The Oasis - December 6, 2023

     Last Sunday we had an interesting talk about the first of our weekly Advent devotionals. The topic was angels. Angels hold a pivotal role in the Christmas story, as recounted in both Matthew’s gospel and Luke’s gospel. The angel Gabriel serves as a divine messenger, appearing to the Virgin Mary in the Gospel of Luke to announce the extraordinary news of her conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

     Angels play a central role in guiding and safeguarding key figures in the Christmas narrative. In the Gospel of Matthew, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, reassuring him about Mary's pregnancy and instructing him to take Mary as his wife. This angelic intervention guided Joseph and even made the birth of Jesus possible.

     On the night of Jesus' birth, angels appear in the Gospel of Luke, announcing the good tidings to humble shepherds in the fields. The heavenly host declared, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to all," marking the joyous occasion and signaling the arrival of the Messiah. The angels' role as messengers accentuates the divine significance of the Christmas story, symbolizing the bridge between the divine and the mundane in the miraculous event of Jesus' birth.

     Do you believe in angels? Has someone guided or safeguarded you at some key moment in your life? Perhaps God has used you for such a purpose. Join us this Sunday in Fellowship Hall at 8:30am for discussion on our week 2 devotional. The topic will be "grace and peace.”
Blessings,
Eric