Luke 1:26-38
The Birth of Hope Foretold
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.
Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus Christ
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.
Luke 2:8-20
Glory to God for Sending Us Hope
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 that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
John 1:9-14
Grace and Truth are Born
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
It is Christmas Day and that means the birth of One Special Boy...Special, because He was and is from God...The Baby would be Holy and Divine...This Baby, although is and will be called the Son of God, is born in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes...This Baby would enter the world in the most unique way, from the seed of a woman and the seed of a Holy Spirit...We were told in our earlier sacred texts that He would be born of a virgin, and this birth would be a sign (Isaiah 7:14)...That He was the One to come, the Messiah...He would have many names...One would be Immanuel, which means God with us...God would be us, through the Birth of Hope...
Grace, Truth, and Hope were born that day...On a day that we call Christmas...But much more was given to us on that first Christmas day...We are given forgiveness, mercy, salvation, and the Love of a Creator, who would send His Baby Son to us (to eventually die for us) to teach us...The Day, the day of His birth -that Christmas Day would be a most Holy and Sacred Day...It would be like no other day, because there is no one like Him...The Logos, or the Word, the meaning of life has became flesh on that Christmas day -and He would dwell among us...On that day the One that was born would be given the name Jesus, because He will be the One to save His people from their sins...
The True Light is born on Christmas, and His Light gives light and life to everyone...And as we look around and see the various and many lights on the many different Christmas trees and the different Christmas decorations hanging outside our houses, stores, and different establishments, we are reminded what all the twinkling lights represent...Each and every light are all reminders of this One True Light that was born in a manger two thousand years ago...
Every Christmas song, every sale made, every dollar spent in the Christmas season originates from this birth of Hope and the Grace and Truth on the first Christmas...And He gives us a much deeper meaning to December and to the holidays than these things that we do in this season -like put up lights, go shopping, decorating things, looking for Santa, eating holiday treats, and hanging up stockings...He is the reason for Christmas...He is our Light of Truth and our Light of Hope, the True Light of Christmas...
So when we think of having a Merry Christmas, I can think of no greater gifts than we can receive than the gifts of Grace, Truth, Hope, Forgiveness, Mercy, and the Love that God, His Father has sent us on this day...For what is Christmas, and what is life without these Holy gifts?...Let us never lose site of these most sacred of gifts and what His birth means to mankind and us...And let us never forget the Hope that He brings...Hope was born on Christmas Day...