This Sunday is the first Lord’s day of 2024, and guess what: Jesus is still alive! More importantly, it serves as a reminder of why we call Sunday the Lord’s Day and why we gather: He is risen as He said.
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
You might be surprised how many times I have been asked and continually get asked about what the deal is with the sabbath and why we gather on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is the sabbath day). A lot of times, people have them confused.
The Sabbath day was commanded in the OT to be observed as a “day of solemn rest, a Sabbath to the LORD” (Exodus 16:23). It recognized the rest that God Himself took on the 7th day of the Creation week (Genesis 2:1-3). Once Jesus came and fulfilled the requirements of the Law (Matthew 5:17-19, Galatians 4:4), He did something that no human being could ever do: fully obey and keep the Law. He was perfect and sinless — the opposite of all humankind. The Law, however, was never meant to save us. God revealed His righteous standard through the Law and pointed to our need for a Savior. Then, in Christ, He became flesh and made a Way for us to be made righteous — by grace through faith in Christ (John 1:14, John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:4-9). Now, that Christ has come those things that were meant to point people to Him, those “shadows” pointing to Christ, the “substance”, we are not to be judged on our keeping of the Law or even the Sabbath but on faith in Christ alone (Colossians 2:16-17). Resting in God’s work and faithfulness was, after all, the point of the Sabbath; we can rest in the finished work of Jesus, knowing full well that His work is and will be completely finished (John 19:30, Revelation 21:6)!
Now, that is a very streamlined explanation, but it gets right to the point of the Lord’s Day: it’s all substance and no shadow. It is not a place holder of a thing but the thing itself. It is not merely pointing to Jesus the Messiah’s coming; it is pointing to the fact that He has come, showing that “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). He is risen. He is risen as He said.
So, let’s get a good focus on the Lord’s Day and remember what He has done for us — on the cross, of course, but especially through the empty tomb. Our worship hinges on the tomb being borrowed. Our faith is founded on the Savior who defeated death, hell, and the grave. Our Savior is alive and well! And since He is alive and well, our worship is important because we don’t worship an idol or a figure but a real-life living Savior. He sees and knows and receives our worship.
And, Lord willing, that is our plan this Lord’s Day. We are going to make much of Jesus. We are going to worship Him by singing about/to Him, reading from His Word, and proclaiming His gospel. Our hope is in Him saving us, and we look forward to Him saving others. We hope to point ourselves and others to Him alone!
More than that, we gather in anticipation of His return. And He is coming — just as He said (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20)!
Won’t you gather with us?
Here are our Scriptures and songs:
Scripture | 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 —
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
This Sunday is the first Lord’s day of 2024, and guess what: Jesus is still alive! More importantly, it serves as a reminder of why we call Sunday the Lord’s Day and why we gather: He is risen as He said.
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
You might be surprised how many times I have been asked and continually get asked about what the deal is with the sabbath and why we gather on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is the sabbath day). A lot of times, people have them confused.
The Sabbath day was commanded in the OT to be observed as a “day of solemn rest, a Sabbath to the LORD” (Exodus 16:23). It recognized the rest that God Himself took on the 7th day of the Creation week (Genesis 2:1-3). Once Jesus came and fulfilled the requirements of the Law (Matthew 5:17-19, Galatians 4:4), He did something that no human being could ever do: fully obey and keep the Law. He was perfect and sinless — the opposite of all humankind. The Law, however, was never meant to save us. God revealed His righteous standard through the Law and pointed to our need for a Savior. Then, in Christ, He became flesh and made a Way for us to be made righteous — by grace through faith in Christ (John 1:14, John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:4-9). Now, that Christ has come those things that were meant to point people to Him, those “shadows” pointing to Christ, the “substance”, we are not to be judged on our keeping of the Law or even the Sabbath but on faith in Christ alone (Colossians 2:16-17). Resting in God’s work and faithfulness was, after all, the point of the Sabbath; we can rest in the finished work of Jesus, knowing full well that His work is and will be completely finished (John 19:30, Revelation 21:6)!
Now, that is a very streamlined explanation, but it gets right to the point of the Lord’s Day: it’s all substance and no shadow. It is not a place holder of a thing but the thing itself. It is not merely pointing to Jesus the Messiah’s coming; it is pointing to the fact that He has come, showing that “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). He is risen. He is risen as He said.
So, let’s get a good focus on the Lord’s Day and remember what He has done for us — on the cross, of course, but especially through the empty tomb. Our worship hinges on the tomb being borrowed. Our faith is founded on the Savior who defeated death, hell, and the grave. Our Savior is alive and well! And since He is alive and well, our worship is important because we don’t worship an idol or a figure but a real-life living Savior. He sees and knows and receives our worship.
