Advent Meditations
THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS
THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS
Advent Meditations
by Members of the Faculty, Alumni, Staff and Board of Trustees of Asbury Theological Seminary
Edited by Tammy L. Cessna
First Fruits Press
Wilmore, KY c2024
ISBN: 9781648172489
The light shines in the darkness : Advent meditations By members of the faculty, alumni, staff and Board of Trustees of Asbury Theological Seminary ; edited by Tammy L. Cessna
First Fruits Press, ©2024
Digital version at https://place.asburyseminary.edu/firstfruitsbooks/20/
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1 Advent Meditations 2. Advent Prayers and devotions 3. Devotional calendars. I. Cessna, Tammy L., editor II. Asbury Theological Seminary BV40.L53 2024eb 242/.332
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WEEK 1
Th e Son of Da vi d
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Dr. John Oswalt Faculty/Alumnus ‘64 & ‘65
The year is about 600 BC. Eight hundred years earlier Moses had proclaimed the Covenant which contained in it God’s instructions ( torah ) for living. How blithely the Israelites had sworn in blood that they would follow these instructions and keep this covenant. Then, some 400 years earlier God had given King David the promise that through him and his line Israel would have a secure
homeland forever (2 Sam 7:10). But what about now? For 800 years the Israelites had been unable to keep the covenant, and they were farther from it today than in the beginning, and as for a secure homeland under a righteous Davidide, with few exceptions the Davidic kings had been no different than the tyrants of other nations, and the Israelites were facing almost certain annihilation at the hands of unstoppable Babylon.
But what does God say? Will he abandon David and the people in final exasperation? No! He had promised a day when somehow the covenant would be written on people’s hearts and not merely on stone tablets (Jer 31:31-34). And here he promises a descendant of David who will be what a descendant of David should be. What a God! What incredible grace! By every right after hundreds of years of disobedience and rebellion, he should have washed his hands of them. But he does not. Why?
The answer lies in the name given to Yahweh in verse 16. Yahweh will do what is right for the world in spite of all the challenges. That is why he chose Israel and that is why he chose David, that through them he could bring light for our darkness, and he was not going to let the failure of some prevent that. Instead, he was going
to crown the faith of the faithful with the longing of their hearts. He was going to send the true David to blot the sinful record from human hearts so that the Holy Spirit could take up residence there and write God’s Instructions (torah ) on those hearts. Notice what New Birth is about in John 3:5. It enables us to experience God’s kingship in our
lives, unlike the rebellious Israelites and Davidides. Through the true David, we can live in the light, as 1 John 1:7 promises us. Are you living in the fulness of that light today? Is God’s life of love being reproduced in your behavior? If not, why not? The Son of David has come to make it possible. Claim what is yours! Live in the Light!
The Cool of the Day
Genesis 3:8-15
Dr. Ricardo Gomez Board of Trustees/Alumnus ‘06
God went to the garden in the cool of the day; it was the best time of the day. He chose the best time of the day to spend with His prized creation, Adam and Eve. They knew He was there. They knew He was calling. They knew He wanted to be with them. But they hid from Him in the darkness of their own sin.
It was then, in the coolness of the day, in the disappointment of the moment, that God introduced the hope of redemption into His story. As disobedience entered the story, humankind’s relationship with God was damaged. As shame took hold, humankind’s relationship with itself was damaged. As blame was cast, humankind’s relationship with others was damaged. And as Romans 8:20 declares, “creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice,” demonstrating that humankind’s relationship with creation was damaged as well. Redemption was suddenly necessary.
The Lord God cursed the serpent and put enmity between it and humankind. He said the serpent’s seed would strike the heel and woman’s offspring would crush its head. A harsh punishment? Maybe even confusing to those present? And yet, because we know the full story, we can recognize the hope of the moment.
The account of the Israelites wandering in the desert of Numbers 21 gives us a dim glimpse of its meaning. Because they grumbled against God and Moses, venomous snakes bit and killed many; until God introduced a solution. His redemptive solution was that anyone who looked upon the bronze snake God instructed Moses to raise up
would live (Number 21:4-9). This became the prototype of our Savior.
Later, God sent a baby, born of a woman, to save all who were dying by the serpent’s seed of sin. He too was lifted up on a cross to crush the power of sin for all of humanity. Everyone who looks upon and believes in Jesus Christ, will have eternal life (John 3:16).
This is the hope we see for our world today, even as it spirals out of control and hides in its own sinful darkness. Peaceful protests quickly become violent. Inflation rates leap, rapidly widening the gaps between rich and poor. Education systems unashamedly promote non-Christian belief systems. Politicians opt for corruption over accountability. Natural- and man-made forces wreak havoc on diverse ecosystems. Ethnocentrism chips away at the foundations of increasingly
multicultural societies. The list goes on. We know that sin is killing us.
We know that sin is killing us, yet God still calls us in the cool of the day. Because of Jesus, we know that “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
We know that there is hope for our hurting world because God wrote redemption into our story. In fact, He invites us to participate with Him in the restoration of our world so that we can experience fourdimensional redemption! As we obediently follow His call, He will restore our relationship with God, with ourselves, with each other, and with creation!
He is able and willing to save us. He wants to spend time with us, His prized creation. When we look to Jesus, He brings light to our darkness and welcomes us into the cool of the day!
Waiting on God’s Promises
Genesis 15:1-6
Dr. Joseph Okello
Faculty/Alumnus
‘99
Waiting for something important and exciting can be a difcult exercise. For example, waiting to open that Christmas gif sitting under the Christmas tree always tests my patience. My son fares no better, either.
Abram knew this truth well. He was waiting for the arrival of his child. He received the promise at
75 years of age. Isaac arrived as he approached 100 years! Tat exercise is quite a lesson in waiting, for several reasons.
Waiting on God’s Promises Shields Us from Morbid Fear.
God says to Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” What exactly Abram was afraid of at that time is not clear. Te context suggests that he might have been afraid of dying without having a son. So God gave him the assurance that he was Abram’s “shield” and “great reward.”
As Israel waited for the promised Messiah, it went through a very troubled and violent history. Te promise that the Messiah would rescue God’s people helped to shield Israel from morbid fear.
Fear is a malady aficting our society today. We are afraid of the unknown. But something about the coming of the Christ child casts that fear away. It is the assurance that God keeps his promises.
Waiting on God’s Promises Shields us from A Meaningless Future
Abram seemed to feel that his future was meaningless if someone outside his family inherited his estate. God, however, promises Abram that his own son would be his heir. By
this assurance, God infused Abram’s future with meaning.
Afer I completed my doctoral studies, one of my professors saw me clearing my desk. He came to me and told me how he was planning to retire prematurely. He had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease and he said he was dying. He was not a believer in God, though he was familiar with Christian doctrine.
When we know we have a Savior, we are assured of eternal life. Te Messiah’s coming gives us a meaningful future. He assures us that someday we will have eternal life.
Waiting on God’s Promises Shields us from Moral Failure
Verse 6 says: “Abram believed God and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Because of waiting expectantly on God to
fulfll his promises, Abram was declared righteous or, for that matter, considered just as if he had never sinned. His belief in God shielded him from moral failure.
In diferent stories in Scripture, God does not take very kindly to those who doubt him. For example, when Zechariah doubted God’s message delivered by the angel, Zechariah remained dumb until the promise was fulflled.
Doubting God is moral failure on our part because we fnd ourselves calling God a liar. But when we believe God, especially for our salvation, we are justifed freely by his grace and our path to sanctifcation begins.
May we wait on God because doing so shields us from morbid fear, from a meaningless future, and from moral failure.
God is Faithful and He Will Show Up
Psalm 89:1-4
Rev. Dr. Carolyn Moore Alumna ‘98 & ‘18
Psalm 89 is not ordered in the same way that many other psalms are. Where others begin with lament and end in hope, this one flips the narrative. It begins by laying a foundation of faithfulness. God loves us, the psalmist declares. He is faithful. He can be trusted.
What he says, he will do. On that foundation of faithfulness, the writer reminds God that he has already declared that David’s family line will carry the DNA of God’s chosen one — the one for whom they have been desperately waiting while they languish in exile.
“You promised, God! Can we trust you to deliver?”
Over and over, the psalmist returns to the faithfulness of God, like laying brick on top of brick to build this foundation he will then stand on as he makes his lament.
The Hebrew word most often used to express the concept of faith more accurately means “to trust” in its verb form. And when that word is used to talk about God, we often see the concept of “security” bubbling up in the context. Other Hebrew words are close relatives. The word for deliverance is related. So is the word for peace.
Take all these ideas together — trust, security, deliverance, peace — and something profound emerges. They teach us that trust is linked to security, and security to deliverance, and deliverance to peace. These concepts seem to build on one another. Until we’ve learned to trust God as God is, there is no security. And with nothing but insecurity to drive us,
we will never be delivered from our demons. And without deliverance, there is no peace. So before any question can be asked of God, we must first establish that God is good, that God loves us, that God can be trusted. Only then do our questions and worries have a safe place to land.
