ADVENT • 4

What Great and Mysterious Thing has God done at Christmas?

SONGS FOR PRAYER

reading for: Tuesday Night, 19 december

Luke 1:26-38 

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     Birth of Jesus Foretold

    26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

    34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

    35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[ of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

    Commentary:

    God the Son was made flesh and born of the Virgin Mary to a great end – for us men and women and for our salvation. The angels sing, “This day, is born to you a Saviour who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).

    The Lord comes firstly to reveal the truth about God and man: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37). Secondly, He is born to “make all things new” (Rev 21:5) by delivering the sons of Adam from the ‘oldness’ of sin and death. Thirdly, the Father sends the Son, ‘born of woman’ at the fullness of time… that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5) and be partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

    Hence, we find echoing in other Christmas greetings in the gospels, the Angel Gabriel’s greeting “O favoured one, the Lord is with you.” And this ultimately points to God’s salvation, that His favour has come upon all men in the Good News about Jesus. It is the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25), the year of the Lord’s favour (Isaiah 61) the forgiveness of all debt by God, our Friend.

    This announcement, like many announcements from God, meets human protest – because of fear and confusion. Mary protests when she first hears the Good News because she can’t understand it. She replies in objection to the Angel Gabriel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (v34). The messenger overcomes Mary’s initial response by asserting that God who is all powerful is able to do this – “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (v37)

    This draws out confidence and trust from Mary and she humbles herself as God’s servant, fully trusting and depending on God to fulfil his word.

  • REFLECT

When God gives you incredible news or invites us to trust Him for the unimaginable, do you pull back in fear and doubt or do we step up in faith and dependence? What would it take for you to grow in your trust in God for His provision and salvation this new year?

reading for: Wednesday Night, 20 december

2 Samuel 7:1-17

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    1 Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” 4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

    Commentary

    David was the king over all Israel, and he lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies. David told Nathan, the prophet of his intentions to build God a house for the ark of God dwells in a tent. Nathan told David to do all that is in his heart for the Lord is with David. Nathan did not consult the Lord and in effect gave David the greenlight to build God a house.

    That night the word of the Lord will come to Nathan which Nathan was to speak to David. The Lord said that he has not lived in a house since the day that he brought his people up from Egypt, and he has been moving about in a tent. In all this time and place, he has never questioned the leaders of Israel why they have not built him a house of cedar. Therefore, Nathan was to tell David that the Lord took him from the pasture from following the sheep and made him prince over Israel. The Lord has been with David and have cut off all his enemies from before him. The Lord will make for him a great name. The Lord will appoint a place for Israel and will plant them and cause them to dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. The Lord will give David rest from all his enemies. Finally, the Lord declares that he will build David a house. When David’s days are fulfilled and he lies down with his fathers, the Lord will raise up David’s offspring and the Lord will establish his kingdom. In short, David wanted to build God a house, the Lord told him no I will build you a house. The key question that we must consider is who is David’s offspring? Does it refer to Solomon for he followed David as king. Perhaps, Solomon fulfilled it in part for Solomon was a prosperous king, the Lord did establish Solomon as king. Yet, Solomon is not the final fulfilment of the Lord’s promise to build David a house. Jesus is the final and true fulfilment who is the Son of David and is the one that the Lord will establish his kingdom.

    Verse 13 makes it clear that it cannot primarily refer to Solomon for the Lord continues to declare that the Son of David will build a house for the Lord’s name and the Lord will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Solomon was surely not king forever. The Lord goes on to say that I will be his Father and he will be my Son. The love of the Lord will not depart from him, and the throne of David will be established forever. Jesus is the fulfilment of the promise to David. The Lord will build for David a house in Christ who will rule and reign forever. Jesus will build a house for the name of the Lord.

  • REFLECT

    Jesus is the fulfilment of the Lord’s promises to David. Jesus is the true Son of David. He is the one who sits on the throne and rules and reigns forever. He is the one that is worthy of all praise. Praise the Lord!

