Table of Contents

A Crowded Holiday Season

How to Use This Book

December 1

December 2

December 3

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 15

December 16

December 17

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 24

December 25

Connecting Scripture to Your Life

Acknowledgments

A Crowded Holiday Season

Christmas seems to begin earlier every year.  Before October ends, cinnamon-scented candles and evergreen wreaths are on display next to skeletons and pumpkins on the store shelves.  By the time Thanksgiving is over, we’ve probably heard enough Christmas carols for the whole season.  These commercial aspects of Christmas flood the stores and can crowd out the real meaning of the season. Jesus so easily gets herded into the bustle and the shuffle, as though he were just another holiday figure.

Without meaning to we may become like that innkeeper in Bethlehem—we would love to have Jesus, but our rooms are full. Taken up with gifts, parties, acts of giving and mercy, Christmas events, ugly sweater parties, baked goods, family celebrations. He may have a place in our celebrations, but it isn’t always a place fit for a king. We are so busy that sometimes there is simply no room left in the inn of our hearts.

Every year I hope to really focus on the advent season, preparing my own heart to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the significance of the Messiah. Reading daily Scripture during the weeks prior to Christmas Day has been a tradition for years, but I’ve always longed for some questions to answer or reflections to help bridge the Scripture into my life. I hope that this series of daily devotions will fit that same need for you. Whether reading alone or reading aloud at the dinner table with your family, I hope the verses, reflection, and questions will engage you. I hope that they will help you find focus and peace in this holiday season.

May we all make room for Jesus, the true king not only of Christmas, but of all things.

Using This Book

When the risen Jesus came upon two of his followers on the road to Emmaus, they did not at first recognize him.  As they walked, Luke 24:27 tells us that “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”  All of Scripture speaks to God’s plan of redemption through Jesus.  Advent is a time where we read many of the prophecies foretold of and fulfilled by Jesus.  In these devotions, I pair up the Old Testament with the New, forming that full circle the way that God intended and purposed before even creation was made. Some are familiar advent passages and others might be a little off the beaten track—but all point to Jesus.

Passages

Unless otherwise noted, the passages are in the English Standard Version (see the Acknowledgments for copyright information). I wanted this book to be self-sufficient with the Scripture right alongside the reflections and questions. I also wanted it to be something that could be read out loud in a sitting, so in some places, I have included a shortened text and cited a longer passage above by the date. Poetry is included as prose for optimal reading on electronic devices. If you are so inclined to dig deeper, keep your Bible handy and read more.

Reflections

I have intentionally made these bite-sized, a bridge between the Scripture and the questions.  A mix of personal thoughts and exposition, these will hopefully continue to engage you as the Scripture did, so that when you hit the questions, you are ready for discussion and your own personal reflection.

Questions

I have written these in hopes that they can serve for group discussion or journaling prompts. The questions are a mix of interpretation of the text, personal response, and conversation starters. Each day will include one or more questions with an asterisk, which indicates questions that might be well-suited for younger children. I personally love to ask my young boys the “big kid” questions as well, and have found that some of those questions geared toward children actually got me thinking more than others. Use the questions that work for you, but don’t toss out a question that seems childish or too open-ended.  Two questions that are great to answer with any passage are: What does it say about God? and, What does it say about man?

I’m not sure how much time these daily readings will or should take. My greatest hope is the idea of someone furiously scribbling away in a journal because God revealed remarkable truth through a familiar passage. Or a family lingering long over the dinner table to talk about their favorite part of the Christmas story.

It is not about how much time you take, but the attitude of your heart.  Read as you will, answer questions that engage you.  Above all, make him room.

December 1

Genesis 3, Romans 5:7-8, Galatians 3:27, Hebrews 9:22

Genesis 3:6-21

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (NIV)

Romans 5:7-8

7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Galatians 3:27

27 …all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (NIV)

Hebrews 9:22

22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Making Connections

The end is in the beginning.  Just after the story of creation, God is already revealing his plan of redemption. Though the birth of Jesus in a stable is years away, the need for Jesus arises here, in the fall. Adam and Eve disobeyed the one command of God, and in that act broke the relationship they had with him and allowed sin to enter the world. Every generation after would be marred by its presence, unable to wash clean its stains. But God foreshadows the work of Jesus the Messiah in three ways in this passage.

His pursuit of sinners.

Soon after Adam and Eve had strung together their leafy clothes, God comes walking in the garden. He knows they have sinned and are hiding from him. And yet he comes calling for them. The one who has been sinned against still pursues those who sinned. This illustrates the very principle of Romans 5:7-8: while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. God comes after us, even as we are running away. God is the initiator of the relationship and is the one who will restore the relationship with his creation.

His victory over sin and Satan.

The most often-quoted verse from this passage at advent is verse 15: “he shall crush your head and you shall bruise his heel.” Theologians point to this as the first sighting of Jesus in the Bible. This fight has already been won—Jesus defeated death itself on the cross. Though we still see vestiges of the war, Jesus’ victory is complete. Sin entered the world at the fall, but even as it entered God revealed his plan to defeat it and to reconcile his people back into relationship with himself through Jesus.

His covering of our sin with blood.

God clearly spelled out the consequences for disobedience: death. Adam and Eve don’t die physically in that moment, but their spiritual death is immediate, seen in the broken relationship with God. God gives mercy in extending their physical lives, and heaps on even more mercy in verse 21. God replaces the leafy coverings they have made for themselves with the skins of an animal. This is the first death in all Scripture, and it is not the ones who deserved it, but a substitute. That animal died so that they might be more fully covered.  We can see a glimmer of the whole sacrificial system to come, and even more the death of Jesus. Forgiveness comes with the shedding of blood, because the cost of sin is death. Jesus clothes us in the most full way, but in Genesis God clothes Adam and Even with the skins of an animal.

Nothing could yet make right their sin.  The death of that animal did not take away their guilt. Neither did any animal under the sacrificial system take away sin.  Only when the perfect substitute, God in flesh, lived a perfect life and died in our place on the cross—only then could forgiveness be had. But in the garden, in the midst of the first sin, we see a foretaste of the redemption to come through Immanuel, God with us.

Questions for Reflection

*Can you think of a time when you did something wrong and tried to hide it? How did that work out for you?

-What aspect of the gospel strikes you most in the story of the fall?

-Why do you think that blood is needed for forgiveness? Why is the blood of Jesus enough for true forgiveness?

-How have you seen God pursue you? How are you responding to that pursuit today?

*How does it make you feel to know that Jesus took the punishment you deserve for the things you’ve done wrong?

December 2

Genesis 22:1-14, John 3:16-18, Hebrews 11:17-19

Genesis 22:1-14

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2  He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”  8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.  14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

John 3:16-18

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Hebrews 11:17-19

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Making Connections

Can you imagine God telling you that you would, in your old age, have a child?  Not just any child—a child that would be the start of generations more numerous than stars in the sky. You waited more than ten years for this promised child, and then some few years after his birth, God tells you to take his life.

