What Child Is This?

Devotional

Day 1: Enduring joy is anchored in God's promises

Description:
Lasting joy doesn’t come from smooth days or changing feelings; it comes from remembering what God has already said and already done. When circumstances press in and emotions feel thin, go back to the promises God has fulfilled in your life. Let the memory of those answers lift you beyond the moment and remind you that God’s word is true even when circumstances are loud.

You can practice this today by collecting one or two specific memories of God’s faithfulness—times He kept a promise, answered a prayer, or rescued you—and making them the backbone of your hope. Those memories are more than nostalgia; they are God’s witness to you that steadies your heart when joy feels fragile.

Luke 1:45
Elizabeth declared that Mary was blessed because she believed God’s promise to her would be fulfilled; her faith made the fulfillment certain in Elizabeth’s eyes.

Reflection: Identify one promise God has already fulfilled for you. Write it down and spend five minutes thanking God aloud for that promise today.

Day 2: God weaves history into one redemptive story

Description:
God’s plan moves through centuries, using empires and ordinary lives to bring about his purposes. The same messenger appears across generations to connect distant events—reminding us that what looks like delay is often the patient work of a sovereign hand. When your timeline feels ignored, remember that God’s delays are controlled and purposeful, not accidental.

Let that perspective change how you endure waiting. Instead of assuming silence or absence, ask God how this season might be shaping the next chapter of his wider story. Trusting that you’re living inside a larger narrative frees you from making panic-driven choices and helps you live with steady hope.

Daniel 9:21
While Daniel was praying and seeking understanding, the angel Gabriel came to give insight and help explain God’s timing and purposes.

Reflection: Think of a long delay you’re experiencing. List three ways God’s timing might be working in that wait, pray over them, and share one of those possibilities with a trusted friend this week.

Day 3: When prayers are answered, praise should come first

Description:
When God answers, the instinct should be worship before notification. Zechariah’s first response after his prayer was answered was praise; gratitude reordered his heart and pointed people to God rather than to the miracle alone. Worship re-centers your story so others see the Giver behind the gift.

Practice pausing to praise before you post or announce. Take time to thank God deeply—out loud if you can—so your testimony comes from reverence rather than simply reporting results. That habit trains your heart to make God the aim of every answered prayer.

Luke 1:67-68
When Zechariah’s speech returned, he immediately praised God for visiting and freeing his people and for raising up a deliverer from David’s line.

Reflection: Think of a recent answered prayer. Spend five minutes praising God aloud for it now, then text or call one person tomorrow to tell them what God did and why you praise Him.

Day 4: Presence with others fuels hope and mutual rejoicing

Description:
Faith grows when people show up for one another. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth turned private wonder into shared recognition; the room filled with joy before the world even knew. Spirit-filled community is not optional—it’s where hope breathes again in the faces and stories of people who care enough to be present.

Especially in hard seasons, choose presence over perfect words. Sit with someone, listen, and allow God to use your steady company to revive their hope. Simple acts of showing up often invite the Holy Spirit to move in ways announcements and arguments cannot.

Luke 1:39-45
Mary went to see Elizabeth; when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred, and Elizabeth, filled with the Spirit, proclaimed blessing and recognized God’s work in Mary.

Reflection: Who needs your presence this week? Commit to one specific act—visit, call, or sit with them for at least 30 minutes—and schedule it in your calendar now.

Day 5: Share your story and point clearly to Jesus as Savior

Description:
Personal testimony opens ears; the gospel opens hearts. When you thank God for what he has done for you and then name Jesus as the One who came to save, you move from private gratitude into public mission. Christmas is not only a memory to celebrate but a message to share—people need to hear both what God has done for you and what Jesus has done for all.

Start small and specific: practice a short story of God’s work in your life, then attach the simple gospel—why Jesus matters for every person. Testimony plus gospel is the most faithful way to show others that the Child who came is the Redeemer still at work.

Luke 1:49-50
Mary affirmed that God had done great things for her and that his mercy extends to those who fear him across all generations because his promises are faithful.

Reflection: Write a 60‑second version of your faith story that includes what God did for you and how Jesus changes lives. Practice it aloud, then share it with one person this week—an unbelieving friend, neighbor, or coworker.

Sermon Summary

We gathered in the joy of the season, but we also named the reality that for many, Christmas can be heavy. So we prayed—asking God to lift burdens, to be near to those who are hurting, and to realign our hearts from presents to being present with one another as we celebrate God’s gift to humanity. Then we turned to Luke 1 and watched heaven break into ordinary lives. The same Gabriel who once spoke to Daniel about kingdoms now announces two birth stories—six months apart—that begin the arrival of the eternal kingdom he foretold. God’s promises are not abstract; they come wrapped in real people, real families, and real time.

We read Mary’s conversation with Gabriel, where she asks honest questions and then yields with simple trust: “I am the Lord’s servant.” We followed her to Elizabeth’s house, where John leaped in the womb and joy erupted, not because everything was easy, but because God was keeping His word. Luke is saturated with joy, and it’s no accident that so much of it gathers around the birth of Jesus. Joy in Luke isn’t a feeling you chase; it’s the response to God moving as He said He would.