By the time the psalm resolves, the writer is ready to offer the classic lament: “How long, Lord?” In a question that plagues every impatient generation, we feel the anguish of lost dreams and exiled people. Will it ever get better? With political partners who cannot be trusted and nations imploding and exploding all around us, with a sense of dire helplessness in the face of all the need we cannot fill, can we trust you, God, to come
through? Can’t you come now ? After all, you promised!
How long, Lord? How long? This lament, this longing for a savior is precisely what makes Advent’s message so relevant for every generation and circumstance. Advent’s call to wait is about getting us restless enough to finally march right into the presence of God, where we can proclaim to him what we know to be true. He IS faithful. He DOES love us. He IS good. We CAN trust him. Standing on that foundation, we can confidently stoke our hungers, rend the heavens, and hope for God’s promises to be realized, trusting that God is faithful and He will show up.
Are you hungry for God’s answers, or for his faithfulness?
Te True Light Sent to Deepest Darkness
Isaiah 9:2-3
Dr. Ellen Marmon Faculty/Alumna
‘95
If you’ve worshiped at an Advent service, at Lessons and Carols, or a Hanging of the Greens celebration, you’ve heard this scripture. People collapsing at death’s door step were rescued from
darkness by the One, True Light. We light another candle on the Advent wreath to symbolize the reality of desperate people witnessing the dawn. This message becomes even more rich and hopeful when we include verses 8:22-9:1. Describing people who have “no light of dawn,” Isaiah continues:
8:22. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. 9:1. Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past the LORD humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan.
When the Assyrian army came blazing across Israel around 733 BC, the northern-most tribes took the initial blows. They were the first people in the Northern Kingdom to collapse under their oppressors. The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali experienced utter devastation before Assyria moved south and east to the other tribes. Isaiah looks forward to a time when the Light of the world will minister around the Sea of Galilee – in the very same areas that were taken captive. The areas hardest hit
by the Assyrians, the people most scattered, and the towns slowest to recover – they are the ones to whom the Good News comes.
The darkness, regardless of how it shows up, will never overcome the Light (John 1:1-5).
We see war-torn nations, communities, families, and individuals today walking in darkness. We might be facing troubling times as well. Isaiah does not offer cheap optimism here; he speaks what God inspires and proclaims that the Messiah is the victorious light in this world. The people of God then and the people of God now are promised the same joy that farmers experience during a fruitful harvest – an unmatchable joy – no matter how heavy the darkness. And those people carrying the heaviest burdens, living with unspeakable sorrows, they will rejoice with the deepest gratitude.
The Guiding Light of His Voice
Deuteronomy 18:9-18
Dr. Bill T. Arnold
Faculty/Alumnus
‘80
What was Moses to do? Israel had been unfaithful at the foot of Mount Sinai with that dreadful golden calf episode. Then they quickly rebelled against his word (and God’s) in the desert at Kadesh-barnea. They had simply refused to enter the promised land when commanded to go. They
couldn’t be trusted. And now they were about to finally enter the land, and Moses realized he couldn’t go with them. He was convinced that once they settled in the comfortable surroundings of the land promised so long ago to the ancestors, they would immediately forget Yahweh, who saved them from the Pharaoh’s bondage, brought them through the Red Sea, and provided for them these forty years. But now what? They would surely learn the detestable practices of the Canaanites around them. They were going to hear and see new things (really, old things but new to them), like creepy divination practices, soothsaying, sorcery, spells, and all manner of weirdness, maybe even people consulting the dead. But Moses knew Israel needed to be blameless before Yahweh, or they would become just as guilty as the Canaanites and they too would be driven away from the land like them. So again, what was Moses to do? Without him there in the new country to warn Israel, God’s people would surely turn away from Him again.
Finally, in a moment of clear perception—truly, it was divine inspiration—Moses had the answer. God Himself would raise up a prophet to replace Moses. This prophet would arise from among God’s people themselves, and like Moses, he would preach the Word
of God to the people. Just as they had asked Moses back at Mount Sinai to intercede for them, so this replacement prophet would do the same. They had been so terrified by Yahweh’s voice thundering from the mountain that they begged Moses to speak God’s words to them instead. It was a good plan. So Yahweh put his own words in Moses’s mouth. This would work, surely. They simply must listen to the replacement prophet if they ever expected to have the abundant life promised to them in this new land.
What Moses didn’t fully understand yet was that it was also a good plan beyond this single replacement prophet. This was just the beginning. The plan was so good, that after one replacement, another prophet would arise from among the people. And then another. And another. And in fact, because of the sin of God’s people,
there would be so many prophets that some of them would write down their messages. And future generations of God’s people would read them, pouring over every word in order to understand better the messages God had for them.
And then one day another prophet would come who would speak such beautiful words of life as no one had ever heard. In fact, he would be the Prophet of all prophets, and even the Priest of Priests and King of Kings. His words were full of life and beauty. His prophetic message would fulfill the promise of Moses given so many centuries before.
With the coming of the Christ Child this Advent season, may God’s people hear and obey that precious Voice. God condescended to us all in that Bethlehem night to give us the greatest gift of all—the guiding light of his Voice.
Te Shoot Breaking Trough the Stump
Isaiah 11:1-10
Mrs. Karen Thomas Board of Trustees/Alumna ‘95
The Advent season comes with great anticipation to focus on the unspeakable gift of Jesus. However, with the
commercialization and demands of the holiday season, we can find ourselves anxious, exhausted and even discontented. Kids’ activities, final exams, church demands, family dysfunction– you name it. The Christmas season acutely sharpens our emotions, especially our sorrows.
In this passage, God’s people have seen better days. By their own disobedience, the people of Israel were reduced to a stump, cut off from bearing fruit and impacting the world as the Lord commissioned them in Genesis 12. They are currently irrelevant to the world around them. Yet, Isaiah proclaims,
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”
Onlookers may see a dead stump, yet unseen to the human eye are plenty of nutrients and sap in the root system for fresh growth and renewed life.
Have you ever felt like a dead stump? “Cut to the core,” irrelevant or overlooked? To feel unseen at work, un-thanked at home or burned out at church can paralyze our spirits. It can happen instantly through the surprise death of a loved one or slowly through a painful dissolution of
a marriage. We know God can redeem our suffering, but when we are in the middle of it, it feels excruciating. The deterioration of one’s denomination, the betrayal of a close friend or even a time of positive transition can make us feel “stumped” in how to proceed in the Lord’s will and way.
Through the rest of the Bible, we know Jesus is the shoot that came out of the stump bringing new life to the stunted people of God. They couldn’t obey the law and live abundantly on their own. They needed a Savior. Jesus’ advent, death, and resurrection bring life to all who call upon Him in repentance and faith.
Let’s make this practical.
What was the operative force in the shoot breaking through the stump and the sustaining power of the Branch that brought new life and hope? Isaiah continues:
Te Spirit of the Lord will rest on him –the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord –and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
At the time of Isaiah’s writing, the Holy Spirit came upon someone for a particular purpose and period, but with no permanence. The idea that the Spirit would rest on the Messiah was revolutionary.
What we are blessed to know today, which would never have crossed the minds of this remnant of Israel, is that the Branch gives us the indwelling, resting Spirit of the Lord for wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord.
When we suffer and feel stunted in life, let’s look to the Holy Spirit’s sap to burst forth something new in and through us. It may take longer than expected. In the waiting, God is working to transform our character into His likeness. As we release control, we are reminded that the Spirit is our satisfaction, Christ is our contentment, and the Father is our future.
This Advent season, let’s remember that though we don’t see it, the Spirit is always working and moving in the stump of our life to bear fruit that will last.
WEEK 2
Come Lord Jesus
Isaiah 40:1-5
Dr. Stephen
L.
Martyn Faculty/Alumnus ‘76
Have you ever received deeply comforting words your heart longed to hear? Words such as, “You are forgiven;” or “I will not leave you;” or “I am coming home.” And have we not all longed to hear the consolation, “Your time of conflict and suffering is coming to an end”? In Isaiah 40:1-3, the great prophet is actually comforting Jerusalem ahead of the terrible trial
about to befall her. Judah will fall to the Babylonians and be chained in a long exile. But Yahweh will not leave her. Isaiah is assuring the people of God that not only will their time of trial in a foreign land end, but that ultimate deliverance is coming.
The meaning of Isaiah’s very name, “Yahweh is salvation,” brings added light to his tender words of compassion and encouragement to a distressed people. They had grievously sinned against the Lord their God, and just as Adam and Eve were driven from the garden because of their lack of faith, so the nation would soon be driven from their home. Yet human sin is never the last word. Isaiah carried forth a three-fold promise in verse 2:
■ “She has served her term.” Her time of conflict and the stress of captivity would come to an end! Jerusalem, and God’s Church, will come home.
■ “Her penalty is paid.” Her long years of suffering would not atone for her sins. Another must do that, for as Isaiah foretold, “upon him was the punishment that made us whole” (53:5).
