The Gift of the Magi

Matthew 2

Luke 2:39-52

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

When I was still teaching seventh-grade English, one of the stories that my students loved (much to my surprise) was “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. In the story, a young couple needed to buy Christmas presents for each other, but like many young couples, they were severely lacking in funds to do so. In order to scrounge together what they needed for the perfect gift, they sold their most valuable possessions (hair in the girl’s case and an inherited pocket watch for the boy). 

At the end, to their dismay, the boy and the girl realized that the gifts they had purchased were useless, though very expensive. The boy had bought a comb for the girl who had shorn her hair. The girl had bought a chain for the boy who had sold his watch. 

As my students reached the end of the story, they would always laugh and shake their heads at the couple. But, the story ends with this famous quote: “Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.” 

Today’s reading almost feels like Christmas in July (or well… September). In four separate stories of travels, we learn about Jesus’ boyhood. He receives the gifts from the Magi, takes off to Egypt for several years, returns and settles in Nazareth, and finally participates in an annual pilgrimage for the Jewish feast of Passover. 

My students may think that the boy and girl in the story are silly, but when we read the story of the Magi, we should be struck as well. These men left their countries to go on a years long journey. To where? They didn’t know. For what? They also didn’t know. 

All they knew was this: “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

O. Henry recognized that this was true devotion and love. To recklessly sacrifice to show devotion for something that we hold as truly valuable. The Magi are famously called ‘The Wise Men.’

But, what is true wisdom? 

It is not always playing it safe. It is not always acting in a way the world deems prudent. 

But, it is always rightly ordering our loves so that we can show devotion to the best thing. 

What does that look like? 

It is choosing to put our faith at the forefront of our lives, prioritizing it. We talk of priorities as a list of 3, 5, or even 10. But, really, the word means the thing we hold first. If our faith is placed first, everything else we do falls behind it. 

And, when we devote our lives to our faith, we may pursue the way of the Magi. We may sacrifice (maybe a little recklessly) in order to obey our God. Because we know that the path of obedience is sweet and good. It is worth giving up everything – even our most valuable possessions – for. 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. We often think of the Wise Men as being Wise because they were simply ‘learned.’ But, how were their actions also wise? 
  2. What is our first priority in our lives? How do we show this through our actions? 
  3. How can choosing to live wisely and righteously look like foolishness to the world? 

SGL.2025.SeptemberFullPageDownload

Joy to the World!

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 8

POETRY: Psalm 148

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:38-42

Joy to the World! The Lord is come. Merry Christmas!

I never really considered Nehemiah as a Christmas devotional, but today’s reading actually fits in quite nicely! We read today about the Israelites finally being reintroduced to the Scriptures after completing the wall. They had forgotten who they were, and as the Torah was read to them, they cried – perhaps they were sad that they had not known this all of their lives? The Levites asked them to stop mourning and instead go celebrate by eating and drinking together. “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Neh. 8:10). 

As the people heard and understood more of the scriptures, they learned about the Feasts: God-ordained parties that had long been ignored or forgotten! Realizing that they were near the appointed time to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (also known as Sukkot or Feast of Booths) and eager to reconnect with their roots and their God, they quickly gathered branches to create temporary shelters. The booths/sukkahs that they created to remember their ancestors’ wilderness wanderings following their escape from Egyptian slavery were also a tangible reminder of their recent history living in a tumbledown city, which caused a renewed appreciation for their newly rebuilt Jerusalem. I can only imagine the overwhelming feeling of God’s faithfulness they experienced! The restoration of the wall led to a restoration of the Jewish people and their faith. 

