Hello everyone! One of the literary developments in the gospel of Luke and His book of Acts is the descending of the Holy Spirit on different people at different times. Of course this development carries theological weight but the progression is interesting to observe. Luke records Mary promptly visiting her cousin Elizabeth after she receives the news of her pending birth from Gabriel. (Luke 1:39-45) This commitment to drop everything and travel for three days to see Elizabeth gives us a picture of Mary’s trust in the plan of God according to His word to her. The Holy Spirit already has descended upon Mary, and now Elizabeth experiences the same filling, although with a different purpose. John was filled with the Holy Spirit at his conception, Mary overshadowed and given a child, Elizabeth is now gifted with the Spirit and proclaims, “Blessed are you among women, your child will be blessed!…For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for JOY inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her.” (Vs. 42-45)

Even though there was bewilderment and some confusion, Mary believed the Lord’s word to her, the same for Elizabeth and John. Zechariah, because of his disbelief, does not receive the Spirit until after John is born. (Luke 1:67) The birth of Jesus, his life, death, and resurrection, are a source of Joy for all those who believe in Him. But make no mistake, there must be a belief, a trust, that Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Kings, the object of our complete desire and love. Joy is a supernatural outworking of the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of a Christian. Only the Holy Spirit produces joy, peace, kindness, and love. Let me ask you, is your joy contingent on circumstances, earthly pleasures and materials here today, gone tomorrow? Only the presence of Jesus as the center of your hearts desire will give you a joy that is unshakable and vibrant through all of life’s seasons. This Christmas season, let us keep Immanuel, God with us, the center of our thinking, the center of our believing, the center of our doing. Let us show the world what Joy comes with Him.

Join us this Sunday to joyfully sing unto the Lord at our Cantata service, and Friday night at our stroll.

Ben Melli