And, Lord willing, that is our plan this Lord’s Day. We are going to make much of Jesus. We are going to worship Him by singing about/to Him, reading from His Word, and proclaiming His gospel. Our hope is in Him saving us, and we look forward to Him saving others. We hope to point ourselves and others to Him alone!
More than that, we gather in anticipation of His return. And He is coming — just as He said (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20)!
Won’t you gather with us?
Here are our Scriptures and songs:
Scripture | 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 —
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
This Sunday is the first Lord’s day of 2024, and guess what: Jesus is still alive! More importantly, it serves as a reminder of why we call Sunday the Lord’s Day and why we gather: He is risen as He said.
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
You might be surprised how many times I have been asked and continually get asked about what the deal is with the sabbath and why we gather on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is the sabbath day). A lot of times, people have them confused.
The Sabbath day was commanded in the OT to be observed as a “day of solemn rest, a Sabbath to the LORD” (Exodus 16:23). It recognized the rest that God Himself took on the 7th day of the Creation week (Genesis 2:1-3). Once Jesus came and fulfilled the requirements of the Law (Matthew 5:17-19, Galatians 4:4), He did something that no human being could ever do: fully obey and keep the Law. He was perfect and sinless — the opposite of all humankind. The Law, however, was never meant to save us. God revealed His righteous standard through the Law and pointed to our need for a Savior. Then, in Christ, He became flesh and made a Way for us to be made righteous — by grace through faith in Christ (John 1:14, John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 2:4-9). Now, that Christ has come those things that were meant to point people to Him, those “shadows” pointing to Christ, the “substance”, we are not to be judged on our keeping of the Law or even the Sabbath but on faith in Christ alone (Colossians 2:16-17). Resting in God’s work and faithfulness was, after all, the point of the Sabbath; we can rest in the finished work of Jesus, knowing full well that His work is and will be completely finished (John 19:30, Revelation 21:6)!
Now, that is a very streamlined explanation, but it gets right to the point of the Lord’s Day: it’s all substance and no shadow. It is not a place holder of a thing but the thing itself. It is not merely pointing to Jesus the Messiah’s coming; it is pointing to the fact that He has come, showing that “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). He is risen. He is risen as He said.
So, let’s get a good focus on the Lord’s Day and remember what He has done for us — on the cross, of course, but especially through the empty tomb. Our worship hinges on the tomb being borrowed. Our faith is founded on the Savior who defeated death, hell, and the grave. Our Savior is alive and well! And since He is alive and well, our worship is important because we don’t worship an idol or a figure but a real-life living Savior. He sees and knows and receives our worship.
And, Lord willing, that is our plan this Lord’s Day. We are going to make much of Jesus. We are going to worship Him by singing about/to Him, reading from His Word, and proclaiming His gospel. Our hope is in Him saving us, and we look forward to Him saving others. We hope to point ourselves and others to Him alone!
More than that, we gather in anticipation of His return. And He is coming — just as He said (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20)!
Won’t you gather with us?
Here are our Scriptures and songs:
Scripture | 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 —
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
For some, this will be good news as 2023 has been anything but a banner year for them. Yet, for others, the close of the year may be a time of celebration because 2023 was the year for them — the year for good memories or accomplishments.
But if you have lived a few years, you likely realize that change is not as simple as the flip of a calendar’s page — that new beginnings are rarer and harder to come by than a clock ticking or a ball dropping. New beginnings can be hard and scary. They can require a lot of difficulty and risk. Moving from a good year to all the potential of a less-than-good year can produce anxiety. Placing all of your hope on a calendar and clock ending times of trouble can too. But things are different with Jesus!
I love the center of the book of Lamentations. Read that again: the center, not the whole book. Lamentations literally means cries of mourning. The book of the Bible is formed out of five poems of mourning, five eulogies marking the fall of Jerusalem. At the center, though, is hope.
The part of Lamentations 3 we will be reading in worship tomorrow is a good picture of the realities of this fallen world and the hope that comes only from Jesus. It would do us well to pay attention to this.
The first part of Lamentations 3 is terrible and, at the very least, terrifying. One of the things that is perhaps the scariest is the continual recognition that the Lord has allowed the trouble to be faced by His people. The writer says that he has “seen affliction” that came from “the rod” of God’s wrath (Lamentations 3:1). He recognizes that the trouble besetting Jerusalem stemmed from their own sinfulness. Their sins and unfaitfulness have brought on times of “bitterness and tribulation” (Lamentations 3:5). And in the midst of that self-wrought turmoil, it feels as though his cries for help and prayers have been shut out (Lamentations 3:7).
Depending on your life experience, this will either seem familiar or foreign. But if you have experienced pain and loss — especially if it follows your own unbelief or disobedience or sin, these feelings may feel all too familiar. Maybe you can empathize with the writer of these laments rather than merely sympathizing. Maybe you can say, “I’ve been there, brother.” You might even be there now. You know what it is to feel like your dinner has been gravel, your refuge ashes, your soul filled with fear rather than peace (Lamentations 3:16-17). The writer of Lamentations says his “endurance has perished” meaning he cannot go on anymore, and he feels as if his hope in the Lord has perished with his desire to continue (Lamentations 3:18). BUT he calls something to his mind that sparks that hope anew.
