Celebrating Advent: December 13

Luke 2: 1-5 


The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.   (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)   

All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

Celebrating Advent: December 12

Luke 1: 46-56 


The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
 and from now on all generations will call me blessed.  For the Mighty One is holy,
 and he has done great things for me.

He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.

His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

He has brought down princes from their thrones
 and exalted the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things
 and sent the rich away with empty hands.

He has helped his servant Israel
 and remembered to be merciful.

For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

Celebrating Advent: December 11

Luke 1: 39-45 


Mary Visits Elizabeth

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.  At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.  You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Celebrating Advent: December 10

Matthew 1: 22-26 


All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
   She will give birth to a son,
 and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.  But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born.  And Joseph named him Jesus.

Celebrating Advent: December 9

Matthew 1:18-21 


The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. 

His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.  But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.  “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.  For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”