GREAT EXPECTATIONS

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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One of the most amazing parts of the calling of Mary into her role as the one to give birth to the Messiah and mother him until his time of ministry began, can be found in the forward-looking promises that are given by the Angel Gabriel to Mary. 

We can hear the future of the child to be born in the passage that follows:

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

(Luke 1:31-33 NIV11)

Who Is This Child?

•   The child to be born to Mary will be named Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew / A variant of Joshua). As we will hear in the following passage, this name has a meaning. 
•   The child will be great among men. 
•   The Child will be called the Son of the Most High (Son of God).
•   The child will take up the covenantal promise given to King David which promised that one of his descendants would carry on the mantle of leadership over all of God’s people for eternity. 
•   His authority and leadership will never end. 

Big Expectations

These titles, plus the dozens more that are bestowed upon the Christ by the messages of the Hebrew prophets of old, paint a powerful picture.

Mary is being called into the service of the Lord as the mother of the child that will be known for all time as the Son of God, the Immanuel, God with us.  

To Joseph

In the message given by the Angel Gabriel to Mary’s betrothed, Joseph, we can hear a similar collection of expectations and titles:

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

(Matthew 1:18-25 NIV11)

More Expectations

In this message from the Angel to Joseph, we hear another collection of amazing titles and descriptions of his purpose and mission:

•  The child is from the Holy Spirit
•  You will give him the name Jesus because this name points to his purpose and mission. 
•  He will save all of his people from their sins. 
•  He will be called Immanuel, God with us. 

Reflection

As you go through your day today consider and reflect on the following:

•   From before his birth, Jesus was given the mission of taking on our sin so we might be forgiven for all of our rebellion against the authority and right of the Lord. 
•   Jesus was then and is now the full expression of the presence and power of the Lord God. He is our Immanuel, God with us. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

Copyright © 2024 Ryan Laden – All Rights Reserved.