2013 Advent Devotions from the Lutheran Hour Ministries – Tuesday,
31 December 2013 "STEPPING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT - New Year's Eve - Seventh
Day of Christmas" Read Luke 1: The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a
town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to
her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[a] 29 But she was
much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor
with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you
will name him 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 ancestor David.
33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will
be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a
virgin?”[b] 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and
the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be
born[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative
Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month
for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me
according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Footnotes:
Luke 1:28 Other ancient authorities add Blessed are you among
women
a. Luke 1:34 Gk I do not know a man
b. Luke 1:35 Other ancient authorities add of you. TEXT: Grace
and truth came through Jesus Christ (see John 1:17)
All through this Advent and Christmas season we have been
looking at John's description of Christ's coming into the world. Verse by verse
John has shown us increasingly more about this Second Person of the Holy
Trinity-God's Son. John first introduced Him to us as the Word who was with God
and was God, the Son who was one with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all
eternity.
Next he told us this Word was intimately involved in creation,
and that nothing was made without Him that has been made. Indeed, life is an
essential element of His being, and He shares that life with His creation, a
life that gives light to all mankind.
But surprisingly after John tells us the Word was coming into
the world he describes the poor reception He received when He arrived: "He
was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not
know Him. He came to His own and His own people did not receive Him."
(John 1:10-11) Finally, John wrote of the fulfillment of God's great promises
throughout the Old Testament, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among
us" (see John 1:14).
But something has been missing all through this first chapter of
John. The Word, the mighty Son of God has remained unnamed. Now, finally in the
17th verse, the Word emerges from the shadows into the spotlight. On this New
Year's Eve, the eve of the eighth day of Christmas, the Babe of Bethlehem, the
Son of the Virgin Mary, the mighty Word of God receives His human Name: Jesus.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we rejoice in Your holy Name which means,
"The Lord saves." Indeed Your Name sums up everything You
accomplished in Your first coming into our world. Prepare us to always be ready
for Your second coming. Amen.
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Mail:
Lutheran Hour Ministries
660 Mason Ridge Center Drive
St. Louis, MO 63141 United States
Telephone: (800)876-9880
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