■ “She has received from the Lord’s hand double for all
her sins.” The time of the consequences of sin will come to an end. The Lord allowed Isaiah to share the consoling prophecy that in the coming birth of a baby, “the dawn from on high” (Luke 1:78) would break upon them and restore their relationship with God.
In verses 3–5, Isaiah is quite insistent that the people of God have the responsibility to “prepare the way of the Lord” (40:3). Along with John the Baptist (see Matthew 3:3), the two prophets describe the desert condition of God’s people. Because of our willful decisions to exalt ourselves and follow our own designs, we have ended up in a “dry and weary land where there is no
water” (Psalm 63:1) and there is chaos all around. Thus, to “make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (63:3), every obstacle in his way must be cleared.
One of the foremost invitations of Advent is to tear down the mountains of obstinance and to level the uneven ground of competing loyalties and to smooth the rough places of willful disobedience (63:4). We are called to repent! To genuinely turn from our desert ways.
And in that day, which is to come, we shall see him “face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12) and “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed” (40:5). Come quickly Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy upon us.
A Sh epherd K ing
Isaiah 40:9-11
Dr. Stanley John
Faculty/Alumnus
‘09 & ‘14
Isaiah issues a whole-hearted spirited invitation to evangelize, literally spread the good news! In verse 9, he is issuing an enthusiastic invitation to shout aloud: Here is your God! He is announcing that God has come to His people. Verse 10 continues with this theme. He is God and He is also a King. This
is Yahweh, the God of Israel, he is the great I Am, he is all-powerful, he rules by his arm, and he is here to reward and recompense for the people. Yet, the next verse describes a very different kind of God and King. Left undescribed, we may import our own visions of leadership and imageries of power, pomp, privilege, and positions. What kind of a God and King is He?
Isaiah uses imagery that traces throughout Israelite history, geography, economy, and everyday life. He couldn’t have picked something more mundane yet so meaningful, common yet so endearing, smelly yet so necessary. The patriarchs were pastoralists, and so were the founding kings of Israel. Of all the imagery to describe this coming King, Isaiah describes His actions like that of a shepherd: one who tends or feeds his flock, gathers the lambs in his arms, carries them in his bosom, and gently leads those that are with young. In a world of wolves and dangers all around, the shepherd offers provision, safety, affection, and care for the vulnerable, which are the essentials that provide a life of security and contentment for the sheep.
King David was a shepherd boy when Samuel came to anoint him king over Israel. The world of shepherding provided the real-
time hands-on schooling for training to be a leader. The world of shepherding continued to provide the field of reference that shaped his leadership. He understood that he may be shepherd over Israel, but Yahweh is his shepherd (Psalm 23). David penned the Shepherd Psalm outlining all that the Shepherd provides: nourishment (v.1), satisfaction (v.2), healing (v.3), guidance (v.3), protection and safety (v.4), abundance (v.5), and a lifetime of security and contentment (v.6).
The Shepherd King is a mighty corrective against all the types of false gods around us. Gods of success, power, and fame never fit within the shepherding motif. Shepherding is never about a position or status; it is all about the responsibility toward the flock. It is a role that is totally otherscentered, dedicated to providing care for sheep that cannot care for themselves. Jesus appears on the scene some seven hundred years later in a world where Caesar is lord, where Herod is king, and Caiaphas is chief priest, each of whom exercise their reign through conquest and defeat, inflamed with insecurities, and jockeying for position. Jesus rejects all these popular models and fully embraces
the Isaiahanic Messianic prophecy: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (Jn 10:11). Jesus is God, Jesus is King, and Jesus is a Shepherd King.
As followers of Jesus, we are his sheep who receive our nourishment and nurture under his watchful loving care. And in God’s gracious kindness, he entrusts to us this sacred call of shepherding to watch over the flock which he bought with his own blood (Acts 20:28 1 Peter 5:2). Our shepherding must follow, as Isaiah describes, our Shepherd King, to nourish the flock with God’s word, to gather those who are far away, to carry them in our hearts with affection, and to gently lead those who need a little extra care.
Savior, like a shepherd lead us . By Author (attributed to): Dorothy A. Thrupp (1836); Author (attributed to): Henry F. Lyte (1836)
Savior, like a shepherd lead us, Much we need Ty tender care; In Ty pleasant pastures feed us, For our use Ty folds prepare:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Tou hast bought us, Tine we are; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Tou hast bought us, Tine we are.
Carry the News the World Longs to Hear
Isaiah 52:7-10
Bishop Linda Adams Board of Trustees/Alumna
‘94 & 2000
Can you picture it? Watchmen tensely guard the broken-down walls of Jerusalem, eyes scanning the mountains on the horizon. Alert for dangerous attackers, they intently gaze, keen to spot whatever breaks into view.
A lone military messenger appears in the distance and runs toward them. As he nears, he calls out good news! Better than they could have imagined. Peace and salvation! The Holy One of Israel is on his throne. He reigns! He has intervened to redeem Jerusalem.
Their spontaneous shouts turn into songs of joy! Even the ruined walls of Jerusalem join in the song! Watchmen and walls sing together. God, their Comforter and Redeemer, has shown his holy power. Sing!
Now the victory of the moment expands into a song for the ages, declaring that the cosmic victory of God is for all nations. “All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.” Celebrate!
Perhaps more than ever, during Advent season 2024, our holy God invites us to mobilize beautiful feet to carry the news the world longs to hear—peace is on the way. In a world wracked by war and violence, hearts yearn for a good word. A word of peace, of salvation, of the goodness of a mighty and loving God redeeming his people and restoring his world. The ends of the earth long to experience the true peace that comes when God’s victory is revealed. Our Good News is that
God reigns. God saves. Chaos will yield to his righteous reign.
In times of foreboding, we are called to be bearers of hope, proclaiming Good News: Have no fear. Our God reigns. Sing!
Prophet, Priest and King
Zechariah 6:12-13
Dr. Andrew McFarland
Staff/Alumnus
‘10 & ‘20
Zechariah spoke of a new beginning for Israel. After a long exile in Babylon, they had finally atoned for their sordid past. The time had come for covenant renewal
and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, but new opportunities often come with new worries. They were concerned about making the same mistakes as their ancestors and they wondered who should be chosen to lead them, a prophet, priest, or king.
Zechariah’s visions reveal God’s solution for this dilemma. They mention the anointing of Zerubbabel, a descendent of David, as governor and Joshua as priest. In this new diarchal arrangement, governor and priest would work in harmony, however, only Joshua would be crowned. Nevertheless, this action was figurative since priests were never crowned kings. It meant that the real leadership of Israel would be vested in the priesthood rather than in a Davidic deliverer.
In spite of this emphasis on the priesthood, Zechariah hoped Zerubbabel would usher in the kingdom of God. After all, Zerubbabel had rebuilt the temple of the Lord just as God had decreed. Zechariah was convinced that if his generation would repent for their ancestors’ disobedience, they would inherit God’s blessing, but things did not turn out the way he had hoped. Zerubbabel eventually disappeared and the priesthood became the primary source of
leadership in Israel for the next four hundred years.
Zechariah’s messianic hopes were not realized until the birth of Christ. Where Zerubbabel and Joshua had only been types of what was to come, Jesus embodied the offices of prophet, priest, and king simultaneously. As a prophet, he exposed sin and revealed God’s will. As a priest, he became the sacrifice and reconciled humanity to God. As a king, he began to rule justly with all authority and power. Never before had there been such a mediator between God and man.
Israel’s story reminds us that God’s wisdom and timing are often beyond our understanding. Still, he expects us to trust him
and remain obedient. God knew that one day Christ would fulfill the offices of prophet, priest, and king and his body would replace the temple entirely. However, there was little about a baby in a manger that would have announced these intentions. Our job is simply to trust and obey. Like Mary, we need to be able to reply, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38, NRSV).
In this Advent season, let us remember that God is on his throne. He has a plan for your life and he wants to use you to accomplish his will. Are you ready to allow God to use you and bless you in the way he wants to?
The Refiner and Purifier
Malachi 3:1-4
Dr. Kevin Watson Faculty
See I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can
endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. (NRSV)
Today’s reading is one of the great passages where we see the impact Jesus Christ has on the way Christians embrace the Old Testament as part of Holy Scripture.
Our passage begins, “See I am sending my messenger.” Right out of the gate, there is an obvious question: Who is the messenger?
Well, Jesus used this passage to identify John the Baptist (see Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, and Luke 7:27).
In Advent, as we prepare for the return of Jesus Christ, what can we learn from Jesus using Malachi 3:1 to point to John the Baptist?
At the risk of seeming to ask a circular question, John the Baptist comes as the messenger to prepare the way for the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Perhaps, the better question, then, is this:
Why would Jesus want us to think about Malachi 3 when we think about preparation for his coming (and his return)?
There is a word of warning, even judgment, in this passage. We are warned in the form of a question: “Who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?”
The challenge of enduring and standing are emphasized because the Lord is a refiner and a purifier.
If you take something without any gold in it and purify it, removing everything that is not gold, you will end up with nothing. Refining or purifying assumes that there is something pure and authentic at the heart of the refining process.