This is important, so don’t miss it.
He doesn’t call to mind that he really can endure or that he has inner strength and peace that he forgot about. He doesn’t remind himself that he can merely speak good into existence and it will be there. He doesn’t try to put positive vibes out into the universe. No, when you have gotten as low as he was all of those foolish notions perish first. He had exhausted all of his possibilities for helping himself, for digging himself out of the hole of his despair.
He reminds himself that God’s steadfast love — God’s never-ending, never-failing, never-giving-up love — will, well, remain steadfast and never stop; neither will His mercies (Lamentations 3:22). God’s love is not based on our faithfulness, so it does not stop because we have been unfaithful. His love and mercy and grace are all based on Him and His faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23)! They can be “new every morning” because His love and opportunities to repent and turn from our sin and despair to Him are as plentiful as there are days. That’s good news — as long as there are days!
The hope of the writer of Lamentations in his mourning is the same hope for us. The Lord is our “portion” means that He is our only inheritance — that when we die, we look forward to being with Him — that if all the things that are producing lament within us finally whoop us down, He is there — that finding the Rock of ages when we hit rock bottom produces “hope” rather than lament (Lamentations 3:24).
I am reminded here of the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life. If you are unfamiliar with it, I am sure it will be playing somewhere all New Years Eve and Day on more than a few television channels. It follows the, well, wonderful life of George Bailey, a good man whose every single choice in life leads to the good of others and some sense of missing out for himself. His good deeds take away the hearing in one of his ears which causes him to miss out on getting to go and be a hero in WWII. He steps in to rescue the family business (which in turn rescues the majority of his home town from abject poverty at the hands of the wicked and greedy Mr. Potter) and misses out on untold riches and adventure. His kindness to his buffoon uncle inevitably risks it all and produces such a terrible situation that he stands to lose everything and end up in prison because of a mistake he did not commit nor deserve to pay for. He found himself drunk and feeling as if the only hope he had to offer his family was by death at his own hand. That is until an angel (don’t get your theology of angels or any sort of theology from this or any movie) is sent to show him what the lives of those around him would have been like (sad, devoid of hope or good things) if he had never been born, leading him to realize that he really did have a wonderful life — a life worth continuing, a life worth living.
What offers us that kind of hope in the midst of turmoil? What can show us that life is a gift and indeed wonderful in the midst of despair and fear? Well, the same thing that the author of Lamentations had and wants to show us. The Lord is our portion. His love is steadfast when everything in this fallen world shows us just how fleeting it is. His mercies are new when the old terror is choking us out. When we find ourselves at the end of our rope, we find the hand of mighty God outstretched to lift us up because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7).
The Lord is “good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25), so might I suggest that rather than looking for hope in the turn of a calendar’s page, you turn to Him? He is good and takes care of His own despite all the troubles that we, through our sin, or this fallen world have to offer (Nahum 1:7). That’s a hope worth having!
And tomorrow that’s what we are singing about! That’s who we are singing TO and singing about. We are singing about, worshiping, and generally making much of Jesus! He is worthy. He is God. And He is good!
Won’t you join us?
Here are our Scriptures & songs:
Scripture | Lamentations 3:16-25 —
16 He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; 17 my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; 18 so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.”
19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! 20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
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, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
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.”[1]
Luke 2:1-12
Merry Christmas, Sojourners!
Here we are just a few days before Christmas, and I find myself thinking on the scene into which God became flesh (John 1:14) and the happenings of the world during that time. If you will forgive the pun, it really was a Dickens of a time – the best of times and the worst of times. From a worldly perspective, Israel was in a tight spot, feeling the pressure of the Roman Empire bearing down on it.
A few centuries after being ruled by a foreign king in their own exile they found themselves ruled by one who seemed a world away. Those centuries between Babylon and the Roman Empire (with the Greeks whooping up on them somewhere in the middle) were silent in the sense that there was no “Thus saith the Lord” from a prophet. Even bad news or warning would be a comfort over silence. Their lives were loud with cries of help and hope in the coming Messiah, but God was silent – purposefully so. He had said all He needed to say. Messiah was coming. The Promised One was going to come and save His people. But in the meantime, there was waiting. And there was silence.
How do you do in silence and waiting? I am sure that there have been times in your life, just like in mine and in all the people I know, when trouble and trials and tribulations and terror have besieged you. Your world felt small and scary. Hope for the future was dim. And in waiting for help that seemed never to come, the silence and the waiting was rough.
