In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
—Luke 1:26-31

Week 1: Come home from a

world.

King Herod

all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under.

God sent his only son into a broken world so that you can

in a new world that has no end. (John 3:16-17)

Week 2: The main stopper keeping us from living in God’s new world order is

.

The one statement Jesus made more than any other was this: “Don’t be

.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“We fear coming and going and no one knowing.” —Max Lucado

When I protect myself from hope, I

myself from the joy and promise God has for me in the present.

This Week: Hope is more than a feeling or a

.

Hope is an expectation, trust, and

for a good outcome.

Hope is knowing God will show us

to do

Reveal Answer

we need to do it.

It is not hope in

, our grit, our abilities, or even our faithfulness. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Hope is the assurance that

is faithful. (1 John 1:5, 7, 9)

“Hope is the capacity to carry the expectation of the fulfillment of a task while working diligently and waiting patiently for an outcome that is in keeping with God’s goodness, righteousness, and justice.” —Bishop Tom Berlin

The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-27)

“What is about to take place is the unfolding of God’s design for the salvation of all humanity. Gabriel is just God’s agent. The central figure in the annunciation is neither Gabriel nor Mary – it is the gracious God of Israel.” —New Testament Professor Alan Culpepper

Betrothal lasted for a

, was as binding as marriage, and could only be dissolved by divorce.

“The Jews had a saying that in the birth of every child there are three partners – the father, the mother and the Spirit of God. They believed that no child could ever be born without the Spirit.” —William Barclay

Because “The Lord is with you” and because “you have found

with God,” do not be afraid. (Luke 1:28-31)

The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua and can be translated “Joshua,” which means “

.” (Matthew 1:21)

Christmas and

go together. (Luke 1:32-33)

The future

that God had planned and promised was starting to come true in the present.

“The New Testament is full of hints, indications, and downright assertions that this salvation isn’t just something we have to wait for in the long-distance future. We can enjoy it here and now…” —N. T. Wright

Like Mary, we ask, “But how?” and the answer is by the power of the Holy

. (Luke 1:34-35)

God gives us clues and confirmation along the way through unique

and coincidences. (Luke 1:36-37)

“The glory of Christmas came about by the willingness of ordinary people to obey God’s claim on their lives.” —New Testament Professor Alan Culpepper

Mary’s response is the perfect

. (Luke 1:38)

Jesus taught us to pray in the

way. (Matthew 6:9-10)

This is the prayer that

the world and makes the impossible possible. (Luke 22:39, 41-42)

Good News: Because our hope is in Jesus, our hope never

.

Action Step

Pray the prayer of Mary and Jesus each day: “Let it be with me according to

will.”