above your deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight.
We’ve all experienced the night before a major event. Maybe you’ve felt the complexity of getting everything together before a big trip, or the bustle of trying to make sure everything is perfect on the night before a wedding, or making sure to set two alarms before the first day on a new job. If you’re like me, I tend to wake up every hour on the hour, worried that I’ll oversleep!
That pent up pressure of expectation and hope is bittersweet. Usually, the event you’re about to experience is a good thing—your wedding, a new job, vacation, etc.—and there’s much to be excited for. By the same token, the sleeplessness and busyness of the night before is never enjoyable.
This, of course, is true of Christmas Eve as well. The expectation of the morning—gifts, a special breakfast, time with family—is pent up in the hearts of everyone together. Even the secular world recognized this is poems like ‘A Visit from St. Nicolas’.
This feeling of anticipation was perhaps never more true than the night before the birth of Jesus. Joseph and Mary were settled in the barn. They’d both seen visions about who the baby would be. They must have had all sorts of questions about what was about to happen. Would He be evidently supernatural? Would He speak immediately? Or would He be a normal infant? They had no idea!
Certainly there were no doctors or nurses around—just Joseph and Mary, and perhaps some extended family. Everyone was waiting for the coming of the baby, and no one was quite sure what was going to happen. The pent up pressure and expectation and hope in that moment must have been palpable.
But it wasn’t just the family that had that pressure. The hope for the coming of the Messiah extended way back into history—in fact, ALL the way back into history. The promise made to Eve in Genesis 3:15 of One who would come to deal with the sin problem, and the countless promises made between Eve and Mary were all bearing down on this moment. This had been a night that had been coming for 5000 years—an evening with generations of anticipation.
Philip Brooks, the pastor of Trinity Church in Boston, captured this feeling in his 1868 hymn ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem.’ The final line of the first stanza summarizes the pressure that existed on this evening.
‘The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.’
How true! All the hope and anticipation, all the fears and doubts came together in a single night and a single birth—the birth of the Savior.
And Jesus didn’t disappoint. He far exceeded the hopes of all the generations before and after. He was more than a match for all the doubts and fears over God’s power to save. Jesus blew all these out of the water.
So, let this be a special ‘night before’ for you this year. While you’re enjoying quiet time, or bustling to finalize gifts and breakfast, or getting kids into bed, remember the first Christmas Eve. Remember that all your hope is not on the morning that is coming tomorrow, but on the Light that came that morning so long ago. Remember the One who carried the hopes of humanity on His shoulders, and remember that He is already with you tonight.
Jesus has come, and regardless of how tomorrow goes—whether its filled with sad memories, or unmet expectations, or joyful and satisfying blessings—remember that He is the true hope, and that hope is fulfilled for you.
When God Grew Up
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by Jon Buck
The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. - Luke 2:40
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. - Heb 2:16
Theologians like to talk about things that provide explanations about who God is and what He’s like. These are called his ‘attributes’. One of those attributes is that God cannot change. This attribute is called ‘immutability.’
If God were to change, that would mean that He is either improving in some area, or He would be growing less perfect in some area. Either of these would imply that He is responding to a standard of righteousness or perfection that is outside of Himself—and that standard would then be God.
And so, simply put, God cannot change if He is to be God.
And yet, the Bible teaches us that Jesus changed both physically and spiritually. Luke tells us that Jesus ‘continued to grow’. This is His physical change. He was born like any other infant, and He grew like any other child. He went through the toddler years. He had an 8th birthday. He played in the street like any other ten year old. He grew, and to all those around Him, He was like any other young boy.
Luke also tells us that He grew spiritually. The statement that He ‘became strong, increasing in wisdom’ is related to His spiritual life. Jesus learned things about God. He grew up, learned to read, studied God’s Word, and increased in wisdom along the way. His wisdom was, of course, more than those around him (the story that follows this passage in Luke 2:41-51 makes that clear). However, His wisdom grew by the grace and favor of God.
And so we are left with a conundrum. God cannot change, or He would be improving. Jesus is God. Jesus changed and grew in wisdom and stature. What do we make of this?
These passages highlight the glorious reality that Jesus really did become a real person. He didn’t just ‘inhabit a body’, but He truly became a man. In His human nature, Jesus grew. He increased in wisdom. God’s grace was upon Him.
In His divine nature, these things were unnecessary. But because He was fully man, as well as fully God, Jesus was able to grow and change in His human nature. In a very real way, God grew up.
Now, of course, there’s a logical difficulty here. How can one person have two natures? We don’t have the answer for HOW that can happen, and to be honest, no one ever has understood it completely.
But we do have the answer for WHY it happened. God reveals to us in Scripture that the purpose of having Jesus be fully man and fully God was so that He could be ‘made like His brothers in all things.’ Jesus grew and learned in order to be like us—to understand our weaknesses, our struggles, our confusion. Jesus was fully man in order to be our Emmanuel—God has truly been with us.
But that’s not all. Jesus became fully man for one other reason, also. He became fully man in order to become the propitiation for our sins as our faithful High Priest. He took God’s wrath for us, bore the penalty of our sin on the cross, and died in our place as a real man. His humanity allowed Him to take our place, carry our debts, and provide us with His life.
We can’t possibly understand the ‘HOW’ of this truth, of course. But we can see and understand and rejoice in the ‘WHY’. God has come to us. He understands the pains of this life. He lived it. And He completed that life by dying on a cross with my sins on His shoulders.
And so if things are challenging this Christmas, and you find yourself hurting, remember, Jesus understands. He’s been there, and walked through trials all the way to the cross so that He can be your High Priest and bring you to His Father.
