Mary, Did You Know? Advent 22, 2025

Among the more popular modern carols is “Mary, Did You Know?” The questions asked reflect good theology about who Jesus is, but the obvious answer to any of the questions is “No.” Mary did not.

Mary had not the slightest pre-understanding of the Incarnation that we have on this side of history, with a New Testament to explain things. For her, it would have been moment after moment filled with wonder, maybe a bit of confusion and curiosity, mixed with a realism of how normal He seemed. The Virgin will be with Child is in Scripture, but that could have happened by God making an embryo within a virgin or the Jewish understanding of a “young woman” not even a virgin. But even that was not within the Jewish expectation of the Messiah as a fully human descendant of David. As a mighty leader, a warrior-king, He would save His people and establish peace. Mary’s strong theology about the Messiah probably carried her during the times of confusion or even doubt because nowhere in the Hebrew Bible did it ever talk about God becoming man.

One of the most powerful lines is “Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God.”

Principle: Jesus is mysteriously fully God and fully man.

Aim: To neither sacrifice His humanity nor neglect His divinity.

At Christmas, a prayer: Lord Jesus, we give thanks to the Father for calling such a woman of faith and submission to be Your earthly mother. We praise You for her sacrifice, for bearing likely insults and ignominy for one decision to say, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38). We thank You also for preparing Joseph for his unlikely role and for his faith. We understand they are not superheroes or superhuman, yet each of us can look to them as role models for our faith. May our faith be like Mary’s and Joseph’s so that we may bring glory to You in all we do. 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.