Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel. “...and they will call him Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 NIV84 O Come, O Come Emmanuel Time after time, the Israelites found themselves separated from God - always by their own doing. And God would eventually deliver them, only to be betrayed by His chosen people again. So we find two constant themes in the Old Testament: • The Israelites, no matter how hard they tried, were unfaithful God • God remained faithful and fulfilled the promises He made to them Through His prophets, God made many promises. Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel.” The name Emmanuel translates as “God with us.” It’s a remarkable promise - the Ultimate Being and Creator of the Universe promising to make Himself physically present with the people who have proven themselves unworthy. In one of the most somber Christmas song, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, there is an embraced tension within Israel. They are in exile, separated from God yet again. With a sober perspective, they choose to rejoice in the promise God has made to them. With nothing else to cling to, in the midst of desperation and loneliness, they recall and proclaim the promise that God would be with them - knowing that, in spite of their unfaithfulness, God is faithful to His promises. No one could have expected a baby in a manger to be the start of God’s perfect plan to be “with us.” And yet, that is exactly how God fulfilled His promise. Are you waiting for God to come through on a promise He has made? Do you feel a sense of loneliness or exile? Rejoice! Rejoice! Through Christ, God has made Himself present to us. His faithfulness is greater than our failure. And His presence is all the reason we need to, once more, rejoice! Questions: Since God is “Emmanuel,” how is God with you this holiday season? Are you ready for God to do a new thing in your life?

"Away in a manger, no crib for His bed; the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head." While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7 Away In A Manger While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is born in a manger with not so much as a bed to lie on. The humble beginnings of our Lord’s life remind us that we are to be humble and thankful for what we have been blessed with. The true meaning of Christmas is reflected so poetically in the story of Jesus’ birth that we cannot help but find ourselves grateful for all that was given to us on that day. The song describes how even when Jesus wakes, he does not cry out or make a sound. This day was a day of rejoicing, and the baby lying awake on the hay was no ordinary child, He was the Savior of men! The last verse of the song asks the Lord to stay beside us, to lead us, and to eventually take us to Heaven to live with Him. How often is that our prayer? Stay beside me Lord as I make my way through this earthly life. How glorious and beautiful is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate His birth and the life that was given to us by Him through His life, death, and resurrection. Questions: In your opinion, how does this carol reflect the love of Christ? What does this carol show you about our Lord at the beginning of His life here on earth? Why do you think God chose for his son to be born in a manger instead of a birth fitting of royalty?

"Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy Do you hear what I hear? Ringing thru the sky, shepherd boy Do you hear what I hear?" He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 6: 15-16 Do You Hear What I Hear Over 2000 years ago, the Savior of the world was born. Have you ever stopped to think about how people found out about His birth? The song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” gives us an example of how the news of His birth might have spread. The song starts with the Holy Spirit asking the lamb, “Do you see what I see?” The Lamb then goes to the shepherd and asks, “Do you hear what I hear?” The Shepherd immediately goes to the King and asks “Do you know what I know?” When they shared what God had told them, an entire nation heard about the birth of their Savior, Jesus, and what His birth meant for the entire world. Here’s the great news: this too is our calling as followers of Christ - to share with others what we have been told! God reveals Himself to all of us in different ways, depending on our personalities and gifts. For some, He shows us visible things about Himself, like a star in the sky. For others, we hear His voice; and then some of us grow closer to Him best through our intellect. The question is what are we doing with what God gives us? We have to realize that God will use us to bring people to Him through what He has revealed to us. In this song, God chose a shepherd boy’s voice to tell others about what He had heard and, as a result, an entire nation heard about Jesus’ birth. What about today? If we want people to know about a Savior that has been born, we have to take the time to share with others what He is revealing to us. Lives are changed when we tell the people in our lives what God has shown and done for us. Questions: What has God shown or told you lately that you should be sharing with others? In what ways does God reveal Himself to you?

