Saturday (Day 21)

VERSES:  Luke 2:15-21

I recently read an account by Colin Webster of a woman named Thelma Howard.  In 1951, Howard was hired by Walt Disney to be his housekeeper.  She worked in that role for 30 years, becoming a real life Mary Poppins to Disney’s children and grandchildren.  Like many other members of Disney’s staff, Howard was given a share of stock each year for Christmas.  Howard collected all these shares, but never cashed them in, simply keeping them in a box beneath her bed.

According to an LA Times article from 1994, nearing the end of her life, Howard was living in poor conditions sharing a room with three other people in a very modest nursing home without a view.  Disney’s children found her in this condition and moved her to a better location for her last days but nothing indicative of what she was really worth.  Upon her death, Thelma Howard’s estate was valued at $9 million (mostly due to the Disney stock she owned but never cashed in.) When those Christmas gifts from Walt were eventually “opened” and cashed in, they ultimately would be used to bless many through her foundation helping those in need.

This story reminds us that for Christmas gifts to be activated, they must be opened.  Upon learning that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the shepherds had an option.  Would they “open” this gift and go and see the newborn King, or would they stay in the field and keep this gift under their bed?  The shepherds responded with faith and visited Jesus and told all the wonders of what they saw.

How about you?  Jesus has come to offer you the Christmas gift of peace with God and forgiveness of sin.  Will you open this gift and place your faith in Him today?  Like Mary, will you treasure in your heart the person of Christ and rely on Him and Him alone for your salvation?  You can open this Christmas gift today by praying to God and expressing your faith and trust in Him.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Friday (Day 20)

VERSES:  Luke 2:6-14

Have you ever rewatched a movie with a surprise ending?  The first time you saw it, your jaw dropped with the plot twist, but by the tenth time seeing the movie, you come to expect the previously unexpected turn.

In today’s verses we see the birth of Jesus followed by a number of surprising twists and turns. 

First of all, Jesus is laid in a manger.  A MANGER!  An animal’s feeding trough.  This was the humble abode where Jesus, the King of Kings, would spend His first night on the earth.  How rare was this?  Well, the angels tell the shepherds that they will be able to identify which baby was Jesus because Jesus was the only baby in Bethlehem lying in a manger!  We are so familiar with this story, that we are no longer shocked by this reality.  Even more shocking, though, is WHY Jesus was laid in a manger … because there was no room for Him indoors.  No one else was willing to be inconvenienced so that Jesus could be born in a more accommodating setting.

The next big surprise came with angels filling the sky outside Bethlehem.  Again, we are so familiar with this story that we just think that angels ALWAYS fill the night sky around Bethlehem, but remember, those who first saw them were terrified.  Why?  Because it was not normal for angels to be in Bethlehem’s sky.  And, who did the angels first inform of the birth of Jesus?  The shepherds of course!  Again, we have lived an entire lifetime seeing shepherds in our nativity scenes, so their angelic visit makes sense to us, but it was a shock to the first century.  Shepherds were not people invited to formal events, and due to their proximity to the elements they interacted with in their vocation, they were deemed ritually unclean, making them religious outsiders.

May you read these very familiar verses today with fresh eyes.  As you “rewatch” this familiar piece of history, don’t be desensitized to its amazing message.  Unto the religious outsiders and those stained by sin, a Savior is born!  “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!”  May your heart do what the residents of Bethlehem did not – make room for Jesus to be honored and worshiped with our obedience, affection, and faith.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Thursday (Day 19)

VERSES:  Luke 2:1-5 & Micah 5:2

In today’s verses we see Luke describing the events that led to Joseph and Mary arriving in Bethlehem before Jesus was born.  We might remember from earlier in this reading plan, that the Messiah was to be born in that little town. Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth, not Bethlehem, so a journey was required so that Jesus might be born in the correct place.  Notice the precision with which Luke details this history.  Fairy tales begin “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” or “once upon a time,” but the birth of Jesus is no fairy tale; it is a historical fact.  So Luke describes the real world events that led to Jesus being born in the correct location.

