Saturday 20th December

 
The Characters of Christmas - Joseph  

Yesterday we thought about Mary’s part in the account of Jesus’ birth. This morning, we turn to her husband Joseph… How did he deal with this incredible thing that was happening to him and his wife-to-be?

Matthew records Joseph’s part in the story in Ch 1: 18-25 of his gospel. Joseph had some choices to make… 
 
”…Because Joseph … was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her (Mary) to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.“
 
As we saw yesterday, in the culture of that day what had happened to Mary would have brought disgrace and shame to both her and Joseph. He had every right to be angry, disappointed and betrayed. Imagine Mary telling him of her meeting with an Angel? How would you have felt?
 
However, God spoke to Joseph too – in a dream! Did he dare believe it? No-one else would!!
In order to obey God’s voice, he would have to risk being alienated by the people who knew him best. This was going to cost him – and there would be nothing he could do about it. 
 
But… Joseph was “OBEDIENT”. He didn’t have too many other options - Divorce or shaming Mary publicly were possible - to clear his name but… his chosen option was to BELIEVE God’s word and OBEY Him - even though it brought shame on him too! 
 
Whenever we encounter Jesus, whether it’s for the first time or not, we have a choice to make.
Will we choose to believe and obey Him – like Joseph? No matter what the cost… Trusting him for the outcome – even when the going gets tough?
 

"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
Matthew 1:20-21

Friday 19th December

 
The Characters of Christmas - Mary  

Today we meet probably the most famous woman in the Bible – Mary. She was just an ordinary young woman looking forward to the future with her betrothed husband-to-be Joseph. And then, out of nowhere God sends a messenger to tell her that she has been chosen to take on the most important job anyone has ever been given – to bear the promised Messiah – God’s Son – who would be the Saviour of the world!
 
What a privilege – but what a responsibility! Luke records the moment she was told the news in his gospel – and her reaction to it in Luke 1:38 ”‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.“

Mary - a betrothed woman – was to become pregnant and would have to bear all the shame and disgrace that this would bring in the culture of the day. What would Joseph think? What about her parents – her wider friends & family? Would they believe her when she told them what had happened?
 
We are told by Luke that Mary’s first reaction was, not unexpectedly “SURPRISE” - “How will this be?” She could hardly believe the Angels’ message herself – she was shocked! How was this to be accomplished…? Like many of us when we encounter Jesus - she had many questions… “What’s going to happen to me? Am I going to be OK?”
 
Luke’s account goes on to say that she was “TROUBLED”. She was Just an ordinary devout girl from a small Galilean village going about her daily business - how was this going to affect her life? What will people think? Is it really true? When we encounter God it can often be troubling - change is coming - it’s a wonderful feeling to be chosen and called by God – but it can also be deeply unsettling - nothing is ever going to be the same again…
 
But finally, Luke records that Mary was “FAITHFUL” - “Let it be to me…“ Mary was happy to trust in God’s will for her life. She hadn’t chosen this - God had chosen her! She didn’t know how it would all work out but although it seemed unbelievable to some - she would still trust God!
 
As we encounter Jesus again this Christmas, we may be “Surprised” or perhaps “Troubled”. What does Jesus want from me? What will people think? How’s it going to affect me? Mary’s reaction challenges us to to be “Faithful” and to say with Mary: “I am the Lord’s servant… may your word to me be fulfilled.” believing and trusting in God’s promise and purpose for our lives. 

”‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.“
Luke 1:38
 

Thursday 18th December

The Characters of Christmas - Elizabeth 

As we enter the last few days before Christmas let’s take some time to look at some of the Characters who were involved in that first Christmas – and examine their reactions to everything that happened.
 
Up first today is Elizabeth – Let’s read about her in Luke 1: 39-45
 
“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!”
 