As you walk toward the mountain where you are to make this sacrifice, your son asks, “Father, where is the animal for the offering?” Abraham’s answer in this story reveals so much about his faith, and just as much about God’s character:  “God himself will provide the lamb.”

In his life Abraham had already seen God provide so much. Again and again over the years God showed up in Abraham’s life and carried out his promises. Isaac was the fulfillment of those promises and also the hope of more promises to be fulfilled—that Abraham would be the father of nations through this son. How then could Abraham be willing to sacrifice this promised child?

Hebrews 11 says that Abraham had faith that God could bring Isaac back from the dead. Abraham really thought he would have to kill Isaac, but trusted that God would have a plan to carry out his promises.

God did have a plan. He sent an angel who called out just as Abraham reached out his hand to slay Isaac. God provided a ram, caught in the thicket, to take Isaac’s place on the altar. Again as in the garden, one life was traded for another.

As God called Abraham to sacrifice his only son that he loved, God also gave his only son, Jesus. Only no ram or substitute could take the place of Jesus. Instead, Jesus is the perfect substitute for us—the lamb God provided to die in our place.

Questions for Reflection

*How do you think Abraham might have felt on the three-days’ walk to place he was to sacrifice Isaac?

- Isaac was the sacrifice, yet he lived. Romans 12:2 tells us to be living sacrifices. What does it look like to be a living sacrifice?

-How do you see God’s love displayed in these passages?

*What are some examples of how God has provided in your life?

December 3

Exodus 12:1-32, John 1:29-34

Exodus 12:21-32

21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. 24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. 31 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”

John 1:29-34

29 The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Making Connections

Most of us have not experienced killing our own food. We don’t see the life leaving the body, we don’t see the blood.  We buy a neatly cleaned and wrapped package of the meat we want at the grocery store. There is something powerful in the realization of what your food costs—it costs a life.

For the Passover meal, God commanded that the Hebrews take a lamb and kill it. Then they must paint the doorposts of their home with its very lifeblood. This blood was a sign to the Lord that he should pass over their homes, sparing their firstborn sons. Again—an animal substitute in the place of a son.

John the Baptist said that Jesus was the Lamb of God, come to take away the sins of the world. Jesus is for us that Passover Lamb, his blood a symbol that we are to be spared.  His life for our life.

Because we are so far removed from the killing of animals as a substitute, from seeing the blood itself, the significance and power seems watered down to us sometimes. But imagine that dark night in Egypt, huddled in a house smelling of roasted lamb, marked by dried blood on the doorposts. Would you have clutched your firstborn son tightly as he slept? If you were that firstborn son, would have you have feared for your life, hoping the sign of that lamb’s blood was enough? And in the morning, hearing the cries of Egyptians mourning the loss of their sons, would you have been struck with the mercy of God that you were spared?

God made a provision of mercy for his people in Egypt through the blood of a lamb. Not because they did anything to deserve it, but because of his love for them. That same love nailed our Passover Lamb to the cross. God’s love story is a picture of redemption, written in blood. From blood on doorposts to blood shed at Calvary, God provides a way for his people. Our Lamb of God is the perfect substitute because he was without sin, truly a Lamb without blemish. We have been passed over because of the great love of God who would give his life and blood in the place of ours.

Questions for Reflection

*What do you think it might have been like for those Hebrew families safe behind the doorposts with the blood of the lambs, knowing that the firstborn sons of Egypt would be killed?

-As a believer in Jesus, how have you been passed over or spared because of God’s mercy?

-How does Jesus’ character and work reflect that of the Passover Lamb?

December 4

Numbers 21:4-9, John 3:13-15

Numbers 21:4-9

4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

John 3:13-15

[Jesus speaking] 13 “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Making Connections

Have you heard the saying that God answers prayers, but not always with the answer we want? When the Hebrews asked God to take away the serpents he has sent because of their disobedience, he answered, but he did not take away the serpents. Instead he provided a way for his people to be healed from the poisonous venom by way of a bronze serpent on a pole.

I always struggled with this passage because the bronze serpent seems to smack of idolatry. The serpent was never meant to be an idol, though it eventually had to be destroyed because the people turned it into one (2 Kings 18:4). Instead of being an object of worship, the bronze serpent was intended to be a provision of God. It was God that healed the people, not the serpent.

God’s vision is so much larger than our vision, and in John 3, Jesus reveals a larger meaning for this serpent. Jesus compares himself to that serpent—as it was lifted up on a pole, so he would be lifted up on the cross. As those who looked upon the serpent would live, those who look to Jesus will have eternal life.

God gave the bronze serpent only after the people confessed their sin and professed their need, and we also must understand our sin and need before we receive salvation from Jesus. The fiery snakes remained with the Hebrews in the desert, forcing them to look to the bronze serpent when they were bitten. Though we are forgiven of our sins through Jesus, our sin continues to bite us, reminding us of our need for a savior, forcing us to look daily, hourly, every moment, at the cross.

We don’t always see our sin as deadly, but it is—just as deadly as those fiery serpents in the desert. There is no act we can do to save ourselves other than to confess our need and look to Jesus. Our cure comes through the one who was born in a manger only to be lifted up on the cross as that bronze serpent was lifted in the desert.

Questions for Reflection

-What struggles are you facing that can remind you to look to Jesus?

-Many Israelites died because of the serpents God sent as a consequence for their sin of complaining.  Do you see this as a harsh discipline? Why or why not?

-The Israelites later struggled with worshiping the snake rather than the God who gave it to them. How are we sometimes tempted to worship the gifts rather than the giver?

*What are some ways that we can remember to look to Jesus throughout each day?

December 5

Numbers 24:15-17, Genesis 49:10, Matthew 2:1-2, Revelation 22:16

Numbers 24:15-17

15 And he took up his discourse and said, “The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, 16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: 17 I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.”

Genesis 49:10

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Matthew 2:1-2

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Revelation 22:16

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Making Connections

Prophecy in the Old Testament sometimes had a partial fulfillment by a historic figure in time but a more full realization in Jesus. Two powerful images of kingship come from the oracle of Balaam: the scepter and the star. The scepter implies power and the star implies glory, both characteristics that the Messiah will embody. This glory was shown even in the birth of Jesus, when the wise men could visibly see in the sky evidence that the king of the Jews had been born.

And yet in the present time, we do not yet see the complete fulfillment. We have the promise that Jesus is the one of whom Balaam and Jacob in his blessing spoke, but in his earthly ministry, Jesus did not assume kingship. Instead, when men tried to make him king by force, he withdrew and stayed away from public areas (John 6:15). We see a promise fulfilled and a promise yet to come:  Jesus is king, but until the fullness of time, we will not see all things under his feet.

Jesus is the bright morning star, ready to begin a new kingdom and usher in a time of peace and light that we cannot fully imagine. Yet his Incarnation was much more humble than the image of the scepter and star suggest. Hosannas rang out as he entered Jerusalem the week of his death, and only days later “The King of the Jews” was but a mocking sign hung over his head on the cross.

