Category: Advent
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Dec 19th
Luke 1:68-80 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy…
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Dec 18th
Luke 1:56-66 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. On the eighth day they came to…
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Dec 17th
Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.His mercy extends to…
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Dec 16th
DETOUR Mary the lyricist? Some question whether Mary would have been capable of composing the song ascribed to her in Luke 1 – the Magnificat. The argument seems to be that it is simply too sophisticated for an uneducated peasant girl of the time and Luke must have put the words into her mouth as…
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Dec 15th
Luke 1:40-45 … she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the…
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Dec 14th
Luke 1:39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea… Encouraged by the angel, Mary set off to visit Elizabeth. This was a journey of around 80-100 miles taking maybe a week’s walking, less if she could join a caravan. We are not told exactly when…
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Dec 13th
DETOUR Ponderings on theVirgin Birth In producing these ‘Thoughts for the Day’ I’ve done the odd bit of web-research, including looking at different perspectives on the Virgin Birth. For a matter that appears to be pretty much universally affirmed in every Creed or other denominational statement of Christian belief, it is amazing how quickly one…
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Dec 12th
Luke 1:32-38 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The…
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Dec 11th
Luke 1:28-31 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive…
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Dec 10th
Luke 1:26-27 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Here begins a conundrum. If Jewish tribal lineage is traced through the male line…
Thoughts for the Day 