Meet Elizabeth - devout, praying… and serving quietly. She’s married to a small-town Priest called Zechariah. Elizabeth & Zechariah sadly couldn’t have Children. Not only was this desperately sad for them, but in their culture at that time this was seen as a terrible disgrace – perhaps even a sign of God’s Judgement on them. However, Elizabeth continued to be faithful despite all this and had the joy of meeting the baby Jesus – albeit still in the womb of her cousin Mary!
 
It's very interesting to note Elizabeth’s reaction to Mary’s news – it was one of complete JOY!
But note that this came as she was “filled by the holy spirit.” Not only was she Joyful but the Holy Spirit also enabled her to declare that the baby in her cousin’s womb was her “Lord!”
 
Elizabeth’s joy at meeting Jesus in Mary’s womb was also due to her FAITH. She had never stopped believing that God was going to send his promised Messiah. She was now convinced that the baby Mary was carrying was the fulfilment of that promise.
 
Despite the darkness and disappointment she had faced in her own life, Elizabeth responded to Jesus’ coming with Joy and Faith because she knew that God was keeping his promise.
 
Whatever your circumstances – ask the Holy Spirit to help you to respond to Jesus’ birth like Elizabeth – with Joy and Faith. 

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!”
Luke 1:42

Wednesday 17th December

Awesome!

How do you react when you see an amazing sunrise, or the view from a mountaintop, or gaze at the power of the sea on a stormy day? What is it that makes you react with awe and wonder?
 
What about when you read something like The Apostles Creed...
 
“I believe in God, the Father almighty,, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead...”


Do these amazing statements of truth cause us to exclaim “that’s Awesome!” Or, have our senses been dulled over time so that we fail to be moved by what the bible tells us about God’s amazing plan?
 
How dead we are sometimes! Perhaps we need to repent and say, “I am sorry that the stories men have made up will stir my emotions, my awe and wonder and admiration and joy, more than your own true story.” Perhaps the intergalactic movie thrillers of our day can at least do us a favour as they can bring us to repentance, by reminding us that we have not become immune to the “awe, wonder and amazement” that we so seldom feel when we contemplate the eternal God and the cosmic glory of Christ and a real living contact between them and us in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
 
In this Advent season perhaps, we should pray that the Holy Spirit would break into our experience to wake us up to the unimaginable awesome reality of God and his plan – seen in Bethlehem’s manger.
 
And as we wait for his return, remember this... one of these days lightning is going to fill the sky from one end to the other, and there is going to appear - in the clouds - the Son of Man in all his glory with his mighty angels in flaming fire. And we will see him clearly. And whether from terror or sheer excitement, we will all tremble and we will wonder how we ever lived so long with such a domesticated and impoverished view of Christ.
 
These things are written - the whole Bible is written - that we might believe, that we might be stunned and awakened to the wonder, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came into the world. 

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:30–31

Tuesday 16th December

 
The Ancient of Days

John 18:37 is a great Christmas text even though it comes from the very end of Jesus’s life on earth, not the beginning.
 
Notice that Jesus says not only that he was ‘born,’ but that he “came into the world.” The uniqueness of his birth is that his birth wasn’t the beginning of his existence. He existed before he was born in a manger. The person, the character, the personality of Jesus of Nazareth existed before the man Jesus of Nazareth was born.
 
The theological word to describe this mystery is not creation, but “incarnation”. The word translates as “in the flesh” His birth was not that of new person, but a coming into the world of an infinitely old person. Micah 5:2 puts it like this, seven hundred years before Jesus was born:
 
“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.”
 
The mystery of the birth of Jesus is not merely that he was born of a virgin. That miracle was intended by God to point us to an even greater one, that the child born at Christmas was a person who existed “from of old, from ancient days.”
 
And, uniquely for Jesus, his birth was “purposeful.” Before he was born, he thought about being born. Together with his Father there was a plan. And he spoke about part of that great plan in the last hours of his life on earth: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37)
 
Jesus is “the Ancient of days” whose birth was the centrepiece of God’s big plan which has unfolded in eternity past and is working out in our present and will come to completion at the time appointed by Him. 

"Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
John 18:37

Monday 15th December

Christmas – a Matter of Life and Death

For many people Christmas brings with it a deep sense of loss as they remember loved ones who won’t be sitting around the festive table this year to enjoy the celebrations. If that’s you then don’t block it out. We must let it come and feel it. The precious gift of love that God has given is nothing if it’s not expressed – both in life and in death.
 
However, we must remember as we approach Christmas what Jesus came to do. His love for us is so great that he came to our world to heal the sting of death and bring hope in its darkness by overcoming it’s power as we anticipate eternal life with him when he returns!
 
Jesus came at Christmas that we might have eternal life. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Christmas for many is a time for gathering in our homes to share the love that we have for each other. But at Christmas we are also reminded that when Jesus came he opened the door to heaven for us so that when The Lord calls us from our earthly home and family we have a new home forever with the Lord sharing eternity with those who have gone before us!
 
Do you feel restless for home and family? particularly at this time of year? It is God who has put that desire for home and community in our hearts – sadly some people aren’t able to experience this here on earth. But that anticipation is still real. Deep in our hearts we yearn for a “homecoming” – a warm welcome and the affection of family. But, all our earthly homecomings – however warm and welcoming - are only foretastes... foretastes of the sweetest homecoming of all... that final warm open-armed welcome into the house of the Lord – forever! 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:10

Sunday 14th December

Jesus - The King!

The three great offices of God’s people in bible times were the Prophet, the Priest and – the most powerful office of all – The King. The bible tells us that Jesus – the baby born in Bethlehem - fulfilled all three roles, bringing them all together under one head.
 
Jesus was born to become King – and to inaugurate his new Kingdom. He came to call all of us to enter his new Kingdom through repentance and faith in him – see his words in the verse below.
 
In the Bible, the King’s office carried absolute power and authority. But as fallen human beings those kings often got things wrong or misused their power. Jesus – as Matthew tells us in his gospel – is our “Servant King” (Matthew 20:28) as well as being our Leader and Champion, He has absolute power to pronounces God’s Judgement on sin – which he does – but then he takes its punishment upon himself paying “the ransom for many.”
 
God, not only pronounces God’s righteous judgment on us as through his anointed King - Jesus, he also takes the punishment we deserve in our place through his Great High Priest – Jesus, and he has told us what he has done through his Final Word – Jesus!


But… God’s purposes are not complete yet! - as the season of advent reminds us - we wait with anticipation for Christ’s return to finally pronounce his final righteous judgement on those who oppose him; establish his perfect heavenly Kingdom, and reign forever as it’s glorious king! 

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1 :15

Saturday 13th December

Jesus – Our Great High Priest – “From The Shadows...”

The book of Hebrews has one main message - that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, in coming to this planet, fulfilled all the shadows we see in the Old Testament regarding the way God’s people are made holy and kept holy. He did this by being what the writer calls “our great High priest” - ministering for us first of all on Calvary as our complete and final sacrifice in payment for our sin; and now, as the resurrected High priest for us in heaven who is continually interceding for us! (Hebrews 7:25)
 
The Old Testament tabernacle and priests and sacrifices were shadows. Now the reality has come, and the shadows pass away.
 
Here’s an Advent illustration I once heard for children – but it should encourage us all! Imagine you and your mum get separated in the supermarket, and you start to get scared and panic and don’t know which way to go, and you run to the end of an aisle, and just before you start to cry, you see a shadow on the floor at the end of the aisle that looks just like your mum. It makes you really hopeful. It might lift your spirits... But which is better? The hopefulness of seeing the shadow, or having your mum step around the corner?
 
That’s the way it is with Jesus as our Great high priest. That’s what Christmas is. Christmas is the replacement of shadows with the real thing: like your mum stepping around the corner of the aisle and all the relief and joy that gives to a little child. Jesus is the real thing – who came to take away the consequences of your sin and is even today interceding for you right now in heaven! 

“Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. “
Hebrews 8:1–2

Friday 12th December

Jesus – God’s Final Word 

The world today is full of words... 24hr news, social media, and the endless emails... There’s so many words  - but who can we really believe?

We believe in a God who reveals himself – He communicates with us! This verse below tells us that “in the past…” God had spoken in many and varied ways - but when Jesus came, He was God’s final WORD. Everything we need to know about God we can find in the baby born in Bethlehem!
 
So… what did this great prophet say? John 14:6:
 
“I am the way, the truth and the life…” – That HE was the ONLY way to God! As C.S. Lewis famously said about this statement… Jesus is either “...a Liar… a lunatic… or, if what he says is true then he must be LORD”
 
Because he said he was “The Way” – He calls us to follow him on the Calvary Road.
Because he said he was “The Truth” – He calls us to believe and trust him and everything he said.
Because he said he was “The Life” – He enables us to live like him – if we accept him as Lord.


Because he is the Prophet who speaks the very words of God, he is therefore able to reveal God’s plan for mankind. We see it in these very well-known verses in John 3:16-17:
 
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him!”
 
As we continue in the Advent season, we are again confronted with what Jesus came to be and to do. As the true prophet he tells us that he is the only way anyone can know God – and we all therefore have to decide what we are going to do with that! There’s no sitting on the fence here! 

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,..”
Hebrews 1:1

Thursday 11th December


 

Why Christmas?

Why did Jesus come? It’s a great Advent question to ponder...
 
The two verses below from Hebrews make clear why He came, namely, to die. They would be great to use with unbelieving friends or family members to walk them step-by-step through your Christian view of the “Why” of Christmas. It might go something like this, a phrase at a time...
 
“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood...”
The “children” here are the “children of God” (John 1:12) They are those who would turn to him and follow him.
 
“...he himself likewise partook of the same things...” [flesh and blood]
This means that Christ existed before the incarnation. He was the eternal Word. He was with God and was God (John 1:1; Colossians 2:9). But he took on “flesh and blood,” and clothed his deity with humanity. He became fully man and remained fully God. It is a great mystery in many ways. But it is at the heart of our faith—and what the Bible teaches.
 
“...that through death...”
The whole reason that Jesus came to this earth and became human was to die. As “God” he could not die for sinners. But as “man” he could. He became like “one of us” in order to fully take the effects of our sin and pay for them on the cross. His whole aim was to die. Therefore, he had to be born human. He was born to die. Good Friday is the purpose of Christmas.
 
“...he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil...”
In his death, Christ disarmed the devil. How? By taking on all of our sin. This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God. “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?” (Romans 8:33). Satan’s ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon of the devil—the one mortal weapon that he has—is taken out of his hand.
 
“...and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
So, because Jesus came - and died in our place - we are now free from slavery to the fear of death! If we do not need to fear our last and greatest enemy, death, then we do not need to fear anything. We can be free. Free to live Free to serve, Free to be joyful. Free to share the good news with others. What a great Christmas present from God to us! 

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
Hebrews 2:14–15

Wednesday 10th December

A Very Special Baby

 
God is not served by human hands as though he needed anything (Acts 17:25). The gifts of the magi were not given in the way that people often bring gifts for a baby born today. So what then do they mean then? And in what way is this worship?
 
Gifts that are given at special times – or just as a surprise – are often a reflection of the giver’s desire to let the recipient know how wonderful the giver thinks that person is and how much joy they give to the giver. In the same way when we give the “gift” of our worship to Jesus it is not in the hope of getting anything back... or to twist his arm or to earn his favour. We offer our gift of sacrificial worship as thanksgiving and praise for who he is – his character and person – rather than for what we can get out of him. Notice in Matthew 2:10 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great Joy.” – The Magi were overjoyed to be able bring their gifts to worship Jesus despite the long and difficult journey. This is what the Magi’s special gifts were all about - gold and frankincense and myrrh. To recognise and acknowledge the person who was the Son of God – the Saviour of the world!
 
