The Birth of the King

The coming of Jesus was proceeded by the miraculous and the supernatural. Something "big" was in the air based on the way God was working among His people. First Zechariah sees a vision. Then Mary and Joseph do as well. John's birth saw the miracle of Zechariah regaining his voice. Jesus' birth at first, however, seemed subdued and without fanfare. We'll see the announcement and the worship in week 3. This week we focus on the events leading up and culminating in the birth of the Savior.

Dec 5 | Dec 6 | Dec 7 | Dec 8 | Dec 9 | Dec 10 | Dec 11

December 5 - Zechariah's Vision

Key Verses: Luke 1:13-17

When we look at the background of Zechariah and Elizabeth we notice that both both were of the line of Aaron, the original high priest of Israel. Surely God had a special plan for whoever their son would be!  But alas, there had been no children at all. And so it came to pass that God had something to tell Zechariah, one of His priests. It was Zechariah's time to serve at the temple. And when it was time to decide who among those at the temple would go in and light the incense, the lots fell to Zechariah.  God had ordained a special moment and a special message for the priest.  

Zechariah went into the temple and was met by an angel of the Lord, Gabriel. Gabriel told Zechariah that he would have a son and Zechariah was to name his son John. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were old and passed the age when people have children. Yet God had performed this miracle before. Abraham and Sarah were very old, too, when God blessed them with Isaac. Just as God had before, God would work a miracle. This miracle would be the birth of the one we call John the Baptist, the one who would announce Jesus' ministry and the one who would receive the special honor of baptizing the Savior.  

December 6 - Mary's Vision

Key Verses: Luke 1:30-33

Gabriel's work wasn't done. God then sent him to see a young woman, one God had set apart. Her name was Mary. God had chosen her to bear His Son into the world, to bear Jesus. Gabriel describes exactly who Jesus would be: the Son of the Most High. In other words, the Son of God or God Himself. Jesus would be a fulfillment of the promise to David, the man God described as a man after His own heart. 

Mary was a descendant of King David and that's one of the reasons God chose her. But Mary was also a woman who, upon hearing the news, described herself as God's "slave" or servant. Mary would do what the Lord would ask of her and that made her the perfect choice to be the mother of Jesus. Our God made sure everything was just right for the coming of His Son!

December 7 - Joseph's Vision

Key Verses: Matthew 1:20-23

Joseph was all set to be Mary's husband. But then he found out something that was shocking: Mary was going to have a baby! How could this be? Joseph couldn't understand it. The Bible describes Joseph as a righteous man. That means the only way Mary could be having a baby is if Mary did something wrong... or God was working another miracle. Because we looked at Gabriel's message to Mary yesterday, we know God was at work. But Joseph didn't know that. 

He only knew he had done nothing wrong. Still, there was no point making a big fuss over it. He and Mary just wouldn't go through with the wedding and he'd keep things quiet. No sense in hurting the woman he loved. But I'm sure it broke Joseph's heart to think Mary had done something wrong. And that's when God stepped in. Once again God sent an angel of the Lord. This angel explained everything to Joseph. He told Joseph to get married to Mary because the baby was a miracle. That was good enough for Joseph. He would be Mary's husband and the earthly father of our Lord, Jesus.

December 8 - Mary Visits Elizabeth

Key Verses: Luke 1:39-45

Well, wouldn't you know it? Elizabeth was going to have a baby, too! This was something else Gabriel told Mary when he came with the message God had for her. Mary decides to visit her relative, Elizabeth, having heard the great news. The Bible says she hurried to where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived. Mary couldn't wait!

Mary stepped through the door and said hello. At that moment, the baby John leaped inside of his mother, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, then eagerly shouted Mary was the most blessed of woman and that her child, too, would be blessed. Elizabeth celebrated Mary's visit and asked happily how it happened the mother of the Lord came to visit her! She then told Mary about John's leaping. All this goes to show when Mary and Elizabeth got together, God was at work and His two servants were filled with praise for Him.

December 9 - Mary's Magnificat

Key Verses: Luke 1:46-55

Mary heard what Elizabeth said and immediately burst out with praise, too. Mary celebrated in how great God had been to her and how she felt blessed to be the one God chose to carry Jesus. In fact, Mary said God "has done great things for me." Mary knew how special God's miracle was and she was truly thankful. But Mary's praise shows us a whole lot more about Mary than her thankfulness.

Mary's praise, called the Magnificat, shows how she realized being the mother of God would mean to the future. She knew how others would feel about her. But she realized Jesus' coming was due to God's mercy. This young lady also knew Jesus' coming fulfilled the promises made to Abraham and his descendants. Overwhelmed with all of this, she cried out in praise! We, too, can cry out in praise for Jesus.  

December 10 - John's Birth

Key Verses: Luke 1:60-66

Finally it came time for the baby of Zechariah and Elizabeth to be born. Their friends and family rejoiced when the news of a baby boy reached them. It was a great time of celebration! And shortly thereafter it came time to present the baby at the temple and give him a name. That's when the trouble started. Elizabeth wanted to name the boy John. Friends and family, however, wanted to name him Zechariah after his daddy. Elizabeth wouldn't budge. She had her mind set on John and that was it. We, of course, know that's what the angel Gabriel told Zechariah to name the boy. But her relatives didn't. So they pleaded with her and pointed out no one in the family was named John. Fed up, they took the matter to Zechariah.

Zechariah, unable talk since his time with Gabriel, wrote, "His name is John." And just like that Zechariah could talk again! The old priest immediately began praising God. Everyone knew then this boy's name would be John and this boy would do something great. How right they were.

December 11: Jesus' Birth

Key Verses: Luke 2:4-7

They weren't even supposed to be in Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth but here they were, with Mary almost ready to have her baby, in that tiny city. The Roman government had demanded a census, when everyone would be counted. You couldn't say no to the Romans. It wasn't allowed. To make matter worse, Mary and Joseph couldn't get a room. There wasn't any place to stay at the inn, or hotel. That's when He came.

Jesus was born and the Bible tells us Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, as his first bed. He didn't come into the world in a palace or castle as one would expect of a king. But that's the way it had been planned all along. Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem fulfilling the prophecy given to Micah. God kept that promise and did so with nothing special for Himself. After all, God didn't come to earth for Himself, He came that day for all of us!