Though the wait for the Messiah is over, like the men and women of Biblical times, we wait for the complete fulfillment of the prophecy. Jesus will return with glory and power, the scepter and the star, yet until then, we must wait with faith.

Questions for Reflection

-Often our expectations fall short of the great plans God has.  Can you think of any examples in your life where your vision was small, but God had something bigger in store?

*What things do you struggle most to wait for? How can we learn to have patience as we wait?

-Jesus will be ruler over all the earth, and also desires that place of kingship of our hearts.  Are there any places that you are struggling to let him rule in your life?

December 6

Deuteronomy 18:15-22, Acts 3:17-26, John 14:10-11, Hebrews 9:15

Deuteronomy 18:15-22

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.”

Acts 3:17-26

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

John 14:10-11

[Jesus speaking] 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”

Hebrews 9:15

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Making Connections

What does the idea of a prophet call to mind? I picture strange, lonely men in the desert, eating locusts and honey like John, shouting to a people who generally didn’t listen. I think of foretelling future events. Though prophets were called sometimes to strange and alienating behavior (like Ezekiel lying on his side for a number of days in Ezekiel 4:4), on a primary level prophets were to speak God’s word. Prophets were the mouthpiece of God. Sometimes the words they spoke were of far-off events, but many times they simply declared God’s truth and reminded the people of God’s law.

In Deuteronomy God reveals a future event:  he will raise up a prophet like Moses. Peter in Acts declares that Jesus fulfilled this declaration. Jesus came as the fulfillment of prophecy and also as a prophet himself, speaking the very words of God. Jesus tells his disciples in John that he only speaks what God gives him authority to speak, in the same way that Balaam in Numbers 24 could only speak the words God gave him.

As a mouthpiece, prophets were also mediators between God and man. Moses was the mediator of the covenant of Law, taking the words of God and inscribing them on tablets of stone. Through Moses, God revealed the Law and through Jesus God revealed a covenant to set people free from the sins committed under the Law. The Law shows our sin, but in Jesus we see how we may be freed from the penalty, power, and, in heaven, the presence of sin.

Deuteronomy and its echo in Acts state that we must believe the words of the Messiah, of Jesus. There is no way around him—we may only go through him. Jesus is a king, but he is also a prophet, a mediator and a bridge connecting people to God.

Questions for Reflection

-What ways (other than Jesus) do you see people trying enter heaven or please God?

-How was Jesus a prophet like Moses? How was he greater?

*As a prophet, Jesus is a mouthpiece.  What are some of your favorite teachings of Jesus?

December 7

2 Samuel 7:1-29, Hebrews 1:8-9

2 Samuel 7:12-16

12 “ ‘When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

Hebrews 1:8-9

8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of rightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

Making Connections

Sometimes even when we have the best of intentions on how we would like to serve, God closes all the doors and leads us somewhere else. David, a man after God’s own heart, experienced this as king. He felt grieved that he lived among the palace splendor while God’s presence still dwelt in the tabernacle tents, so he purposed to build a temple for God.

God sent a resounding no through the prophet Nathan. But the no came with promises and the revelation of another plan: first that David’s son would build the temple, and second that David’s kingdom would be everlasting. I imagine that David might have felt some disappointment, but surely he was comforted with such great promises. He did not get to see either fulfilled, but responded to God’s no with gratitude and thanksgiving.

As in the prophecy of Balaam, God promises a kingdom—one that will be forever. At the time of Jesus’ birth, God’s people were under the rule of Rome with David’s kingdom having long died out. Thus the people of God waited for a Messiah of David’s line to remove the oppression of Rome and restore the kingdom of Israel.

But they, like David, received a different answer in Jesus. He is the Son to whom God gives the forever throne, the descendant of David who fulfills that promise. And yet, his earthly ministry ended not on a throne but a wooden cross. Rather than defeating the conquerors of Israel, Jesus defeated sin itself. Again and again we see that God’s vision is so much broader than our own.

Like David, we have promises. We have seen some fulfillment and we wait for its completion, whether in our lifetime or in heaven. Like David, let us respond with humility, gratitude, and faith that God’s ways and plans are so much better than what we could envision for ourselves.

Questions for Reflection

- Have there been any prayers or desires of your heart to which God has said no?  How have you handled that disappointment?

-Looking at our broken world, do you ever struggle to trust that Jesus is king over all?

*Can you think of a time when you had to wait for something? How patient were you while you waited?

*How does waiting strengthen our faith?

December 8

Job 19:25-27, Revelation 21:3-4, Galatians 4:4-5

Job 19:25-27

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 6 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

Revelation 21:3-4

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Galatians 4:4-5

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Making Connections

Imagine this: You have gone from wealthy to poverty-stricken in a matter of hours. Your large family has been wiped out in one fell swoop. Your body is covered from head to toe in painful sores. Three well-intentioned friends come to bring comfort, but instead insist all this misfortune is because of some sin you have committed. You are Job.

Job had little or no hope left in the physical world, describing it as walled up and dark (Job 19:8). His only comfort? That after death he will see his Redeemer face to face. This was a bold hope in a time when there was little understanding of afterlife or heaven and certainly no common teaching of resurrection. Yet in the midst of so much suffering, Job professed his hope and belief in a Redeemer and a life to come.

God gave Job a hope he did not fully understand, one that looked forward to Christ: the Redeemer who provides eternal life and resurrection of the body. Galatians states that Jesus was born as a man under law—the perfect substitute for us, able to live a perfect life we cannot and die the death we deserve. Through him we are adopted as sons and forgiven of our sins. Through him we will see God face to face with resurrected bodies—the hope Job professed.

Revelation gives a confirmation of Job’s hope, that God himself will dwell with us and be our God. Such a great hope, such an intimate love. Even amidst whatever great suffering you might experience or what dark night of the soul, cling to the promise that God himself will wipe the tears from your eyes. That is the great work of our Messiah Redeemer.

Questions for Reflection

-Can you think of a time in your life when a situation seemed dire or did not make sense, but in hindsight you could see God’s hand?

*How do you think you might have felt or reacted if you were Job?

-What does it mean to be redeemed? How is Jesus fully able to redeem us?

*What do you most look forward to about heaven?

December 9

Psalm 2, Hebrews 1:3-5

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Hebrews 1:3-5

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

Making Connections

Reading the newspaper or scrolling the internet for news is like seeing a play-by-play of the first few verses of Psalm 2. Everywhere we see men setting themselves up against God, either directly by claiming another belief system, or through their works, which show where their allegiance lies. Have you seen any leaders lately that serve God with fear and trembling? Instead our world mostly seems to run as though man truly is king of all creation. God at the most seems somewhere distant and far removed. At worst, nonexistent.

Despite what we might see around us, Psalm 2 paints a different picture. One in which God laughs at the power grabs made by the nations. He has set his Anointed on the throne and warns that there will be consequences for those who do not worship him. In contrast, those who do trust in him will be blessed.

