Advent Devotional: Week Four - Friday

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

It all seems so simple and ordinary: An imperial edict, a pregnant teenager, a soon-to-be husband, and a town full of people simply following the law of the land. Ordinary events of history, ordained by God as part of the greatest miracle in the history of the world: The Son of God being born as a child in the city of David. And it all happened when “the time came.”

In Galatians 4:4-5 Paul writes, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

The God who rules history, entered our history, to claim us and all our tomorrows as his own.

This Christmas morning, join the Apostle Paul as he proclaims the gloriousness of the gospel (1 Timothy 3:16):

"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world,

taken up in glory."

And join the Apostle John as he prays in response to Jesus’ proclamation, “Surely I am coming soon,” with the following: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20).

Prayer and Hymn: "Joy to the World!"

Joy to the world! the Lord is come: let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns: let all their songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sin and sorrow grow nor thorns infest the ground; he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.