O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect Light. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV We Three Kings Of Orient Are It’s often difficult for people to understand that Jesus was born just like us. He wasn’t born in a luxurious palace or a fancy hospital. He was born outside, in a manger. He came into a world filled with sin, yet he lived an absolutely perfect life. He came to lead us, and guide us into a loving relationship with God. The three wise men are a great example of what complete submission to God looks like. The moment they saw the star they likely dropped everything they were doing and embarked on a long journey that was most likely difficult at times. The men had no idea where they were going, but placed their complete trust in a star to lead them. They devoted everything to seeking Him no matter the cost. Just like the three men in this song followed a shining star to see Jesus when he was born, if we submit ourselves to God, He will direct our paths and be a perfect guide for our lives. Questions: What are the areas in your life you need to submit to God? Try to remember a time where you did submit something to God. What was the outcome of that situation?

"Mild He lays His glory by. Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth; Born to give them second birth." "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," 1 Peter 1:3 NIV Hark! The Herald Angels Sing God, in his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope. It’s fun to look at a tiny baby and imagine what he will grow up to become. It could be anything – a pilot, a policeman, a chef, an astronaut, a pastor, or a million other options. The future is wide open and full of possibilities. Jesus was born with one purpose. As it says in the carol, he was “born that man no more may die.” His birth was all about our new birth. In 1 Peter 1:3, Peter praises God for the “new birth into a living hope” – and all that is possible because Jesus laid aside his glory and offered Himself in our place, taking the punishment of death we deserved for our sins. His death and resurrection gives us new life. As you go about your business and your busyness of the season, intentionally take a few moments to slow down and remember that Jesus was born to give YOU a second birth. What a reason to praise Him! Questions: How do you express your gratitude to Jesus for the new life He gives you? Who in your life doesn’t yet realize the true reason for Jesus’ birth? What will you do to share it with them?

“All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord will stand forever.”  1 Peter 1:24 , 25 . NIV Our earthly bodies are like grass. When you walk out and see grass or you see a flower, you must ask yourself, “How long is that flower going to last?” It’s going to start wilting quickly. That happens to us. View yourself like a plant. Don’t take yourself so seriously. You’re not going to look good for long. And it’s going to get expensive to look good. When you’re born, you’ll spring up like a seedling. You’ll have your glory days, but it’s going to be over. Peter says that there is only one thing that’s going to last. The Word of the Lord will last. The Word of the Lord is unique. When you are gone, God’s Word will still be here and it will still be true. When God says something, it’s always going to be true. His Divine Truth will never be obsolete when we die and go to heaven. God doesn’t say “Now, I take that back.” We have to be people that have to learn how to love His Eternal Word. Nowadays we have podcasts of preachers all over the world, we have all sorts of Christian books, devotionals and videos, but it can’t replace God’s Word. There is something that happens when you are reading God’s Word. It totally changes you. This Word is “…the Word that is preached to you.” In chapter two of 1 Peter, Peter describes young Christians as spiritual infants longing for spiritual milk. We have all heard babies that didn’t get their bottle. You always hear the babies crying who didn’t get their bottle and the mom is frantically looking for it. Nothing works. No pacifier, nothing will shut that kid up besides the bottle. We should be like newborn infants longing for His Word. Nothing else will satisfy us. I can never read too much scripture in a sermon. That’s what the world wants these days. Sound bytes. We need His Word. It’s our life. Remember, “If you indeed have tasted that the Lord is good…” When we read and pray, communing with God, we have a unique relationship that is not obtained simply from relating with other people. Intimacy with God is irreplaceable. Invest your life in the God-moments.

"Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good will to men." Psalm 29:11 NIV The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. Who is God to you? Is he your protector? Your provider? This Christmas Season, have you allowed him to be your peace? It can be easy to view God simply as a friend to go to in times of trouble or a magic genie that grants all of your prayers. But God is so much more than that, and the blessings he wants to give to you are endless! He offers so many wonderful things—completely free of charge–including hope, joy, and peace for your heart. God wants nothing but the best for you. Although your circumstances may be difficult, or hard to understand at times, that doesn’t mean that God isn’t there. He cares about you and loves with a giant-sized love, and he’s waiting for you to let Him be your peace. So this Christmas, as you think about all the gifts you need to buy, and your never-ending to-do list, don’t forget to stop and remember that only God can provide you with the unwavering quiet strength that comes from his peace. Questions: In what ways do you find peace and comfort in God? What difficult circumstances are you currently dealing with that you need God’s peace in helping you endure?