Caesar Augustus, who reigned over the Roman Empire for the 40 years leading up to the birth of Jesus, called a census requiring all people in the Empire to travel to their ancestral home to be counted.  This “counting” was done to both bolster the ego of the Emperor (“I have SO MANY people in my kingdom”) and also to set the requirements for taxation.  Caesar called three different censuses during his reign, but this particular one was the census taken before Quirinias’ first go ‘round as Governor of Syria (the phrasing “first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria” can also be translated “the registration before Quirinias became Governor of Syria.”)  Extra-biblical historical records confirm that there was indeed a census taken at the time of Jesus’ birth, and these details included by Luke help us verify when Jesus was born.

So, Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem.  They were thinking this was to fulfill Caesar’s requirements.  Caesar, who had no knowledge of who Joseph and Mary were, sends them (along with 50 million other residents of the Roman Empire) to their ancestral homes to satisfy his own ego and fill his own pockets.  These are the earthly explanations for what happened, but because of the prophecy of Micah 5:2, we know that God was working behind the scenes to orchestrate a heavenly purpose. 

Reading these verses reminds us that Jesus really came into history to save us.  It also reminds us that God is sovereign over the events of history and works all things together for His good purposes.  Our God is not the God of myths and fables but of reality and history.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Wednesday (Day 18)

VERSES:  Matthew 1:18-25

For good reason, Mary gets a lot of attention in the Christmas story. After all, Luke’s Gospel seems to give us Mary’s experiences while Jesus was in the womb and at His birth. Further, it seems as though Joseph died by the time Jesus’ public ministry took off, while Mary lived on. Therefore, there are more biblical records of Mary’s experience than Joseph’s.  All that said, it is important for us to think through Joseph’s experience in the story of Jesus’ birth – as it is a remarkable story of faith and faithfulness.

Today’s passage tells the story of Joseph’s experience during the time Jesus was inside Mary’s womb. Joseph and Mary were engaged/betrothed, but not yet married. In this reading plan, we have already looked at Mary’s experience from Luke 1 as God announced (through an angel) that Mary would be pregnant (even though she was a virgin) and have a Son who would be the Messiah. This was HUGE news, and certainly would have been hard to believe for anyone who was not talking to angels! And at first, Joseph was NOT talking to angels. God first brought the news to Mary before He brought the news to Joseph. So, with Mary pregnant, and Joseph looking only to natural explanations for this situation, Joseph decides to divorce Mary quietly – probably so that she could then marry whoever was the father of the child.

But it was not God’s will that Joseph would leave Mary. So, an angel intervened and visited Joseph to tell him that Mary’s child was indeed supernatural, and that Mary was telling the truth that the Baby was the Messiah. Can you imagine being a fly on the wall of Joseph’s room as he prays aloud, processing the news of Mary’s pregnancy and the angel’s visit?  Ultimately, Joseph chooses to trust the Lord (and not his emotion, reason, or logic) and stay with Mary. As a result, generations of people all over the world have named their kids “Joe” and put statues of him out each Christmas season. What a great choice Joseph made!

Take a moment and ponder the things about God that don’t make sense to you. Things you might wish to “dismiss quietly” instead of receiving them as true. Allow Joseph’s account to help us remember that many times God’s ways are simply higher (and better) than ours!

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Tuesday (Day 17)

VERSES:  Matthew 1:1-17 & Hebrews 4:15-16

You are a part of a family tree. Your experience may be very positive or your experience may have been rocky. For good or for bad, we are still connected to and marked by our lineage.  Personally, it bears great meaning to each of us.

However, there are some people whose family trees are not just PERSONALLY interesting  but have implications that impact the world. Think about members of the British Royal Family. Their blood lines bring with them responsibility and authority that impacts the society around them.