When Jesus returns, there will be a revealing of every person’s standing before Him.
In addition to a warning, there is also a word of encouragement in this passage.
Imagine that Jesus is refining and purifying you. It is good news, hopeful, even exciting to imagine Jesus burning off and removing everything that is not consistent with his good and perfect will. Imagine being freed completely for pure joyful obedience to Jesus and his will for your life. May it be so!
What can you do today to cooperate with Jesus’s work to cleanse you from all sin and perfect you in his love?
May Malachi 3 serve as a reminder to us all to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). And let us do so with urgency and focus, remembering Jesus’s words at the end of Revelation: “Surely I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:20).
Let us pray:
Lord, refine my body, mind, and soul now. Increase my faith in Jesus Christ and my obedience to him as Lord of my life. Burn off everything that tempts me to turn from Jesus. Increase my dependence on you moment by moment, for Jesus’s sake. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
The Promise: Meditation on Hope and Redemption
Isaiah 9:6-7A
Dr. Steven G. W. Moore Board of Trustees/Alumnus
‘80 & ‘93
In the ancient words of Isaiah, we find a prophecy that resonates through the generations of time, echoing hope and redemption for humanity. Isaiah 9:6-7 speaks of a child to be born, a son to be given, whose presence, engagement with the world and peace will know no end:
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
These verses also give us insight into how the Gift of God, the Messiah brings a new era of justice and peace into our world. They evoke a sense of anticipation and promise, reminding us of the enduring hope found in the fulfillment of God’s plans and promises.
G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” In contemplating Isaiah’s prophecy, we are called to embrace this kind of hope—hope that persists even in the face of adversity and uncertainty. It is not wishful thinking or optimism. It is a hope anchored not in fleeting circumstances but in the eternal promises of God.
C.S. Lewis, in his theological reflections, often spoke of the longing for a deeper reality, a “joy” that surpasses fleeting happiness. He wrote, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was
made for another world.” Isaiah’s prophecy points us towards this other world—the kingdom of God, where the Prince of Peace reigns eternally.
Reflecting on these profound truths, we can also draw inspiration from the hymn “O Holy Night,” penned by Placide Cappeau. The hymn speaks of the night when Christ was born, declaring, “Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth .” This sentiment captures the transformative power of Christ’s birth—the dawn of a new era where humanity’s deepest longings find fulfillment in Him.
Isaiah’s words resonate across centuries, reminding us that the birth of Jesus Christ was not merely a historical event but a turning point in human history—a promise fulfilled that continues to be available to shape every person’s story. The titles given to the Messiah—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—not only reveal the multifaceted nature of Jesus’ identity and the scope of His redemptive work, but also the ways he wants to meet us in our lives, in our families, in our work.
In a world often marked by brokenness, hopelessness, division, injustice, and unrest, Isaiah’s prophecy offers a vision
of ultimate reconciliation and peace. It calls us to imagine a future where righteousness and justice prevail under the reign of the Prince of Peace. This vision is not just a distant dream but a promise that sustains us in our daily lives, inviting us and empowering us to work towards building a world characterized by compassion, righteousness, and unity. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
This advent season, let us embrace the hope and assurance Isaiah’s promise offers. Let us allow these words to deepen our faith, inspire our actions, ground our hope and remind us of the profound truth that God’s promises are steadfast and true. In the words of Isaiah, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” He is for us, he is for us, he is for you .
Isaiah’s prophecy serves as a laser focus of hope, pointing us towards the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus Christ. It invites us to welcome and embrace the transformative power of His birth, the eternal significance of His reign, and the enduring hope found in His redemptive work. He is not through with us, our lives, or our world. As we journey through this Christmas season and through life’s challenges and uncertainties, may the words of Isaiah continue to inspire us, drawing us closer to the heart of God and His divine purposes. We are not alone; He is with us.
Family Resemblance
Matthew 1:18-25
Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone
Faculty/Alumna ‘02
We remark on resemblance often in our family. My son looks like my husband, who looks remarkably like his own father. When we look at old photos it’s hard not to compare them at various ages or even to predict how one will look like the other in a few years. Just as often, we talk about resemblance
by attributing our kids’ traits, gifts, or quirks to different parts of the family. “That is YOUR son” I will say to my husband when our teen insists on being five minutes early everywhere we go, or “I guess she’s my kid” when my daughter comes alive when the sun goes down but is hard to wake up in the mornings.
In the family I grew up in, my brother and I often puzzle over the effects of nature and nurture. While my dad is my own birth father, my brother was adopted as a tiny infant. Remarkably, we each display different traits of our dad’s. In fact, in some ways my brother’s habits, quirks, and interests more closely resemble my dad’s than mine.
The family that Jesus was born into may have had distinctive physical resemblances. Jesus may have had Mary’s eyes or smile or posture. But on Joseph’s side, Jesus couldn’t have picked up physical traits through inheritance. We’re told right at the beginning of Matthew’s story of Jesus’ life that Joseph did not father Jesus by genetics, only through nurture and love. It’s fascinating to think how God picked this young couple to parent his only son in what must have been his most formative years on earth. While God was clearly Jesus’ heavenly Father, he knew that every earthly child needs a
daddy. What traits did God see in Joseph that he wanted his own son to pick up and carry on as all earthly children do?
The first chapter of Matthew portrays what must have been an incredibly difficult situation for Joseph. Faced with the news that his fiancée was pregnant with a child who was not his own, he had the option of publicly disgracing her, a situation that could have even resulted in her death by stoning. Instead, Joseph was going to make quiet arrangements to sever their engagement, something that shows incredible restraint and kindness given how hurt and angry he must have felt. When an angel appeared to him in a dream and gave an outlandish explanation for Mary’s pregnancy by the Holy Spirit, Joseph trusted the dream, believed God was behind it, and “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” when he woke.
No matter what other traits Jesus inherited, physical or otherwise, this very first story told by Matthew helps us see the kinds of traits God the heavenly Father wanted to make sure were present in Jesus’ earthly father and home: obedience, self-denial, restraint, calm in anxious circumstances. Jesus must have observed and absorbed these as he grew.
Jesus is the one we are all meant to grow to resemble. We are made in the image of God, and can be restored to His image through the transformation that Jesus can bring. Every single one of us has two fathers: an earthly one and a heavenly one. No matter the image we see in our earthly homes, our heavenly Father offers us a chance to grow in His likeness daily and eternally. What an incredible family resemblance is available to us in Christ.
WEEK 3
The Word Became Flesh
John 1:1-18
Dr.
Ben Witherington III
Faculty
John Donne in reflecting on this passage once said—“twas much that we were made like Him, long before/ But that Christ should be made like us, much more.” He’s reflecting on the fact that we were created in God’s image, but then God chose to take on our image! John 1:1–18 recounts the story of how the pre-existent Son of
God, who dwelt with the Father in eternity before all creation, took on flesh and dwelt amongst us. Make no mistake, the Greek text here insists that the Word was God, not merely a divine person, or a god, but rather THE ONE AND ONLY GOD. Put in a simpler way the Son of God, called here God’s Word or Wisdom, was just as much a part of divine identity as the heavenly Father or the Holy Spirit. The person who came to rescue humanity from his or her sin, really from his or her hellbent direction, was none other than God come in person.
But this is a story of both tragedy and triumph, because this Christological poem goes on to say that though all of creation was made through Him and nothing was made without Him, “though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him, he came to that which was his own, but his own refused to own Him!”
There is hardly a sadder tale than a tale about how a child rejects the one who created him. And the Evangelist means that he was even rejected by his own people, his own kindred, even by members of his own family. No wonder he came to be called a man of sorrows, well acquainted with grief, using the language of Isa. 52–53.
Verse 12 is important because it makes clear that while all human beings are creatures of God, they are not automatically children of God. Rather they must become children of God, born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or of a parent’s will, but rather born of God. For a fallen and sinful person to be a child of God, they must be born again, born from above, even if they are as devout and pious as a Jewish teacher named Nicodemus, even if they are in their old age.
And if we want to talk about a Christmas miracle, we must talk about two— the fact that God took on flesh and dwelt among us, but as miraculous a change as that was, we also must undergo a miraculous change, a conversion, something most ancients of Jesus’ day believed was impossible. They had proverbs like the rhetorical question—Can a leopard change its spots? And the emphatic answer was NO! Both Jesus and Paul (in 2 Corinthians) believed people could indeed change. If God could take on flesh and become Jesus, you and I can be transformed by the grace of Christ and become children of
God. The Evangelist proclaims in vs. 14—‘we have seen his glory’ which is to say Christ has made known the very essence and nature of who God is. If you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father, for they are One, while being distinct persons. The Son, as the end of the passage says, has made God known. At Christmas, we are not merely celebrating the coming of the baby Jesus, we are celebrating the coming of God in person. God loved us all so much that he came in person to rescue us.
