Meditation and Devotional from David Niednagel, Pastor/Teacher, Evansville, IN.  (David uses the S.O.A.P. method for his morning devotional:  study, observe, apply, pray.  (Friends: David’s recent morning study has been to focus on passages in the Old Testament that proclaimed that God would establish His King and Kingdom in the earth.  That God would send a Messiah.  Jesus is that promised Messiah.  We will continue to follow David on this subject.)

The Savior and Sovereign LORD

Matthew 1:18-21; Luke 1:26-33

Matt. 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. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 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’s emphasis in on the name Jesus (Yeshua = Yahweh saves) because the main purpose He came was to provide salvation – a way sinful, separated humans could be reconciled with their Creator. This is the greatest need humans have – more than money, food, education, etc. We were made for a relationship with the Creator, and He took the initiative to bring us back into that relationship after we had left it through sin and independence. This was fulfilled by His rejection and substitutionary death at His first coming. (Isa 53)

Luke 1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Luke also records that He should be called Jesus, but his emphasis is on role He will fulfill at His second coming – the Almighty and Eternal King. He is both, the despised and rejected One, who was raised from the dead, and the One before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God! (Phil 2:6-11)

[Next, we will look at John’s account]

Wonderful Lord Jesus, Thank You for being willing to suffer for us! You really strongly desired us to be in relationship with You!!! Thank You for choosing me to hear this good news and giving me the joy to tell others of Your love for them also. But our world doesn’t think much at all about living under the Lordship of any almighty ruler. It is fearful to think of any human with that much power. But You are the only one who could/would be a perfectly righteous ruler, and it creates a longing in me for You to come and rule and restore this broken and painful world. I pray for a heart that is joyful and zealous to love and serve You, declaring to as many as possible the good news of repentance and faith in You – the perfect, sovereign Savior and Lord. Amen