A FIRST REPORT

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Every aspect of the Christmas story is built upon the foundation of humility that ushers in majesty.

Out of all the women in the world, God chose a young virgin who was living in relative obscurity in the Galilean town of Nazareth to first conceive by the Holy Spirit and then give birth to His one and only Son.

That Son, who was to be named Jesus eight days after birth, was the long prophesied Messiah and King and yet He was delivered into the world inside a Bethlehem stable, not receiving an ounce of fanfare or honor in the town.

And then there were the shepherds, a subset of the Jewish culture often looked down upon and shunned by others. These shepherds lived in the fields near Bethlehem as this was where they kept “watch over their flocks at night”. It wasn’t a necessarily exciting job but a valuable one as there was great commerce involved with sheep, many of which would be used for atonement sacrifices in Jerusalem.

On the night of Jesus’ birth, an event unbeknownst to the shepherds at first, it had to seem like any other chilly December evening. But then the scriptures tell is that “an angel of the Lord appeared to them” as well as “the glory of the Lord” that “shone around them”. Having never witnessed such a thing, the shepherds were naturally “terrified”.

Sensing their great fear, the angel quickly sought to put them at ease saying:

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Up to the day of Jesus’ birth, the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Micah all foretold of a coming Messiah and Lord who would come to rule and reign, a divine Deliverer who would be from the stump of Jesse, King David’s father, and be born of a virgin in Bethlehem.

Now that day had come and God chose to proclaim the first report of “good news” that would “cause great joy” to the shepherds, certainly not something anyone would have predicted as shepherds would probably be one of the last people anyone would deem worthy of the honor.

Note that the angel didn’t just tell the shepherds that the Savior had been born in the “town of David” but he shared the location as well. They could find the newborn child “wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The latter part would have helped narrow things down as a manger would only be found in a stable and there would have been fewer stables in Bethlehem than residences. Soon the shepherds would commit to go and find this Savior baby that had been long promised by God.

All this had to be an incredible experience for the shepherds but it was just the appetizer for what happened next.

For we read where the skies suddenly illuminated brightly with “a great company of the heavenly host” who “appeared with the angel” while “praising God” and proclaiming:

“Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.”

The angels were simply instruments used by God to pronounce the birth of His Son in Bethlehem, a happening that was His doing from the very beginning. And so we find them giving God all the praise and glory for what had happened while declaring peace on earth to all who His favor rested. We know this would be all people who would later place their belief in His Son Jesus as Savior as only Jesus could bring peace between God and the Christian believer.

The first report of the birth of Jesus was delivered by a holy angel and his magnificent heavenly host to a group of humble shepherds. Later, Jesus in His ministry would say:

“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

As we go through life every day, let us remember that humility isn’t a weakness like the world would have us believe. Rather, it’s a great strength and one that God expects from every single believer, a strength that was perfectly practiced and modeled by Jesus in His adult years, a strength that God honors.

Just look to Mary or the shepherds in the Christmas story to see this truth.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

THE BIRTH OF HOPE

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:6-7

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

I remember a time probably about twenty years ago or so when my wife and I were visiting family in Long Island, New York. This was the first of two stops on our trip, the second being in western Illinois, about 25 miles from St. Louis.

After finishing in New York, we set out for Illinois with the intent of stopping for the night in Indianapolis, Indiana and resting before finishing the trip the next day. It was a long drive to Indianapolis and we were ready to stop when we got there but we quickly discovered an issue in our plans. We couldn’t find a room to stay in.

You see, back then online reservations weren’t as prevalent as they are today and so we had set out assuming there wasn’t going to be a problem but unbeknownst to us, there was a major motorsports event taking place which drew people into Indianapolis from all over the country and they had booked up all the rooms. So exhausted and with no better options, we decided to just tough it out and drive the rest of the way into our relative’s home. I can tell you that I was never happier to lie down in a bed than I was that night.

This experience rushed to my mind as I considered Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth, a trip traveled to satisfy the requirements of a census that was declared by the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. On foot and moving across nearly 90 miles of difficult terrain filled with potential hazards, the couple’s fatigue level, both physically and mentally, had to be unbelievable, especially Mary who was in her ninth month of pregnancy.