My college Bible professor, Bernard Boyd, had been a medic and chaplain during WWII in the Pacific. One day he had the harrowing task of administering morphine to a young soldier who had been fatally wounded and was dying. The young soldier looked into Dr. Boyd’s eyes and said “Surely you must know, chaplain, what is God like?” Instinctively, and without hesitation Dr. Boyd said, “God is just like Jesus who loves you, in fact Jesus is God who loves you.” The soldier died with those words in his ears. Thanks be to God.
Broken and Burned Out Bulbs
John 1: 9-19
Rev. Anna Jackson Board of Trustees/Alumna ‘95
Pulling out decorations in preparation for Christmas is quite a chore. Invariably, there are broken or burned-out light bulbs, causing sections to remain dark. The darkness is so noticeable. When
I can’t fix the dark and broken section, I do what every good mom does and turn the tree around so the dark section is unseen from the front.
In our passage, John describes many who didn’t recognize and accept the true light of Jesus as if they were looking at the dark section on the backside of the dark tree. They focused on the darkness of their understanding, refused to see the brilliance in front of them, or their brokenness blinded them from seeing the true light of Jesus. Yet, others experienced the power of Jesus Christ and became a child of God, as if they were seeing the brightly lit front side of the tree.
God’s transformational power enables us to become children of God, a gift the world can never offer. Believing in the light of Christ opens us to God’s gentle and loving removal of the darkness in our lives. We come to understand and accept more of the fullness and identity of being a child of God. We live in such a way that His light shines through us, and others are drawn to Him.
Reflect on when you were drawn to the true light of Jesus Christ and believed in him to become a child of God. What events led up to that moment? How did that event change your life? Were there others who shared
the true light with you, or did you observe the light of Christ shining in their lives? As a child of God, are there areas of darkness where God invites you to surrender to his transformative power?
If you haven’t accepted the true light of Christ, I encourage you to keep reading through John’s Gospel and share your questions with someone seasoned in their faith. Ask them to help you see the beautiful light of Christ. Keep walking around the tree until you get to the front of the tree to witness and accept the radiance of God’s love and forgiveness for you.
Next year, when you pull out your Christmas decorations and
find broken and burned-out bulbs, take a moment and ask the Lord to reveal any areas of your life where you’ve not allowed yourself to see and accept the radiance of Christ’s love and transformation.
Prayer
Dear Lord, I rejoice today and choose to dwell in your tender and unfailing love for me. Reveal any areas of my life I’ve not allowed myself to see. I ask for your continual transformation of my life so that others may see your light within me. I ask for the power to extend “grace upon grace” to those around me so they may be drawn to you and accept the brilliance and truth of your salvation. Amen.
For God So Loved
John 3:16
Mrs. Robin Ferraro
Staf/Alumnus
‘24
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Tese are majestic words… “For God so loved.” “For God so loved,” that he created life. “For God so loved,” that he intimately cared for his creation. “For God so loved,” that
he sacrifcially redeemed his fallen creation in exchange for eternal life. Tese words are the alpha and the omega of God’s story. Tey are the very center from which we live and move and have our being. Te question is, how centered are our lives on these words?
I am from Florida which is home to a LOT of turtles. Turtles there seem too ofen to fnd their way onto the roadways. It is not uncommon for the car in front of you to suddenly swerve to avoid hitting a turtle. In quick response, without even thinking about it, you follow suit and do the same. It’s the innate reaction our brains subconsciously take to avoid being the cause of death, but nothing more. Once we successfully drive past the turtle, we may not even think of it again, except in annoyance for being startled. Or our thoughts may briefy pause in fear for the turtle’s safety as the cars behind us rapidly approach, but for whatever reason, either busy or nervous, we’re unwilling to turn around to stop and help. One of these very instances got me thinking… what if God was the driver of the car and you or I were the turtle? Would he simply avoid running us over and leave us to ourselves in the roadway of danger? Te answer to this question is a resounding, “NO.”
John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world” that he would not simply swerve his car and pass us by.
He also would not simply stop and get out of his car to move us to the safety of the shoulder. Rather, God would go way beyond that. He would actually give up his divine nature, and all the privileges of heaven, to take on the fesh of a turtle in order to show it the way to eternal safety. So, again, the question is, would I “so love the
world” that I willingly give up my nature and privileges in order to save “the least of these”? Better yet, am I willing to lay down my very life so that others may come to believe in the one and only Son? If not yet, how about am I willing to at least start getting out of my car to ofer help?
Conceived by the Holy Spirit
Luke 1:5-13
Dr. Craig S. Keener Faculty
Luke emphasizes that Jesus’s story is rooted in the story of God’s earlier acts for his people. Luke’s first account after his preface (1:14) evokes the story of Abraham and Sarah, an aged couple without
children. While some may have associated their condition of childlessness with judgment, Luke is clear that Zechariah and Elizabeth, like Abraham and Sarah before them, were righteous, keeping God’s commandments. Luke values those faithful to the law, from Joseph and Mary (2:2124, 42) to Simeon (2:25), Joseph (23:50-51), Jesus’s women followers (23:56), Ananias (Acts 22:12) and others.
Zechariah belonged to the division of Abijah, the eighth of the 24 priestly divisions mentioned in 1 Chronicles 24 (1 Chron 24:10). Priests would offer incense in the temple each morning and evening (Exod 30:7-8), but given the large number of priests at this time, most never had the privilege of performing this duty. Casting lots proved a fair way for priests and Levites to decide who would get this or other privileges (1 Chron 24:31; 25:8; 26:13-14). People trusted that God controlled the outcome of the lots (Prov 16:33), thereby reducing contention (Prov 18:18).
Not only Zechariah (Luke 1:13) but others (1:10) were praying at this time; Luke often emphasizes how major events can occur at times of prayer (e.g., 3:21; 9:29; Acts 1:14; 3:1). The angel Gabriel (Luke 1:19; cf. Dan 8:16; 9:21) suddenly appears to Zechariah,
standing to the right of the incense altar. In Zech 3:1 Satan stood at the right hand of Joshua the high priest to accuse him, but the Lord’s angel defended him; on this occasion of good news, however, the Lord’s angel appears without Satan. Angels are deeply involved in announcing the good news of the birth of both Jesus and his forerunner (Luke 1:26; 2:9-13), as they were at some special births in the Old Testament (Gen 16:11; Judg 13:3).
But while Zechariah’s son John would be special, it was especially in his role of introducing Jesus, the most special of all. Luke makes clear the connection, but also Jesus’s superiority, by the way he arranges the entire account.
1:11: the angel Gabriel appears
1:26: the angel Gabriel appears
1:12: the vision’s recipient troubled 1:29: the vision’s recipient troubled
1:13: Do not be afraid
1:30: Do not be afraid
1:13: reason for miracle 1:30: reason for miracle
1:13: child’s name (John) 1:31: child’s name (Jesus)
1:15: child will be great 1:32: child will be great
the Holy Spirit from the womb
1:35: conceived through the Holy Spirit
1:16-17: mission 1:32-33: mission
1:18: question 1:34: question
1:19-20: proof or explanation 1:35-37: proof or explanation
1:20: Zechariah muted for unbelief 1:38, 45: Mary praised for faith
1:80: child grows 2:40, 52: child grows
While many features are identical, John is merely filled with the Spirit, like some Old Testament figures. Jesus, by contrast, is conceived by the Spirit. Already with the appearance of the angel in 1:13, Luke prepares us for what is to follow.
Prepare the Way for the Lord
Luke 1:14-18
Rev. Chuck Savage Board of Trustees
In Luke 1:14-18 the angel’s message to Zechariah informs us of the personage and mission of John the Baptist. Te angel proclaimed that John would be a joy and a delight to his parents. Zechariah is also told that many will rejoice because of his birth and that he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
John’s mission is to “prepare the way for Jesus.” Luke tells us that John’s message will “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of righteousness.” In doing this he will “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Matthew quoting the prophet Isaiah speaks of John the Baptist as, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Similarly, we are called to the same mission.
Te Apostle Paul sums it up like this, God “gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
Te example of John the Baptist gives us an example of what is required to live out the mission of being Christ’s Ambassadors. His dedication to God is expressed in all that he did. It begs the question, are we unconditionally dedicating ourselves to the work we are called to? If ever there were a time that the message of Jesus was needed, that time is now. Our calling may not take place in a physical wilderness, however we live in a cultural wilderness where God calls us to be the voice that cries out,
behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! Behold the Lamb of God that reconciles the world to God.
In this season of Advent, let us remember that our role is crucial in spreading the message of Christ’s love and salvation. Like John the Baptist, let us commit ourselves to being faithful servants, dedicated to
preparing others and ourselves for the coming of the Lord. And just as it was with John the Baptist, if there is ever any doubt of whom we are preparing the way for, let His words assure us… “ Te blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the wretched of the earth have God’s salvation hospitality extended to them.”