A few months ago on a pleasant autumn evening, my family huddled with hearty bowls of soup under a makeshift tent (ok, so it was really just old bedsheets haphazardly pinned to the clothesline in the shape of an A by my Littles, but it’s the thought that counts!) in our backyard while we retold the story of Moses leading his people out of slavery only to wander in the desert and sleep in sukkahs – temporary dwellings – for 40 years until they were ready to enter the Promised Land. This God-ordained fall Feast of Tabernacles, which has been celebrated for centuries among the Jewish people, is a rich way to remember God’s faithfulness in the past (providing literal and metaphorical shelter for his people until they entered their Promised Land) and His promised hope for the future (the Kingdom). Through burps, unrelated laughter, and all the other chaos that occurs when doing almost anything with a small mob of children, we briefly discussed the parallels between Moses awaiting the Promised Land and Jesus awaiting the Kingdom through my best novice attempt to honor some of the traditional celebrations. (I encourage you to look more into the feasts and celebrate them, even at a basic level, with your family and friends!). 

Through my studies of this feast, I learned that Jesus was likely born around the time of Sukkot, which could be another reason why (in addition to the census) the area near Jerusalem was so full with travelers. As the Jewish nation celebrated their humble past, our Savior and King was born nearby in a humble dwelling, ushering in a new beginning. As many of us celebrate CHRISTmas today, we thank God for the gift of His son, Jesus. Merry CHRISTmas! 

Notes about the other passages:

In Psalm 148, the writer begs everyone and everything, large and small, to praise the LORD! The people of Jerusalem were definitely praising God for the completion of the wall and the restoration of their faith. 

John 19:38-42: Jesus was born around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, but he died just before Passover, another important feast in which the Jewish people celebrate God’s provision when He led them out of slavery in Egypt. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

  • Consider ways to renew your relationship with God and Jesus, such as celebrating the feasts, to help revive your joy and faith. 
  • During what times in your life has the joy of the LORD sustained you with supernatural strength? 

This is a music video of one of my favorite songs about JOY. How will you let God’s true joy be your strength in spite of whatever you’re facing

The Day We Have All Been Waiting For

Old Testament: Zechariah 5 & 6

Poetry: Psalm 144

New Testament: Luke 2

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

            It’s Christmas Day!  The day we have all been waiting for.  Unless you’re really, really good, you likely will have already gotten up, peeked in your stocking and maybe opened gifts with your family.  You may have even eaten a large meal.  Maybe now you’re taking a few minutes to check your email and give some attention to your devotions for the day.  Whether you’re reading this at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., it’s still Christmas Day.  A day you’ve been waiting for.  Christmas comes every year so at most, you’ve had to wait 364 days for Christmas. 

            The people of Israel had to wait hundreds of years for the first Christmas.  From the time King David was first promised that his son would be the Messiah and would reign forever, it had been many generations.  Now that day had finally come.  Normally, when a royal birth happens, especially a future King, it’s a pretty big deal.  There are grand proclamations that come from out of important palaces in important cities.  The whole community might stand outside the walls of the royal palace to hear the great news officially announced.  But this first Christmas announcement was quite different.  It wasn’t in the city of Jerusalem outside the palace walls, it was in the fields of rural Bethlehem.  The audience wasn’t the whole city gathered, it was a few sleepy shepherds in the middle of the night making sure their sheep were safe from predators.  The one making the announcement wasn’t the royal page or member of the court of Jerusalem, it was an angelic messenger of God.

            News of the Messiah’s birth went largely unnoticed for many years.  It would take several announcements from God “a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”  Eventually, his few disciples understood that he was the Messiah.  What finally sold many people was his death and resurrection.  The Bible says that one day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord” (Messiah/king).  On this Christmas Day, let us be sure that we not only hear and believe the Good News that at long last the promised Messiah was born in a manger in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, but that he died for our sins and God raised him up from death and clothed him in immortality, he has ascended to the side of God and will come again to reign over all.  One day every knee will bow, but for today, be sure that you are bowing and giving your allegiance to King Jesus, and be sure to share this news with everyone you know. 

Merry Christmas!