This Psalm gives us more than an outer framework through which to see the events of the world. It demonstrates another aspect of the Messiah’s identity in addition to king, prophet, and lamb: a son. This begins to reveal the Trinity and establishes the position of Messiah as greater than mere man, greater than an angel. Hebrews refers to this Psalm and reveals even more: Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being, yet distinct in being the son.

He is greater than any prophet, greater than any king. Very God, being born into this world as a baby, taking on the very nature of a servant. This concept is so familiar to most of us that we can talk about the Trinity without being awed or astounded by its reality. Jesus is the son, yet he is also God. Distinct, yet the exact imprint of God. Take a moment to think of this as if for the first time, to puzzle over its implications and its significance.

Despite the news headlines, Psalm 2 assures us that we can trust in the greater sovereignty of God. If you have moments of doubt, consider the cross, when men did their worst in killing Jesus. If God could use the most sinful act of man as a way to defeat sin itself, what current events can possibly give us doubt?

Questions for Reflection

*Can you think of a time in your life when God brought about something good from something that did not seem good at the time?

-What are some of the ways you see leaders (or even ordinary people) setting themselves against God?

-How can our view of God as ultimate king help us find peace even with so many seemingly ungodly acts in our world?

-What understanding does this passage give to the Trinity?

December 10

Psalm 22, Mark 15:34, John 19:23-24

Psalm 22

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother's breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother's womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. 12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—17  I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! 22 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. 26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. 30 Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; 31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.

Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

John 19:23-24

23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things.

Making Connections

Redemption comes at a price. In Genesis God killed an animal to make a suitable covering for Adam and Eve after they had sinned. Abraham sacrificed a ram on the altar in the place of Isaac and the Hebrew people killed lambs so they might be passed over. The whole sacrificial system ran on the presumption of substitution: an animal on the altar to pay the penalty for your sin.

True redemption and eternal life comes at an even steeper price: the death of Jesus on the cross. Psalm 22 has remarkable prophetic details that point to Calvary, from lots being cast for Jesus’ clothing to the piercing of his hands and feet. Jesus even quoted the first verse of this Psalm while on the cross in a heart-wrenching cry: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

And yet, that cry does more than simply express the pain and suffering Jesus experienced. By quoting the first verse of that Psalm, Jesus was leading a people with great familiarity with Scripture back to the prophecy about himself. He was giving them a sign of who he was and pointing toward evidence of God’s plan at work.

Had any of those bystanders recounted Psalm 22, they would have seen the suffering portrayed there as it played out in front of them at Calvary. But they also would have seen the hope at the end. God has not abandoned his servant, but all will come to worship him, for kingship belongs to him. And the last, most encouraging words: he had done it. It is finished. The final sacrifice, the final substitution.

Though Jesus experienced God’s wrath and forsaking on the cross, God did not forsake him. Neither did God forsake us, despite our sin. Instead, he set in motion the perfect plan of redemption, accomplished fully by Jesus the Messiah.

Questions for Reflection

*What do you think it might have been like to be standing by as Jesus suffered on the cross?

-How can this Psalm bring us comfort when we suffer or feel despair?

-List out some of the specific prophecies from Psalm 22. What does their fulfillment show us about God?

December 11

Psalm 16:7-11, Acts 2:25-33, Philippians 3:8-16

Psalm 16:7-11

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Acts 2:25-33

25 For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

Philippians 3:8-16

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Making Connections

From atheists to agnostics, at every end of the spectrum of belief (or disbelief), people share a common hope: the hope of everlasting life. We see its pursuit in health fads which promise longer life; in people choosing to cryogenically freeze their bodies in the case they might be someday thawed and restored; in the metaphoric (or actual) quest for the fountain of youth; and even in the obsession over vampires, who are often glorified, possessing eternal life and youth. Generally speaking, no matter what you believe, you don’t want to die. And if you do, you want to come back or live another kind of life in paradise.

Rather than trusting in some other means or even his own wealth, David trusted in God for his preservation. Like Job did, he had some sense that God would not abandon him to Sheol, but that at God’s hands he would find pleasures that last forever. When his life had run its course, David did die and was buried, as were his fathers and their fathers and all David’s descendants after him. All except one.

The benefit of living on this side of the cross is that we have the Holy Spirit and the Bible to reveal God’s truths. Peter quotes Psalm 16 in Acts 2, teaching that David’s words pointed to Jesus and his resurrection. Jesus was the holy one who did not see corruption, and was raised up, as witnessed by the apostles and many others who lived at the time.

What promise does this hold for us, the seekers of eternal life? According to Paul in Philippians, we have the promise of the resurrection through Jesus. Our earthly life now should be seen in that greater context. All things around us are loss compared to knowing Jesus and we should press on toward the goal of our faith—the upward call of Jesus.

There is a reason that men seek eternal life: God has put eternity in their hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Eternal life is not found in a fountain or through new technology, but through the relationship with Jesus. David’s prophetic words about Jesus point to resurrection, and we have been promised a resurrection as well. Seeking eternal life is not a fruitless hunt, as long as we are seeking the eternal life that comes through knowing Jesus.

Questions for Reflection

*How have you seen changes in your life from knowing Jesus?

-How does the resurrection give us a hope?

-Knowing that we have a life to come through Jesus, how should that affect our living now?

-What do you think it might look like in action to believe all things in our life are rubbish compared to knowing Jesus?

December 12

Psalm 110, Genesis 14:18-20, Hebrews 7-8:6

Psalm 110

1 The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies our footstool.” 2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! 3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. 4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. 7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.

Genesis 14:18-20

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Hebrews 7:23-28

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Making Connections

Most of us today are far removed from some of the roles given to the Messiah. Less than ten countries in the world have an absolute monarchy with a king. We have many pastors and teachers of God’s word, but don’t see prophets like those in Biblical times. The priests of today are also very different from the Levitical priesthood of Israel and certainly do not make sacrifices for our sin.

Because of this, sometimes I think we don’t have as rich of an understanding of what it means that Jesus filled the roles that we have seen of king, prophet, and now priest. Melchizedek is also a strange character, considering he appears for only two verses in Genesis, one in Psalms, and then is given a lot of weight in Hebrews.  So how does this figure broaden our understanding of Jesus’ work and character?

Melchizedek was the king of righteousness (the meaning of his name) and the king of peace (the meaning of Salem, the future Jerusalem). With no genealogy, he is in a symbolic sense a priest forever and outside of the Levitical order God later set up through Aaron. The writer of Hebrews identifies Jesus with Melchizedek in that Jesus is also king, comes from a line outside the Levitical priesthood, and continues forever—able to fully save because the offering he made was not an animal substitute, but himself.

In the same way that Abram received a blessing from Melchizedek, we also are blessed through Jesus. And having received the blessing, we can then give back tithes and offerings as Abram did. The blessing of redemption comes not because of anything we have done, and our giving back to God has nothing to do with earning something. Instead, we can give back to God as a response of gratitude that we have such a king, such a prophet, such a great high priest. He is willing and able to save us perfectly, offering himself as the sacrifice in our place.

Questions for Reflection

-How is the picture of Jesus as priest similar or different to his roles as prophet and king?