A Baby That Divided the World
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by Jon Buck
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed…
~ Luke 2:34
Nearly 4 million babies are born each year in the United States. From California to Missouri to Connecticut, in cities and rural areas, to people of all races and social classes, babies are constantly entering the world. That’s around 10,300 a day!
Each of these millions of babies holds massive potential. One could be the next great thinker of our age. One might develop a cure for cancer. A very few will likely turn out to be the President of the nation someday. Babies are full of hope.
Jesus was no different. As Joseph and Mary stood in the temple that day so long ago, they felt the potential that was in this little One they held. Simeon the old prophet knew it, and so did Anna, who blessed the young couple, and rejoiced that redemption had come to Jerusalem. But unlike other babies, the future for Jesus and His potential was already written.
The old prophet Simeon had been waiting for the coming Messiah, and when he had blessed the young family, he turned to Mary and told her that this little One that she held was a sign to the nation of Israel that would be opposed, and that He would eventually divide Israel into those who rose and those who fell.
Now, of course, Mary couldn’t have known all that this prophecy meant for her baby, or for herself! The statement was undoubtedly disconcerting, and probably caused her some anxiety at the time, but she couldn’t have possibly known just what this meant. All she could do was wonder at the attention her new baby was receiving. But looking back, we understand just how accurate Simeon’s prediction was.
Jesus divided the nation of Israel. His ministry was one of Gospel proclamation, but the fruit of that ministry was ultimately division. He came to proclaim release to captive souls, to announce the good news of the arrival of the kingdom, and to call sinners to repent and be restored to God.
Many—in fact, most—rejected that call. They turned from Him in faithless hate, and ultimately took Him to Pilate and demanded His execution. They rejected Him, and ultimately, they ‘fell’ into judgment and damnation.
But others—just 120 to start with—heard the message that Jesus proclaimed and believed the unfathomable truth that God had become a man. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, and they received from Him the good news of salvation. These few accepted Him, and are, even now, enjoying His presence forever. In spite of their various backgrounds, they all ‘rose’ though God’s grace and kindness.
How people responded to this baby resulted in their eternal state, whether heaven or hell. And this was predetermined. Simeon tells Mary that her baby was ‘appointed’ for this responsibility. The word used by Luke means to set in place. Jesus, though a baby, was a giant rock that would divide the flow of humanity into two streams—those who would rise in faith, and the those who would fall in rejection.
The same is true for you today. You know that Jesus was born, and Christmas celebrates this stunning event. But Jesus still divides the world, and your soul is in the stream of humanity. This Christmas, consider whether you believe that He was, in fact, the Messiah, the Son of God. Ask yourself if you have believed the good news, have placed your sins on Him, and received the indescribable gift of salvation. You must decide, and Jesus has come with the good news of salvation for you this Christmas!
The Man Who Held Salvation in His Arms
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by Kevin VanTongeren
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms and blessed God, and said,
“Now Master, You are releasing Your slave in peace,
According to Your word.
For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
Which You prepared in the presence of all peoples,
A Light for revelation to the Gentiles,
And for the glory of Your people Israel.”
And His father and mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him.
(Luke 2:25–33)
Most of us know joy of holding a newborn baby.
It’s a tender moment, isn’t it? When your eyes look down at the little one comfortably bundled in your arms. Even if it’s not your own, the cares of your life begin to fade away as you look upon their sleepy little eyes, their soft skin, their little arms, their tiny fingers. Newborns are pictures of peace in a world full of pain.
Simeon had a similar experience himself. But for him, when he looked down at the one who was in his arms, he saw in that particular child something far more extraordinary than anything you or I have ever seen.
Looking down, Simeon saw his arms holding the very Savior of the world (2:30). He was looking into the face of the Lord’s Anointed One—just eight days old. Just inches from his heart, Simeon held the very One who would give His life as a ransom for many, the One who would restore this world of sin and violence and worry to a place of perfect peace.
You see, Simeon had heard about this little One for quite some time. Simeon’s name, after all, means “hearer.” And being a Jew of “righteous and devout” character, it’s clear that he was someone whose heart listened to God’s word and longed to see His promises come to pass. Simeon had heard of God’s promises to bring tangible peace to His wearied people—and Simeon yearned to know that for himself. He was a man “waiting for the comfort of Israel” (2:25). And Luke’s terms here tell us that Simeon longed to receive God’s comfort, as it were, into his arms. He wanted to receive it himself, to hold it, to know it in his life. And in His grace, God made a special promise when He let Simeon know that in part he would indeed have that privilege (2:26).
Now, on this day in the temple, Simeon actually saw the One whom he’d only ever heard about. He saw Him there in the temple being prepared to carry out God’s will in His life (2:27, 31). He saw Him right there. And with the Spirit’s leading, Simeon literally went and took the Comforter of all Israel into his arms (2:28).
The One he’d heard about in a book was now cradled in his bosom. He was holding Him! And when he looked down at this little One, his soul became full and his faith became sight. This was the Savior of the world (2:32), and His life so comforted Simeon that now he could even face death in peace (2:29).
As you read about Simeon’s experience, dear Christian, you should remember that one day soon you will have for yourself an even greater joy than Simeon had. You should remember that the One whom you’ve mainly read about in a book will stand before your very eyes. You should remember that God’s promises will come true in front of you. Today you live by faith (2 Cor 5:7), but one day soon “Your eyes will see the King in His beauty” (Isa 33:17). Your eyes will see the face of God incarnate (Rev 22:4). Your faith will be made sight (1 Cor 13:12).
You have these promises now, assured to you by God’s own Spirit, so may you live today trusting in His finished work and longing for the day when He returns to receive you to Himself.
“Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” (Heb 9:23).