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. How was God’s plan for a Messiah different from what many people expected? What do you love about how God brought about His plan for a Messiah? What does His plan reveal about Him? 
  2. Does your holiday festivities show that you are celebrating that Jesus is Lord? How are you bowing before him and confessing that he is Lord – yesterday, today and tomorrow?
  3. How can you share the good news of great joy? Who needs to hear it?

Let it Be to Me

Old Testament: Zechariah 3 & 4

Poetry: Psalm 143

*Theme Week – Celebrating Jesus: Luke 1

            ’Twas the Night Before Christmas….  Originally published 200 years ago, in 1823, as A Visit from St. Nicolas authorship credited to and later claimed by Clement Clarke Moore.  Moore was a theology professor- a Bible teacher.  He originally wrote the poem for fun, he said, for his children.  This story helped to shape the way many began to celebrate Christmas and has had a lasting cultural impact.  I find it interesting that a Bible teacher is responsible for the way most Americans celebrate Christmas with its focus on Santa Claus, gift-giving, and all the rest of the things that tend to draw attention away from the original meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus.  Now Bible teachers and preachers are trying to remind us that “Jesus is the reason for the season” but more often that plea has fallen on deaf ears.  More people are interested in getting the latest iPhone or other coveted goodies.  On this Christmas Eve day, we take a quick pause from our parties, food and gift-buying and wrapping and consider the first part of the Christmas story. 

            In today’s reading from Luke one, we see the announcement of two unlikely births, two cousins to be born named John and Jesus.  Israel’s story in the Old Testament has a giant pause and collective waiting.  Israel was waiting for the arrival of their promised king or messiah.  Several hundred years BC God promised David, the King, that he would have a son who would reign as king over a kingdom that would be unending.  At first, people thought Solomon was the fulfillment of that promise.  Solomon started well, sought God’s wisdom above all else and the Kingdom of Israel prospered.  But Solomon’s heart turned away from faithfulness to God, he was not to be the true Messiah.  His son, Rehoboam ruled after him and things went from bad to worse.  Eventually, civil war caused his kingdom to split.  Eventually, God punished a succession of unfaithful kings with the destruction of the temple, the fall of the capital Jerusalem, and the end of the heirs of David ruling as kings.  For hundreds of years, there was no heir of David.  The hope for the messiah remained a longed-for and unfulfilled expectation. 

            The last of the historical/prophetic books of the Old Testament is Malachi.  Malachi ends with the hopeful promise that an Elijah-type prophet will come and get people ready for the final day of the Lord that was to come. 

            Fast forward about 400 years, and Israel is still waiting for the 2 anticipated births- of the Elijah-type prophet, and the Messiah-King, heir of David’s throne.  Out of this 400 years of waiting comes Luke 1 with the announcements of two unlikely births.  Unlikely because one was promised to an older childless couple, and the second to a young, engaged couple where the young woman was still a virgin.  In both cases, God would perform a miracle to bring forth these two baby boys, John and Jesus.

            It’s important to note in the story that when the Angel comes to Mary announcing God’s plan for her, Mary offers her consent “Let it be to me according to your word.”  This makes perfect sense.  We know that in human relationships consent is morally required before union.  Anything less than consent is unacceptable and morally reprehensible.  It stands to reason that before God placed his son Jesus in her womb she would give consent.  “Let it be” or “I agree to allow your word, your promise, your plan for your son, the Messiah to be formed in me.”

            The same is true for all of us.  God wants to place His word in us and for us to bear the fruits of Jesus.  In Galatians 4:19 Paul uses this metaphor of birth: “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…”. God wants Christ to be formed in us.  Christ was formed in the womb of Mary uniquely, but God wants all of us to be spiritually transformed, to become like Jesus in our character, in our singular commitment to bring glory to God and to seek first God’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) and righteousness (right living in covenant relationship with God).