    David wanted to do a good thing, he wanted to build God a house. He had good intentions at heart. He consulted the prophet for wisdom. Nathan was too quick to say yes when he should have consulted the Lord. He should have prayed to the Lord and asked God what he thought of this initiative. Sometimes, we like Nathan are too quick to say yes when people approach us with a good initiative that sounds pleasing and good to our ears and eyes. Maybe we should learn from the mistakes of Nathan the prophet and learn to seek the one who sits on the throne first. To learn to hear from the Lord on his ideas and thoughts. This season of advent, let us spend time with the Lord, seeking him for his ways, for his ways are higher than our ways.

reading for: Thursday Night, 21 december

Romans 16:25-27

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Scripture Reading: Romans 16:25-27

 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Commentary:

Romans ends the same way it begins – starting with God and ending with God. The theme of ‘blessing’ with which Paul starts his letter (Rom 1:2-5) brings to light the ‘mystery’ of who Jesus really is and what God has done in sending His Son.

Not only is God “able” (v.25) and “wise” (v.27), at the first Christmas, He has demonstrated his might and unfathomable wisdom of his actions. The Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and Completer of all things has brought everything into one focal point – the God-Man Jesus Christ. So at one stroke He has single-handedly fulfilled the longing of both Israel and the yearning of all Creation for salvation from sin and death, once and for all time. All at once, God comes to his people, entering Creation in-person through his Son. This is unmerited grace of God, favour from Him that no one could possibly have earned.

Therefore, whatever gifts of God we are thankful for, whatever sacrifices we make for the Lord, whatever praise we utter, no human response to God can compare to the gift of God’s grace that redeems us, adopts us into His family, reconciles us to God and one another, and atones for our sin, enabling and empowering us to faithful obedience.

REFLECT

  • What emotions and response might arise in your heart as you contemplate what God has done at Christmas? Respond with gratitude and praise. Learn the songs included in this document and prepare to join hearts and express joy and worship to God at this weekend’s Worship Services.

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 22 DECEMBER

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

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I will sing of the LORD’s unfailing love forever!

Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

Your unfailing love will last forever.

Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

The LORD said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.

I have sworn this oath to him:

‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;

they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” Interlude

 

Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people.

You said, “I have raised up a warrior.

I have selected him from the common people to be king.

I have found my servant David.

I have anointed him with my holy oil.

I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong.

His enemies will not defeat him,

nor will the wicked overpower him.

I will beat down his adversaries before him

and destroy those who hate him.

My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,

and by my authority he will grow in power.

I will extend his rule over the sea,

his dominion over the rivers.

And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,

my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

Commentary

How would you feel if you were guarenteed success in 2024? How would you feel if i told you that at the end of 2024 you can look back and testify to God's unfailing love?

Did you know that you and I have become God's sons and daughters? Galatians 4:4-6 speaks very clearly that through Jesus, we have become adopted as God's sons and daughters. So that just as David could look to God as his father, his God and his Rock (v. 26) and as Jesus, son of David also looked to God as His Father, His God and Rock, we too have this same privilege as his adopted children.

This reality that God has become our Father and our God is further confirmed by Jesus Himself in John 20:17.

Therefore we can be assured that as His children, we too can sing of His unfailing and steadfast love (v.1).

We too can declare of his unfailing and steadfast love being established in 2024 (v.2).

For we are are under God's covenant where His descendants and rule is guarenteed (v. 3-4).

Because of God's grace to us, we who were once undeserving, have now become "deserving" of such unfailing love and grace. For in Jesus, we see God's unfailing love and faithfulness extended to us (John 1:14).

This is the message, the gospel, the good news in Jesus at Christmas. God our Father, has saved us and adopted us as His children.

  • REFLECT

    This is why we can look towards an uncertain, bleak 2024 with eyes of faith and hope. Looking forward to God's continued love and faithfulness that will not fail.

    In the first Sunday of Dec we heard the message that we have Father and that He cares for us more than we can imagine.

    In the second Sunday we heard the call to respond to His love to find ways we can become better as his sons and daughters (humans) and grow stronger as his servants.

    And last Sunday we were reminded that this is not possible with out any friends.

    What would your Father's unfailing love and faithfulness look like in your life, your family, your workplace and life group?

    Write that down and find opportunnities to share it with someone this Christmas.

Advent, Season of AdventCNL