Advent Planning 2007
Personalities of the Christmas Story
Week One: Angels
One of the most interesting things about the Christmas story is the people involved. How each of them was changed by the coming of the Christ. Both Matthew and Luke record the events of Christ’s birth with special attention to the role of angels in the story. The word angel literally means messenger. Angels played a special role throughout the Christmas story with the message of Jesus.
Gabriel visits Zechariah with the message about John the Baptist
Gabriel visits Mary with the message about Jesus
An angel visits Joseph with the message about Mary
An angel visits the shepherds with the message about the Messiah
If you have your Bibles, please open them to Luke 2:9-14
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:9-14
The angels played a major role in the communication of the Christmas message. The angels came and delivered the message of God about the coming of His Son. God sent the angels to tell the world about what he was doing through Jesus.
Today, we are the messengers of God. We are the ones who are meant to share what God has done through Jesus. We are God’s chosen instrument to do His work in this world.
Hymn: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Prayer: O Lord, we ask for Your divine presence to rest with us as we celebrate the season of Your birth. Allow us to remember that You desire for us to be your witnesses and messengers in the world around us. Today, may You lay one soul upon our hearts that we can share Your message of Christmas hope with. Give us an added measure of Your Spirit to empower and energize us for service during this Christmas season.
In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen
Week Two: Joseph
When we look at the people most directly involved in the Christmas story, one seems to be given a less significant role than the others. It seems that we often forget the plight that Joseph found himself in before that first Christmas.
If you have your Bibles, please open them to Matthew 1:18-25
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25
What do we learn about Joseph here?
Joseph was a man of character – pure in his relationship
Joseph was a man of faith – he was called righteous
Joseph was a man in crisis – His fiancé was pregnant and he was not the father
Joseph was a man of compassion – He was going to divorce Mary quietly and not disgrace her
Joseph was a man of obedience – he did exactly what the angel told him to do
Joseph was a man of commitment – he committed his life to God, to Mary and to Jesus
We learn a great deal from Joseph about living for God and being committed to serving Him. This Christmas we need to follow the example that Joseph has given to us and live with character and compassion. Each day we need to share the message of Jesus with those around us. Every day we need to show the love of Christ that dwells within us.
Hymn: Go tell it on the Mountain
Prayer: Merciful Lord Jesus, Help us today to follow the example of commitment, character and compassion that Joseph showed so long ago. As we move one day closer to Christmas please show us opportunities to do more for Your kingdom. Help us to have the courage of Joseph and to spread the message of Your birth to those around us.
In Your Matchless Name we pray, Amen
Week Three: Mary
Advent is not only about the birth of Jesus but also about the changed lives that His birth brought about. We have already seen how God used the angels to communicate the message of the Messiah and how Joseph lived out a life of compassion, character and commitment. This morning I want to shift our attention to the person of Mary
If you have your Bibles, please open them to Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. Luke 1:26-38
What do we see here in Mary?
Mary was pure: Mary remained sexually pure
Mary was afraid: Mary feared both the angel and his message
Mary was favored: Mary was being blessed by God
Mary was confused: Mary knew the reality of her situation. Virgins don’t get pregnant
Mary was faithful: Mary willingly accepted the role God chose for her to play.
Mary pledges her loyalty to God. She pledges that she will serve Him as she has in the past. This task will reveal her ability and spirit to serve God. Mary states her commitment and vows to follow God and do His will. Mary will follow God, be a part of His plan, no matter what the personal cost may be.
Hymn: Silent Night
Prayer: Lord Jesus, We come before You filled with hope over the fact that You came into our world to be our Immanuel, God with us. Let us see this Christmas season, not as a time for gifts and gatherings but as a time to draw closer to You. Help us to overcome our fears through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help us to overcome our failures through Your forgiveness.
In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen
Week Four: Shepherds
We are continuing to look at the lives of those impacted by the coming of Christ. The final people to be impacted were the first to hear the good news. God made a decision to communicate the birth of His Son, not to those in royal position but those in a lowly position.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:8-12
What happened to the shepherds?
There was a routine that was disrupted
These shepherds were doing what they always did, watched sheep. This day they were given the night watch with the sheep. They lived with the sheep. God stepped into the shepherd’s daily routine and turned their world upside down. Jesus makes even an ordinary day, extraordinary.
There was a report of the divine
The angel appears with the shepherds in the Bethlehem pastures and they are completely terrified. The angel calms their fears and then announces the birth of the Messiah. Notice what the angel told them.
1.) The child would be the savior and would bring deliverance
2.) The child would be the Christ and the promised Messiah
3.) The child would be the Lord and would be the embodiment of God Himself
There was rejoicing of the devoted
The shepherds left Mary and the baby Jesus filled with joy. They had been included in the plans of God and had seen the Messiah. I can imagine that they went back to those fields shouting and praising God.
Hymn: O Come All Ye Faithful
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to remember that with you there are no ordinary days. Each day that we live in your grace is a day that is beyond the extraordinary. Help us to see and seize the opportunities You provide for us to share the message of Christmas during this Advent season.
In Your Holy and Majestic Name we pray, Amen