As we get nearer to Christmas, may God awaken in us a desire for Christ himself. May we say from the heart, “Lord Jesus, you are the Messiah, the King of Israel. All nations will come and bow down before you. Your Father is the one who will move the world to see that you are worshiped. Therefore, whatever opposition I may find, I recognise your authority and dignity and joyfully bring my gifts to say that you alone can satisfy my heart.” 

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:10–11

Tuesday 9th December
 

A Troubling Birth

 
Jesus is troubling to many people. You can see that in the way his name is routinely removed these days from the celebrations which are meant to mark his birth. In Matthew’s account we see two kinds of people who do not want to worship Jesus.
 
The first kind are the people who simply ignore Jesus. He is a nonentity in their lives. This group is represented at the beginning of Jesus’s life by the chief priests and scribes. Matthew 2:4 says, “Assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, [Herod] inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” So they told him... and that was it... back to business as usual. The sheer silence and inactivity of the leaders is overwhelming considering the enormity of what was happening.
 
And notice that Matthew 2:3 says, “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” In other words, the rumour was going around that someone thought the Messiah had been born. The inactivity on the part of the chief priests is staggering: why not go with the magi? They are just not interested. They are not passionate about finding the Son of God and worshiping him.
 
The second kind of people who do not want to worship Jesus are the kind who feel deeply threatened by him. That’s Herod in this story. He is really afraid - so much so that he schemes and lies and then commits mass murder just to try to get rid of Jesus.
 
Today, we can see these same two kinds of opposition to Christ and his worshipers - indifference and hostility - often more visibly at Christmas. Have you experienced this? Why are people still so troubled?  What should our response be? I think we can take our example from those Magi from the east – who, despite Herod’s veiled threats – made their way to worship the Messiah – no matter what the cost may be. 

"When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."
Matthew 2:3

Monday 8th December

A Star of Wonder

 
Here’s a good question – “How did the “star” get the magi from the east to Jerusalem?”
 
The Bible doesn’t say that it led them or went before them on the way to Jerusalem. It only says that they “saw a star in the east...” (Matthew 2:2) and came to Jerusalem. But... how did that star then “go before them...”  (Matt 2:9) in the little five-mile walk from Jerusalem to Bethlehem? And in what sense did a star “rest over the place where the child was?”
 
Well, the answer is: we don’t know! There have been numerous efforts to explain it in terms of conjunctions of planets or comets etc. But ultimately, we just don’t know. But what is plain concerning the star is that was doing something that it cannot do on its own: somehow it is guiding magi to the Son of God to worship him. There is only one person who can be behind that intentionality in the stars: God himself.
 
Whatever is happening and however it happened... the lesson here is plain: God is guiding foreigners to Christ to worship him. And he is doing it in a way only The Creator of the universe would be able to get it done.
 
As we have already seen in Luke’s account, God influenced the entire Roman Empire so that the census comes at the exact time to get an insignificant virgin to Bethlehem to fulfil prophecy with her delivery. Here, Matthew shows God influencing the stars in the sky to get a little handful of foreigners to Bethlehem so that they can worship the Son.
 
This is God’s design. He did it then. He is still doing it now. His aim is that all the nations will come to worship his beloved Son. This is God’s will for everybody in your office or your classroom and in your neighbourhood and in your home. As John 4:23 says, “The Father is seeking such people to worship him.”

“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.”
Matthew 2:2

Sunday 7th December

Wise Men from the East

 
Matthew, in his gospel, doesn’t tell us about the shepherds coming to visit Jesus. His focus is immediately on foreigners—Gentiles, non-Jews—coming from the east to worship the King. So Matthew portrays Jesus right at the beginning and at the ending of his Gospel as a universal Messiah for all the nations, not just for Jews.
 
Here, Jesus’ first worshipers are court magicians, or astrologers, or wise men - not from Israel but from the east—perhaps from Babylon. They were Gentiles. Unclean, pagans according to the Old Testament ceremonial laws.
 