By the Book (Luke 2:21-24)
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by Jason Park
As an able historian, Luke provides the most detail surrounding the birth of our Lord. Here, in Luke 2:21-24, we have a fascinating example of his specificity. But if we’re not careful, especially as Gentiles, we can gloss over these four verses. And why would we possibly do that?
These verses have two direct quotes from the Law (Ex 13:2 in v. 23; Lev 12:8 in v. 24) and two references to birth rituals in the Law – circumcision in v. 21 and the mother’s purification process upon giving birth to a son in vv. 21, 22, 24. This little section is all about the Law’s prescriptions on childbirth.
Now, why does Luke include these details? Is he being just a rigorous historian, filling in the gaps of our knowledge about Jesus’ birth? If that were so, why doesn’t he include more details of that period of our Lord’s life?
There’s nothing merely historical about these verses. Luke is careful to document how Jesus’ parents followed the Law to show that Jesus’ life fulfilled all righteousness by fulfilling all the Law and the Prophets (Matt 3:15; 5:17).
Yes, his parents were faithful, Law-abiding Jews. Yes, his parents obeyed God by naming their son “Jesus” (v. 21; cf. 1:31). But all their devotion to the Lord was ultimately intended by God the Father to have His Son “born under the Law” and “redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5).
From the beginning, outside of his active effort (since he was an infant), Jesus was “by the Book” in every way. A stunning truth when we consider that He is God the Son. But in His radical humility, He identified with flesh and blood (Rom 8:3), with Jewish flesh and blood (Gal 4:4), to live the perfect life so that at the right hour He could give up His life to die the death that we should have died for not living the life that we should have lived.
By keeping the Law for us, from the very beginning of his life, Jesus’ life of perfect devotion to His Father opens the way for sinners like us to be brought into His family. Without the right credentials, we have the blessing of adoption as sons by being united with the Son, the holy Son of God, who did everything by the Book.
Who can keep the Law of God? Who can stand before Him in his own righteousness? Only One – God’s very own Son, Jesus Christ.
So, rest in Christ. Rest in His righteousness. Rest in His perfect Law-keeping. No other work remains to be done, can be done.
And because Jesus fulfilled the Law for us, and because we are in Him by faith, all that He is before the Father, we are as well: co-heirs, sons, beloved….all because He did everything by the Book.
Wonder at Things Worth Pondering
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by John Austin
When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
(Luke 2:15-20)
We are not easily impressed, we great humans.
With the advancements of our day, wonder is a thing not so often achieved.
After all, we’ve been to the moon; made electric vehicles; analyze things like brain function and the average intelligence of the common American. We even make things such as tofu taste more like chicken just because we want to.
But the salvation of the world was a gift unachieved by the hands of men and the wonder found therein is better than all the above.
Our Shepherds are left in a pasture with nothing but their sheep, left alone under the stars just as quickly as they had been surrounded by heavenly hosts proclaiming the hope of the world.
Having been made privy to the long-awaited fulfillment of messianic prophecy, the shepherds are compelled to act. They believe! Unlike some of those in the “Hall of Faith” (Heb 11), God willed that these men should accept this message just as they heard it. In a world marked by unbelief (Romans 1:18-32), the spiritual realm has become undeniably important to these men.
Belief compels them to move, and they obediently make their way to Bethlehem.
It doesn’t surprise us to know that they found Christ in a manger, just as foretold in vs. 12.
They find our Lord vulnerable, humanly speaking, as He lays not in the glory due His station, but in the least desirable dwelling in the city. Our King in rags, Joseph and Mary undoubtedly hungry and weary, with many questions about their life and God’s hand in it. What a comfort it must have been for Mary to hear of the angel’s testimony to the shepherds (vs. 17). She would years later see that the peace brought to men was to be bought through the blood of her infant child.
“All who heard it were amazed.” Can we still be amazed at the Lord’s work in bringing Jesus into the world the way the people at that moment were amazed? Is the reconciliation of man to God worthy of more attention than our modern civilization and the problems it brings with it? More worthy of consideration than a mask mandate or even perhaps than familial strife during the holidays? We know the answer. Let us pray that the wonder of our Savior in rags and poverty is the thing worth pondering in our hearts as we come together with others this season. We can treasure these things as Mary, with so much less pondering than she had! We have so many of the answers to the questions she had.
The shepherds depart, and not surprisingly they proclaim what they’ve seen. How could they not?
They had seen the most beautiful moment in history to that point and had responded as we pray that we can- with utter amazement and wonder. The faithfulness of our King to redeem and reconcile is the most amazing thing we will ever see.
Where Was The Peace On That Christmas Night?
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by Kevin VanTongeren
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
“This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
(Luke 2:8–14)
Peace on earth.
It’s a theme that pervades many Christmas stories today.
For starters, our beloved Hallmark movies always have their picture-perfect endings—just in time for Christmas.
Beyond that, many Christmas songs will serenade us with stories of nice things: soft snowfalls, gentle fires, sweaters and smiles for everyone. How nice.
And I’m sure you’ve heard the story of the “Christmas Truce” of 1914, when frontline forces from Germany and Britain unexpectedly laid down their arms on Christmas day so that they might join with one another and sing Christmas carols, play soccer, and enjoy a day without war.
But when it comes to THE Christmas story, where was the “peace on earth” there? Where’s the “peace among men” in that one?
Is it with Mary and Joseph in the manger scene? You know, the one where they had just hiked tens of miles only to get stuck with a stable to stay in. The one where these two expectant parents still weren’t married and were therefore subject to societal shame and suspicion. The time when Mary was giving birth as her people writhed under Caesar’s boot, and when a tyrannical madman was hunting for her baby in a plot that—lest we forget—ended in a statewide genocide of children (Matt 2:16). No, the earth was not at peace on Christmas night.
