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Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg
The Christmas Gifts – Mercy
The manger is the perfect picture of mercy.
Throughout this Advent season for 2022, we will seek to grow deeper in our understanding of the free gifts available to us through Christ and His coming. These are gifts we cannot earn and do not deserve.
Christmas is a time to celebrate the presence that came at that first Christmas, and it’s an opportunity for all to receive the greatest gift in Christ. It is no accident that gift giving is a part of Christmas since Christmas itself is a great gift!
Luke 1:39-55
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
-There are a lot of words that we use to describe Christmas: joy, peace, wonder. But rarely do we talk about mercy. Of all the gifts we could talk about, mercy doesn’t seem very high on the list.
-But it was first on Mary’s list. In these moments of worship, she celebrates the gift of Jesus as a gift of mercy.
-In case we might miss the significance, Mary then concludes with another declaration of mercy: “[the Lord] remembering to be merciful” (verse 54).
Colossians 1:13-14
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
-Jesus’ life was a rescue mission, our rescue mission.
-We could not rescue ourselves from sin. And we deserved whatever we had coming to us. Instead, we received a Savior.
-The greatest act of mercy is a Father sending his own Son to show us the way back to the Father.
Bottom Line:
The manger is the perfect picture of mercy.
Verses for further study/reflection:
Luke 1:67-80
1 Peter 1:3
Psalm 145:9
James 2:13
Matthew 5:7
Hebrews 4:16
Ephesians 1:7
Acts 10:43