Colossians 1:15-22

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

Notice: God’s eternal plan (that begins on Christmas) to reconcile us to Himself through His son Jesus.

Prayer:

God, thank you for revealing yourself to us this Christmas season. Thank you again for your incredible plan to do the impossible: send Your perfect Son to die for our sins. We know Jesus is now seated at your right hand, the head of the church, the one who intercedes on our behalf still. May we never lose track of how we were once lost, separated and alienated from You, but You exercised the perfect plan to reconcile us to yourself. We know that one day, we’ll be presented holy and blameless because of Jesus’s work here on earth on our behalf. Until that day, we want to step into the extraordinary, be led by Your Spirit, notice who you are and what you’re doing as God with us each day and invite others into that story. Help us to receive you with joy and gladness as first in our hearts this Christmas.

Luke 1:26-38

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.

Notice: We are God’s servants. How can we serve well today according to God’s plans?

Prayer:

God, all across Your Word, we see ways you are working the impossible. You handpicked Mary, a virgin girl with no husband, to usher in your incredible salvation plan through the birth of Jesus. Help us to receive You this Christmas with the same humility as Mary. We are Your servants, we want to live for You and we want you to use us as Your vessels on earth. Help us to not be afraid. Help us to step out in faith this season and receive you with faith and joy.

Luke 2:8-18

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Notice: God’s glory and miracles all around. Who are you bringing with you to behold God’s glory?

Prayer:

God, today we want to give You glory for all you’re doing among us and all you’ve done for us. In response to your glory, we want to praise you and we want to bring others with us to witness what You’re doing this season. Bring to mind the people you want us to invite to hear Your good news and to witness firsthand the miracle you did on the first Christmas.

Matthew 1:11-17

and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,[a]and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Notice: Emmanuel, God with us. How is God with us today and how does that change how we’re living?

Prayer:

God, through this list of genealogies, we see how you’ve been faithful to your promises for generation. You never left your people in the Old Testament, despite their wanderings. And You fulfilled your prophecies by sending your Son in the New Testament to literally be Emmanuel, God with us. Today, we see you working in this same way through your Holy Spirit. You are here among us and we want to be led by your Spirit, especially in this season as we look toward the birth of Jesus.

Isaiah 11:1-9

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lordas the waters cover the sea.

Notice: What Jesus is doing. What is Jesus doing in my own life?

Prayer: God, today we’re thankful that You sent Jesus to earth on mission. When Jesus walked on earth as both fully God and fully man, He lived a perfect life by the power of Your Spirit. He was the perfect judge, righteous, faithful, full of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel and might. And we know that He is still working today in the same ways. Help us to slow down today and see all that You are doing through the power of Your Spirit at work in believers.

Isaiah 9:1-7

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. 3 You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. 4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Notice: Who Jesus is. Who is Jesus to me and what do I need cling to this season?

Prayer:

God, thank You for sending your Son, Jesus. Remind us today of Jesus: our Wonderful Counselor who lightens our burdens. Our Mighty God who fights for us. Our Everlasting Father who increases our joy. Our Prince of Peace who shines light into our darkness. Help us to remember what we’re living for as followers of You and all that this season points us toward: Your Kingdom that is without end.

Isaiah 7:14-17

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.[a] 15 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. 17 The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father's house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!”

Notice: God’s plans are good and sovereign.

Prayer:

God, we’re grateful for Your sovereign plans. From before the beginning of the world, You made a way for us to know You and for us to experience life that we’d never seen before: life extraordinary and abundant. As we look toward the day of Jesus’s birth and the beginning of that plan in motion, help us to slow down and notice all that You’re doing everywhere around us.