Memory Text: John 1:14 NIV “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Sunday – In the Presence of Mystery
Matthew 1:18-24 God’s Word to the Nations “18 ¶ The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. His mother Mary had been promised to Joseph in marriage. But before they were married, Mary realized that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph was an honorable man and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage agreement with her secretly. 20 Joseph had this in mind when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said to him, "Joseph, descendant of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus [He Saves], because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this happened so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true: 23 "The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel," which means "God is with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him to do. He took Mary to be his wife.”
Matthew 1:18 COMMENTARY THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL The Jews were usually betrothed ten or twelve months prior to the marriage. So sacred was this relationship that unfaithfulness to it was deemed adultery, and was punishable by death—death by stoning. [The] betrothed were regarded as husband and wife, and could only be separated by divorcement… Before Joseph brought his bride to his own house. An espoused maiden lived in her father’s house until the marriage, as is our own custom… The two evangelists (Matthew and Luke) which give the earthly genealogy of Jesus are each careful to mention his miraculous conception through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:26-35 God’s Word to the Nations “26 ¶ Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27 The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, "You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you." 29 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant. 30 The angel told her, "Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. 31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus. 32 He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever, and his kingdom will never end." 34 Mary asked the angel, "How can this be? I’ve never had sexual intercourse." 35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.”
John 1:1, 14 Holman “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Galatians 4:4 Holman “But when the completion of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,”
Philippines 2:5-11 Holman “5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow— of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Monday – Then There Was Conflict
1 John 4:1-3 KJ21 “1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is of God. 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not of God; and such is the spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already it is in the world.”
1 John 4:1 COMMENTARY BY JOHN GILLS He exhorts the saints not to believe every man that came with a doctrine to them, but to try them, since there were many false teachers in the world; and gives a rule by which they may be tried and judged, as that whatever teacher owns Christ to be come in the flesh is of God, but he that does not is not of God, but is the spirit of antichrist that should come, and was in the world.

Tuesday – He Took Our Nature
Matthew 8:24 NRSV “A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.”
Matthew 21:18 NRSV “In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry.”
John 4:5-6 NRSV “5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.”
John 4:7 NKJV “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."”
John 19:28 NKJV “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"”
John 11:33-35 NKJV “33 ¶ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept.”

Wednesday – To Feel Our Pain
Hebrews 2:9 MKJV “But we see Jesus, who [was] made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by [the] grace of God should taste death for every [son].”
Hebrews 2:14-15 MKJV “14 ¶ Since then the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same; that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death (that is, the Devil), 15 and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Hebrews 2:16-17 MKJV “16 For truly He did not take [the nature of] angels, but He took hold of [the] seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore [in all things] it behoved him to be made like [His] brothers, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of [His] people.”
Hebrews 2:14-18 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY The angels fell, and remained without hope or help. Christ never designed to be the Saviour of the fallen angels, therefore he did not take their nature; and the nature of angels could not be an atoning sacrifice for the sin of man. Here is a price paid, enough for all, and suitable to all, for it was in our nature. Here the wonderful love of God appeared, that, when Christ knew what he must suffer in our nature, and how he must die in it, yet he readily took it upon him. And this atonement made way for his people’s deliverance from Satan’s bondage, and for the pardon of their sins through faith. Let those who dread death, and strive to get the better of their terrors, no longer attempt to outbrave or to stifle them, no longer grow careless or wicked through despair. Let them not expect help from the world, or human devices; but let them seek pardon, peace, grace, and a lively hope of heaven, by faith in Him who died and rose again, that thus they may rise above the fear of death.
Hebrews 4:14-16 MKJV “14 Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted just as [we are, yet] without sin. 16 Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15 COMMENTARY PEOPLE’S NT NOTES A high priest must be in sympathy with those for whom he ministers. Christ, who took upon himself our infirmities, is such a high priest. He was tried and tempted as man, but remained sinless.
Hebrews 5:8-9 MKJV “8 though being a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And being made perfect, He became [the] Author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him,”

Thursday – An Eternal Solidarity
Luke 24:36-43 CEV “36 ¶ While Jesus’ disciples were talking about what had happened, Jesus appeared and greeted them. 37 They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But Jesus said, "Why are you so frightened? Why do you doubt? 39 Look at my hands and my feet and see who I am! Touch me and find out for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones as you see I have." 40 After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 The disciples were so glad and amazed that they could not believe it. Jesus then asked them, "Do you have something to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish. 43 He took it and ate it as they watched.”
Acts 1:10-11 CEV “10 but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothes were standing there beside them. 11 They said, "Why are you men from Galilee standing here and looking up into the sky? Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he will come back in the same way that you have seen him go."”
Acts 1:11 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES It is proper that he should come to vindicate his people, and raise them up to glory. Here they have been persecuted, oppressed, put to death. Their character is assailed; they are poor; and the world despises them. It is fit that God should show himself to be their Friend; that he should do justice to their injured names and motives; that he should bring out hidden and obscure virtue, and vindicate it.
Acts 17:31 CEV “He has set a day when he will judge the world’s people with fairness. And he has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from death.” 1 Timothy 2:5 CEV “There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.”
1 Timothy 2:5 COMMENTARY BY BARNES Jesus was truly and properly a man, having a perfect human body and soul.. But this does not prove that he was not also divine—any more than his being called God, proves that he was not also a man.