Depending on the trouble you faced, there are those who would step in and want you to believe they are coming for your aid but are really coming to take advantage of you. There are other promises that, while they are not necessarily coming to take advantage of you are not working for your good, also try and convince you help is on the way. All you have to do is turn on your television and every other commercial is for a class action lawsuit going after big ___ to help people – you or your loved ones, they say – get help from their oppressors or benefits from whatever may have caused their unfortunate situation. If you flip to one of the news networks, you have political pundits representing both ends of the spectrum against the middle who are promising that their candidate is what is best, and the other is the oppressor. If your phone rings, it is likely that the person on the other end is offering you some kind of help if you pay money or bring a gift card to a certain location or offering to extend your car’s extended warranty for a nominal fee. Maybe you are in debt and people are promising rescue if you just turn your finances over to them. Or flip on over to the religious programming – labeled “Christian” oftentimes, and you can give a faith donation to support the starving millionaire “pastor” in his attempt to usher in the end times and mail you a prayer handkerchief that will heal you or save you.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Aside from television and modern situations, this is similar to what God’s people were hearing during that period of silence. Never mind that He had told them Messiah would come. He prophesied their deliverance. Their present circumstances, however, made listening to the other voices seem necessary. And those voices sounded so good, especially when the distant emperor proclaimed that his birth and existence were the beginning of good news for the world[2] and that he Himself was a son of Zeus come to be the savior of Rome and its empire[3].
In the absence of the promised Messiah amid divine silence, the turmoil of the times can make it easy to believe that there is help from somewhere else – even if that somewhere else is the Rome that is crushing the life out of your people and your homeland.
So, today, I want us to look at a tale of two Saviors – well, really the tale of the only Savior despite all the fake and the foolish that proclaim themselves to be Him.
Caesar Augustus and the Not-So-Good News (vv. 1-5)
Most of the time that I have spent looking at and studying the beginning of Luke 2 has been focused on trying to determine the real birth date of Jesus. Spoiler alert: it cannot be definitely known[4]. I am not a huge fan of history, but I do not want to be doomed to repeat it. Most of the history I, willingly, study is biblical and church history. Christianity is, after all, a historical religion not based on the present but on the God who has always been and all He has done in and for all that He created. Having said all that, I do not want this to seem like a history lesson. I want us to see the fingerprint of the one who proclaimed himself savior and lied about it: Caesar Augustus.
Caesar Augustus’s role in the story of Jesus began on the ides of March – remember Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar? Et tu, Brute? Anyone? Long story short, he – originally known as Octavian – was the nephew and only heir to Julius Caesar. When Roman senators conspired and murdered Julius Caesar (44BC), Octavian and Julius Caesar’s right-hand-man Mark Antony joined forces and waged a brutal civil war from Rome all the way to Philippi where they finally avenged Caesar’s death and, well, murdered his murderers in 42BC. Octavian rose to greater power and eventually turned on his ally Mark Antony and Cleopatra, defeating them in 31BC. Around thirty years later, all those events put Caesar Augustus in a position for God to move him about and use him to set the stage for His entrance into the world.
One thing that people who amass great wealth and power cannot help but do is counting and logging all they have. Such was the case with Caesar Augustus. He decreed that a census be taken throughout “all the world” (Luke 2:1). At his mere command, every household throughout the Roman Empire was immediately upturned. They had to return to their hometowns to be registered (Luke 2:3). Think of the power that displays: entire regions and people groups dropped everything at his command.
But what of his promises of his birth heralding the beginning of good news? What of his promises that he was born of Zeus and would be the savior of the world? Well, Caesar Augustus died in AD14. He is still dead today. Rome was not saved or safe under his rule. In fact, the Roman Empire is dead, too. The proof is in the pudding, or in the prophecy in this case. Caesar promised people peace and prosperity and got all the peace and prosperity he had himself by squeezing it out of the lands conquered and kept conquered throughout his empire. Yes, he could get them to move about at the drop of a hat, but once he dropped dead, he dropped out of the position of savior.
Looking at how God used him to move things about is cool, though. Jesus was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and Joseph’s hometown was Bethlehem. In a way, Caesar Augustus was right about one thing: good news began at his birth. God set things into motion through his life that inaugurated the coming of the Messiah. Now, that is the good news.
Jesus and the Good News of Great Joy (vv. 6-12)
Augustus was boastful and proud. He inherited a kingdom and made it his own. He built it up in his mind that the entire world belonged to him. But to whom did Augustus belong?
Jesus’s humble birth is the opposite of Augustus in nearly every way. Augustus was loud and boastful, proclaiming truths after his own birth to make it seem of consequence. Jesus’s birth was humble and quiet, fulfilling prophesies made all the way back to the beginning (Genesis 3:15). Jesus’s birth was heralded from the heavens (Luke 2:9-14). Jesus was God – God made flesh and dwelling among men to be the true Savior of the world (John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42).