-Abram offered a tenth to Melchizedek after receiving the blessing. What can we offer to Jesus as a response to how he has blessed us?

*Christmas is a time when we give gifts because of the gift God gave us in Jesus. If you could give any gift to anyone, what would you give and to whom?

December 13

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Philippians 2:5-10, Hebrews 2:17

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:18-25

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20  But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Philippians 2:5-10

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

Hebrews 2:17

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

Making Connections

Imagine: You are engaged and some months before the wedding, your fiancé comes to you and says that she is pregnant. You know the child is not yours, but can you believe her story that the child is somehow from the Holy Spirit, and that your future bride is still a virgin?

Or on the flip side—you are engaged to be married when an angel visits you and tells you that the Holy Spirit will overshadow you, creating within you a child. Though yet a virgin, you will be a mother. And you must tell your fiancé. If he doesn’t believe your story, he might have you stoned for adultery. Meanwhile you can see and feel the evidence of this child growing within your own body.

The wonder and the scandal of the virgin birth is sometimes lost through our familiarity with the story. We can speak of it without really thinking about what it means, or what this might have been like in the lives of Mary and Joseph.

God gave Isaiah the message that the virgin would be with child, but was there any reason beforehand for Mary or Joseph to think this Messiah would be born to them? Such very ordinary people—surely the Messiah would come with splendor and might, with more fanfare.

Think of the Incarnation itself for a moment: the very God who created the heavens, somehow taking the form of a human. Fully man and fully God, knit together in Mary’s womb. Born like any other baby in this world, with even less glory than many, in a stable, Joseph perhaps the only labor and delivery assistant. All the glory of God in a tiny, helpless baby. And let’s never forget where this story ends: Jesus is born and he also dies. Then yet another miracle in the resurrection.

Immanuel—God with us. He became like us, willingly giving up his glory to be a servant, to share in our sufferings and temptations. He remained sinless, a feat we cannot accomplish ourselves, and lived a life perfectly pleasing in obedience to God. As this perfect man (yet still fully God), he alone was able to be the perfect substitute for us. He transfers his righteousness to us and takes our sin upon himself.

God with us. Now through the Holy Spirit, and in heaven as we walk with him face to face. Don’t let the richness of the Christmas story pass you by because it is so familiar. Let God open your eyes to be astonished and awed by the virgin birth and the arrival of God as a baby, born that he might die.

Questions for Reflection

*Immanuel means God with us, yet we don’t visibly see him. What are some ways that you have seen God with you in your life?

-How does the example of Jesus humbling himself encourage you to live?

-Do you ever struggle with the idea of a virgin birth as some critics today do?  Why or why not?

December 14

Isaiah 9:1-7, John 10:29-39

Isaiah 9:1-7

1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

John 10:29-39

29 “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” … 37 “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

Making Connections

Though today’s market is flooded with baby name books, the importance of name and character has really been lost in today’s western culture. While trends range from classic or family names to unique names, they rarely seem related to character. In Biblical times children received names based on their parents’ hopes for them or because of something distinctive in and around their birth. God’s names reflect his character as well: Jehovah Jireh, The Lord Will Provide; El Elyon, the Most High God; El Shaddai, Lord God Almighty; Jehovah Rapha, The Lord That Heals.

Isaiah 9 gives some names that certainly don’t seem fitting for an ordinary baby, most especially one born in a stable: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Can you imagine bigger names to live up to? They reveal that Jesus is not an ordinary baby, but God in the flesh—truly Immanuel. These verses tell of work Jesus will accomplish, breaking the rod of the oppressors, carrying the government on his shoulders, and ruling forever. He will bring great light and great joy to the people. But more than anything, the names reveal the very identity and character of Jesus.

Consider the significance of Jesus being called Mighty God and Everlasting Father. The Trinity is so clearly illustrated here: Jesus is God, yet Jesus is distinct from God. Jesus explains some of this mystery in John 10, speaking of the Father and the Father’s work, then stating that he and the Father are one. The people listening picked up stones because such a claim was blasphemy. Jesus went on to say that he is in the Father and the Father is in him. The proof could be clearly seen from the work Jesus did in his earthly ministry.

Jesus carries weighty names because he is very God, yet made flesh and born of a virgin. His works reveal his character just as his names point to his character and identity. What comforting titles, instilling great trust. When we struggle for understanding, he is our Wonderful Counselor. When we were far from the Lord, the Prince of Peace reconciled us, and he provides peace now even in the midst of our circumstances. And we can trust that his word and promises are sure because he is Mighty God to carry them out.

Questions for Reflection

-Are there areas in your life that you struggle to have peace? How can Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace, offer comfort there?

-What are some ways that Jesus fulfilled the names he was given in Isaiah?

*What is your favorite name for God and why?

December 15

Isaiah 11:1-10, Jeremiah 23:1-6, John 15:1-8

Isaiah 11:1-10

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for he earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples— of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”

John 15:1-8

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Making Connections

Whether you have a green thumb or a black thumb, we can all understand some of the basics of plant-growing: good soil, good roots, sunlight, and water. Some kinds of plants and vines can grow from a clipping, but most branches must stay connected to the whole system to grow. Taken away, they wither and die.

Isaiah speaks of the Messiah as a branch shooting forth from the stump of Jesse, an image indicating that the Davidic line of kings has died out or been cut down. The Messiah will be new growth of a kingly line that otherwise was nothing but a stump. This Messiah branch will grow a kingdom with such peace that the lion and lamb will lie down together and the child may play with the cobra. Jeremiah affirms this idea of a branch coming from David’s line who will bring peace and govern Israel with righteousness.

The New Testament has many places where plant imagery illustrates spiritual truth, and in John 15 Jesus gives a great picture of what our relationship with God should be like. Jesus is the fulfillment of the branch, but here he calls himself the vine and says that we are the branches. Like the branch of Isaiah and Jeremiah, the vine is fruitful and we are also to be fruitful as well. But the only way for us to grow and produce is to stay connected to Jesus. We must abide in the vine.

To abide is to live or make one’s home. We must make our home with Jesus, the kingly branch from the line of David. If we do not abide in him, we will not bear fruit but will be cast off—not because of our lack of fruit, but because we did not abide. It is not our works that bring us into the kingdom or send us out of it, but the abiding in Jesus. The fruitfulness is simply the result of staying connected to him.

Whether you have a green or black thumb with actual plants, to keep yourself thriving, you must know what it means to abide in Jesus.

Questions for Reflection

*What kind of fruit do we produce when we abide in Jesus?

-What does it look like to abide or remain in Jesus?

-When we aren’t bearing fruit, what should that indicate to us?

-Is the idea of Jesus as a Righteous Branch a harder title for you to grasp than one of the more commonly used titles like Prince of Peace or Immanuel? Why or why not?

December 16

Isaiah 42:1-10, Matthew 12:9-21

Isaiah 42:1-10

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” 10 Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants.

