Luke 2:28-32 NIV

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
 

Luke 2:11-14

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:11

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 20th & 21st written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Christ was formed in Mary, but Christ also is formed in us.

Luke 1:38

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 20th & 21st written by Pastor Bob Brown:

In her role as "handmaiden", the feminine form of the word for "servant", Mary submits to the will and purpose of God.

 

Luke 2:39

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 20th & 21st written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Placing Mary in Nazareth of Galilee was, to a large degree, to assign her a place on the margins of Jewish society. Galilee itself was nicknamed "of the Goyim [the Gentiles]"...

 

Luke 1:31

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 20th & 21st written by Pastor Bob Brown:

The name "Jesus" contains within it the notion that "Yahweh saves" or "Yahweh helps". To whom does this salvation extend?

Hebrews 10:39

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 13th & 14th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

If Christmas is to become the fulfillment of Advent, there must be people determine to do the will of God, and their persistence must be unaffected by time or adversity.

Luke 2:25-26

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 13th & 14th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Using the Greek word prosdechomai, which means "to await" or "to welcome or receive", Luke paints a picture of Simeon as a "watchman" for Israel...

 

Matthew 1:18

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 13th & 14th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

What was the nature of Hebrew engagement? Behind the Greek word mnēsteuō (or –omai) is the Hebrew term for betrothal, namely, kiddushin which is based on the underlying root meaning, “make holy, separate.”

 

Matthew 1:1

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 13th & 14th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

“Matthew” no doubt had access to Jewish records, probably through contacts within the Temple or synagogue communities. Archaeology has shown time and time again that nations with firm identities kept records.

 

Micah 5:2

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 6th & 7th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

When Matthew began his Gospel, he provided a family tree of Jesus which opens with "son of David, son of Abraham".

Matthew 1:24

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 6th & 7th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Our text commences with the matter-of-fact statement, "Now the [one] Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea in [the] days of Herod the king…" We follow a literally rendering of the Greek text here which uses something called a "genitive absolute" to declare the previous completion of an event as a prerequisite for what follows.

Daniel 7:14

He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 6th & 7th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

We have similar language in the New Testament account of Jesus' baptism when the heavenly voice is heard, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased…"

 

Isaiah 9:1

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

From Background Notes [BN] for Dec 6th & 7th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Then the prophet offers a vision of a new future — a real future — that opens to God’s people, even though it has not yet arrived.