As they arrived in Bethlehem to register, I’m sure finding a warm room to rest in was a top priority but unfortunately, they couldn’t find a single accommodation. No guest rooms were available for the woman who was carrying the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. And so needing shelter, the young Nazarene couple did find space in a stable and it was there that Mary delivered her firstborn child, a Son just as the angel Gabriel had proclaimed would happen. He was born without an audience of family or admirers and there was no fanfare or public proclamation of His birth throughout the little town of Bethlehem.  

No, the Messiah, this King of kings and Lord of lords who had been predicted to be born in Bethlehem, had arrived with only his parents and some stable animals present as He brought hope down from Heaven for every single person into the world. Indeed, this baby sent by His Father God, a baby who would be named Jesus eight days later, was the Savior of the world, the very Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). And on this day we celebrate His birth as we find Him resting in a manger, comfortably wrapped in swaddling cloth and in heavenly peace.

Unfortunately, we know that in a mere thirty-three years, this baby Jesus would grow up into adulthood and begin His short earthly ministry, bringing the Gospel of salvation to all who would hear it before being arrested, falsely accused and convicted, and then nailed to a cross outside of Jerusalem, about five miles north from His place of birth. There at Calvary, He would shed His blood to bring atonement, forgiveness of sin, and pardon for all who would believe in Him so that they wouldn’t perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16), sharing in the blessed resurrection that He experienced on the third day.   

Friends, today is Christmas Day, the day that hope was born for us all through a baby sent to save us from our sins. Now and forever more, let us come and adore Him, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

THE AMAZING JOURNEY

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Luke 2:4-5

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

How far do you think God would move you to fulfill His purposes?

Maybe the better question is...

How far would you be willing to go to fulfill His purposes?

I think all Christian believers know that the Lord can and will call them to go anywhere, and to do anything in His name but I think a person’s compliance with such a request is another matter.

Could we, like Abraham and Jesus’ first four disciples (James, John, Peter, and Andrew), leave everything behind to follow where the Lord leads us, trusting everything to Him?

These are questions we need to seriously consider as we look at the scriptures and the amazing journeys that so many champions of the faith carried out in obedience to what the Lord wanted them to do.

Embedded in the Christmas story is one such journey, one indirectly caused by God as He set in motion events that would ensure Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just as He had promised through the prophet Micah (Micah 5:2). For right around the time when Mary was due to deliver her baby boy, the divine Son of God conceived by the Holy Spirit, the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, issued a decree that a census would be taken of the entire Roman world. Such a census was performed mainly for two reasons.

First, the Roman army needed to be strong in order to maintain and sustain the empire. A census was a good way to have an accurate count of how many fighting men were available for duty.

The second reason for the census was taxation. Just as today, taxes collected by the government were needed in order to ensure the empire had the funds needed to conduct business and provide services to the people, even though in biblical times, there was far more corruption and unethical behavior by governmental leadership than what we see today.

With this and in regard to the state of affairs in the days of Joseph and Mary, the Jews wouldn’t have been conscripted to serve in the Roman army but they certainly were taxed by Rome and expected to pay said taxes or risk severe consequences. We know they enlisted Jewish men to serve as tax collectors and these men were despised by the Jewish people because they had a tendency to levy more charges on their fellow Jews than what the Romans demanded, keeping the difference for themselves. You may remember that Matthew, one of the Twelve, was a tax collector when called by Jesus to follow Him, and the Pharisees questioned why Jesus would dine with him, other tax collectors, and sinners to which Jesus replied:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13

Going back to the time right before Jesus’ birth, the census carried with it a call to register and each person was to go to the hometown of their ancestry. In the case of Joseph and Mary, this was the town of Bethlehem, as they were both in the line of David.

Now, Bethlehem was in the province of Judea, located some 90 miles from where they lived in the Galilean town of Nazareth and so it wasn’t an easy trip by any means. The most distance people could travel by foot anywhere was around 20 miles a day and we need to remember Mary was well on in her pregnancy so the distance was probably less per day for them. It’s believed the journey took anywhere from five to seven days and we need to keep in mind that it wasn’t all on flat terrain. The couple would travel through the Jordan Valley but then need to ascend through the Judean mountains to reach Bethlehem which was more than 2,500 feet above sea level.

And then there was the beginning of the winter season. Temperatures would often be in the thirties and rain was prevalent so Joseph and Mary would have had to wear thick coats over their clothing to stay warm during the trip, adding more weight to bear as they traveled.