"When the new heaven and earth shall own the Prince of Peace, the King, And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing." “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:3-4 When the angels first sang about peace on Earth and goodwill to all men, the shepherds must have wondered what was going on. They certainly didn’t hear angelic choirs everyday , and First Century Palestine was hardly a peaceful place. The streets buzzed with rumours of revolution and the tension often boiled over into violence. Society was split along lines of gender, race, wealth and religion, and the shepherds themselves were only a few rungs above beggars on the social ladder. For some of us, Christmas itself is a time to be with friends and family, but for others it reminds us that we are alone or separated from loved ones. Two thousand years later, we seem to be as far as ever from Heaven on Earth, Many people in the First Century were expecting a quick fix for the world’s problems, and of course that didn’t happen. It still hasn’t happened. But Christmas reminds us of God’s promise to bring in a kingdom where wars, injustice and even death will be a thing of the past, and where we will live together with God. That’s our hope. God does have a plan. The best really is to come. In the meantime, God continues to show his love to us in so many ways. He provides for our needs. He answers our prayers. He invites us to start living today like citizens of the kingdom that has not yet been fully revealed. We can love one another as Christ loved us here and now. We can show his compassion and his unconditional acceptance to others today. We can experience a foretaste of the new Heaven and Earth right now. We can share that experience with others. And we can do all this in the knowledge that God’s Kingdom will prevail and that the whole of creation will one day see the truth that those shepherds heard on a remote, Palestinian hillside. Questions: What one thing could you change to give those around you a foretaste of God’s Kingdom of peace?

"Come they told me, Pa rum pa pum pum A newborn King to see, Pa rum pa pum pum. Our finest gifts to bring, to lay before the king." The Little Drummer Boy So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Romans 12:1 MSG The night was silent, except for the beating of his heart. It seemed so loud to him, he wondered if his traveling companions could hear it too. He was nervous to see a king, but he kept walking, holding tightly to his drum. His heart was about to beat out of his chest. The others were carrying beautiful boxes filled with precious gifts, gifts worthy of a king. He had nothing but his drum which suddenly seemed an inappropriate instrument to play for king, not to mention a newborn baby king. If only he had a more soothing instrument, like the harp the shepherd boys sometimes play. His heart beat was deafening as he stood before the king. And then Mary nodded. The King’s mother nodded at him.. She actually wanted him to play. He raised his sticks and began to beat out of the first pattern that came into his head, the rhythm of his beating heart. And so the Little Drummer Boy gave his heart to God. He played his best. He gave his best. How often do we feel our gifts are not good enough? We compare ourselves to others, wondering why their gifts seem so much more “useful” for the kingdom. We want to teach like our Pastor, or sing like our Worship Leader. Or maybe we want to share our blessings, but at times, we don’t feel very blessed. We can’t give what we don’t have, but rather than lamenting our lack, we need to look for our “drum”, the one thing that only we can give. The truth is God already has teaching like the Pastor’s. He already has singing like the worship leader’s. And what He wants, what He can really use, is your heart. Think of ways that you can bless others this season and in turn bless God. You don’t have to spend money. You just have to give of yourself, of your heart. Just like the little Drummer Boy. And Jesus smiled at him. Think of Jesus smiling at you. Kind of makes your heart race, doesn’t it? Listen. Questions: How can you bless God by blessing others this holiday season? Are you giving your best to God? If not, how could you give your best to him today?

