When surprised by god’s grace, trust like mary

Word from the Center
Written By Dr. Gregory Seltz

Welcome to “Word from The Center” MONDAY, a devotional word from the Center of our faith, Jesus Christ, with reflections from His Word. I’m Gregory Seltz. Today’s Scripture verses are these portions of Luke 1:26-38, where the Bible says,   

[26] Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. [28] And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”… [30] And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus…. [38] And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 

In 2009, when Gabriel Hurles turned six, he received a surprise that he would never forget. At first he didn’t notice it. He was so focused on eating his birthday cake that he hardly noticed the giant package in the corner of the room. When another child pointed out the large gift, Gabriel ran over and began to tear off the wrapping. What could it be? It wasn’t a bicycle or any of the other items a six-year-old might want. Surprise! It was his dad, Army Specialist Casey Hurles, home on leave from the war in Iraq. Gabriel and his father had been apart for seven months, so when Casey learned his leave would coincide with his son’s birthday, he hatched a plan to offer one whale of a surprise.1

In a world of presents that glimmer for mere moments, Casey Hurles’ present of presence impacted his son forever. Surprises like that have a long lasting effect. Presents like that do that too. In our lesson for today, Mary was surprised at the angel Gabriel’s greeting and message. You might say that she was surprised by grace. But her surprise, even confusion, didn’t get in the way of her trust in the God who is always full of the loving surprise of grace, mercy, and peace.  In fact, the whole Christmas message is one big glorious, gracious, God-given surprise of His coming in the flesh to save the world.

Other religions talk about surprises. But the message of Christmas—Good Friday—Easter is different. The Bible isn't about Karma or we would all be “Karmalized.” The Bible isn't about religion or we would all be religiously inadequate. The Bible isn't about surprises that come from humanity’s best efforts, because even those last merely for a time.  No, the Bible's message is one, big, grace-filled surprise that God Himself promised and then delivered on in the person and work of Jesus for each one of us.

The angel says it loudly and clearly to Mary: "You will…give birth to a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great. He will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:31-33, ESV).

That first Christmas began with a huge surprise. The God who created the very heavens and the earth was concerned not just for the powerful people of the world, but for all people. Mary may have been most surprised of all that God would concern Himself with someone like her. She was surprised, but she believed. Today, don't just be surprised by that grace this Christmas; believe it for yourself and put your trust in the one born in the manger for you.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, in these weeks of preparation for Christmas, You call us to repentance, to see our need for You. May that repentance burst forth into praises that only faith in You can bring. With that, please bless us all! AMEN.

See Also
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Jack Phillips
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This morning I sip coffee from one of his mugs: "Masterpiece Cakeshop: Yeah . . . that cakeshop." What cakeshop? If you don't know, you're not informed, and you're watching the wrong news. Jack has been embroiled in legal battles since 2012, when the baker declined to use his talents to create a custom cake celebrating a so-called gay marriage. Phillips, mind you, served all people, no matter what. But he did not wish to use his time and talents to commemorate that which he believed was wrong. This is what the First Amendment is all about, freedom of speech, which means the freedom from compelled speech, along with the free exercise of religion.

November Prayer Partner Thursday
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Prayer Partner Thursday provides a month-long prayer emphasis in one of the four Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty areas of emphasis: Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Educational Freedom, and Marriage as an Institution (family).

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There are two kinds of freedom in the world. One is the earthly freedom that humans can achieve on our own. There are times when it seems like that freedom is secure in our hands. There are other times when it seems like it is always slipping through our fingers or beyond our reach. The other freedom is the kind of freedom that only God can make happen by His work on your behalf. Can you guess which one lasts? Can you guess which one is absolutely indispensable? Right, it’s the one where “the Son makes you free” by His life, death, and resurrection for you.

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GUIDELINES FOR YOUR VOTE – VOTE PRINCIPLES, PLATFORMS, NOT PEOPLE

Is it alright for Christians to be involved with politics?

The Bible contains no specific command that either requires or forbids Christian involvement with politics. However, through the prophet Jeremiah, God teaches His people that they should, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf” (Jer. 29:57). In other places, God teaches that Christians should obey and pray for those in positions of civil authority (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:17; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13).