Think about the difference this makes. Jesus did not lie about His father being divine and sending Him to rule and conquer. No, God became flesh and dwelt among us. He laid aside His throne and humbled Himself to become a man, lived a sinless life despite facing all the same temptations we face (Hebrews 4:15), and He died the death we deserve on the cross due to our sinfulness (Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21). No one would make up that story. No one wanted to trade lives with Jesus. No palace, no riches, no fame. But, oh, what a King He is!
Jesus’s good news was better that Augustus’s, too. Augustus merely said his birth was the beginning of the good news. He merely heralded himself and proclaimed his own greatness. No one had to agree. No one would have believed it anyway. Rest assured that those who had been conquered did not recognize him as good news any more than they did Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. Augustus was worthy to be feared, but Jesus is worthy of our faith. The angels proclaimed this to the shepherds in the field that night and to us today. We do not have to fear because “behold” there is “good news of great joy that will be for all people”; that “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Good news. Of great joy. For all people. The Savior is born. The Messiah has come.
The truth of the prophecies of old were coming true. Light was shining into the darkness (Isaiah 9:2, John 1:4-5). Joy had come because there was One greater than Augustus, greater than the Greeks, greater than the Medes and Persians, greater than the Babylonians (Isaiah 9:3). Rather than oppressing, He was lifting up (Isaiah 9:4, Matthew 11:28-30). He was bringing peace through His finished work and retiring the weapons of His adversaries (Isaiah 9:5, Colossians 1:19-20). He was born, swaddled, and lying in a manger, but He did not stay in that manger. He grew up. He lived. He loved. He lifted the downtrodden, healed the sick, touched the untouchable, saved the most wicked of sinners, and died for them all. And everyone – every one – who calls upon Him, confesses Him as Lord and puts their faith and trust in Him – will be saved (Romans 10:9, 13). That is good news!
Wrapping Up
I started off our devotion today talking about how many things, how many voices, are trying to get us to believe in something temporary or something fake. It is easy to be jaded and look at how the world is getting and feel like God is not talking to us because the other voices are so loud. We want immediate relief from debt, pain, sorrow, and suffering, but that just is not reality – it is just not how this sinful, fallen world works. And every voice that is vying to be heard louder than the others cannot offer lasting help because they are products of this fallen world, too. But hear this, Sojourner, God is not being quiet.
From the moment that the silence between the Old and New Testament was broken by the cry of baby Jesus to the time when the trumpet sounds and He returns is not a time of silence. He is the Word (John 1:1-14), and He has given us His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) just as He did for His people. They interpreted it as silence because He had not said what they wanted to hear. He told them He was coming. He has told us the very same thing.
You see, Jesus is a better Savior than Augustus (or the Republicans or Democrats or whoever you think is waiting in the wings to rescue this country or this world). Augustus died. He is still dead. Whatever he was going to do for Rome, he did. All our leaders, good and bad, throughout history are dead. They saved and helped who they could, or they hurt and oppressed who they could. Either way, they are either dead and gone or will be. But God is a better Savior because He is alive. Death could not stop His love. Death could not stop Him from saving. Death is a victim of His victory! The death He died was for our sake – to save us, rescue us, and redeem us! It just did not keep because He is God.
This Christmas, amid the hustle and the bustle, the noise, and the activity, listen. Listen to the words of Hebrews 10:23-25 and hear the heart of our Savior for us:
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
That is good news! He who promised is faithful, and His Day is drawing near! When all around you seems to be giving way and there seems to be more hopeless than hope or help, look around you and see what He has for you. Do not turn to the easy slick promises of the world but trust in the divine hope, peace, joy, and love of the Savior who loves you and lives for you. You do not need a Sams Choice savior like Augustus or any of the other voices barking for your attention. Jesus is the genuine article.
The hope of Christmas is not in the nearness of family, the fullness of bellies, or the gratification of giving or receiving the perfect gift. Plans are going to go awry. Packages will be lost. Or the holiday will represent an entirely different perspective. It may be as miserable a time as you imagine. You may be facing a holiday that will remind you of a loss that is easy to suppress on regular days and are not ready for all the feelings that will arise. December 25 may be just another workday or weekday for you. You may even find yourself alone. No, the hope of Christmas is the same good news of great joy that the angel army proclaimed to those dirty shepherds on that hillside. It is the good news of great joy that proclaims to all people that the Savior has been born, that His name is Jesus, that His birth, death, resurrection, and return have been promised. And He who promised is faithful. Sojourner, know that I am praying for you this Christmas and as often as I can. May this good news of great joy cheer you on and cheer you up as you see that Jesus has come and is coming again.
[2] This is based on an inscription found at Priene dating back to 9bc stating that Caesar Augustus’s “birthday signaled the beginning of good news for the world”. The inscription was found by German archaeologists and can be found in Berlin. | Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, 366-67.