And at the end of Matthew’s gospel, the last words of Jesus are, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18–19). This not only opened the door for us Gentiles to rejoice in the Messiah; it added proof that he was truly the Messiah because one of the repeated prophecies was that the nations and kings would, in fact, come to him as the ruler of the world. For example, see Isaiah 60:3: “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
 
So Matthew adds proof to the messiahship of Jesus and shows that he is THE Messiah - a king, and a fulfiller of promises - for all the nations, not just Israel.
 

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”
Matthew 2:1–2

Saturday 6th December

Peace – but for Whom? 

There is actually a sombre note in the angels’ praise. “Peace among those on whom his favour rests. Peace among those with whom he is pleased.” However, later in the New Testament we read “But without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6). So, without faith, Christmas does not bring peace to all. As the aged Simeon said when he saw the child Jesus, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed... so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34–35).
 
“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11–12). In the end, It was only to his disciples that Jesus specifically said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).
 
The people who enjoy “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding...” are those who “in everything by prayer and supplication let their requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6–7).
 
The key that unlocks the treasure of God’s peace is faith in the promises of God. It’s why Paul prays, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). And when we do trust the promises of God we will have the fruit of joy and peace and love, and then God is glorified.
 
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Everyone—from every people, tongue, tribe, and nation - who will believe in Christ.
 

“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heav- enly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:12–14

Friday 5th December

The Calvary Road 

You would think that the God who so rules the world as to use an empire-wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, would surely have seen to it that a room was available in the inn – wouldn’t you!?
 
Of course he could have! And Jesus could have been born into a wealthy family. He could have turned stone into bread in the wilderness. He could have called ten thousand angels to his aid in Gethsemane. He could have come down from the cross and saved himself. The question is not what God could do, but what he chose to do.
 
God’s will was that “though Christ was rich, yet for your sake he became poor.” The “No Vacancy” signs over all the motels in Bethlehem were for your sake. (2 Corinthians 8:9). God rules all things - even hotel capacities - for the sake of his Kingdom. The Calvary road for the Son of God began with a “No Vacancy” sign in Bethlehem and ended with the spitting and scoffing of the cross in Jerusalem. We must also not forget that Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross” (Luke 9:23).
 
As we join him on the Calvary road we hear him say, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).
 
To the one who calls out enthusiastically, “I will follow you wherever you go,” Jesus responds, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:57–58).
 
Of course God could have seen to it that Jesus have a room at his birth. But that would have been a detour off the Calvary road.
 

“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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.”
Luke 2:6–7

Thursday 4th December

For the “Least the Last and the Lost”

Have you ever thought How amazing it is that God ordained beforehand that the Messiah be born in Bethlehem? (see Micah 5:2) And, are you amazed that he also ordained things that when the time came, the Messiah’s mother and earthly father were living not in Bethlehem but in Nazareth, and that in order to fulfil his word and bring two unheard of, insignificant, people to Bethlehem that first Christmas, God put it in the heart of Caesar Augustus that all the Roman world should be enrolled each in his own town? Really?  A decree for the entire world so that he can move two people seventy miles!
 
Have you ever felt how small and insignificant each one of us is in a world of seven billion people, where all the news is about big politics, global economics and outstanding people with world significance and lots of power and prestige? If you have, I don’t think you’re alone!
 
The Bible tells us that all the huge political forces and giant global industries, without their even knowing it, are being guided by God, not for their own sake, but for the sake of God’s will. Like here - to move two insignificant people - little Mary and little Joseph - who he needs to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem. God has moved an empire to fulfil his word and bless his children!
 
We should never think that our seemingly insignificant experiences of adversity – or joy - in our little world are not being held in the hand of our Father in heaven. Everything he ordains or does is for HIS glory and OUR Good. And to that end, he rules the whole world. As Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; / he turns it wherever he will.” And he is always turning it for his eternal purposes among his people.
 