What about the shepherds? Well, let’s not forget their story either. They’ve just been stunned and terrified in the middle of the night by a glowing spirit being from heaven, right before getting ambushed by heaven’s armies who then erupt in praise. Not the typical nightshift. Did any sheep scatter? Who had to go after them? No time to consider that, because these shepherds shoot off huffing and hurrying to try to locate the very Baby to whom those angels will bow (2:16). Big things are happening here, and again “peace” doesn’t quite capture the scene.
What did Jesus say about peace? “Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division” (Luke 12:51).
What’s going on here?
Later on in Luke—right after a scene remarkably similar to this one of the shepherds in chapter 2 (cf. 19:37ff)—Jesus weeps over His beloved city with these words: “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes…you did not recognize the time of your visitation” (19:41–42).
People missed the things which make for peace, mainly because they missed Jesus.
So many people missed Jesus, but not the shepherds. Thanks to God, they knew more than others regarding “the things which make for peace.”
While the earth was not at peace on Christmas night, peace was on earth. Peace had come to those on whom God’s favor rested, to those whom God revealed Himself. It was held by those whom God loved, because peace had now become possible to those who saw in Jesus the arrival of their “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (2:11).
Where’s the peace in THE Christmas story? It’s not in the world as a whole. It’s in Jesus, the Savior of sinners who by God’s grace makes peace between sinful men and their sovereign Maker.
It’s through Jesus that God’s favor now comes to us in full, and we can enjoy peace with God. As Paul said, “It was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:19–20). It’s this peace that we can have, as we anticipate the reconciliation of all things and the picture-perfect ending still to come.
So while all men are not at peace with one another today, our souls can be at peace with God by His great grace. And this good news of great joy is “for all the people” (2:10).
“Glory to God in the highest” (2:14)!
Your Savior (Luke 2:11)
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by Jason Park
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11)
Do you remember that feeling of relief washing over you when someone saved you from some predicament? Maybe it was a professor who gave you a second chance on the final exam. Maybe it was an anonymous financial gift that allowed you to finish school or pay that month’s rent. Or maybe you made some bad choices that led to your trial, and your parents, sibling, or friend bailed you out of the consequences of your sinful actions.
At one time or another, we all need saving, don’t we? And the deeper the pit we’re rescued from, the greater our relief and gratitude.
And there’s no deeper pit than what our sin creates. No deeper pit than facing the interminable, righteous wrath of God for our sins. Nothing worse. And nothing more humanly irresolvable.
We can’t get out. No matter how good or religious we are. So, when the angel announces the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, he calls his message “good news of great joy.”
Because the entire Old Testament pointed to this moment. Every Old Testament believer knew that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin completely. Each one knew that every high priest was destined to die and could not save their people, let alone himself.
For thousands of years, God’s people waited for the male seed of the woman to crush the head of the devil and do away with sin and death once and for all (Gen 3:15). They waited for the Suffering Servant who would bear the sins of His people, who would by His substitution justify the many (Isa 53:11). The One who is David’s son, yet David’s Lord (Psa 110:1). The One whose “goings forth are…from the days of eternity,” yet would be born in a little town called Bethlehem (Mic 5:1-2).
On the night of Jesus’ birth, the eternal entered the temporal. The Son of God was born! This was the best news of the greatest joy because it meant a Savior had been born. The Messiah, the Lord, had been born. Inconceivable, yet promised and true.
Here He was, the one-of-a-kind, God-anointed, and divine Savior who would save His people, not from any temporary calamity, but from an eternal one, made by our own doing, by our own sins.
So, when we consider the angel’s words in vv. 10-11, our hearts fill up with joy at beholding the glory of Christ our Savior and Lord. We rejoice that Jesus has come to save us from our sins. We rejoice in His marvelous love.
But we cannot have that joy unless we admit we’re in a predicament of our own doing that we cannot get out of. We have to admit that we are sinners against a holy God. It’s only when we feel sick that we reach out to a doctor. And it’s only when we admit just how sick with sin we are that we will long for Christ.
Only He can treat this disease. Only He can pull us out of this pit. If you don’t know Christ as your Savior and Lord, own up to your sins against Him and receive Him and His salvation by faith.
Christ is always Lord. And He’s always the Savior. But, He can be your Savior today.
Good News, Not Good Advice (Luke 2:10)
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by Jason Park
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people…” – Luke 2:10
The angel of the Lord, with the glory of the Lord shining all around him – delivers good news to the shepherds out in the fields (Lk 2:9-10).
The word translated “I bring…good news” is the common word in the NT for preaching the gospel. In Isaiah, the word is used for the deliverance of God’s people by the Messiah (Isa 40:9; 52:7; 61:1). The word “gospel” means “good news.”
So, the gospel is good news, not good advice.
It is not a command or a moral principle or a pep talk. It is absolute, unbreakable, and eternal divine truth, a heavenly message about something that has happened, something historical.
The gospel is therefore not dependent on us in any way. It is not about something we have to do. It is about what God has done through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Both Zacharias, in his prophesy (Lk 1:68-79), and Mary, in her praise (1:46-55), acknowledge this God-centered, historical reality to the gospel. God has done this and that in the past and now in the present. And God will do this and that in the future. Everyone whoever testifies about the gospel talks about what God has done, what His Son has done.
The gospel is good news, not good advice.
And it is good news characterized by great joy. It is about the most joyous reality. It also produces the greatest joy in the hearts of people.
The Sunrise from on high has visited a people in darkness (Lk 1:79). The light of the glory of God in the face of Christ has shone on a world enshrouded by sin and death.
For those who, by God’s grace, respond by faith to the good news, there is an explosion of joy. A joy that passes understanding. What Peter calls a joy “inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Pet 1:8).