Additionally, there was the threat of crime and wild animals along the way. Robbers would frequently lie in wait along the trails traveled by people, waiting to attack and steal belongings, sometimes assaulting or killing their victims. And there were any number of predatory animals running free and looking for food, attacking people if need be to eat.

Indeed, God had Joseph and Mary on an amazing journey, one potentially fraught with danger and adversity. But we also know that He was with them every step of the way. He would ensure they made it, no matter the circumstances, providing protection from the elements and anyone or anything that would do them harm because His incredible salvation plan would happen just as He said it would.

A virgin would give birth to a Son and that Son would be born in Bethlehem.

Tomorrow, we’ll arrive at the day long awaited, the day that the long awaited Messiah who is Christ the Lord is born but before we get there, let us all remember that God has us all on our own amazing journeys, each of us specially purposed to play a role in His salvation plan. As we approach Christmas day and then the new year ahead, my prayer is that we will be willing to do whatever God asks us to do in order for His will to be done, trusting Him fully when the way ahead might seem risky and potentially difficult. For just like Joseph and Mary, the Lord is ever with us and will bring us through anything He calls us to.

Trust and believe in that.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

A CALL TO REGISTER

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

And everyone went to their own town to register.

Luke 2:1-3

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As we read the scriptures and the story of Jesus’ conception and birth, we quickly discover that it’s an incredible script that only God could write. For no mere human would ever dream that the predicted Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords, would be conceived by the Holy Spirit inside a Nazarene girl who couldn’t have been further away from royalty, although her husband was in the line of David.

Further, this divine, regal baby Jesus would need to be born in Bethlehem as the prophet Micah prophesied which meant that Joseph and Mary would need to somehow get there from Nazareth, a daunting journey of approximately 90 miles and not something a woman in her final days of pregnancy would choose to do unless absolutely necessary.

Enter a call to register from Caesar Augustus, the ruler of the Roman Empire, an order that made it absolutely necessary for Joseph and Mary to make the long trip south.

You see, the scriptures tell us the Emperor “issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world” and this included Galilee, the region where Nazareth was located, and Judea, the province containing the town of Bethlehem. We further learn that “this was the first census” called by Caesar Augustus while “Quirinius was governor of Syria”. In regard to the latter, it’s believed that Quirinius served two terms as governor of Syria, his first being during the time of Jesus’ birth and then again later in AD 6 and 7.

In regard to the census, “everyone went to their own town to register”. This means that every person who lived in the Roman world was required to go to the place of their ancestral origin in order to be counted. And since Joseph was in the line of David, he had to travel south to Bethlehem, also known as the city of David.

Through these words in the scriptures, we see the impetus initiated by God to ensure Jesus was born in Bethlehem just as He promised through Micah, and we learn that the plans of our Lord can be unpredictable and yet always perfectly purposed to fulfill His will and way. As we draw ever nearer to Christmas and the birth of our Savior Jesus, let us be reminded that although we might not always understand how our lives are scripted by our Lord, we have to trust the Divine Author, even when things don’t play out as we imagined they would. We have to maintain faith in our God, the One who reigns over mankind and dictates all matters in creation, the One who brings salvation and eternal life for anyone who places their belief in His Son Jesus, no matter what happens during this life here on earth.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

PRAISING THE REDEEMER AND SAVIOR OF MANKIND

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising Sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Luke 1:67-80

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Zechariah’s heart was full of gratitude and praise.

Having gone through the inability to speak for more than nine months, a punishment from God for his display of unbelief after receiving a revelation from the angel Gabriel, the priest suddenly was able to speak again after simply writing these words on a tablet as his miraculous son was circumcised:

“His name is John.”

As his tongue was set free and he was “filled with the Holy Spirit”, Zechariah proceeded to give thanks to God, a song of thanksgiving captured in the final verses of Luke, chapter 1. Here’s what Zechariah said about what was to come and how his son John would play an important part in God’s plan of salvation for His people:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising Sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Luke 1:68-79

Let’s look at three specific ways that Zechariah lifted up adoration to God.

1. He adored Him as the great Redeemer.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them.”

From as far back as their rescue from the clutches of Egypt and their Pharaoh, God had continuously delivered His people, the Israelites, preserving them as He had promised through His covenants with Abraham, Noah, and David (more on that in a minute).