Our God “is a great big God” for little people, the “Least, the Last and the Lost.” We should rejoice that, unknown to them, all the kings, presidents and prime ministers of this world follow the sovereign decrees of our Father in heaven, to fulfil His purposes – for all His people - always!
 

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.”
 Luke 2:1–5

Wednesday 3rd December

Waiting.... 

As you read the passage below notice two remarkable things from the words of Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband.

First, nine months earlier, Zechariah could not believe that his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he has become so confident that God is at work in the coming birth of the Messiah, that he puts it in the past tense: “He has visited and redeemed his people.” Zechariah has learned a tough lesson and is now ready to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: that God “has visited and redeemed!” (Luke 1:68).
 
Second, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is a visitation of God to our world: the God of Israel has visited his people! For centuries, the Jewish people had languished under the conviction that God had withdrawn from them and that the spirit of prophecy had ceased, That’s why Israel had fallen into the hands of the Romans. But, all the godly in Israel were holding on - still waiting for the visitation of God. Luke tells us that another old man, the devout Simeon, was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). Likewise, the prayerful Anna was also waiting... “for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
 
These were days of great expectation. Now the long awaited visitation of God is about to happen—indeed, he is about to come in a way no one has expected!
 

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.“ 
Luke 1: 68–71

Tuesday 2nd December

Mary’s Song

In the first chapter of Luke’s gospel he records for us Mary’s Song – often called “The Magnificat”
 
In the wonderful song Mary sees clearly a remarkable thing about God: he is about to change the course of all human history; the most important three decades in all of time are about to begin.
 
And how is God gong to bring this about? Through two obscure, humble women - one old and barren (Elizabeth), one young and a virgin (Mary). Mary is so moved by this vision of God, the lover of those of “humble estate,” that she breaks out in song - a song of praise and worship containing wonderful depth of understanding - born of the Holy Spirit.   
 
Mary and Elizabeth are wonderful heroines in Luke’s account. He loves the faith of these two women. The thing that impresses him most, it appears, and the thing he wants to impress on Theophilus, the noble reader of his Gospel, (See Luke 1:3) is the lowliness and deep humility of Elizabeth and Mary as they submit to their magnificent God.
 
Elizabeth says (Luke 1:43), “And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” And Mary says (Luke 1:48), “He has looked on the humble estate of his servant.”
 
The only people whose soul can truly “magnify the Lord” are people like Elizabeth and Mary - people who acknowledge their lowly estate and are overwhelmed by the grace of our Magnificent God.

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 

Luke 1:46–55

Monday 1st December 

 
Prepare the Way

It’s been said “If you fail to prepare, you’re preparing to fail!”  So... don’t let Christmas find you unprepared. - spiritually unprepared. Its joy and impact will be so much greater if you are ready!
 
How might we get “prepared...?” Here’s three suggestions to get you going...
 
First, We should think about the whole reason for Christmas... we need a Saviour. Christ-mas is actually a judgement before it becomes a delight. “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). If you don’t think you need a Saviour, then you don’t need Christmas!

Christmas will not have its intended effect until we really understand that the world - including me - desperately needs a Saviour. I hope that these short Advent thoughts will help us understand this a bit more...
 
Second, use this season of Advent to do some sober self-examination. Advent is to Christmas what Lent is to Easter. David says in one of his Psalms “Search me, O God, and know my heart! / Try me and know my thoughts! / And see if there be any wicked way in me, / and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24). Break those phrases up and meditate on them for a moment. As it says in the well-known Carol – “Let every heart prepare him room...” by clearing the clutter.
 
Third, Why not build up some God-centred anticipation, expectancy and excitement in your home - especially if you have children or grandchildren. If you are excited about the birth of Jesus, they will be too. If we can only make Christmas exciting with material things, how will the children capture a thirst for God? Use your imagination to make the wonder of the King’s arrival visible in your home!.
 

“He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 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.”
Luke 1:16–17