The gospel is good news, not good advice.
And that is an occasion for much rejoicing. Because we could never get ourselves out of spiritual darkness. That darkness is actually within each of our hearts, keeping us from responding rightly to Christ! But good news has come. The Light has broken through the world and through our sin-darkened hearts.
So, remember the good news of Christ. Don’t turn it into something primarily about us or something we have to do. Receive the news of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. And rejoice in Him and all He’s done for you.
Christmas Serendipity
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by Jon Buck
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
~ Luke 2:8
Perhaps at some point or other in your life you’ve had an important windfall. Some event or circumstance has entered into your life, almost by chance, and you find yourself immensely blessed by it. I know in my own life, there have been countless unexpected blessings.
The world would tell you that these events are random—just being in the right place at the right time. These moments of serendipity are no more planned than the moments of tragedy, and your job is to ‘get what you can, can what you get, and sit on the lid.’
However, Christmas reminds us that God’s plans for His people are never random, and this story of the shepherds is particularly helpful.
Shepherds in the ancient world were effectively middle class. They weren’t beggars, of course, but they weren’t among the rich or elite. Whether they owned the flocks they watched or not, they were making a living and supporting families.
Luke tells us almost nothing about these men, but put yourself in their shoes for a moment.
You’re a shepherd. Your father was a shepherd. Your father’s father was a shepherd. And so on. Shepherds as far back as anyone can remember. You’ve been raised among the sheep, and know them well. You know how to calm them, how to care for them, and where to find the best pastures for eating and for resting.
During the day, you go home to your family and see your children. You live week to week, surviving but not getting rich. You know your children after you will do the same. Apart from the small blessings and small tragedies, life is a constant stream of the mundane.
Until this moment.
Undoubtedly the most serendipitous event in the entire lives of these men is pictured for us in this passage. The night was like every night before it—for generations. The sheep were settled down, the men were leaning against trees, huddled under their heavy outer cloaks, trying to stay warm. One man stood watch for wild animals or thieves.
Then suddenly the darkness turns to light all around them in the heavens, and an angel is standing in their midst, shining with the glory of God. No wonder they were terrified!
These shepherds were no different than any other shepherds on the hills of Judea that night. They were no different than any other shepherds that had lived for countless generations. They were no different than the many generations that would follow. And yet, that one night, an angel of God appeared to them, announced the coming of the Messiah, and sent them to find Him.
We never hear another word about them. Certainly they told the stories. But we are left with this one moment, like a snapshot in time, of the most stunning event in their lives.
Why? Why these men, of all others? Why did God reveal Jesus to them?
I have no idea.
The only possible answer is God’s profound sovereignty. He chose them, and decided, of all the countless thousands, to reveal Himself to them. We know that they went to Bethlehem and worshiped the newborn Messiah, and somehow told Luke the story, and so I have every expectation that this revelation led to their salvation.
We are like these shepherds. Life is, for the most part, mundane. We eat, sleep, work, raise kids, do chores, and repeat. Very few things change in our lives.
But Christmas reminds us of the most glorious moment of our lives—the moment when we too saw the glory of God revealed. We didn’t see angels, and we didn’t have visions, but we saw the glory of God just the same. God revealed Himself to us in Jesus because He is sovereign and because He chose us.
Why? Why me?
I have no idea.
But like the shepherds, I can choose to go to Jesus today and worship Him!
Mary, Micah, and Mask Mandates
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by Jon Buck
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…
Luke 2:1
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel…
Micah 5:2
If you’re reading the news from the past couple of days, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has instituted a new mask mandate for the state. Like it or not, this is what the government over us has declared.
Governors and kings like to make decrees. They always have. Newsom is no different than Caesar in Luke 2:1 - he made a decree that everyone had to return to their city of origin in order that a census be taken. The language in v. 1 is remarkable - Caesar made a decree, and ‘all the world’ had to be registered. One man speaks, and countless people must move. His power was remarkable.
Just as Caesar was making that decree, Mary was coming to full term in her pregnancy. Anyone who has had children, or been part of a family when children are born knows just how difficult it is for a pregnant woman in the last few weeks of pregnancy. According to Luke, Mary was nearing the time to give birth - probably in the 8th or even 9th month of pregnancy. Travel would have been incredibly challenging. Walking (the Bible never mentions a donkey, in spite of the Precious Moments figurines) the 100 or so miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem would have been treacherous and uncomfortable.
Nevertheless, Joseph packed a bag, and Mary put on her best walking sandals, and they set off to obey Caesar. The discomfort and the danger wasn’t enough to keep them from obeying.
But in all this chaos and anguish, God was working. Seven hundred years before He had promised through the prophet Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Now, of course, there was a problem. Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth to fulfill another promise - that the Messiah would be a Nazarene (Matt 2:23). Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem, but be from Nazareth. How in the world could that happen?
Very simply, Caesar was God’s puppet.
The decree that moved the world ultimately didn’t come from Caesar. It came from God. God shifted the lives of millions of people so that His Messiah could be born in the city of David - Bethlehem. He made Mary walk 100 miles in the last month of her pregnancy to accomplish it. He put the young couple through countless struggles at great expense, with nowhere to sleep except in a barn.
Why?
So that His absolutely sovereign hand could be seen, governing each of those details, and to prove that His promises would be fulfilled with specificity. No one could have seen it then, but Luke looked back and saw God’s good hand at work!
If you’re struggling today with the mask mandates, ask yourself, “What is God doing in these days, with a new Governor, and new decrees?” He is still working, and our job, like Joseph and Mary, is to follow what He says, and keep our eyes open for how He is working!