November Bulletin Insert
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The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

November Bulletin Blurbs
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The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

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Have you ever been so overwhelmed by something that you finally gave in? In a moment of exasperation, you concluded, “There’s nothing else that I can do; I can’t handle this.” I think we’ve all faced that to some degree. There are issues in life that so overwhelm us it seems as though life itself has become impossible to face. Jesus often shakes us up by pointing out “the impossible” in our lives, while at the same time offering God’s possibilities even then. Amazing! Unclean lepers are healed instantly. People blind from birth suddenly see clearly, both physically and spiritually. Who is this Savior who shows us the depth of our depravity just so that He can demonstrate even more clearly God’s gracious salvation? He’s the Savior who, when it comes to eternal life and salvation, reminds that “with man this is impossible, but not with God; with God all things are possible.”  

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Every year on October 31, Christians from around the world are reminded of a “reforming” movement that brought back to light the central message of the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Freedom, life, and salvation were again heard as God’s gifts offered to sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. Martin Luther’s rediscovery of the uniqueness of the freedom of the Gospel as God’s saving work in the world for all shook the foundations of the medieval world. It ushered in many of the precious freedoms that we enjoy in this world today. It clearly identified and distinguished the uniqueness of the eternal freedom that comes from knowing and trusting in God’s gracious work in Jesus from the cultural/political freedoms that come from public policy, citizenship, and good government. Distinguishing, cherishing, and engaging both freedoms is part of what it means to be a Christian citizen in the world for the sake of the culture and the mission of the Church.

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The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

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Former President Donald Trump has come out in favor of the rape and incest exception [with regard to abortion], and that's a pity. And yet a friend says we need to have abortion precisely because some women are raped or are victims of incest. What that shows is that people are not listening or are confused by the propaganda press, which is the only press half the country ever gets.

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When I first came to Washington, D.C., in 2006 for a class in my PhD program, we were privileged to speak with many congressional leaders personally. Bill Hecht, a Lutheran pastor-turned influential lobbyist in Washington, lined up various leaders from the House and the Senate to speak with us about the things that mattered to us as Christians in the politics of the day. I remember visiting with the head of the House Ways and Means Committee at the time. He talked about various legislation saying, “We’re trying to make sure that the Congress has to live by the same rules that they foist on everyone else.” I remember my reaction. I was shocked. I had never thought about the fact that government officials often pass laws that we must follow, while living by another set of rules themselves. Incredible. Health care?

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One of the cherished notions that typically guides the lives of Americans is that politics and religion do not mix. Of course, there are some areas of overlap that Americans accept and even expect, like a prayer at a presidential inauguration or candidates ending speeches with “God bless America.” But, on the whole, it is taken for granted that there needs to be a clear distinction or even a wall of separation between church and state. People do not want the government telling them what to believe about God, and they do not want the church telling them how to vote. Actually, they do not want anyone telling them how to vote.

October Prayer Partner Thursday
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Prayer Partner Thursday provides a month-long prayer emphasis in one of the four Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty areas of emphasis: Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, Educational Freedom, and Marriage as an Institution (family).

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October Bulletin Blurbs
October Bulletin Blurbs

The dates identifying the LCRL bulletin blurbs are only suggestions. Please feel free to use any and all of the bulletin blurbs as your ministry needs allow.

October Bulletin Insert
October Bulletin Insert

The Bulletin Insert is designed to be printed and cut in half to fit conveniently inside a Sunday worship bulletin. Each month an insert will offer insight, encouragement, and information from the LCRL on the topics of Religious Liberty, Life, Marriage, or Education.

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“I’d like to have great faith, but I know that I’m inadequate, especially now when I need it most. In fact, I’m overcome by circumstances and doubt. Lord Jesus, while I believe, help my unbelief.”

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There’s a question that many are asking today. Actually, people have been asking questions like that for almost 2000 years. Here’s another one: “How can you believe that Jesus is the only Savior, the one that is the Savior for all people?” You can believe it because there is no one like Jesus. You could try to give me another name or show me another savior, but there isn’t one.

Dr. Gregory Seltz
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