Advent Devotionals Introduction

Each of the past few years I have written and distributed advent devotionals for individuals and/or families in the churches that I have served.  I took my cue from a book Ligonier Ministries published a number of years ago.  These advent devotionals are a gift to you or your family, for to you to use in personal devotional time as you have opportunity this week.  This will be series that will be available each Sunday at our church. I will also post them daily, beginning on December 8, so that you can go read them daily.
The focus this year is around the four songs in Luke from Mary (1:46-55), Zechariah (1:67-79), the angels (2:14), and Simeon (2:29-32). These songs are “the last of the Hebrew Psalms, and the first of the Christmas hymns,” according to Graham Scroggie.
Leland Ryken wrote that these biblical Christmas carols “appear only in Luke, which makes him the church’s first hymnologist.  Luke included these lyrics because he understood that the gospel is and must be a musical.  What God has done in Christ demands to be praised.  It is not enough simply to say what God has done to save us-what he has done needs to be celebrated in song.”
This December I want to take a closer look with you at these first songs of the faith, inspired by God Himself in His Word.  I hope that by considering these Christmas carols your heart will be led to sing of God’s greatness and glory even more this December.  Join me next Monday and let’s grow together!