Matthew 12:9-21

9 [Jesus] went on from there and entered their synagogue. 10 And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; 21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Making Connections

If you were to create a plan for a world takeover, how would you start? Maybe something attention grabbing first—an explosion or an interruption of all television broadcasts everywhere. If you want power, you need to make your name and presence known by something large.

To redeem the world, how did Jesus’ earthly ministry look? Was it packed stadiums and a great marketing campaign, teaching in the biggest cities and performing miracles in the temple at Jerusalem? The way Jesus ran his ministry would probably baffle those familiar with business or political strategies today. Yes, he attracted crowds and did miracles. But he spoke mostly in smaller cities and towns, often retreating to lonely places when he began attracting too much attention. Sometimes he even told those whom he had healed that they should keep quiet.

Isaiah 42 speaks of the great works that the Messiah would accomplish, but also says that he will not lift his voice in the streets. God’s plan of redemption did not follow a business model or the blueprint of political aspiration. Jesus did attract attention by sometimes startling actions such as healing on the Sabbath in the synagogue. He rocked the boat, but then he withdrew.

Jesus has done the greatest work of this world by securing our redemption through his death on the cross. He will come again in glory, and with such power that no one on the earth will miss the signs of his glory (Matthew 24:30). And yet the earthly life and ministry of Jesus lacked many of the things we might think necessary to impact the world.

Questions for Reflection

*Who are some famous or important public figures of today that you admire? How was Jesus in his public ministry like or unlike those people?

-How do you think Jesus’ earthly ministry might have looked different than what the Jewish people expected from the Messiah?

-What are some of the promises made about Jesus in the Isaiah 42 passage? Can you think of examples from Scripture or your own life of how he fulfilled those prophecies?

December 17

Isaiah 49:6-10, Acts 13:44-49, Revelation 7:14-17

Isaiah 49:6-10

6 He says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

8 Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, 9 saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; 10 they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.”

Acts 13:44-49

44 The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.

Revelation 7:14-17

14… And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Making Connections

Perhaps because Jesus arrived without the glory and fanfare that the Jewish people expected, he was not recognized as Messiah before and rejected even after the resurrection. Though Jesus will be worshiped, in Isaiah 49:7 it also says that he will be despised, and Acts 13 shows a piece of this fulfillment: even as the Jews despised Jesus and the gospel, God opened the way for the Gentiles.

Though we have seen that Jesus fulfilled so many specific prophecies, he was also in many ways not what the Jewish people expected. So many promises of a king, and yet Jesus in his incarnation did not seem royal. They hoped for a king to restore Israel and overthrow Rome, yet Jesus was not political and did not engage in even remote talk of government takeover.

Yet look at the sweet promises available for Jews and Gentiles alike: he will bring people out of prison and darkness; he will lead us; we will never hunger or thirst; he will be our shepherd; he will shelter us with his presence; he will wipe away the tears from our eyes. What a powerful picture, and yet also sweetly intimate. Jesus is not only a kingly ruler, but a kindly shepherd.

As the Gentiles did in Acts, let us rejoice and glorify God for his great promises!

Questions for Reflection

-Have you ever had the experience of being disappointed because your expectations clashed with reality?

-Why do you think that God’s own people, so familiar with all the prophecies, still mostly rejected Jesus as the Messiah?

-What does it show about Jesus’ character that he is both a king to be worshiped and also a shepherd, personally guiding his people?

*Of all the promises in the Bible, what is your favorite?

December 18

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— 15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. 53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Making Connections

For those of you who love to read books, I wonder if you sometimes have the same problem that I do when it comes to the Bible. God planned these words perfectly, and yet I sometimes long for more. When Abraham walked along the road with Isaac, whom he had been commanded to sacrifice, how did he feel? Did his eyes fill with tears every time his son spoke? Did he stay up late at night in their camp on the journey, watching his son sleep, maybe weeping or crying out to God? When the angel came to Mary with the news of Jesus’ birth, I know she treasured those things up in her heart, but what was it like for her in those early days of her pregnancy? How did she feel?

I long sometimes to see some of the Bible stories in a cinematic way, to have more details or the gestures that in a novel or movie might reveal how a character feels: a chin trembling, hands clenching, a hidden smile. The Bible is rich with stories, and yet God in his wisdom many times does not give us the passion that we get in a book like Song of Solomon. The stories often are told in a very matter of fact way, and I think we can be tempted to not connect with them the way we might a novel or movie when those important and human details are right there.

This is why when I come to a passage like Isaiah 52 & 53, I like to pause. This passage gives such an intimate look at the work of Jesus at the cross. In this prophecy of the Messiah as suffering servant, we read that he was marred almost unrecognizably by the beatings of the soldiers. It gives us the picture of a lamb being led to the slaughter. Perhaps more than in the gospels where the account of Jesus’ death is straightforward, here in Isaiah we get a real glimpse of the suffering and of the redemptive work he did for us on the cross.

So today, rather than give any more reflection on this passage (other than this rather long introduction), I’m going to encourage you to read Isaiah again. This is a place where God chose to break open the story of the cross and gives us a deeper look rather than simply a factual account. This is a place that reveals the purpose and the reality of Jesus the Messiah’s work on earth. Read it again, out loud if you haven’t already. Let the richness of this passage sink to your very heart. You may want to re-read the gospel accounts of the cross as well, but at the least, meditate here on the person and work of Jesus.

Questions for Reflection

-What speaks to you most from Isaiah’s portrait of the suffering servant?

-What are some of the details this passage gives that flesh out the gospel accounts of the cross?

-How does Jesus’ suffering show us the seriousness of our sin?

*Are there any Bible stories that you wish God might have given a few more details?

December 19

Ezekiel 34, John 10:1-18

Ezekiel 34:11-16,

11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice…

20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.”

John 10:1-18

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Making Connections

Each name or image given to the Messiah reveals something about his character. Though shepherds are sort of far-removed from most of our western cultures today, God gives shepherds an importance in Scripture that helps bridge the gap in our understanding. From David the shepherd king to the 23rd Psalm to the shepherds who get the good news of Jesus’ birth, God gives this lowly occupation significance.

Both Ezekiel and John give such a personal picture of what our Good Shepherd looks like. He is a personal shepherd whose sheep know his voice. He knows the sheep and cares for them, enough to lay down his life.

Jesus also calls himself the door in John 10:9.  Similar to calling himself the way (John 14:6), Jesus is both the shepherd who leads us and also the gate through which we must pass. In laying down his life for the sheep, he becomes the way and the door. Without that work on the cross, we would have no way to gain access to God. Jesus comes as not only the Passover Lamb, but the shepherd who leads us into real, abundant life.

Questions for Reflection

*What are some of the things you think a good shepherd would do for his sheep?  How is Jesus a good shepherd?

-What does it show of God’s character that He will seek after the sheep Himself?  How have you seen God seek after you in your own life?

-What are some of the promises given for God’s people in these passages?  How do you see them being fulfilled at the present time?  How do you think they will be fulfilled when Jesus returns?

-What do you think the abundant life mentioned in John 10:10 looks like? How does Jesus make our lives abundant?