[3] This is based on an inscription from Halicarnassus preserved in the British Museum. | H. Kleinknecht, Pantheon: Religiose Texte des Griechentums (Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1959), 40.
[4] While it cannot be known, there are a few interesting tidbits that I have found helpful in forming my own opinions. 1)The original language translated “governor of Syria” in the ESV can also be translated “governing in Syria”, which could mean ruling in some form or fashion. 2)Jesus’s birth had to be prior to 4bc because Herod the Great died that year. So, happy hunting should you want to research this on your own!
3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, 6 then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, the majority of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21
8 But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), 9 that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:8-13
“Good News of Great Joy” or “The Weary World Rejoices”
We have spent a good bit of time this week in Luke 2:10 and the verses around it. The declaration of the angels to those poor and frightened shepherds should just about be memorized at this point: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people”. Good news. Great joy. For all people.
The word translated “good news” is often translated gospel, and the message that the angels proclaimed on that hillside 2,000 years ago is a beautiful and succinct picture of the gospel. They preached that the Savior “who is Christ the Lord” was born for them – for those dirty, stinky shepherds – and that He could be found that very day in Bethlehem. It was news that would and could change the trajectory of their lives. They just needed to believe in Him and receive the salvation He had to offer – they would receive grace by faith through Him.
Now, I know that on the day they heard that gospel message Jesus was still laying in the feeding trough, still an infant, and was decades away from His death, burial, and resurrection. But the babe in the manger was still “the Word [become] flesh” (John 1:14). He was still the Lamb slain “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).
We sometimes want to overcomplicate things. We know the whole story and want to add and fill in the gaps in the angels’ proclamation that day, but the “good news of great joy” is still just as simple. In fact, Paul gives very succinct proclamations of the gospel, too. The first can be found in 1 Corinthians 15 where he tells the church at Corinth that he is passing on to them the most important message he had to offer – the very same message that he received himself: Jesus died for our sins according to the way that the Bible said He would, He was buried, and He rose from the dead on the third day exactly as the Bible and His own preaching said He would. That’s good news!
Paul’s second succinct gospel summary comes in his next letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:21. In one complex little sentence, he shares that God put the sins of those who would be saved on Jesus. Jesus had never sinned and did not deserve any condemnation, but He willingly bore our sin on our behalf. Those who trust in Him no longer are under the condemnation and shame due to their sin; Jesus bore that (Colossians 2:13-14). In a great exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. He bore the wrath of God and exchanged that for God’s favor. Basically, He traded His extravagantly full bank account for our bankrupt one so that when God looks upon those who Jesus has saved, He does not see their sinfulness but Jesus’ righteousness! That’s good news!
The gospel is good news, but there is also bad news. Those who do not confess Jesus as Lord and believe He died for their sins and rose again to not receive part in that great exchange. They remain in their sin. Their condemnation remains their own. It does not have to be that way. All who call out to Jesus in faith will be saved. Anyone who believes in Him will not be but to shame, but not believing leaves the shame where it belongs – on the sinner.
Look at how the Christmas hymn “O Holy Night” puts it:
Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn Fall on your knees!
Those who are without Jesus are still in their sin and “pining” after the wrong things, sinful things. But everyone – all people – have the opportunity to fall on their knees, believe in Him – confess Him as Lord, and repent of their sin. And those who do will not only have heard the good news of great joy but also to have believed it and received the salvation Jesus offers.
I love the phrase “good news of great joy” because 1) it is straight from the Bible, and 2) it captures what Jesus offers. But I also love the way the writer of “O Holy Night” captured what it is to be a sinner and receive Christ: “a weary world rejoices”. If you have been reading with us over these past two weeks, you have read snippets of the “good news of great joy”, but have you received it? Have you believed on Jesus, or are you still on the fence? If you haven’t, I urge you: fall on your knees, believe what the Bible says about Him, confess Him as Lord, and rejoice in the salvation He brings!
Reflection Questions:
This devotion emphasizes different outcomes for those who believe in Jesus and those who do not. How does this reality influence your understanding of the urgency of sharing the gospel with others?
There is an earnest call to embrace Jesus and rejoice in the salvation He brings in today’s devotion. How does this challenge you to examine your own beliefs and relationship with Jesus? What steps can you take to deepen your faith in Jesus?
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
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.”
Matthew 2:13-18
“The Redemptive Exodus of Jesus”
In our faith journey, moments often emerge that unveil divine orchestration in the seemingly ordinary. Joseph and Mary’s flight to Egypt, a seemingly minor part of the grand narrative, intricately fits into the prophetic design interwoven in the Old Testament. Matthew unveils these intricate threads of prophecy, drawing a striking parallel between Jesus and the exodus story. Hosea’s ancient words resound: “Out of Egypt, I called my son” (Hosea 11:1), affirming a redemptive pattern woven into history.