When Answered Prayer Is a Long Time Coming
Luke 1:18-25
Rev. Dr. Steve Elliott Board of
Trustees/Alumnus
‘98
Zechariah is married to a woman named Elizabeth. Her name means “My God is absolutely reliable”; but he can only wonder, is He? Is He absolutely reliable? His name means “the Lord remembers”
... but he can only wonder, does He really remember? For all the world it seems that God has either forgotten them or that He is unreliable because He hasn’t answered their ages-old prayer, as they would answer it or as we would answer it. Elizabeth is lef like the childless woman crying on her way home to her husband afer another baby shower. Both of them feel the anguish of a circumstance that never seems to change.
Somewhere between Is. 65:24 “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (NIV) and Ps. 22:1 “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” (KJV) is where most of us live on most days: sometimes feeling assured that God hears our prayers and sometimes wondering if He is preoccupied with other issues far greater than ours.
And then He just shows up … out of nowhere it seems. He answers a prayer that long ago you pretty much gave up on praying. Zechariah and Elizabeth are old now … very old, vs. 7 says (cf. v. 18). Te prayer for children has long been put on the shelf of faint hopes and is no longer worth praying, really. Old women tickle children and old men read them stories. Tey don’t give birth to them. Heavy sigh.
And then along comes God. Te angel Gabriel announces that some old long-forsaken prayer is about to be answered. But Zechariah’s response is ofen our common response: disbelief. He has read Killian McDonnell’s poem Swif, Lord, You Are Not … “… you are not God on the ready.” It appears God does not answer with the immediacy our world leads us to expect we are entitled to. And so, we learn, waiting is always a part of prayer.
Te time between Isaiah’s prophecy of a Messiah (Is. 9) and
Luke 1 and the coming of Jesus, is longer than the years the United States has been in existence. Waiting. And waiting, for Zechariah, now means 9 more months, only now, marked by silence.
Could it be that our waiting is strangely similar… waiting in silence … quietly waiting … without giving up? Simply waiting, in faith believing, that the promises of God are real and true and for us … and they are answered on God’s timeline.
Surprised by Joy
Luke 1:39-45
Dr. David R. Bauer Faculty/Alumnus
‘80
This is the only record we have of a meeting between arguably the two most significant women in history. These were the mothers of the designated herald of the Messiah and the Messianic Kingdom and of the Messiah himself. God had
entrusted not only the birth but also the protection, nurturing, and formation of the two men who would be central to the establishment of the Kingdom of God. God has indeed honored them.
But God has also blessed them. He has lavished his goodness upon them by doing for them that which is utterly impossible (1:29,37). Elizabeth was barren and past the age of conceiving (1:7,18,36), in the ancient world the most miserable and hopeless circumstances a woman could experience. And Mary was told that from her would come the Messiah, the King of Israel, the Son of God. To borrow a phrase from C. S. Lewis, both were unimaginably surprised by joy.
But each of them expresses her exaltation from poverty and lowliness by embracing humility. Both have grounds for boasting over the other; but they are humbled precisely by God’s gracious elevation of them. God, through Gabriel, has told Mary that she would mother the very Son of God, and thus God elevates her above all women (1:42). Yet when God gives Mary the sign of Elizabeth’s pregnancy as confirmation of Gabriel’s promise, Mary does not summon Elizabeth, as a superior would an
inferior, but rushes seventy miles to go to Elizabeth. And rather than insisting that Elizabeth come out of the house to greet her, as would be expected in that culture when a superior approaches the domicile of an inferior, Mary enters Zechariah’s house and greets Elizabeth. But Elizabeth also expresses humility towards Mary. As the older of the women, and as the wife of a priest and a woman who was herself in the priestly line of Aaron, she deserved deference. But she humbles herself before Mary, suggesting (by the prophetic inspiration of the Spirit) that Mary’s child is supremely superior to her own, and hence that Mary is superior to herself.
Protestants draw back from some of the extravagant claims that certain branches of the Church make about Mary. But we should appreciate the critical role Mary plays in God’s redemption of the world, while recognizing also, as the Catholic scholar, Raymond Brown, has insisted, that Luke’s purpose is to present Mary as the great model of discipleship. She, like us (though in greater measure) experiences the unimaginable and hitherto impossible blessings of the messianic age. And she responds
with praise (1:46-55), humility, and faith (1:45), as does Elizabeth. Indeed, there is a broadening of the attitude of Mary in this passage. Elizabeth culminates her remarks by expanding the blessing of Mary to every woman who will believe the promises of the kingdom: “blessed is she [not you ] who has believed that God will complete what he has promised.” And Mary concludes the “Magnificat,” which immediately follows, by describing how her experience represents what God, in his kingdom, will do for all (1:50-55). It is not surprising, then, that Jesus will respond to a man who declares “blessed is the womb that bore you” with the promise, “blessed rather are those who heed the word of God and keep it” (11:27-28).
All of us have received, like Mary and Elizabeth, blessings of God’s kingdom, which are utterly surprising, unimaginably joyous, and breathtaking in their apparent impossibility. And, like them, our joy will lead to a kind of disposition and behavior before God and others that are almost as miraculous as the deeds that God has worked toward these two women.
WEEK 4
Declaring God’s Faithfulness
Luke 1:46-55
Dr. Christine Johnson
Faculty/Alumna ‘08
There could be no better introduction to Mary’s song than Elizabeth’s affirmation, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” The Magnificat is a beautiful canticle of praise in which Mary
declares God’s faithfulness to His people. Mary begins by recognizing God’s mercies to her in the present, and she is filled with a spirit of wonder and joy at all that God has done for her. She expresses her trust that God’s goodness is not transitory because Mary also praises God for future generations who will call her blessed. Mary does not stop at extolling God for His faithfulness in her own life; she expands her praise for God’s goodness to all those who fear Him from generation to generation. It is not the proud, the rich, and the powerful who stand as the recipients of God’s promises. Rather, Mary identifies herself as a servant of God. She stands in the company of the humble, the oppressed, and the hungry, and she credits the wonder and glory of all that she received with God’s faithfulness to the long-ago promises that He made to Abraham. Mary pours out her praise and adoration for all that God had done and all that God would do because she believed that God would be faithful to His promises – not only for herself and her immediate situation but also for the future and the future of all those who believe.
We live in a world that often rewards only those who are already overflowing with resources. The powerful orchestrate circumstances to their own advantage without
caring about the consequences, and those with the loudest voices seem to triumph over goodness and truth. When we have been disappointed by life or impacted by the injustice of a fallen world, it is easy to forget that we are people of God’s promises. We can lose sight of God’s goodness and exchange a spirit of joy and wonder for a spirit of dissatisfaction and defeat. During this season of Advent, let
us be reminded by Mary’s song of praise, that we, too, are people of the promise! God’s mercies extend even to us – regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. May we be renewed by rejoicing in the faithfulness and goodness of God, and may it be said of us that we are blessed because we believed the Lord will fulfill His promises to us.
A Tale of Two Kingdoms
Luke 2:1-5
Dr. Joe Dongell
Faculty/Alumnus ‘81
Our passage could easily be skipped over, thought interesting only to history buffs. But after closer reading, a dramatic tension emerges that runs through the whole Bible: that of massive human kingdoms, in all of their grandeur and irresistible power, ultimately
(if unknowingly) serving God’s work of restoring our whole world.
Luke’s original readers, along with all Jews of the day (especially Joseph and Mary) were painfully aware of Rome’s power, an empire (a macro-kingdom controlling many micro-kingdoms) stretching across the larger Mediterranean region, including the land of Israel. Its authority radiated from the emperor himself, Caesar Augustus, whose very name advertised his supreme status. Born as Gaius Octavius , he succeeded in eliminating his political rivals and centering power in himself alone, thereby founding the Roman Empire. He acquired the name Caesar from his illustrious uncle, Julius Caesar, a name signaling his new role as dictator, and attached to it the adjective Augustus , meaning majestic, great, and worthy of all respect.
It shouldn’t surprise us, then, for this “Glorious Dictator” to act like one, and issue decrees addressing the “whole world.” Though it isn’t clear why Caesar Augustus demanded this particular empire-wide census, it was likely intended to identify resources available for executing the schemes typical of tyrants: warfare, taxation, wealth accumulation, and massive building projects to memorialize one’s legacy. In other words, such
rulers are often consumed (and consuming) as they pursue their ungodly projects.
But a godly project has also begun! Or better put, a project that had been churning across the long ages but just now shifting into high gear. An unknown figure, Joseph, and his pregnant fiancée, Mary, journeyed southward to the minor town of Bethlehem in Judea, in obedience to the imperial decree. From their point of view, the journey must have been inconvenient to say the least, and surely dangerous to Mary (and her unborn child) given her advanced condition.
But a larger Providence was at work in these small matters. We learn from our passage that Joseph’s ancestor was King David, and that Bethlehem was David’s home town. Surely the prophecy that a ruler would arise from Bethlehem
(Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:6) was rolling around in Luke’s mind… all pointing to Jesus’ significance: He would become King of Israel.