December 20

Daniel 7:9-14, Matthew 26:62-68, Revelation 1:12-20

Daniel 7:9-14

9 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Matthew 26:62-68

62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Revelation 1:12-20

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 19 Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Making Connections

Have you ever had the experience of being the presence of someone great? People wait in line for hours for book signings by famous authors or pay great sums of money for a backstage pass at a concert. Whole businesses in Los Angeles are dedicated to driving tourists by the homes of celebrities. This sense of awe is why it can be so crushing when one of these heroes falls. If we did not hold them in some esteem, we would have no sense of disappointment when they prove that they are like us: human.

So often I think that we don’t have a full picture of the grandeur and awesomeness of God’s power. When John sees the vision of the son of man, he fell at his feet as though dead, and I think we would (and will) do the same. Yet Jesus, who deserves every bit of adoration and awe, stoops to touch John and says, “Fear not.”

We have a king in Jesus who is worthy of all adoration and glory. Powerful, holy, mighty—terms that we cannot fully put weight behind until we do see him face to face. But Jesus bends down to us as he did with John, as God walked in the garden calling to Adam and Eve. Human figures don’t deserve the adoration or importance we sometimes ascribe to them, yet much of the time, human idols welcome and relish that kind of glory, basking in it and believing themselves of worthy of it. Jesus, who truly is worthy, stoops to touch the unworthy.

God is both holy enough to knock us down as though dead, and personal enough to touch us and give us comfort. Both of these are true of God’s character and we need to keep them in balance. If we lose sight of his power and grandeur, we miss out on worship. If we lose sight of him being personal, we miss out on the relationship. God is both deserving of all honor, and loves us enough that he sent Jesus, worthy of worship, to die in our place on the cross.

Questions for Reflection

*Have you ever had an experience where you were awed or star-struck by meeting someone famous? What was it like?

-What do these passages show about Jesus’ character?

-How does the appearance together of the Ancient of Days and son of man support the idea of the Trinity?

*What do you think it would be like to go in before a king on his throne?  What do you think it will be like when you see Jesus face to face?

December 21

Micah 5:2-5, Matthew 2:1-6, John 16:33, Philippians 4:4-7

Micah 5:2-5

2 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, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. 5 And he shall be their peace…

Matthew 2:1-6

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

John 16:33

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Making Connections

I love the power of God to turn the small into the great. Jesus is our majestic shepherd king, able to give us security and peace. And yet his arrival and much of his ministry were in more humble circumstances than those to befit a king. His birth took place in the tiny town of Bethlehem in a stable. God did use the glory of the heavens to declare the birth of Jesus, and yet the only ones who seemed to recognize it were wise men from the east. The very first people who came to worship the baby Jesus were lowly shepherds, straight from the fields.

But in the same way that Jesus’ majesty and glory arrived in surprising humility on earth, I think security and peace also come in surprising forms. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace and the Bible promises peace to believers. Yet if we look at the life of many of the saints, they were anything but peaceful. Our own lives as well are often filled with a turmoil, pain, and hardship.

God’s promises are sure—so where is this peace? The peace is not in our circumstances, but in the person of Jesus. In John 16:33 we are promised trouble and peace. The trouble is outward, in our circumstances and in our world. The peace is inward, through Jesus himself. He will be our peace. We can see the same in Philippians 4. Often when people quote verse 6, they miss the last part of verse 5: The Lord is near. How can we have peace and be anxious for nothing? By trusting that the Lord is with us.

God promises that he will give us peace that is beyond understanding. Peace that makes no sense sometimes given circumstances that may seem senseless at the time. Peace that goes beyond what is visible and comforts our very hearts. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, will one day bring full peace visibly in the world. But for now that peace can guard our hearts beyond understanding and above our circumstances.

Questions for Reflection

-Can you think of a time when you felt God’s peace despite circumstances that were anything but peaceful?

-How do rejoicing and giving thanks (Philippians 4:4-7) help us to gain peace?

-What are some other Biblical examples where God used unexpected people or circumstances to accomplish his purposes?

*What things can you rejoice in and give thanks for today?

December 22

Zechariah 12:10-31:1, Hebrews 10:11-14

Zechariah 12:10-13:1

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves. 13:1 “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.”

Hebrews 10:11-14

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Making Connections

Our lives are made up of so much repetition. We wake up each morning. We eat meals, only to have to eat again. At the end of each day, we go back to sleep, only to wake again and start all over. In the same way, again and again the Jewish people had to make sacrifices for their sins. As we do, they sinned again and again, needing to return to the tabernacle or temple with their sacrifices for sin. What great news comes in Zechariah—through the promised Messiah, a fountain will be opened to cleanse the people from their sin!

Hebrews tells us that day after day the priests made sacrifices for the people, but Jesus, being the perfect Lamb of God and a priest in the order of Melchizedek, offered himself, a once and for all sacrifice. To a people used to offering sacrifices again and again, this fountain for cleansing would truly have been worthy of celebration.

Yet the place of the cross is one of both celebration and mourning. For that fountain comes by the death of Jesus, through him being pierced for our sins. He was worthy, yet died a death reserved for sinners like us. We truly have good news that comes through Jesus, but that good news comes at a cost. The price for us to have forgiveness is free—we receive it freely through our belief without having to earn it, but it came at the cost of Jesus’ life.

Questions for Reflection

-When you think of the cross, do you think first of the somber aspects or the joyful ones?  Why?

-How is our redemption both free and costly?

-Why do you think a fountain is a good picture for Christ’s work on the cross?

*Have you ever had to give up something you did not want to lose?  What was that like?

*How does it make you feel to realize that Jesus gave up his life for yours?

December 23

John 1:1-18, 1 John 1:1-3

John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

1 John 1:1-3

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Making Connections

The old saying goes: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me.” Is that really true? Our physical bodies often heal remarkably well, leaving only a scar as a reminder of previous pain. But words strike to our heart. An invisible wound, but one that can remain with us for years. Healing from the pain of words does not happen naturally as it does with our physical body. If we don’t treat or deal with those wounds, harsh words can infect us like a poison. Words are more powerful than sticks or stones because they strike at who we are.

In what is the most poetic account of Jesus’ incarnation, John calls Jesus the Word of God. He speaks God’s mind to us. Like a prophet, Jesus is a mouthpiece for God, but rather than simply speaking the words of God like a human prophet, Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word, the very utterance of God’s thoughts. Jesus was with God, and Jesus also was God. He is also the life (John 14:6) and the light (John 8:12). The Word, the life, the light—these were made flesh and dwelt among us.

In the same way that spoken words can strike our hearts, Jesus the Word wants to reach our hearts. It is not enough that we attend church or try to be good people or think of Jesus as a good teacher or moral man. These passages tell us that Jesus is God, and that he brings grace and truth. He brings life and light and gives the right to become children of God—not because of any heritage or any action on our part, but because of his redeeming work on the cross.

Questions for Reflection

*Can you think of a time where words really stuck with you, whether hurtful or encouraging words?

-How does this title of Jesus as Word give us a more full picture of who he is?

