From Pastor Perry

Luke 1:57–66 (ESV)

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸ And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, ⁶⁰ but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹ And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴ And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵ And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶ and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Elizabeth gives birth to John; Zechariah confirms his son’s name. John is truly the Lord’s gift to you as well because he prepared the way for your Savior, Jesus. Do not doubt, but dare to proclaim what the Lord has promised and accomplished for your salvation. His blessings never cease to amaze!

I pray: “When all the world was cursed By Moses’ condemnation, Saint John the Baptist came With words of consolation. With true forerunner’s zeal The greater One he named, And Him, as yet unknown, As Savior he proclaimed.” Amen. (LSB 346:1)^[1]

Luke 1:46–56 (ESV)

Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat

⁴⁶ And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

⁴⁷  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸  for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

⁴⁹  for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

⁵⁰  And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

⁵¹  He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

⁵²  he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

⁵³  he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

⁵⁴  He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

⁵⁵  as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

⁵⁶ And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

The Lord delivers His people amid suffering and disappointment. Today, no matter what troubles assail you, trust in the Lord as your deliverer, and commend all cares to Him in prayer. Rejoice in His surpassing mercy through the Holy Child, who delivers the generations from sin and sorrow.

I pray: O Lord, help me to magnify your Glory.  Help me to see you beyond my human limitations and to see you as God.  Amen.

Luke 1:39–45 (ESV)

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰ and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴² and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

As Mary greets Elizabeth, baby John leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. The work of God’s Spirit is not limited by age, gender, or socio-economic status. He is poured out for all people according to the good and gracious will of God, who blesses motherhood and children and, through them, all humanity, even as He promised Eve (Gn 3:15). Like baby John, leap for joy that salvation comes from the Lord in humble and unexpected ways as the Good News of Jesus is shared.

I pray: “Thou Christian heart, Whoe’er thou art, Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee! For God’s own Child, In mercy mild, Joins thee to Him; how greatly God must love thee!” Amen. (LSB 372:4)^[1]

Luke 1:35–38 (ESV)

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.

Mary’s question as to she will bear a child… “How can this be?”  With God, nothing is impossible when it is his will.  Mary asks How? Let the scriptures answer 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.”

I pray: O Lord, help me to trust you!  Amen.

Luke 1:26–34 (ESV)

Birth of Jesus Foretold

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?”

We limit our thinking by what we know, experience, and the laws of science.  What we forget is that God can do the impossible.  He created and wrote the laws of science.  We think within the box, but God is bigger than our box.    Mary is thinking inside the box.

I pray: O Lord, help us to not limit you according to our limitations or understandings.  Help us to trust you and to expect the impossible.  Amen.