Category Archives: 2013 Christmas Devotional

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismissContinue reading “Day 10 – The Doubter?”

[Jesus] came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogues, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man et his wisdom and these deeds of power? Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:54-55)    In Matthew 13:54-55 we find Jesus preaching in his hometown. Some of theContinue reading “Day 9 – Joseph the Carpenter”

WEEK TWO Bethlehem             Last week we visited Nazareth, the hometown of Mary, where she learned she would have a child. Today we turn to Joseph’s story and how he found out Mary would give birth to the Messiah. A careful reading of the Gospels leads many scholars to believe that Joseph’s hometown was BethlehemContinue reading “Week 2 -Bethlehem”

            But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,                        who are one of the little clans of Judah,                   from you shall come forth for me                       one who is to rule in Israel,                   whose origin is from of old,                       from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)   “AndContinue reading “Day 8 – Little Town of Bethlehem”

“She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)    Before Jesus was even born, Joseph was told that his son would be humanity’s Savior. Jesus-Joshua, as he would have been called by Mary and Joseph- means “the Lord saves.” TheContinue reading “Day 7 – He Will Save His People from Their Sins”

Now all of this took place so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled:             Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel. (Emmanuel means “God with us.”)           (Matthew 1:22-23 CEB)                 As I write, cities and towns alongContinue reading “Day 6 – “They Will Call Him Emmanuel””

Then Mary said, “here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)               Imagine thirteen-year-old Mary hearing from the messenger that she would have a child, conceived out of wedlock, who would grow up to be the messianic king. Those words would have madeContinue reading “Day 5 – “Here Am I, the Servant of the Lord””

“And now you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 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 ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,Continue reading “Day 4 – “You Will Conceive and Bear a Son””

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ButContinue reading “Day 3 – An Angel Named Gabriel”

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. (Luke 1:26-27)             It was “the other side of the track,” ifContinue reading “Day 2 – A Town in Galilee Called Nazareth”