Unfortunately, those deliverances were only temporary as the Israelites were still trapped in sin that they themselves could not permanently atone for. And so God, their great Redeemer, established a new covenant, one that would bring final atonement to anyone who would believe in His Son Jesus who He sent from Heaven and earth to be the Savior of the world.

And this takes us to the second thing Zechariah praised God for.

2. He adored Him as the great Savior.

“He (God) has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember His holy covenant, the oath He swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”

In Jesus, God raised up the “horn of salvation” who was in the line of David as foretold by Zechariah and the other holy prophets before. This salvation would fulfill the covenants of old, like the promise made to Abraham, while saving God’s people from the hatred of their enemies, chief of which was Satan himself.

Through the salvation established by Jesus, all people, Jew or Gentile, could serve the Lord “without fear” and “in holiness and righteousness” for all their days for God had made the way for them to have an everlasting hope and promise of eternal life, a victory that no adversary could ever take from them.

3. He adored Him for the special purpose his son John was born for.

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising Sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Finally, we find Zechariah praising God for the amazing promised future his son John would have, a future that included:

- Becoming a “prophet of the Most High”.

- Preparing the way for Jesus.

- Providing God’s people “knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins”.

- Ensuring people understood the “tender mercy” of their God.

- Sharing the good news of Jesus, the Sun who would be the Light of the world, the promised One who came to be the Prince that would guide the people’s “feet into the path of peace”

As the chapter ends, the scriptures tell us that as John grew up, he “became strong in spirit”, living “in the wilderness” until he would make his public appearance to fulfill the plan God had for him, the proclaiming of Jesus’ coming and His subsequent baptizing.

With Christmas only a few days away now, I pray that we will join with Zechariah by praising God for being our great Redeemer, great Savior, and the One who has specially purposed us all to do wonderful works to advance His holy Kingdom here on earth by sharing the Gospel and striving to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

AN UNEXPECTED NAMING

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?”

For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Luke 1:57-66

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

For Jewish couples in biblical times, pregnancy was seen as a blessing, a gift from God which revealed His favor. For men, the blessing would feel even greater if the newborn child was a boy as it would mean that the family line would be continued and that line would be carried on by a man who bore the name of his father. It was customary that the first son born would be his father’s namesake.

With this, consider the matter of Zechariah and Elizabeth, a devout Jewish couple who lived in a town located in the hill country of Judea. They had grown old and well past child bearing years, never having a child. It was a constant source of shame and disgrace, especially for Elizabeth because culturally, a woman who never became pregnant was seen as under God’s judgment for some committed sin. Zechariah’s line on the family tree would end abruptly at his death with no male heir.

But then God intervened in a big way. He sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Zechariah that he and Elizabeth would have a son, despite their old age, and that son would have the special privilege to be “filled with the Holy Spirit” before He was born, becoming “great in the sight of the Lord” as he turned “the hearts of the parents to their children” and “the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous” while making “ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:15-17).

It was a miraculous proclamation, one that was too much for the Zechariah the priest to handle. For immediately, he questioned that God would do what He said He would do and it would be the last question he would ask for the entirety of Elizabeth’s pregnancy as the Lord took away his ability to speak until the day of his son’s ceremonial naming.

Put yourself in Zechariah’s place. God has muted you for more than 9 months. That’s a lot of time to think about the wrong you committed while yearning for the opportunity to redeem yourself.

Well, as we return to the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel and today’s passage, we see this opportunity begin to present itself as Elizabeth gives “birth to a son”, causing great joy among her “neighbors and relatives” who had heard how “the Lord had shown her great mercy”. And as customary in Jewish culture, the baby boy would remain nameless until the day of his circumcision which always occurred on the “eighth day” after birth in accordance with the Law (Leviticus 12:3).

And so on that eight day after their boy’s birth, Zechariah and Elizabeth had their baby circumcised and, as we read in the scriptures, everyone expected the son would be named after his father, Zechariah. How surprised they must have been when Elizabeth quickly spoke up and proclaimed:

“No! He is to be called John.”

Now, Elizabeth would have only known this by Zechariah informing her fully about the angel Gabriel and the message God had sent to them both through him. Although he couldn’t speak, we can be sure he wrote everything out and then made sure Elizabeth understood that her pregnancy was a full blessing from God, one that she confessed had displayed his favor and removed her disgrace from among the people (Luke 1:25).