In Matthew 1:1-17, we see the family tree of Jesus Christ. This family tree lets us know at least two things:

1. It shows us that Jesus (the Son of God) became fully human at His earthly birth. He did not just become “human-like,” He PERSONALLY took on flesh and dwelt among us. Therefore, we do not have a Savior who cannot relate to us, but we have One who knows what it means to live in this world. His lineage is a reminder of that.

2. It shows us that Jesus’ genealogy sets Him up for a WORLD-WIDE impact. He is a descendant of Abraham, reminding us that He is ethnically a Jew, thus continuing the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people long ago. Also, we see that Jesus’ great, great, great, great, great grandpa was David – a reminder that Jesus would be the promised descendant of David to sit on the throne of God and reign forever. His family tree supports and qualifies Him for not just personal influence.

At Christmastime, we sometimes skip the beginning verses of Matthew 1:1-17 and begin our Scripture reading when the angels show up in 1:18ff. When we do that, we miss the blessing of generations . . . reminding us of the PERSONAL and WORLD shaping reality of Jesus’ life. He really did take on flesh and dwell among us, so He can relate to us and provide the help we require in times of need.  Scan over the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1 and see how many names you recognize.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Monday (Day 16)

VERSES:  Philippians 2:1-11

There is a fundamental problem with humanity today.  This problem is not the economy or immigration or national defense or disease or whatever other issue makes the evening news.  The fundamental problem with humanity is sin. 

The word sin means to miss the mark, to err.  Ultimately humanity has a condition that has sinned against God and wandered away from His direction and design.  While the effects of our sin show up in the issues we see on the news each night, the root cause lies within the hearts of us all.  In fact, we even bring it to church.

Churches all over the world for the past 2000 years are made up of sinners.  Did you know that?  Of course those who have turned to Christ are forgiven sinners, and have a declared new identity before God as “saint” or “one made holy,” but even the “saints” inside the church sin in what they think, do, and say.  It is a real problem.

At its core, sin compels people to act in selfish ways, looking out for only themselves, to the neglect of the needs of those around them.  When a person places themselves and their desires above everything else, including God and the needs of others, they are moving in the direction of sin. 

So how can humanity escape this vicious loop?  Well, in today’s verses, the Apostle Paul describes a path out … by following the pattern and thinking of Jesus Christ.  As we saw yesterday, Jesus is God, and has resided forever in heaven above, yet He did not cling to the luxury of heaven, but instead chose to come to this earth to serve our needs.  He informed our ignorance, healed our diseases, identified with our existence, and ultimately died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.  He did all of this for us.  He looked “not only to His interests but also to the interests of others.”

The birth, life, and death of Jesus create a beautiful model for Christians to serve one another, and not always look out for number one.  How can you serve others and consider them as more important than yourself this week?

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

WEEK 3:  Welcome to His humble abode

Sunday (Day 15)

VERSES:  John 1:1, Isaiah 6:1-3, Revelation 4:1-11, Galatians 4:4-7

In the first 7 days of this study, we looked at the hometown of Jesus’ birth, the little town of Bethlehem.  In the next 7 days, we saw the interactions that occurred in and around the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth.  These next 7 days, we will move on to discuss where Jesus was placed after His birth, in a manger.  This feeding trough was the humble home of the Savior that first Christmas morning. 

To fully appreciate where Jesus was born, however, we must remember where He came FROM.  Most immediately, of course, He came from Mary’s womb, but before that He came from heaven.  Jesus has existed eternally.  In the words of John 1:1, in the time that we know of as the beginning, the Word (Jesus) already was.  He has always existed as the Son of God because He is God Himself, and God is eternal, knowing no beginning or ending.

That means that before He came to the earth in Mary’s womb and eventually to Bethlehem, Jesus was in heaven.  So, the descriptions we see in the Bible of heaven in Isaiah 6:1-3 and Revelation 4:1-11 are descriptions of where Jesus resided before humbly taking His place in the manger.

