Wonderful Merciful Savior-Advent 11, 2025

Mary is viewed wrongly in two ways. She is diminished, and she is exalted as super-human.  She is neither.  She epitomizes faith, and yet, she was a sinner like you and me. 

The two wrong views contribute to devaluing the true meaning of the “Virgin Birth” which in turn delegitimizes Christ Jesus as the Holy One of Israel and our sinless Savior. 

But Scripture says in the angel’s answer to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:34-35

Principle: The right view of Mary sees the Virgin Birth, with God as Jesus’ Father, as necessary to fulfill Scripture (Matthew 1:21-22) regarding the birth of Messiah as the Holy One of Israel.

Aim: To hold to the truth of the Virgin Birth even if ignorant people ridicule it.

At Christmas, a prayer:  Lord Jesus, we know You love all humanity because of the Image of God in every person.  We praise You as the Holy One of Israel, the One of whom Scripture identified (in a dream to Your earthly father Joseph) when the angel said about Mary, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).  May we never diminish Your faithful servants through the ages, the saints who served You even when it made no sense.  As we approach the time of celebrating Your birth, may we be struck with wonder anew at the improbability of the Father’s plan, indeed the impossibility of it … apart from God. As the beneficiaries of this plan so impossible that it required God to do it, may we humbly bow before You in worship and thanks.  Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the search feature to the right and are as follows:  

• “Visitation Principles” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It delved into reasons Jesus came as outlined in the Book of Hebrews. They are archived beginning December 1, 2024.
• “From the Jews for the World” was an important devotional exploration of how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023.
• “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
• The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
• 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
• God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
• Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
• The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
• The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times.  Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence.  His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
• The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology.  They began November 29, 2015.
• Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols.  You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives.  They began November 30, 2014.
• The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John.  It began December 1, 2013.
• The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story.  It began December 1, 2012.