            Sorry this is getting kind of technical, but the bottom line is, for Mary to give birth to Jesus, she first had to give God her consent “Let it be”.  For Christ to be formed in us, we must also give our consent.  God will not force us to receive His word and be transformed, to have Christ formed in us, we must receive it.

            So on this night before Christmas, as you watch the lights on the tree and listen to Christmas music, play games with your family, wrap presents and drink egg nog, or go to Church and any combination of the above, listen for God’s invitation.  He wants to plant His word in you so that Jesus Christ might be fully formed in you.  Will you give your consent?  Will you say as Mary did “Let it be to me according to your word?”

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. How will you celebrate Jesus today and tomorrow and the rest of the week and in 2024?
  2. Have you given your consent and received God’s word and spiritual transformation? 
  3. What might it look like and feel like to have Jesus Christ fully formed in you? 

Unexpected Moments

Luke 2

Friday, December 9, 2022

Sheep are stinky. 

Consequently, shepherds stink. 

Tending sheep, especially overnight, was a pretty thankless job, and took a toll on a lot of those who did it. Shepherds were not very well thought of by those who had more respectable agrarian jobs, or those who worked in the city. 

But God chose them to be the first ones to know the messiah is born. They saw him in the manger after the angels made their Christmas announcement!

Old people who spend their days alone can sometimes be weird. 

In fact, some of the best people are the old weird people who spend most of their time in prayer to God. The family of Jesus are accosted when they take him to be consecrated on the eighth day. Simeon and Anna may have been well respected, but they were still both older, and both a little weird. 

But God chose them to be among the first to share the message of the Messiah. They spoke the message, Simeon ready for death, knowing the Messiah had come!

The story of Jesus is full of unexpected moments like this. You didn’t see shepherds shouting out with joy, speaking to all who would listen. You didn’t see Simeon and Anna stopping families to talk on the way to the temple. You didn’t see a twelve year old boy going toe-to-toe, blow-for-blow with the religious scholars of the day. 

But God chose these moments, these people, these places, to give us a clue that in the rest of Luke we’re going to see unexpected moments. 

With the familiarity of the passage at Christmas, it may seem common place. But as you read Luke 2 today, remind yourself again just how radical *and strange* the birth of Christ was. May you find comfort in the fact that no matter if you are

Old

Young

Weird

Normal

Or even stinky

God is choosing you to believe in Christ this Christmas. It is up to you to choose to believe. 

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you find most surprising in Luke 2?
  2. Do you believe in Christ? How will that change your day, season and life?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Luke 1

Thursday, December 8, 2022

I love Christmas. 

Does that really need an explanation? What’s not to love about a time of year where we get to celebrate Jesus? Celebrate the Messiah who is and brings us hope, peace, joy, and love? Celebrate with cookies and pies and presents and parties? It is a joyous time of year, both for the cultural wrappings and baggage, (which is fine*!) but also for the Church traditions, teachings, giving, serving, and singing! 

The story of the birth of Christ, however, doesn’t begin in the Hill Country of Judea, as much as Linus from  A Charlie Brown Christmas would have you believe. Instead, Luke, author of the most chronologically accurate account of the life of Christ**, brings us farther back than Matthew, and tells us about the announcements of coming births of John and Jesus to their respective mothers. 

To be fair, today’s reading is 80 verses long! That’s long! I want to give you rapid fire thoughts and questions as the devotion for today:

Theophilus means in Greek “Friend of God.” While there may have been a person who commissioned the work from Luke, it could also be a title. Are you the friend of God to whom Luke is writing? Do you need to hear an accurate, orderly account of the life of Jesus to know with certainty the things you have been taught?

Both Zechariah and Mary respond to Gabriel, the messenger angel, with a similar question: How can this be? However, there are a few differences. Zechariah is a older man, a husband, a priest, that is a leader of the people, working in the temple. Mary is a young woman, unmarried,  virginal, still probably in the house of her mother and father until her time to be wed to Joseph had come. Gabriel (but really, God) expected Zechariah to comply, to say “Lord I believe” and to follow through on the promise of God. Mary growing up in an agrarian society, would know that in her current state, babies would be impossible to come by. 