Heaven is a place of opulence and splendor, inhabited by angelic beings worshipping God Himself.  What a place!  Imagine the most beautiful home you can imagine set in the most spectacular location on the earth, and it would look shabby compared to the glory of heaven.

Jesus has always been, and came forth at just the right time to make it possible that you and I might be adopted by God and invited to join Him in His heavenly home.  Take a moment today to thank Him for gift of His coming to earth to rescue and redeem us.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Saturday (Day 14)

VERSES:  Luke 1:67-80

Christmas is truly a musical holiday. I love the “soundtrack” that plays in the background of December every year. Whether you are in church, driving in the car, or even shopping at the local mall, songs of our Savior fill the air from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

Sometimes, we think that our love for music at Christmas time is a part of the commercialization of the holiday, but a closer look at the biblical account of Christmas reveals that the first Advent was also a musical. From Mary’s “Magnificat” to angels singing, music/poetry was a key way heaven and earth welcomed the newborn king.

As you look at the albums first recorded around the birth of Christ, however, you will notice that both famous AND more obscure songs were recorded around the time of the manger. Right after Mary’s hit song, Zechariah records what some may see as the “B side” to her 45. You may have skipped this track in the past, but today, I want you to “press play” and read its beautiful lyrics found in Luke 1:67-79.

Zechariah sings a song at the circumcision ceremony on the 8th day of his son John’s life.  After waiting a lifetime for the joy of fatherhood, it is striking that Zechariah spends most of the time at his son’s circumcision singing about Jesus, not John. Zechariah “got it” . . . he understood that the real joy in his AND John’s life would be their connection to Jesus. Zechariah waited a lifetime to be a father, but God’s people had waited a few millennia for Messiah’s birth. Therefore, the song centers around Jesus and His work.

At the end of the song, is one of the most poetic and beautiful statements about the work of Jesus in all of Scripture. “Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

I am so thankful that in Christ we have a hope that one day all death will be replaced with life eternal, and all darkness will be illuminated with His light. This is the reason Zechariah sings . . . and the reason we sing as well.

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org

Friday (Day 13)

VERSES:  Luke 1:13, 1:31 & 1:57-66

Why were you given the name you were given?  My parents named me with a combination of a family name and a name that they liked.  We did something similar with my son.  Sometimes families will adopt the surname of the wife’s family and use it as a first or middle name of their child to honor their family legacy.  Sometimes we name our children after someone famous that has had an impact on our lives.  Our culture and family traditions influence what we name our children. 

In the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we see that the names for both John and Jesus came from heaven (not earth).  The angel directed Zechariah to name his son John, and the same angel directed Mary to name her son Jesus.  So what is in these names?

The name John means “The LORD is gracious” and the name Jesus means “God saves.”  Interestingly enough, the titles of these two men help us understand more of their role in God’s plan.  “The Baptist” (John’s descriptive title) talks of the role he played in calling people to be cleansed before God and turn to Him.  “Christ” is a Greek rendering of the Hebrew “Messiah,” the promised One who would come and be the savior of the world.

The names of both John and Jesus are important.  That is why when John is eventually born, in Luke 1:57-66, his mom and dad insist on his being named John.  They were faithful to be obedient to the naming of their child, even if it went against the expectations of their neighbors.

God is honored always when we obey Him.  But when we obey Him even though it might be seen as odd by the watching world around us, I think God is extra honored.  That is why Zechariah is rewarded with the return of his speaking ability after he follows through with faithfully obeying God in the naming of his son. 

Are you honoring God by being obedient to His direction in His Word today?  Most of us have not been given a name for our children by God Himself, but God in His Word is calling all of us to obedience in many areas of life.  Will you obey Him even if it means looking odd to those around you?

You can find the full devotional in pdf here.

You can find more information about our church and Christmas programs by visiting wildwoodchurch.org