Advent Week 2: The Servant
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
26 One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27 with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31 and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37 Nothing is impossible for God!” 38 Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her. 39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her. The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 Then in a loud voice she said to Mary: God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Luke 1:26-45
Memory Verse
Luke 1:45
45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Sammy’s family has a tradition. His parents and older siblings help serve meals at the local shelter every Christmas Eve. Sammy was finally old enough to help serve this year. He was excited and nervous about the experience. Sammy would be the youngest person there. What if he did or said the wrong thing? On the day of service, Sammy arrived at the shelter with his family. There was a ton of hustle and bustle with people preparing plates, moving dishes, talking, and moving around. The shelter director noticed Sammy and walked over to him. He encouraged him not to be nervous and reminded him that Sammy’s family had served for many years. They were a blessing to the community. Sammy smiled as he looked up at the director and said, “I believe we are already blessed. That's why we come to bless others.”
In our Bible reading, we read the story of Mary and how the angel brought her the news that she would be the one to bring Christ into the world. Mary didn’t understand. She responded, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." Whatever God has for us to do, let our reply be the same as Mary's. No matter how young or old we are, God will give us everything we need to be a faithful servant.
Christmas time shows us where the greatest needs are in our communities. How can we help others? Where can you be a servant this Advent season? Find out what your church is doing and help serve together. Build a connection with a neighbor by shoveling their driveway, cleaning up their front yard, or leaving special treats for their pets. Share some cheer, and make Christmas cards for those who live alone. Smile and thank all the people who serve you in the stores this month. One of the greatest ways to serve God is to tell others about Jesus. Invite a friend to a special Christmas church service. Share the good news of the birth of Christ and how he came to reunite us with God.
Prayer
God, thank you for the opportunity to help others. Help me to show your love through service during this season. Amen.Related Resources
Natasha Menifee
Natasha Menifee is an educator, writer and most importantly a child of God. She has taught in public schools for 12 years and holds two master's degrees from Georgetown College in Learning & Behavior Disorders and Teacher Leadership. Natasha also serves as the Christian Education Director at her church. She is the proud mother of two daughters. For more information about her, visit www.natashamenifee.com.