When God announces his plan to you, do you trust that he will follow through? How much of him have you seen? Are you overlooking miracles? However, know that he isn’t mad when you ask him how to accomplish the (what appears to be) impossible. You too may just need the Holy Spirit to do the impossible. Are you willing to say “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled”?

A quick note, without a question, is that John, in the womb of Elizabeth, responded to the Messiah. Elizabeth thinks her baby is a person before he is born. 

Final thought – Both Mary and Zechariah sing their joy to God. Take some time today and ponder what song you would sing if you could sing it. The lyrics don’t have to be perfect or rhyme. Their doesn’t need to be a meter, or pitch. But what would you sing to God to give him glory? Or, find a song that shares your heart, and sing that to God, thinking of all the blessings he has given you. 

No matter the song in your heart, starting today, have yourself a merry little Christmas now. 

-Jake Ballard

* The wise men weren’t at the manger, but that’s OK! Use that to teach people about Jesus!

**In the author’s correct and very humble opinion.

QUESTIONS

See Above!

Gifts

wise men

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  Matthew 2:11

 
‘Tis the season to be giving gifts. Like the Wise Men from long ago, we present our loved ones with gifts each Christmas. The gifts that were brought before the young Messiah, held great significance. The gold was representative of Jesus’ kingship. The incense points to Jesus’ priesthood. And the myrrh was an indication of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. All three were costly. All three were given as an act of worship.
But what about the gifts that we bring to the Messiah? What is it that you and I have that can be presented to the Prince of Peace? I can think of another trio of gifts that would be pleasing:
Acts of service
Acts of devotion
Acts of faith
I may not have gold to give, but I can serve. The two greatest commandments are to love God and love people. How we choose to do that on a daily basis are acts of service. When we put ourselves in a position of lifting others up, we are making an offering that is pleasing in God’s sight.
I may not have incense to give, but I can be devoted. We are instructed to love God with ALL of our heart, and with ALL of our soul, and with ALL of our mind, and with ALL of our strength. When we stop holding back and finally submit to our Lord all that we are, the good, the bad, and the ugly, we position ourselves to be forgiven by the great High Priest.
I may not have myrrh, but I can be faithful. When circumstances don’t make sense; when we are in a season of loss; when we have given every last effort, when we don’t know what else to do, we can still be faithful and trust in the One who gave himself for each one of us.
Friends, whether today is a day that you can be surrounded by those you love or you’re in a place where your heart is hurting (maybe it’s a combination of the two), know this: whatever you have, your joys and your sorrows, out of your wealth and your poverty, in your health and in your illness, the gifts you bring will be treasured beyond measure.
Bethany Ligon

The Reason

Luke Chapter 2

Luke 2 11 NIV

Luke chapter 2 begins with the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the little town of Bethlehem.  Caesar Augustus ordered everyone to be registered, so Joseph and Mary traveled from the town of Nazareth to Bethlehem, which is where he was to be registered because of his lineage, the lineage of David.  When they were in the small town of Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger because there was no room in the inn.

 

The location of Jesus’ birth at first may seem insignificant.  However, the small fact that Jesus was born in the little town of Bethlehem is extremely important.  It is important because of the words of Micah 5:2: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient of days.”  Here, it is recorded that there will be a ruler of Israel born in Bethlehem, whose coming forth is from of old.  We know that the ruler talked about in Micah is Jesus!  Jesus is the fulfillment to this prophecy!

 

The date of the writing of Micah was about 700 BC, about 700 years before Jesus was born!  One of the best ways to prove that the Bible is true is that there were many prophecies written in the Old Testament that were fulfilled later on in the Old Testament or in the New Testament.  Jesus being born in Bethlehem is just one of many examples of a prophecy in the Bible being fulfilled.  Prophecies being fulfilled hundreds of years later is a great way to defend the authority of the Bible.