Tender Mercy and Light (Luke 1:76-80)
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by Jason Park
Zacharias’s prophecy ends on a glorious note of the “knowledge of salvation” that John will give to God’s people (v. 77).
This salvation is what John is born to preach. And this salvation is what Jesus is born to offer to all and accomplish for “His people.”
And not only did Gentiles need salvation, but the Jews did also. They could not be saved by their righteousness or their race. They needed, as we all do, the forgiveness of their sins.
That is the core problem of humanity. We have sinned against a holy God. We have stolen glory from Him. We have not submitted ourselves to Him. We have gone astray theologically, spiritually, and practically. We are all sitting in darkness and the shadow of death – all because of our sins.
But what Advent, and what this prophecy’s conclusion, teaches us is that the holy God has tender mercy brimming over in His heart. A tender mercy that forgives and saves undeserving, hopeless sinners.
A tender mercy that shines in darkened hearts in “the Sunrise from on high” – a lovely name for and description of Jesus Christ. He has come to shine upon us, to shine in our hearts the very Light of the glory of God in His own person work (2 Cor 4:6). The very God who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness” (2 Cor 4:6), has illumined our sin-dark souls with the divine Sunrise, with Christ Himself, in all His radiant glory.
John was not the Light. He was born to testify about the Light (John 1:8). The Light that would pierce through the shroud of darkness and death enveloping the world (and our hearts) so that we could behold divine glory, turn from our sins, and be forgiven and saved. So that we could be at peace with God once and for all.
We are now children of Light, sons of the day. So, let’s keep bathing our hearts in that Light. Let’s keep meditating on our salvation. Let’s keep rejoicing in the peace Christ has made for us. Let’s be in awe and wonder that the Most High would have and unleash tender mercy at the expense of His glorious Son.
When Christmas Gets Political
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by Kevin VanTongeren
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He visited and accomplished redemption for His people,
And raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us,
To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
-Luke 1:67–75-
Many of us have heard the warning, “Don’t talk politics at the dinner table.”
That can seem like good advice—especially around Christmas. Politics feels divisive, and Christmas is a time for fellowship. Even the mere mention of this word at a family gathering can ignite a controversy that stifles an atmosphere of “Christmas cheer.” So Christmas shouldn’t “get political.” It’s unnecessary. We really shouldn’t let politics dominate our dinner tables, right?
“Wrong” says Zacharias.
He didn’t avoid the topic of politics during the Christmas season—he brought it up, and he brought it up on purpose. In fact, it was one of the very first things that burst forth from his soul after his mute mouth was opened (1:64).
“But why?” someone complains. “Why get into it?” And to this, Luke might as well respond, “Because he was talking about Christmas. Don’t you know about Christmas?”
For Zacharias, Christmas and politics were inseparable. Has something changed for us today?
Christmas is about the birth of a King. Israel’s King. And Israel yearned for this King because Israel had enemies. National enemies. Entire civilizations hated them (1:71). Abused them. Tortured them. Zacharias’ ancestors had been exiled and enslaved to their enemies for decades. They’d lived under the brutality of bad politics. Even in his day, Rome was in charge. God’s servants had to sleep with one eye open—and into this tense time, Zacharias emerged with a message about Christmas.
Zacharias delighted in the Christmas season because the sovereign Ruler of Israel visited His people to rescue them out of oppression (v. 68). He did so by raising up a horn of salvation from David’s royal house—a Savior-King who would bring “salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us” (v. 71). This King would rule the world. This world.
As Isaiah said of Him, “The government will rest on His shoulders… there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will accomplish this” (Isa 9:6–7). Isaiah calls attention to how God Himself is zealous to establish this global Kingdom, and that same God is now filling Zacharias with His Spirit to remind His people of that hope in his day (1:67).
Zacharias knew that God’s promises from long ago (1:70-73) were all pointing everyone’s eyes toward a future day of deliverance (1:74–75). When Zacharias though about Christmas, he saw it as including a guarantee of a glorious future day. A day is coming when by God’s grace, His people will be “rescued from the hand of our enemies” and be free to “serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (1:74–75). There’s coming a day when the earth will enjoy political peace (1:79).
How would that day be realized? By inciting a people’s rebellion? By praying that the fire of heaven falls upon the head of Caesar? By winning political scuffles at the dinner table? No, God will usher in this day of geopolitical peace by His mercy (1:72). He will do it through the gospel. He will do it first by establishing spiritual peace between Him and His people, and second by returning to rule the world. Christmas is a testimony to the truth that God sent His King to save His people, and to save them all the way into His presence (1:75). How could we ever get into His presence? By God Himself stepping into our world to pay for our sins and give us His righteousness by His grace through His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18). Christmas is a time to savor the glories of salvation, and to keep an eye on the future of what this is all leading to—politics included.
Christmas never has to “get political”—it is political. God designed it that way, and Zacharias thought that the political hope of Christmas was a great reason to praise God for His mercy and grace to us (1:68 “Blessed be God”). Let’s join him in longing for that day when we’ll enjoy life on earth under the Prince of peace.
The Hand of God (Luke 1:57-66)
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by Jason Park
God kept His promise to Zacharias and Elizabeth. Their son was born. And everyone knew, because of their advanced age and her barrenness, this son was a display of God’s great mercy (v. 58).
Eight days after his birth, it came time to name the child. Elizabeth said that he will be called “John.” The people dissented; no one in their family was named John.
So, they asked Zacharias. He proceeds to write on a tablet, “His name is John.” The disciplinary measure of muteness is immediately released, and he can speak once more.
Note that he says his son’s name “is John,” not “will be John,” implying that that name was already his by divine decree.
The circumstances of this son’s birth and naming stir the whole hill country of Judea. The region was abuzz with a question: “What then will this child turn out to be (v. 66)?” They all knew the hand of the Lord was with John.