-Where else in Scripture do we have reference to the Word?  Do those references always mean Jesus?

December 24

Luke 1:5-80

Luke 1:5-80

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Making Connections

Just as God prepared the way for Jesus with years of prophecy, as the time nears fulfillment, he sends John the Baptist, who not only prepares the way through his speaking, but whose birth mirrors that of Jesus.  Like so many important mothers in the Bible (Sarah, Rachel, Hannah), Elizabeth was barren and also beyond the age of child-bearing.  But God sent the angel Gabriel to Zechariah to announce the imminent birth of John, whose role would be to make ready a people for the Lord.  Six months later, Gabriel came to Mary and announced that she, too, would have a child—Messiah, Son of God.

God’s plan meant that these two women would be pregnant at the same time, allowing them to find solace and encouragement in each other.  One: a woman physically too old to have a baby, whose husband had been struck mute since the angel’s visit, unable to explain the plan Gabriel had revealed.  The other: a young virgin, who should not according to natural laws be pregnant and whose betrothed would consider a quiet divorce when he heard the news. While Joseph did not believe without an angelic visit of his own, Elizabeth recognized Mary as the mother of her Lord immediately when John leapt in Elizabeth’s womb.

Peter tells us that God prepared his plan of redemption before the foundations of the earth (1 Peter 1:20). Now as the fulfillment draws near, God begins to work in miraculous ways in the lives of everyday people to accomplish his eternal purposes.

Questions for Reflection

-What are some examples (from the Bible or your life) of God using ordinary people to accomplish his extraordinary purposes?

-Why do you think this passage is an important part of the Christmas story?

*What are ways that God can use you right now at your age and in your circumstances?

December 25

Matthew 1:18-2:23, Luke 2:1-21

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us).

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Luke 2:1-21

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Making Connections

Whether on A Charlie Brown Christmas or a manger scene on the lawn of a local church or even stars used in decoration, Jesus’ birth is present amidst the crowded holiday. Year after year we may decorate the house, shop for Christmas presents, send Christmas cards, and hear this familiar Christmas story. Sometimes this repetition makes us overlook the real impact of the incarnation.

Today let’s slow down and think deeply on some of the truths revealed in these passages. Consider them in light of the passages we have read for the past few weeks the birth, life and identity of Jesus the Messiah. Read these statements a few times and ask God to let the reality of the Christmas story really sink in again, as though for the first time.

-Mary became pregnant while still a virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

-God announced the coming of Jesus through prophecy and in the natural world through the sky, visible even from far off.  Surrounding his birth were supernatural events like prophetic dreams and visits from angels.

-The birth of the great Messiah, God in flesh, took place in a stable.  His first cradle was the trough from which animals ate their grain.

-Even as a baby, physically limited and helpless, Jesus was worthy of worship.

The story of Christmas involves miracles, which seem so out of touch with our present tangible reality.  We read these accounts and because of their familiarity, we can accept the miracles—because they are from the Bible, not in front of our eyes this day.

Can you imagine for a moment being outside and a host of angels thundering down, filling the sky with announcement and praise? Can you imagine being Mary, told that you are going to have a child by the Holy Spirit? Can you imagine being Joseph, told that your betrothed is pregnant by the Holy Spirit?  Can you imagine the savior of the whole world, God in flesh, the very Word of God, wrapped up in a blanket in the manger of a stable?

This day we celebrate the great works of God—works that were announced in so many ways and times beforehand, brought to culmination in God’s perfect time. We cannot forget as we read the Christmas story the why. Why was there need for a Messiah?  Why did he come as a man?  Remember that the story began in the garden, when man first disobeyed and blood was first shed in his place.  Jesus was born, God in human form, so that he could be our perfect substitute: living the life of holiness that we are unable to live and dying on the cross the death we deserve.  He transfers his righteousness to us and takes our unrighteousness upon himself.

What did we do to earn this?  Nothing.  What motivated God to do this?  His great love.  How can we accept this?  Not by works, but by belief in the work of Jesus on the cross and belief that he was resurrected so that we might also have new life and life everlasting.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, born in a stable that he might go from the manger to the cross, taking us from the garden through the very gates of heaven.

Questions for Reflection

-What strikes you most from these accounts of Jesus’ birth?

-How do the Scriptures we have been reading all month enrich your understanding of the Christmas story? How do these prophecies strengthen our belief in Jesus as Messiah?

-What is most meaningful to you personally this Christmas day?

*What do you remember most from the past few weeks about who Jesus is?

*What is your favorite part of the Christmas story and why?

Connecting Scripture to Your Life

I’m not sure where you were spiritually when you came upon this set of devotions, or where you are now. I imagine most of you come from some kind of Christian background, but I can remember a time when I came from a Christian background and yet understood nothing really about God. I found church off-putting and confusing, yet would have called myself a Christian because that seemed like the most fitting title. In case that might describe something of where you are, I want to clear up a few things about God and Jesus.

-God created this whole world and created you for relationship with him.

-God is holy, just, and loving.

-We are not perfect, and this creates a gap in the relationship with God.

-Nothing we do can take away the wrong things we’ve done, or be good enough to attain perfection.

-Jesus came as God in the form of man to live the perfect life we can’t live and to die the death we deserve.

-Believing in Jesus means that you know you aren’t able to do it yourself and so you trust his work on the cross to restore your relationship with God.

-Immediately and forever, you are promised eternal life and forgiveness.

-God comes to live in your heart through the Holy Spirit.

-You will find that your life will begin to change as a result of God living in your heart.

-You can grow in your understanding and relationship with God through prayer, the Bible, and getting involved in a church community.

This list may be full of things you already know. But if not, I encourage you to reach out and find a local church or someone you might talk to about this. You don’t need some clergy member or big service to bring you into relationship with God—a simple prayer by yourself will do. Connecting to other believers will help you in your understanding and encouragement of what it means to live as in relationship with God.

I would be glad to talk with you about this so feel free to contact me: kirstenoliphant@gmail.com.

Acknowledgments

A huge thank-you to my husband, Rob, for reading through the roughest of rough drafts with me and giving me focus. Also for putting up with me and managing the kids as I put this together. I will forever and always remember the difference between polygamy and polytheism and I have you to thank.

Thanks to Buck for an unexpected and very insightful reading with great suggestions for questions. I think the wine and cigar helped.

And thanks to Roxy for all the imaging help—you have all of the softwares.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Kirsten Oliphant spent years in full-time and volunteer positions in youth ministry and is now married to a youth minister. She has an MFA in Fiction from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. When not wrangling her two young boys, she is writing, blogging or playing roller derby. Usually not all at the same time.

You can find Kirsten on her blog I Still Hate Pickles or contact her at kirstenoliphant@gmail.com.

Table of Contents

Using This Book

December 1

December 2

December 3

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 15

December 16

December 17

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 24

December 25

Connecting Scripture to Your Life

Acknowledgments

Table of Contents

Using This Book

December 1

December 2

December 3

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 15

December 16

December 17

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 24

December 25

Connecting Scripture to Your Life

Acknowledgments