 

It is very appropriate that we are reading about the birth of Jesus at the beginning of December, as the birth of Jesus Christ is the reason of the season of Christmas!  The weeks leading up to Christmas and Christmas itself has been my favorite time of the year.  Everybody seems to be in a holly jolly mood, we get time off of work/school, the exchanging of gifts, and especially time with family are all reasons to enjoy the holiday season.  We can get so wrapped up in the festivities of the holiday season that sometimes we forget the true reason for the season.  I urge you to not let the festivities of the holiday season cause you to forget about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Sometimes even the innocent joy of hanging out with our families can cause us to miss the true reason of the season.  While enjoying the holiday season, put your focus on the birth of our Lord and Savior.

 

I hope you all enjoy this Christmas season, and most importantly, I hope you remember and focus on the reason of the season – the birth of Jesus Christ!

 

Kyle McClain

 

The Second Coming

Revelation 19

Revelation 19 11 NIV
 
We’ve had some really heavy topics, and we are not quite out of the woods yet. We are coming to the point in the reading where there is just joy and happiness and peace, but we are not there yet. It takes someone showing up on the scene to make that happen. We have the coming of a rider on a white horse. The images that John uses only highlights that he is speaking about Jesus.
I love Christmas; the songs, the snow, the presents, the expectations. I even love the time leading up to it. In the wider Christian tradition, this time is called Advent, which is Latin for “to come”. We recognize in Advent the first coming of Jesus. And in Revelation 19, we are shown a picture of the second coming of Jesus. Those two images could not be more different. 
Jesus came as a peaceful prince riding on a donkey. Jesus will come as a conquering rider on a white horse.
When he came, many called him a liar and a demoniac. He will come and be known as “Faithful and True.”
He came to bring salvation. He will come to bring judgment.
He came with eyes full of tenderness and sorrow. He will come with eyes of fiery flame.
He came and bore a crown of thorns. He will come crowned with many crowns. 
He came and was wrapped in tattered cloths. He will come in a blood stained robe.
He came and was known as Jesus. He will come and be known as Word of God.
He came and refused the help of the legions of angels. He will come and be accompanied by the armies of heaven. 
He came preaching words of truth. He will come and his words will be a sword coming from his mouth. 
He came and only a small number knew who we was. 
He will come, and his name, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will be emblazoned on his thigh.
 
This is the Messiah we serve. He is not weak; he is not a push over; he is not a doting parent or Santa Claus. 
He is the conquering king, coming to claim the world that is rightfully his, to avenge his servants who have been oppressed, and to drive out those who did not honor him. 
 
Let this image of Jesus wash over you, and praise God that the King is coming. 
Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.
Jake Ballard

New Beginnings

 

the Light has come!

On this Christmas morning I think back to the beginning of the world when God said, “Let there be light”, revealing that light was in the plan of God since the beginning of time. Shortly following the beginning, sin and darkness slowly crept into the picture when Adam and Eve decided to turn their backs on God and His commands. But darkness would not win because God wasn’t done with us yet.

 

New Beginnings:

 

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life,a and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5

 

The birth of Jesus marked the start of the new beginning that God had planned for since the beginning of creation. And it showed that God wasn’t going to leave us in the dark, even though we deserved it. God sent his Son to save us and to be a Light for all men. If we choose to walk in his ways and commands and make him the Lord of our lives we can walk in the Light.  When you walk in the Light of Jesus the darkness will never be able to overcome you. So no matter what you received for Christmas this year, just remember that we were given the ultimate Christmas gift a little over 2000 years ago in our Emmanuel, “God with us”. God gave his son to the world to restore the Light, and to make sure we would never have to unwillingly walk in the darkness ever again. Thank God for His son and new beginnings!

 

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

-Luke Elwell