It was certain. God’s power was already at work in John, even before he was born. John would be an extraordinary child – one that would grow up to commence the newest stage in God’s redemptive work.
He would go before the Messiah and call Israel to believe in their Messiah, their King and Savior.
And all this by the hand of God, not by his parents, not by Israel, not by John himself. God’s hand was behind John’s birth, John’s upbringing, John’s ministry, and one day, John’s tragic death. God’s mercy and God’s mighty hand had been guiding all things to this very moment – when John would be born and named. It was all happening according to plan – His plan, not man’s.
And it would continue to unfold in this way, astonishing many, and yet the many would not believe John. Luke wants us to take heed to the hand of God working in the events leading up to Advent. And he wants us to trust that even as His hand was unfolding His will back then, His hand is unfolding His will now, in the world and in our lives, as it has always done.
We can rest in His hand. We can lean on His power. We can trust His heart of mercy. May we do that this Christmas as Zacharias and Elizabeth did back then.
Mary’s Four-Part Theology Textbook
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by Jon Buck
“And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
- Luke 1:50-55
Mary may have been a poor blue collar working girl, but she had been well-trained in the Bible. Her Magnificat of praise to God is a rich theological work, with massively important truths.
We could spend hundreds of pages writing about these truths, and many have (consider Lloyd-Jones’ treatment here). However, since these are supposed to be short-ish blogs, we’ll consider the four parts of Mary’s theological brilliance only briefly.
MERCY (v. 50) - First, notice that Mary highlights God’s mercy. She points out that the coming of the Messiah is a sign of His mercy on those who fear Him for all generations. God’s act of sending His Son into the world is the great culmination of that perpetual mercy that is in His heart.
Paul identifies this mercy in Eph 2:4-5 - "But God, being rich in mercy….made us alive together with Christ…” God’s great mercy is on display, and is toward His people throughout every generation. Anyone who doubts this mercy would need to take a single glance at the incarnation to know that this is His heart for us!
Mary calls us to worship God with her for His mercy on His people. The arrival of the Messiah - Christmas - is the sign that God has mercy for you today!
STRENGTH (vv. 51-52) - The second attribute of God that Mary explains is His strength. The ‘arm’ of God, an anthropomorphism, is simply a way of expressing the greatness of that strength. Mary understood that the coming of the Messiah was the coming of the King of Kings, the Lord of glory.
No wonder, then, that this baby, slowly growing inside of her, was a sign of God’s massive strength. He didn’t need to come into the world with fanfare or accolades. He didn’t need to bring the trappings of the proud. Instead, He came in abject humility, because His coming was only about His immense power and glory.
And, in that coming, He humbles the proud. The kings of the earth will be humbled under His absolute authority (Psalm 2:2), and that humbling power has come in the most humble of ways.
Again, remember, Jesus rules the world. There is no political ruler, regardless of how evil, that does not ultimately fall under His sovereign authority, both now and forever.
PROVISION (v. 53) - Mary was raised in an agrarian culture. She knew the hardships of a light crop. Undoubtedly she had gone hungry many times in her young life. But her acknowledgement here is more than simply that God provides bread for His people.
The contrast with the rich is important in understand what God is doing. The rich are sent away empty. The point here is that God is the one who provides. It is not man who is able to make rich or provide, and those who trust in riches rather than in God are left empty.
Lest we doubt that God is able to provide all that we need, He has provided the greatest ‘good thing’ in His Son. Christmas reminds us that God will certainly provide all that we need (even if that means faith to starve to death with joy!). We don’t need fleshly power for our provision.
FAITHFULNESS (vv. 54-55) - Mary understood that God’s promises to Israel had not been fulfilled. The nation waited for the coming Seed of Abraham. The promises to Abraham had been made about the nation, and about God’s care for her, and yet they had not yet come to pass.
The coming of the Messiah was the fulness of those promises coming to them! Jesus had come, and God’s faithfulness to His promises to Israel could not possibly be in doubt. God had not abandoned them—no, He remained faithful to every promise made to the fathers, and Jesus had come to bring those promises to life.
Thousands of years, and thousands of promises, and yet God was faithful to them all by sending Jesus. The baby in her womb caused Mary to realize that God would be faithful to every single word He had spoken. And this, of course, is the great message of Christmas for us as well - God is faithful to His word. He sent His Son, and with Him, He will freely give us all things! (Rom 8:32)
And so, this young girl gives us a massive theology lesson. Have you learned it? Perhaps this Christmas remember all that Mary taught us - God is Merciful, Powerful, a Provider, and Faithful - and Jesus’s birth proves these forever!
Humility, Joy, and Jesus
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by Jon Buck
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
- Luke 1:30-31
Mary’s song to Elizabeth in Luke 1:46-56 has thrilled the hearts of God’s people in every generation. The Magnificat, as it’s sometimes called (from the Latin for the first word) is a song of praise sung by Mary in response to Elizabeth’s praise to God.
Luke certainly must have discussed this song with her at a later time, as he was doing his research, and she certainly must have remembered this stunning moment in her life.
The song contains glorious praise to God, first for His kindness to Mary, then for His kindness to His people, and lastly for His kindness to the nation of Israel.
In the first section, Mary expresses her joy in God, and magnifies the Lord. The word means to exult or offer honor to someone. Mary is doing just that - honoring God in her song, and offering Him the praise He deserves.
This response of joyful praise to God is the direct result of God’s care for her. Notice that she says ‘FOR…’. The reason she is filled with praise and joy is because of what God has done for her.
