Read
Luke 1:26-38 – 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 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 father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
1 Peter 1:3-9 – 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
PONDER
The Lord is in control, and He is good. We are His servants. Do you trust what He will bring into your life?
The outcome of our faith is the salvation of our souls. Though we do not see Jesus, we believe in Him. Our faith and our trust are in Him, and we rejoice. In Him, our hope is alive. In Him, we have an inheritance kept in heaven for us that will one day be revealed. Christ is coming again! Let this reality lead you to worship.
PRAY
- Father, you are sovereign and you are good. Let it be to us according to your Word.
- Father, lead us to grow in trust—in active submission to your authority.
- Father, we believe that Christ is coming again and rejoice in you.
- Father, this Advent season, we remember and celebrate Jesus’ birth. Thank you that He came to save us from our sins.
- Father, this Advent season, we anticipate Christ’s return. Help us be attentive to set our gaze forward and to long for the fullness of our salvation that lies ahead.
- Father, prepare me to gather with my church and worship you. You are worthy! To you be the glory!
Sing: Listen to this week’s songs on Spotify
PRactice
Gather! 9:30am or 11:00am. Purpose your heart to read, pray, sing, and give as a means to worship King Jesus and spur on your brothers and sisters in Christ.
This Sunday we will celebrate baptism! Take a moment to pray with your family, thanking the Lord for His work in your lives and in the lives of those who will be baptized into God’s family this weekend.
Throughout Advent, consider how your money reflects your priorities and values. We give as a sacrificial act of worship to the Lord who has given us all things. This Christmas, make your largest gift a kingdom gift through Christmas Give.