George Mueller once said something like this (not verbatim, but this is its essence): “I read Scripture until I come to a verse that can bear my whole weight, and then I stop and ponder it.” That happened to me yesterday, and today I am pondering the same verse. But first, the background, so you’ll know why I’ve found such comfort in it. Recently I’ve been battling depression. While it’s not chronic for me, it’s periodic. Always has been, and until I’m with the Lord and gazing on His face, I suspect it will be. Some good things have happened lately, and some challenging things. This week I didn’t sleep well, had a few exhausting days, and then had a particularly difficult day in which I needed to ask forgiveness of my wife and a couple of friends for cutting them off in a conversation, when I became proud and impatient because they didn’t agree with something that was important to me. It was humbling, and that’s exactly what I need some times. Worst of all, I let God down. Not that my sin takes Him by surprise, but I love Him so much, and I owe Him everything; I just don’t want to disappoint Him. Yes, I know, believe me I know, He understands and forgives. But sin brought pain to Christ, and I think it should bring pain to us, so when he takes away not only the sin, but the pain, we appreciate the depth of His grace. Anyway, after I’ve confessed and asked forgiveness of the Lord and others, there is sometimes an abiding sense of defeat at my having failed God and those I love, and having seen the ugliness yet within me (making me long for the new heavens and new earth, where I’ll be righteous, and free from this sin that entangles me). Even the surprise at being humbled is a reflection of pride. In the little book  Spiritual Maturity: Principles of Spiritual Growth for Every Believer , which I read as a new Christian in 1970, Miles Stanford said something I’ve never forgotten: “To be disappointed in yourself is to have believed in yourself.” My sense of defeat isn’t all bad. Arguably, pride is the root of all sin. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. He prunes the vine that it may bear more fruit, and pruning is by nature painful, sometimes excruciating. Depression has its good side. It makes me want to be alone with God, the one who understands. Even though I don’t get it, He does. It deepens my friendship with Nanci, because of all people besides the Lord she understands best, and graciously allows me space. She stands beside me, as she has for the nearly 40 years I’ve known her (we met in high school, before I knew Christ). She is precious to me, and I am in her debt. And she makes me laugh, which is a great gift. Okay, so here’s that verse that I have been resting my weight upon. This isn’t the first time God has used it with me, but this time it has gone deep. It’s  Zephaniah 3:17 : The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. This is profound on every level. God is with us and is mighty to save—great words, but words often expressed in Scripture, more familiar to us. What is remarkable here is that this great God who created the universe “will take great delight in you.” GOD take delight in ME? God take GREAT delight in me? You must be kidding. No. This is God’s Word. No kidding. But that’s not all. “He will quiet you with his love.” When the waves are crashing and the ship is sinking, or we’re floundering in the water, getting swallowed in darkness, thinking we’re about to drown, God will rescue us, quieting us with His love. This is the Redeemer not only of us but all His creation, as Romans 8  so powerfully conveys. He promises in  Revelation 21:4  that one day there will be no more pain and death and that He will personally wipe away the tears from every eye. (Ponder that—not merely “no more tears,” but He will wipe away every tear from each of our eyes.) There is much that’s wrong with our world, and much that’s wrong with us. But He is the Carpenter from Nazareth, and carpenters not only create, they repair. He’s going to fix us and the entire universe. There has been much turbulence within me in the last four weeks, for reasons I don’t really understand. I need to be quieted. What will quiet me is God’s love. Mary knew this, when she sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to him. Jesus said only one thing was necessary, and Mary had chosen it. If I sit quietly at His feet, He will quiet me with His love. Despite my to do list, I have only one thing to do: worship Him, love Him, listen to Him, rest in Him. Zephaniah 3:17  tells us that God is a Singer. Indeed, He sang the universe into being. (Ever read Calvin Miller’s  The Singer Trilogy ? It’s wonderful, another of the books from the 70’s that shaped me.) Also makes me think of Aslan singing Narnia into existence in  The Magician’s Nephew . But here in Zephaniah God isn’t only our creator, he is our loving parent. Music is many things, but here it is comfort to the crying child. And so personal and intimate. God composes and song with us in mind, and sings it to us. As He holds us we might notice the ugly scars in His hands. How could we ever doubt his love? Do those look like the hands of a God who does not care? God is said to not merely do his duty to stop us from crying and calm our fears. Rather, He rejoices over us with singing. It’s the picture of a pleased and joyful parent, but perhaps in this case more a mother than father. In light of quieting us with his love and singing over us, doesn’t it make you think of the classic lullaby (which I see online has various versions, but this one I’m familiar with, and it really fits Zephaniah 3 ): Hush little darling don’t you cry Mama’s gonna sing you a lullaby And when that lullaby is through Mama’s gonna stay right here with you .And if you wake up in the night, Mama’s gonna make everything all right Hush little darling don’t you weep Mama’s gonna stay here until you sleep. There is an incredible tenderness and intimacy in Zephaniah 3  that in some ways is even stronger than the sentiments in that lullaby. God promises to come to us and quiet us with his love and rejoice over us with singing. Wow. What a comfort to young mothers, like my daughters, who are always extending such love to their children, but also need to be the recipients of such love from their God, who is both father and mother to us. (We can’t give out love to our families that we have not taken in from God; we love because He first loved us.) As context always does, the context of Zephaniah 3  sets us up for the full impact of verse 17. Four and five verses earlier God has stated his opposition to the proud and his advocacy for the humble: I will remove from this city those who rejoice in their pride. Never again will you be haughty on my holy hill. But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the LORD. Our Lord is the headwaters of joy. Too often we look first to the lower streams to find joy, forgetting that they flow from the Source of pure Joy, who beckons us to come upstream to Him and drink freely of the rivers of the water of life at their very purest. Sometimes, in moments of pride, we need to fear Him and repent. Other times, in moments of brokenness and despair, we need to just bathe in His grace, and see His smile and hear him say “Well done, enter into your Master’s joy.” We need to cast our cares upon Him, because he cares for us, come onto him when we’re weary and heavy laden, and He will give us rest. This is such a time for me. And perhaps for you too. Three verses before  Zephaniah 3:17 , God calls upon his people, in the midst of terrible hardship, to sing (Paul and Silas sang in prison, remember):. Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! And what better cause for our singing than God’s singing over us? The child in his mother’s arms, comforted by her singing, enters into her song. What should make us sing is the knowledge of  Zephaniah 3:17 , that when we are humble and broken, God promises to quiet us with His love. The Lord of the Cosmos—who was born in a barn and comforted in the arms of a Gallilean peasant girl who no doubt sang to him—kneels down, picks us up, wipes the tears from our eyes, and rejoices over us with singing? Incredible. But absolutely true. Bank on it. That’s what I’m doing right now. It’s still dark, but I can see the light. And I can hear the singing. www.epm.org .