Just as Israel, the son, was liberated from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 4:22), Jesus, the ultimate Son, is rescued from Herod’s grasp. Matthew’s keen insight captures not just a historical event but unravels a tapestry of divine intervention. The flight to Egypt and the subsequent return reveals a profound message—a message veiled in humility and saturated with redemptive purpose. This isn’t mere chance; this is God at work.
Consider Joseph’s obedience, his readiness to heed divine warnings in dreams (Matthew 2:13). It takes faith to uproot one’s life for obedience’s sake. Yet, in this obedience lies a profound lesson—a lesson of trust and reliance on God’s leading. It’s not just about escaping danger; it’s about fulfilling what was spoken ages before.
The significance of Jesus’ return from Egypt isn’t confined to a physical journey; it mirrors a deeper spiritual reality. It signifies deliverance, a new exodus—the rescue of humanity from the bondage of sin (Galatians 5:1). Jesus, the Son of God, embodies this deliverance, offering a path to liberation for all who believe (John 8:36).
The humility shown in these movements echoes the broader narrative of Christ’s life—a King born in a humble manger, raised in an obscure town (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:7). This humility isn’t just an aspect of His character; it’s foundational to His redemptive mission. He identifies with the lowly, embodies the marginalized, and offers hope to the outcast (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 11:28-30).
As Matthew carefully presents these parallels, it’s an invitation—an invitation to recognize Jesus as more than a historical figure, but as the embodiment of God’s redemptive plan. It’s an invitation to follow in the footsteps of the humble King, to embrace humility, obedience, and trust in God’s guiding hand (Philippians 2:5-8). In this moment, the call echoes—not just out of Egypt but out of the depths of sin, out of bondage into the freedom found in Christ. It’s an invitation to embark on a journey of faith, to trust in the One who orchestrates history, and to find redemption in the arms of the Savior (Acts 4:12).
This journey, from Egypt to Israel, isn’t just a historical occurrence—it’s a call to a deeper understanding of God’s redemptive plan. It’s an invitation to journey out of the bondage of sin into the freedom found in Christ.
Reflection Questions:
Joseph’s obedience to God’s warning led to his family being kept safe. In what ways does Joseph’s obedience help us see the importance of trust and reliance on God’s guidance in our lives, especially in moments of uncertainty?
The way Matthew tells Jesus’s Story invites us to understand that Jesus is not just a historical figure but the embodiment of God’s redemptive plan. How does this perspective help us understand Jesus’s significance in our own lives and to the world?
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
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.’”
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, the 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.
Matthew 2:1-12
“A Wise Visit to the King”
In the Gospel of Matthew, the account of the magi seeking the newborn King stands as a beacon of divine guidance amidst human intentions and deceit. The journey of the magi epitomizes the yearning within humanity for deeper significance and truth. Led by a celestial phenomenon—a guiding star—they embarked on a pilgrimage, seeking the birth of the prophesied King of the Jews. Yet, even within their noble quest, shadows of deceit loomed.
King Herod, masking his wicked intentions, manipulated the magi, seeking to exploit their mission for his own selfish gains. This contrast underscores the importance of discernment—a call relevant in our times, where authentic pursuit of truth can be clouded by deceptive motives and personal agendas. Herod’s malicious intent, masked by a false desire to worship, is revealed as he schemes to eliminate any perceived threat to his rule.
Bethlehem, the small town renowned as the birthplace of King David, becomes clear to be the prophesied site of the birth of the Messiah. Micah 5:2 is evoked as a direct prophecy fulfilled by Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem. This convergence of prophecy and reality underscores the divine orchestration of events, pointing towards Jesus’s role as the promised Messiah.
While the Magi seek to worship the newborn King, they present gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—symbols that not only denote Jesus’s royalty and divinity but also foreshadow elements of His life, death, and purpose (Matthew 2:11). Gold, an emblem of kingship and divinity, prefigures Jesus’s royal lineage as the Son of God. Frankincense, used in sacred worship, symbolizes His sacrificial mission and holy nature. Myrrh, a substance associated with embalming and bitterness, prophetically hints at Jesus’s future suffering, death, and burial (Mark 15:23).
The unfolding narrative takes a darker turn as Herod, threatened by the mere existence of this prophesied King, devises a plan to murder Him. The holy family flees to Egypt, finding refuge there until Herod’s death. This flight mirrors the providential movements that underscore Jesus’s pivotal role in fulfilling divine prophecy and promises.
Fast-forwarding in Jesus’s life, His ministry leads to the events of His death, burial, and resurrection—the core elements that define Christian faith. The journey that began in Bethlehem culminates in Jerusalem, where Jesus willingly submits to the cross (Mark 15:22-24).