He has looked on her humble estate. God saw Mary’s status - she was His servant as all men and women are, but she was also poor. She came from a small town. She was engaged to a laborer. And what’s more, she was a sinner. In other words, she had no earthly reason to be chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. And yet, here she is, carrying in her womb her Lord and Savior.
No wonder, then, that she rejoices in God and magnifies Him for His grace to her.
The Messiah, Jesus, came to and through her - an unworthy sinner.
And this, of course, is the fullest message of Christmas and the incarnation of Christ. Jesus didn’t come to save the powerful or the rich or the self-righteous. Jesus has come to those who were the least worthy. He has come for those of low estate. He has come for sinners in need of a Savior.
In fact He said the same thing during His earthly ministry. He told the Pharisees, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mark 3:17)
Do you know that you are a sinner? Do you understand your humble estate before God? Do you know your need of Him? Are you aware that there is no earthly reason why Jesus would choose to come for you.
If so, Jesus has come for you, just as He did for Mary! Jesus cares for you in your weakness, failure, and pain. Trust Him!
And when you do, your soul will follow the example of Mary - you will exult God, and you will be filled with joy because of your Savior!
Two Cousins and a 5000 Year Old Promise
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by Jon Buck
And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? - Luke 1:30-31
Greetings in the ancient near east were complex affairs. They were formal, and required specific protocol, even among family members. Elizabeth and Mary were related, though probably loosely. The term in Greek for ‘cousin’ simply indicates family. Since they were from different tribes (Mary from Judah, Elizabeth from Levi), this relationship was likely through Mary’s mother.
Regardless of how they were related though, we do know that Elizabeth was substantially older than Mary. Ancient near eastern culture was profoundly honorific, and so Mary owed homage and honor to Elizabeth, her elder family member.
However, when Mary arrives at Elizabeth’s home, something remarkable happens. Elizabeth blesses Mary, and blesses the fruit of her womb.
This verse has often been used incorrectly to honor Mary. However, a simpler reading of the text proves that Elizabeth is not honoring Mary, but blessing her. Notice what she says - ‘blessed are you among women’. She doesn’t say that Mary is the source of blessing, but that Mary is the recipient of blessing.
And this blessing isn’t small. Elizabeth says that Mary is the most blessed woman in all of history. That’s a remarkable statement, until we remember the promise made to Eve thousands of years before.
In Genesis 3:15, God promises Satan that a Seed of the woman would come and crush his head. A woman would bring the Conquerer into the world.
For 5000 years, babies were born. Generations came and went. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of mothers gave birth, generation after generation. All those babies were special. But none of them was the One.
But when Mary visited Elizabeth that day in ancient Israel, Elizabeth understood that the most remarkable thing in human history had happened to her young cousin. She would bring the Messiah into the world.
No wonder then, that Elizabeth remarks with absolute shock that Mary has visited her! But the shock isn’t about Mary - she says, “How has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?” It isn’t anything special about Mary that causes Elizabeth to rejoice, but about the infant she is carrying in her womb.
That infant, even in the earliest stages of pregnancy, wasn’t just another of the million babies born for all those generations. No - that baby was the Lord.
And so, Elizabeth blesses Mary. The older blesses the younger. Cultural norms aren’t broken after all. In fact, quite the opposite. Elizabeth confirms that God has richly blessed Mary because she carries in her womb the Lord of all creation—the sovereign One, come as a baby—Jesus.
Grace in the Curse - Luke 1:30-31
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by Jon Buck
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” - Luke 1:30-31
There’s a reason advertisers use babies to sell things. Most everyone loves new babies. They’re so precious—tiny and helpless, cute and small—they fill our hearts with happiness. But their entry into this world is anything but cute. Birth is an incredibly painful and difficult process!
This isn’t by accident. When sin entered into the world in Genesis 3, God cursed the world. Paul tells us in Romans 8:20 that the entire world was subjected to futility. Death entered the world, and everything was broken.
The curse didn’t just stop there, either. God cursed man with death and He cursed Adam and his progeny with labor to provide for their families. He would literally have to sweat and toil in order to bring forth food from the ground.
Eve received a curse for her and her progeny as well—the curse of pain in child birth. Anyone who has ever given birth, or witnessed someone giving birth understands this—it’s incredibly difficult and dangerous.
Hundreds of generations later, one of those daughters of Eve, Mary, received a message from the highest of the angels, Gabriel. The message was that she would miraculously conceive a child, and would bear a Son. She was going to give birth, and that child would come from the Spirit of God.
Now, babies are precious, but bringing them into the world is tough, by design. This young woman, in a little village in Israel with effectively no medical care, must have been fairly nervous about this event. She had certainly been present at other births by her age, and each birth was a dangerous event. So, when the angel told her that she was going to give birth, it must have felt more like a curse than a blessing.
However, when Gabriel makes this announcement to Mary, he uses an interesting word - the word is translated ‘favor’ in the New American Standard. In Greek, the word means ‘grace’.
While the birth was part of the curse, God’s grace was on Mary at this moment. How could that be? How could grace and favor come with the curse?
The answer, of course, is that this wasn’t just any pregnancy, and Jesus wasn’t just any baby.
The grace of God, and His favor had come to Mary in a person, Jesus the Messiah. And that grace wasn’t just for Mary - it was for everyone!
And so, God’s grace had come to reverse the curse—the curse of childbirth would bring the grace of God into the world. And, some years later the curse of death would be overcome by life—once again through Jesus who would take the curse on Himself.
This is the message of Christmas, isn’t it?
That Jesus has come, and has begun the process of pushing back the curse of sin and death, one soul at a time.
God’s grace wasn’t just for Mary that day—it was for me, and for you, if you know Jesus.
The Great Gabriel and an Unlikely Errand - Luke 1:26-28
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by Jon Buck