When lo! above the earth rang out the angels’ chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere! Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born! Luke 2:10 NLT “...I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” The first time a woman finds out she is pregnant, she is filled with joy and searches for the best way to share the news with her husband, friends, and family. When a man is ready to propose marriage, he knows he has to find the right way to ask the question and share the news. Words can sometimes fail to fully convey the truth of good news. So, when God was ready to bring Jesus into flesh on earth, how did He bring the Good News? In the greatest spectacle, “a vast host” of angels appeared to seemingly random shepherds in a middle-of-nowhere field. Holy light shone down and their voices rang out - it’s the sort of blockbuster, showstopper you would expect for the greatest event in history. The only odd thing is the audience (“lowly” shepherds), and how few of them were probably there. Maybe that goes to show that no stone should be left unturned when we are sharing news like this. When Jesus began teaching, He did not spread the Good News by word alone. The blind received sight, the lame walked, and the dead were raised – all to communicate beyond words what the Good News meant. Isaiah 62 shouted, “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look your Savior is coming.” Jesus commanded the disciples to go to the ends of the earth. And in the classic spiritual, we are implored to “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere! Go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!” Questions: Are you shouting out the Good News? Why or why not? Is there a way for you to share the Good News in a more powerful way than through words?

Part 1: The Impossible Light In this series of advent posts, I will share the words of the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ life and birth. The words that follow are from the gospels and are combined, not edited. With the hope that we might encounter the story afresh, I’ve removed the chapters and verses from the story itself (you can find them in the footnotes). The story of Jesus’ birth begins in eternity. It is the impossible story of that eternal light becoming flesh. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.[i] In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”[ii] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.[iii] [i] John 1:1-5 [ii] Luke 1:5-25 [iii] Luke 1:26-38