But becoming Israel’s king was not his highest destiny. As early Christians gladly announced, it was precisely Israel’s king who would one day be granted world-wide kingship and global authority (Psalm 2:1-11; 110:1-7)! The staggering power of a Roman imperial decree was being divinely used to get Jesus precisely where he should be born to establish his royal credentials for eventual global rule. This macro/ micro-story of God’s providence gives us confidence not only that today’s worldly kingdoms will bend to serve God’s purposes, but that in the details of our tiny lives, God is crafting our painful ordeals into his beautifying kingdom work for our good and for His glory! Let’s trust him for this!
Standing the “Night Watch”
Luke 2:6-20
Dr. David Gyertson Interim President
It is challenging to work the third shift. All your rhythms of sleep, nourishment, relationships and perspectives are disrupted by the unnatural calling to serve while most others sleep. In college I worked as a night watchman for the Pinkerton Detective Agency in Toronto and then the Jackson
County Security Police in Michigan. In some ways it was an ideal job since I had plenty of time between my rounds to read and prepare assignments. However, at night, each sound is artificially amplified, and every shadow lengthened by a lack of clarity making this duty demanding of greater focus and discipline. Discerning between what was real and imagined was critical to fulfilling my responsibilities.
Those “night watch” responsibilities focus me on the phrase “shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night” in the Advent narrative in Luke 2. The challenge to remain alert, knowing that predators usually attack out of the darkness, likely had them on edge. And then the totally unexpected occurs – the heavens explode with sounds and apparitions that probably none had experienced before. No wonder the KJV describes their initial reactions as “sore afraid” as massive cognitive dissonance and physical extremes were experienced.
In a similar way, we who serve as “watchmen on the walls” are fulfilling our callings in times of increasing moral and spiritual darkness. Like the shepherds we are pressed to determine accurately the nature of the darkness and respond with Spirit-enabled courage. The reality is that this
discerning requires new revelation, fresh anointing and “to serve the present age” strategies beyond what most of us are capable. We need the heavens to open in new ways so we can see deeper dimensions of the glory of our God, embrace the assurances of His promises and appropriate a renewed anointing of gifts and graces for our callings.
Once the shepherds were comforted by the angels’ “Do not be afraid” they were able to hear the good news about the light that still shines today in the darkness. And having heard, they embraced a renewed calling by going and seeing and then joyfully spreading the Word later trumpeted in John 1:5 that “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it”. However, note verse 20 – they returned to their third shift assignment with renewed hope and joy.
These are challenging days for those of us called to stand the night watch as servants of the “Light of the world.” This Advent season may we catch a fresh vision of the One who calls us, serving His purposes right where He has placed us, with greater conviction, determination, faithfulness and joy. Perhaps those hillside shepherds have now joined that angel chorus exhorting us to sing the closing hymn of the Psalms of Ascent:
Come bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, Who stand by night in the house of the Lord, Lift up your hands in the holy place
And bless the Lord (Psalm 134)
Joy to the World the Lord is Come!
Luke 2:8-20
Dr. Jeannine Brabon Alumna ‘81
We sing, “Joy to the World the Lord is Come!!” I love the shepherds’ story. They were going about their normal activity, guarding their flocks. When the angel of the Lord appeared to
them, they were terrified. “Do not be afraid, for I am announcing God’s News to you which will bring great joy to all people.” When they heard the good news, they did not hesitate. “Let’s go, let’s see!” They hurried to witness the good news. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone.
The shepherds were ordinary people. But they responded immediately when God entrusted them with incredible good news— Jesus, our Savior is born!
My father lived to tell others about Jesus. It did not matter who it was—whether the mayor of Medellin or the shoeshine boy. At his death, my family committed to be the witness he was. I took that decision seriously, shy me, in my first year as a missionary in Colombia. Because I knew It was not about me, but Jesus. The Holy Spirit does the work if I am available to him.
I still desire that everyone who meets me meets Jesus. So, God has me share the joy of Jesus to hired killers and drug lords in prison, to taxi drivers, workmen, government officials, and anyone I encounter. I can be turned down, but the message has been shared. The person is not rejecting me, but
Jesus. In my daily living, I do not want to miss an opportunity.
A lady smiled and greeted me as I was leaving the swimming pool. I shared Jesus, and she beamed after receiving Jesus. Nine days later I learned she had been tragically killed by a bus on her way home. But God lovingly received her Home with Him. Jesus is the living Hope for all eternity.
An assassin once asked me, “When did you find Jesus?” I responded, “As a child.” “But why didn’t anyone tell me about Jesus
before now? Last year I killed so many!” Remorse covered his face. “Why? I did not know who Jesus is.”
Living in Colombia’s death culture of the 90’s, where killing was a way of life, has made me more intentional to share Jesus. Although each one of our situations is different, the time we are living in today calls for boldness in the Holy Spirit. We have a living Hope, JESUS! Let’s freely share Him.
If I have received the Good News of Jesus, do I tell everyone about Jesus like the shepherds did?
and the unexpected visitors, they are now together as a family.
Faithful Obedience
Luke 2: 22-24
Rev. Jeremy Fulda Staff/Alumnus ‘12
The days after the birth of Jesus must have felt strange for Mary and Joseph. The events leading up to Christmas night would have been a whirlwind for this young couple, requiring faithful obedience as they took step after step into the unknown. After the long journey
I imagine that at this point, Mary and Joseph would have realized that nothing about their family’s story has been or will be typical. The Call that God has on each of them individually and as a family will most likely come with necessary sacrifices and burdens to carry. However, if Luke has communicated one thing about this couple, it is that of their faithful obedience.
Mary, Joseph, and Jesus spent 40 days together in Bethlehem. This time together was before Jesus had been presented in public for the first time. As the Law stipulated, once those 40 days were up, they would all make the six-mile journey to Jerusalem for purification rites and to present Jesus in the temple.
They once again stepped out in faithful obedience, but for the first time since Jesus’ birth, leaving the known for the unknown. As they ascended the hill to Jerusalem, not knowing what would lie ahead for their Son, the words of the Psalms of Ascent perhaps held a new meaning for them:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
(Psalm 121)
“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.”
(Psalm 130)
“For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”
(Psalm 133)
When Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple, they performed the ritual acts of a Jewish family following the birth of a firstborn son: purification, presentation, and consecration.
They did so without fanfare or recognition, fulfilling their religious obligations as faithful Jews. They would also offer a pair of doves as a sacrifice, which was allowed for those who could not afford a lamb. Despite Mary and Joseph’s challenges and uncertainties, their faithful obedience is a reminder that God will use whomever, however He desires.
During this season of Advent, we are called to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming. We are invited to consider areas of our lives where God calls us to trust Him fully and respond in faithful obedience as we shine His light into the darkness.
A Light for Revelation
Luke 2:25-35
Dr. Kenneth Collins Faculty/Alumnus ‘79
Luke 2:25-35 (NIV2011)
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He
was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Reflections:
Being the good Jews that they were, Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to fulfill what Jewish law required. As the firstborn child of the couple, Jesus would be presented and dedicated to the Lord. Simeon, who had been
promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah, took the baby and proclaimed in a prophetic voice with echoes from Isaiah (40-66), that the child would be “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Here, in other words, at the temple in Jerusalem, the most Jewish of places on the earth, the intent of the Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was being revealed in the prophetic utterance of Simeon, and salvation would embrace not simply the Jews, as a chosen people, but all people, both Jew and Gentile, demonstrating the utter goodness, love and generosity of the God of Israel. Put another way, the wide, embracing reach, the universality of the divine intent and purpose, fleshed out later on in the public ministry of Jesus, was proclaimed decades earlier in the prophetic utterance of Simeon. Salvation would embrace the entire earth. It wouldn’t be limited to Jerusalem. That indeed was something to proclaim.
In light of these basic truths, spoken early on at the temple, it is not surprising to learn that Simeon
also prophesized that “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against.” Indeed, it is the very universality of the divine love manifested in Jesus Christ, in which Samaritans would be embraced as well, that would prove to be so troubling for those Jews who had restricted the favor of the Most High simply to themselves. Put another way, they had understood the designation of a “chosen people” in a self-referential, even ethnocentric way, instead of in a universal way, one in which they would become a kingdom of priests in service to the nations. With such serious misunderstandings in place, several Jews could only speak against Jesus who would reveal a love, a generosity, a wideness to the goodness of God that they could hardly imagine. Jesus would then become, as Simeon had rightly prophesied, the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel. Remarkably, such an honest and forthright truth was proclaimed by a Jew at the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was but a baby. Simeon had understood decades earlier just what kind of Messiah Jesus would be. Glory!
Recognizing Jesus
Luke 2:36-38
Rev. Dr. Tammy L. Cessna Alumnus ‘13 & ‘23
In Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, he carefully includes both men and women who play significant roles in the divine narrative. We see this in the stories of Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary
and Joseph, and toward the end of the birth narrative, Simeon and Anna. This portion of scripture highlights Anna, a prophetess, as one of the first people to recognize Jesus. Anna, whose Hebrew name is Hanna, means “He has favored me.”
Anna was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. Asher’s name means “Face of God.” In Hebrew culture, names often foreshadow the destiny of an individual.