It ties to Jesus’s crucifixion—His ultimate act of love and sacrifice for humanity. His burial, marked by His descent from the cross and entombment, sets the stage for the awe-inspiring reality of His resurrection. In Jesus’s resurrection, the significance of Bethlehem intertwines with His ultimate victory over death, providing believers with hope, assurance, and salvation. His journey from Bethlehem to the cross, from crucifixion to resurrection, encapsulates the essence of God’s redemptive plan for humanity, inviting all to embrace the life-transforming truth of Christ’s sacrificial love and triumphant resurrection.
Reflection Questions:
The gifts from the Magi – gold, frankincense, and myrrh – symbolically foreshadow various aspects of Jesus’s life, death, and purpose. How do these gifts deepen our understanding of Jesus’s identity and mission?
How does Jesus’s sacrificial love and triumph over death offer believers hope and assurance in their lives?
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at the very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 2:36-40
“Anna: A Prophetess for Jesus” by Sarah Reeves
In Luke 2:36-40, we meet Anna who was a prophetess at a time when there were no prophets. Anna was Jewish, from the tribe of Asher. She was eighty-four years old and was widowed without any children. She had slowly watched as God stripped everything away from her, but she remained faithful. Anna believed the teachings from her childhood that one day the Messiah was coming, so she waited. She rarely left the temple as she prayed God would let her live to see the Messiah. Every day she worshiped at the temple and asked in her heart, “Will today be the day He comes?”
The long-awaited day finally came. Joseph and Mary brought their eight-day old son Jesus to the temple for His circumcision. Anna and her friend Simeon, who had also been waiting a long time for the Messiah, were overjoyed that God had let them recognize Him!
This touching story is such a reminder for us to never give up. We all face sorrows, tragedies, and heartaches in this life. We all lose our beloved family and friends. We ourselves have illnesses and pain. We all get discouraged, heartbroken, and sometimes bitter and mad at God for allowing those things to happen. There are broken homes and broken hearts. But in the middle of all these things there is one thing that has never changed: God is still on His throne!
He still loves you so much He sent His only Son to die for you (John 3:16)! So, let’s be like Anna and trust Him and know He is coming back just as He promised!
Reflection Questions:
Anna’s life was marked by patience, faithfulness, and hope – devoted to God’s promise – despite experiencing immense loss personally. How does her perseverance challenge your understanding of faithfulness amid personal struggle and hardships?
Anna’s unwavering faith allowed her to recognize Jesus for who He truly is – the Messiah. How can her story serve as an example for us in the world today?
In today’s devotion, Ms. Sarah characterized Anna with the question: “Will today be the day Jesus comes?” How can living our lives with the expectant hope of Anna, asking ourselves, “Will today be the day Jesus comes back?”
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon Him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:25-35
“Christmas Unveiling Easter’s Promise”
Cradling a newborn often leaves us grasping for words, yet, when Simeon embraced the infant Jesus in the temple, his words resounded with prophetic gravity. Simeon anticipated the fulfillment of God’s promise in this child, recognizing Jesus as the Savior not just for the Jewish nation but for the entire world (Luke 2:30-32).
Alongside this divine hope, Simeon foresaw a somber shadow of suffering. Amidst proclaiming salvation, he hinted at the division Jesus would bring, revealing the depths of people’s hearts. He tenderly forewarned Mary of the anguish she would endure because of her son’s destiny (Luke 2:34-35) – which reminds me of Good Friday and Easter
While Easter might not be the typical focus of Christmas, understanding the significance of Easter unlocks the very heart of Christmas itself. Simeon, with profound insight, pointed forward to the significance of Good Friday while welcoming the baby central to the Christmas narrative. His words connected the humble manger to the redemptive work accomplished on the rugged cross.
Christianity isn’t a moral code for self-improvement but the proclamation of Christ’s finished work. It isn’t about our merit but about God’s mighty ability to rescue, redeem, and restore. Much like the relief felt after settling a bill, God stamped “PAID” against our sins through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. The events that pierced Mary’s soul culminated in God’s unmistakable declaration: Jesus conquered death and paid the debt for all sinners (Luke 24:1-7).
Luke’s Gospel serves as a masterful bridge, connecting the Christmas story with Easter’s triumphant climax. Jesus, in his life and death, fulfilled Simeon’s prophecies—reaching out to the marginalized, facing opposition, and ultimately redeeming sinners through the sacrifice of the cross, all fueled by an unparalleled love for humanity.
Jesus, the embodiment of divine love, sacrificed himself for sinners like Simeon, Mary, Zechariah, the shepherds, and each of us—extending redemption despite our flaws and showcasing an immeasurable depth of love. This truth is the resounding heartbeat of Christmas, leading to the profound grace and unfathomable hope found in the resurrection of Easter.
Reflection Questions:
Reflecting on Simeon’s anticipation of Jesus connecting Christmas to Easter, how does this deepen your appreciation for the entire Story of Christ?
In what ways does Jesus’s sacrificial death resonate the idea of a fully paid debt, and how does this understanding impact the way you view God’s grace and forgiveness?
Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
Just Keith Harris 