Now, those in attendance were confused by this very unexpected naming as indicated by their response to Elizabeth as they said:

“There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

And with that, they quickly turned and looked at Zechariah, knowing full that he couldn’t speak. The scriptures tell us that he asked for a writing tablet on which he astonished everyone present by penning these words:

“His name is John.”

Amazingly, these written words gave way to spoken ones as God “immediately” opened Zechariah’s mouth and set his tongue free, unleashing a voice saturated with praise for all that God had done, praise that had been stored up for the entire duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.

This miraculous restoration of Zechariah’s ability to speak filled “all the neighbors” with awe and word spread quickly “throughout the hill country of Judea”, stirring up conversation that left the people wondering:

“What then is this child going to be?”

The answer to this question would come later as John grew up and become a devout servant of his Lord. But in the interim, God had richly blessed Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the birth of their son was already causing an impact long before he would grow into adulthood and baptize others in the spirit of repenting from sin while waiting for the day when he would first introduce and then baptize Jesus, the coming Savior of the world.

In tomorrow’s message, as we quickly advance on Christmas Day, we will find Zechariah, like Mary, lifting up his own song of praise as he rejoices in his son, the restoration of his voice, and the God who provided both.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

A DIVINE INTERVENTION

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a Son.

Matthew 1:20-25

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Joseph felt he had no other option. It had to be a harrowing decision, one he knew he had to make but one he didn’t necessarily want to.

You see, Mary had suddenly become pregnant and there wasn’t any conventional reasoning that made sense except that she had relations with another man although she was betrothed to him. Betrothal in biblical times was treated as if a couple was already married and so any sexual acts committed by a virgin woman outside of the marital engagement would have been seen as adulterous and grounds for punishment as severe as stoning.

Joseph didn’t wish this for Mary and it’s obvious he loved and cared for her because although he felt he had to do something because his love and faithfulness to God was greater than his devotion to anyone else, he decided to divorce Mary quietly so to save her public disgrace.

So as Joseph went to sleep with his mind settled on what he was going to do, I’m sure he didn’t rest very well, his mind still invested in all that was happening. But then, the very God that Joseph was so devoted to stepped in and intervened to present a new possibility, one that was instituted and blessed by Him. Look again at what happened as found in our scripture passage for today:

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.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a Son. Matthew 1:20-25

What a dream Joseph had, one like no other in his young life. For the scriptures tell us that like Zechariah and Mary before him, Joseph too heard from an “angel of the Lord” who entered into the chaos of the situation with Mary and offered guidance, comfort, and reassurance.

“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.”

The message from God to Joseph via the angel Gabriel was clear. The Lord was letting Joseph know that it was going to be okay and there was no need to be afraid anymore regarding what was happening. Mary wasn’t pregnant by way of any man but rather carrying a Son who was conceived “from the Holy Spirit”, a Son who was to be named Jesus, a Son who was coming into the world to “save His people from their sins”.

Indeed, this was no ordinary pregnancy and it would produce no ordinary child. Further, this extraordinary child, the boy born as the one and only Son of God, was the Messiah predicted by the prophet Isaiah who had written this 700 years earlier:

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call him Immanuel” Isaiah 7:14

By glorious, divine intervention, God brought peace to Joseph’s heart and mind through a revelation from the Lord he loved so much. Joseph now knew that he would soon be given the privilege to father the Savior of the world and understood what he needed to do.

And so when he woke up, he did exactly “what the angel of the Lord had commanded him” and, in full obedience and without reservation, he “took Mary home as his wife” while deferring any consummation of their marriage until Jesus was born. God’s incredible plan to save His people was on track and there was nothing that could stop it.

This Advent season, let us give thanks for the incredible story of Jesus’ conception and birth, and how it served to later bring divine intervention to anyone who would believe in Him, rescuing them from eternal damnation while ushering them into everlasting life.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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A COVENANT COMPLICATION?

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Matthew 1:18-19

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Think about Jesus’ parents, Joseph and Mary, before God sent His angel Gabriel to inform Mary of her miraculous, supernatural conception.

Both lived in Nazareth and were “pledged to be married” to one another which in biblical times, meant they were engaged to be married in accordance with Jewish customs. All was well and things were normal and on track.