Luke 2:36-38 tells us, “There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage and was a widow until she was eightyfour. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she thanked God and spoke about the child to all looking forward to Jerusalem’s redemption.”
Anna, a prophetess from the tribe of Asher, was married for only seven years before becoming a widow. Now 84 years old, she had dedicated her life to worshipping at the temple, fasting and praying day and night.
Because Anna spent so much time with God— worshipping, fasting, and praying—she had cultivated a deep
spiritual awareness. She had honed her spiritual gift of discernment because she intimately knew God due to her devotion. This profound connection enabled her to recognize Jesus as the Messiah when she saw Him. She knew God and could see His face in the holy child, living into the prophetic meaning of her and her father’s names.
Anna’s life teaches us a powerful lesson about spiritual alertness. Her constant devotion allowed her to see God’s presence in the infant Jesus. In a world full of distractions, do we spend enough time worshipping, praying, and fasting to recognize God in our lives? Are we mindful to seek His presence in our daily routine?
Anna’s story also reminds us that recognizing Jesus also leads
to action. Upon seeing Jesus as the long-awaited One, Anna did not keep her great joy to herself. She immediately spoke about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Her recognition of the promised Messiah compelled her to share the good news.
During this Advent season, let us take inspiration from Anna. Let us intentionally nurture our relationship with God through worship, prayer, and fasting. By doing so, we too can foster the spiritual sensitivity needed to recognize Jesus in our lives and in the world around us. Like Anna, may our recognition of Christ make us eager to share His love and truth with those around us.
WEEK 5
The One Who Set the Stars in Place
Matthew 2:1-12
Dr. Stacy Minger Faculty/Alumna ‘89 & ‘98
The wise men’s journey to Jesus began by paying attention to the sky. There among the panoply of stars which sang for joy when the foundations of the of the earth were laid, a new star took its place in the heavenly choir. This star announced the birth of Israel’s long-hoped
for king. In its brilliance, this star summoned these starwatchers to track with it across long miles.
So, paying attention to the sky, the wise men journeyed from their homes and livelihoods in the East to Jerusalem. When they arrived, no one seemed to be aware of this momentous birth. There were no grand celebrations befitting a child king. There was no royal entourage attending to the little king’s needs. How strange, then, that men from a distant land knew of the royal birth, but the people for whom he had come were unaware their shepherd had been born.
Drawn by the star, the wise men had come so far to meet Israel’s new king. And with the star still beckoning, they asked for directions: “Where is the child that has been born King of the Jews?” This simple inquiry reverberated through Jerusalem and made it all the way to Herod. Herod sat on the throne as king by virtue of his loyalty to Rome. He ruled as king motivated by his unrelenting desire for power. With the thought of being dethroned by the true King, Israel’s Messiah, fear ricochetted through Herod’s hardened heart.
Consulting with the chief priests and scribes, he learned that Bethlehem was to be the Messiah’s
birthplace. He was determined to deny this Messiah his birthright. So, feigning his allegiance, he commissioned the wise men to find the child and send word back to him, that he, too, may join them in paying homage. As they turned toward Bethlehem, the star that set them on their journey in the first place led them the final six miles to the exact place where Jesus lived.
The wise men’s journey began by paying attention to the sky – following a star. Now they had reached their destination and
were kneeling before the very One who set the stars in place. Over untold miles they guarded their precious gifts. Now they opened their treasure chests and presented offerings fitting for a king. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were placed before the child, but their joy in meeting Jesus far exceeded the worth of the gifts they offered. They had met the little king who would not only shepherd Israel, but reign over an eternal kingdom in which there are no rivals to the mercy, goodness, and righteousness of God . . . including Herod.
God’s Word, Jesus, and Dreaming
Matt 2:13–18
Dr. Frederick J. Long Faculty/Alumnus ‘92
I’ve often wondered why God created us to “need” sleep. We are completely vulnerable; and we are able to have dreams. God allows us to process our lives via dreams and our sleeping space becomes a place where God can warn and lead,
as it was for Joseph. Our passage today contrasts divine and evil human agencies. Matthew 2:13–18 shows how God speaks, both through Scripture and through an angel in a dream to Joseph, who receives two more dreams in 2:19–23.
The Book of Hebrews begins, “In many portions and in many ways God spoke to the fathers in the Prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us in His Son…” (1:1–2a). Jesus culminates God’s speaking to us; He is the Word. This speaking is seen in Jesus’s genealogy (Matt 1:1–17), conception (1:18–25), and early life (ch.2).
Due to the plotting fear of King Herod, infant Jesus’s life was in the balance causing a flight and return from Egypt (2:13–23).
In this way, even Jesus’s early life fulfilled the Exodus of God’s people who are called “My Son” in Hosea 11:1. Followers of Jesus received this identity as sons and daughters; God has always wanted to have us in His family (2 Cor 6:18).
In contrast, King Herod’s hellbent pursuit to kill his baby rival, Jesus, led him to slaughter infants and destroy families; yet even this fulfills Scripture (Matt 2:16–18; Jer 31:15; see Rev 12:1–6).
God also speaks through dreams. The Book of Job explains, “ 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on mortals, while they slumber on their beds, 16 then he [God] opens their ears, and terrifies them with warnings, 17 that he may turn them aside from their deeds, and keep them from pride” (33:15–17, NRSV; cf. Gen 20:3). Many instances of dreaming and interpreting dreams occur in Scripture—e.g., Joseph (Gen 37:511; chs. 40-41) and Daniel (Dan 1:17; 2:1, 26–28; 4:5–9; 7:13–14; etc.). Indeed, the apostle Peter on Pentecost quoted Joel 2:28–32 as now fulfilled. Peter quoted the Prophet Joel, “your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).
Although dreams and visions have a place among God’s people, God warns that we need discernment. God explained that prophets or “dreamers of dreams” could actually mislead the people into idolatry (Deut 13:1–5). Indeed, also Jude 8 describes certain dreamers that infiltrate the church to mislead people. God told Miriam and Aaron that, while He spoke to his prophets by visions and dreams at night (Num 12:6), this was not so with Moses with whom God speaks “mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the LORD” (Num 12:7–8, NASB). In Jesus we have someone even superior to Moses since he is “the exact representation of God’s nature” (Heb 1:3). He is God and God’s Word incarnate for us.
Faith and Obedience
Matthew 2:19-23
Mr. Wesley Custer
Staff/Alumnus
‘11 & ‘12
Matthew tells us that Joseph listened when God sent his angel to tell Joseph that Herod was dead (2:19). Having waited till he learned that Herod had died before bringing his family back to Israel, Joseph brings his family back to
the “promised land” much like the children of Israel were brought out of the land of Egypt. God led every piece of this family’s journey. Joseph took care of Jesus’ human needs including the protection of Jesus and the next time we read about Jesus is at his baptism by John as an adult. The raising of Jesus was entirely left to Joseph and Mary. It’s good to remember that Jesus is fully human and fully divine.
We don’t always think about Joseph’s role in the gospels, but Matthew specifically includes Joseph, making him significant in the story. We know from the previous chapter (1:19) that Joseph was a righteous man and Joseph adopted Jesus as his son to protect and raise. Not only that, but he accepted Mary at the prompting of an angel and moved the family to Egypt to protect Jesus. Joseph demonstrates significant faith and obedience to God by how he led in obedience. Joseph, chosen to be the adopted father of God’s only begotten Son, bringing God’s plan of salvation to the fullest, is truly a dad to admire. Just as we are adopted sons and daughters of God, Joseph is Jesus’ adopted father.
Did/do you have a good dad? Not everyone does and those who do are considered fortunate to have a loving father and/or mother. We typically see parents portrayed
as screwups in sitcoms – dads in particular. Sometimes the nicest thing we hear about a dad is a good dad joke. “Do you want to hear my new construction joke? No? That’s all right; I’m still working on it.” I am encouraged that Joseph is shown to be a righteous man who follows God’s leading. I have been fortunate enough to have a dad who also is a righteous man who follows God’s leading. You may disagree with his theology or his opinions on cats (he is not a cat lover) but you would be hard-pressed to disagree that he is and has been a great dad and a righteous man.
Whether you are a father or a mother, seek to follow God’s leading as Joseph and Mary did. We
may not be given too many details about Joseph or Mary but we do know that they believed God and followed His leading, which makes them great. Remember, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6).
Where is God leading you today or in this season of life? Do you have faith that God will lead you in good directions and will you follow that leading like Joseph and Mary? You don’t have to be raising God’s only begotten Son to be a righteous person who follows God. Pray that God will so fill you with the Holy Spirit again today that your will may be replaced by God’s will.
“My soul glorifes 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.”
LUKE 1:46-49
As Christians approaching the season of Advent, let us take the song of Mary as our guide for this season. Let us rejoice in the great things God has done for us, and let us glorify God’s holiness with our lives, thoughts, and prayers. Let us expect more from this season, as never before, and let Christ Jesus be born anew in our hearts in a special way once more. Let Christ be the center of our Christmas this year, and in the year to come.