One of the customs that was stringently adhered to and enforced was that a woman had to maintain their virginity. Sexual purity was seen as one way a woman could glorify and honor God, saving intimate relations for the man she would wed and spend eternity with. To violate this norm would be grounds for divorce, excommunication from the community, “public disgrace”, and possible execution by stoning.

In other words, it was a big deal and Mary knew these implications when she simply submitted to what God desired and declared herself to be His servant, willing to trust Him and submit to what He asked her to do.

Indeed, when we look at Mary, we can’t help but be impressed and inspired by her steadfast faith in her Lord. She knew that her supernaturally-caused pregnancy was going to raise a lot of questions and spawn countless rumors for she would be considered guilty before any consideration of innocence. And as she returned to Nazareth now clearly showing a baby bump after spending three months with her relative Elizabeth, I’m sure some would even bring Joseph into the picture and accuse the couple of engaging in sex before the wedding day, an act that would make them both guilty. In the end translation, there weren’t many very good solutions for Mary or Joseph. Her trying to explain what really happened wouldn’t make matters any easier.

For imagine how those confronting Mary would have received her testimony that she actually was still a virgin because she had not had sexual relations with any man before sharing that it was God who had impregnated her. Since this had never happened in human history, no one would believe this and would most probably double down on the rebuking and judgment because any statement like this would be seen as blasphemy, disrespectful and dishonoring to God. It would have appeared that Mary was placing the blame for her pregnancy on the Lord and this would have been unacceptable to other God believers in that day.

Well, as we see in our scripture passage from the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph didn’t believe Mary either and dispatched the notion that she was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was a devout Jew and man of God but he also loved Mary dearly, and so even though he knew he had to divorce her given the circumstances, he didn’t wish harm to come to her. This is why he had it “in mind to divorce her quietly”.

What Joseph didn’t know was that God really did cause Mary’s conception, promising that she would bear a Son and name Him Jesus. It was a covenant agreement of the highest order but now there were complications that threatened that covenant, complications that we will find God resolve in tomorrow’s message. For when God makes a promise He always keeps it, even when life circumstances bring difficulties into play. As we revisit the Christmas story during the Advent season, we need to remember this in our own lives and maintain an unwavering faith and trust in God, following the lead of Mary, and as we will also see Joseph do, no matter what comes and no matter the cost. 

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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GIVE THANKS AND REJOICE

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.”

“His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.”

“He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.”

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.”

“He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”

"He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Luke 1:46-56

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Mary’s heart was full of gratitude, welling up in a spirit of overflowing love and praise while glorifying God for blessing her with the privilege to carry and give birth to His only Son, the One who would be the Messiah and Savior of all mankind, the King of kings who would rule over the world forever.

After being told by her relative Elizabeth how very blessed she was “among women” to have the opportunity to bear a divine and holy child (Luke 1:42-45), we find Mary sharing a song of thanksgiving, openly expressing her feelings while exalting God in the moment. In what has been largely known as the “Magnificat”, here are five specific things we find Mary glorifying God for, things we should also bear in mind ourselves as we bring too seek to pay tribute to the Father:

1. His mindfulness.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.”

In Psalm 8, we find David posing this question to God:

“...what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?” v.4  

I have always loved this question because it is grounded in humility, understanding who God is and who we are in comparison.

Our God is omnipotent and eternal. He has no rival and is completely self sufficient, needing no one or nothing to exist and do as He pleases.

In contrast, we are limited in power, strength, and ability. We quickly find in life that it’s extremely difficult to try and make it on our own through all the many difficulties and hardships that come our way as we march toward a sure day when we will no longer be alive here on earth.

We need to realize and appreciate that God has nothing to gain personally by being mindful of us and yet He still loves and cares for us deeply, even despite the sinners that we are. It truly is amazing if you think about it and we find Mary thankful for how God was “mindful of the humble state of His servant”, allowing her, a lowly virgin girl from the town of Nazareth, to supernaturally conceive by the Holy Spirit and fulfill His promise issued through the prophets of old as she would give birth to Jesus, the Savior of the world.

This Christmas season, let us rejoice and be glad that God is mindful of us, remembering all the great things He has done in our lives by way of His holy name and Holy Spirit each and every day.

2. His mercy.

“His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.”

When we realize just how sinful and unworthy we are, amazed at how God could be mindful of us, then we fully understand the blessing of His mercy, a mercy extended to all believers who would fear and respect God for His sovereign authority and unmatched majesty.

After the fall in Eden’s garden, every single person in the world was destined for Hell and only the mercy of God, the Maker and Master of creation could stop it. And so He did. He so loved us that He offered up His only Son Jesus, the very Jesus who was growing in Mary’s womb, as a sin offering, a perfect Lamb who provided everlasting atonement and life to anyone who would believe in Him as Savior (John 1:29, John 3:16).

As we approach the celebration of our Savior Jesus’ birth, let us join Mary in being grateful and filled with joy through the truth that those who believe in God’s Son will not perish but have everlasting life, the greatest gift the Father has ever given.

3. His almighty power.

“He has performed mighty deeds with His arm.”

Every day, I am amazed by the power God holds, a power revealed every day through His creation and the miraculous works He does in the lives of those who place their faith and hope in Him.

Going back to the Psalms, this time to number 19, we find David sharing his feelings about God’s daily revelation of His glory and might:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

As my wife and I were driving to church this past weekend, a man we transport for worship every week remarked that the sun wasn’t shining. We had a storm system rolling into our area and it was dark, cloudy, and rainy but there was one certainty I shared with our friend. You see, the sun was still shining. It never stops although sometimes our view of it is obscured by the dark clouds as God delivers much needed rain to bless what He has created. We all love the sun but the water God provides from above is just as vital to survival of the living things He has created, the species of which are infinite whether plant or animal or insect, whether on land or in the sea.

For sure, nature is one perfect way to be reminded of the amazing work done by the hands of an amazing God. Another way is to stay tuned into stories about how a person’s life was changed for the better by an act that only God could do. Believe it or not, there are countless good news stories out there if we look for them, despite what you may see in the media. So stay encouraged and be assured God is hard at work every day doing mighty works while blessing others in such a way that bring thanksgiving and adoration, just as He did Mary. During this holiday season, look outside at all God has created and be filled with appreciation for His astounding handiwork then look back at the year past and remember all the ways He has worked in your life and the lives of people you know. I think you’ll quickly be reminded that God never rests in taking care of the people He is so mindful and merciful towards.

4. His authority.

“He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.”

I’ve always been amazed at how every major empire in human history rose to prominence, only to collapse and become just a part of human history. This is because people in power tried to rival God, becoming gods unto themselves. Such prideful behavior has always been the downfall of rulers who God removed from their thrones.

Conversely, God elevates the humble as we are reminded by these words from Jesus Himself:

“...those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12

God didn’t choose a queen of royalty and wealth to bear and give birth to His only Son in a majestic palace, attended to by the best medical professionals in the kingdom. Rather, He chose a humble virgin from Nazareth named Mary who would deliver the Lord of all lords alone with her husband Joseph in a lowly Bethlehem stable. Mary’s own words express her gratefulness for what God had done for her.

Indeed, God elevates those who are humble in nature because they place their full hope and reliance in Him. During Advent, let us examine ourselves as we prepare for Jesus’ coming, eliminating pride so to humbly come to the manger throne of our King Jesus, the One who God delegated all authority over everything in Heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).

5. His provision.

“He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”

I can’t remember a time in life when God didn’t provide for my basic needs when I placed my full trust and hope in Him. In my times of hunger, He has filled me “with good things” and made sure I remained healthy and okay. Sure, I wasn’t rich by worldly standards but God has taught me over time through His word that our worth isn’t revealed by the things of the world but rather our spiritual value before a Lord who values our souls more than our possessions. Going back to Jesus, here’s what He said on the matter:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:19-21,24

As Mary sang her song of praise, she did so while being fully thankful for the Treasure from Heaven that she would soon deliver to the world, a Treasure that would bless mankind for all eternity. All people have a spiritual hunger to be fed by things that this world can’t provide. They can’t live by bread alone (Matthew 4:4) and will continuously thirst without the living water that only Jesus can give, living water that will well up within to eternal life (John 4:13-14).

This Christmas, rejoice and give thanks for Jesus, the Treasure of Heaven and hope of salvation, the gift from God, born of the virgin Mary, who feeds the hunger and need for eternal life.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com