Zechariah is a picture of that. After months of silence, his first words are praise. Before he updated anyone, before he told the story, he worshiped. That’s our pattern: when God answers, we thank Him first—then we tell others so their faith can rise too. Zechariah’s prophecy sings of mercy, covenant faithfulness, rescue from fear, and a child who will prepare the way. It also points to the greater Child—Jesus—who brings light to those in darkness and guides our feet into peace.

So how do we help others taste the joy of Christmas? Thank God for what He has done for you. Tell people your story of His goodness. And tell them what Jesus has done for humanity: the Savior has come. That is what Child this is—the long-promised King whose kingdom has begun, right here, in the middle of our everyday lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Joy rooted in fulfilled promises Joy in Scripture is not wishful thinking; it’s the recognition that God has acted just as He said. Mary, Elizabeth, and even the unborn John rejoice because promises are becoming reality. When we rehearse God’s faithfulness—past and present—our joy gains deep roots. It anchors us when circumstances don’t cooperate.
2. Praise first, then proclaim widely Zechariah’s first words after God moved were worship, not updates. Gratitude before publicity trains our hearts to see God as the giver, not ourselves as the heroes. Then, sharing becomes testimony instead of self-promotion. That order blesses God and builds others.
3. The Child opens the Kingdom’s door Gabriel ties Jesus’ birth to the ancient promise of an everlasting kingdom. God’s reign doesn’t arrive with spectacle but through a vulnerable child and a humble servant’s yes. The kingdom advances through trust, obedience, and Spirit-led lives. Allegiance to this King reshapes what we value and how we live.
4. Choose presence over presents this season Christmas love looks like showing up, listening well, praying with people, and making space at our tables. Presence is how we practice the incarnation—God with us—toward one another. It costs time and comfort, but it carries the warmth of Christ’s nearness. Your presence can be the doorway for someone else’s peace.

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Guide — “What Child Is This?” (Luke 1)
Bible reading (read aloud together)
- Daniel 8:15–17 (NIV) — Gabriel appears to Daniel.
- Luke 1:34–38 (NIV) — Gabriel and Mary; Mary’s response.
- Luke 1:67–75 (NIV) — Zechariah’s prophecy/praise after his prayer is answered.

Observation questions (look closely at the text and the sermon)

In Daniel 8:15–17 what did Gabriel say or do when he appeared to Daniel? What detail connects that encounter to the Luke passages?
In Luke 1:34–38 what are Mary’s questions and what is her final answer? Which words show hesitation and which show surrender?
Read Luke 1:67–75. What does Zechariah name as the reason for his praise? What concrete things does he say God has done or will do?
From the sermon summary: where does the preacher point out that joy first appears in Luke’s birth accounts (what moments/people)?

Interpretation questions (think about meaning and implications)

What does Mary’s final words in Luke 1:38 (“I am the Lord’s servant…”) indicate about the kind of faith she exercised? How might that faith differ from simply being “excited” about good news?
How does the fact that Gabriel speaks in both Daniel and Luke change a person’s understanding of God’s timing and the scope of His plans?
Zechariah’s immediate response to God answering his prayer was praise (and then prophecy). How should that sequence (praise first, then telling others) shape a believer’s priorities when God answers prayers today?
The sermon emphasizes joy growing in Spirit-filled community (Mary visiting Elizabeth). What is the relationship between being present with others and experiencing or strengthening joy and hope?

Application questions (concrete, personal steps you can take this week)

Think of one prayer God has recently answered in your life. Before you post or text about it, take two minutes to pray aloud a brief praise to God for that answer. What will you say? (If helpful, write out one sentence of praise.)
Identify one person you can tell this week about what God has done for you. Who is that person, what will you say first, and when will you talk to them?
Choose a promise from Scripture you can memorize or keep on your phone to remind you when joy is thin. Which promise will you choose, and when will you rehearse it (morning, commute, bedtime)?
Who in your life needs presence this week—someone hurting, struggling, or alone? Commit to one specific visit, call, or long text this week. When will you do it and what will you say to open the conversation?
When you share your story, practice naming Jesus as the reason for hope. Write one short sentence you can use that points from your story to Jesus (for example: “God answered me, and I believe He did it through Jesus who came to save us.”).
If you’re tempted to rush to social media after a blessing, create a simple plan: praise God privately first (a 1–2 minute prayer), then tell one person face-to-face or by call, and finally post if helpful. Will you try that this week? What step might be hardest for you?
For the next time you feel God is delaying an answer: what is one practical thing you will do to remind yourself that delays are not denials? (Suggestions: read a testimony of God’s faithfulness, call a friend who knows your story, or journal past promises God has fulfilled.)

Closing challenge
This week: thank God first for something He has done, tell one person your story, and name Jesus as the reason for your hope. Decide now exactly who you will call or visit and when you will do it.

Sermon Quotes

Welcome to our Sunday morning worship celebration where we love celebrating Jesus, especially during the most joyous time of the year. But some folks aren’t experiencing joy; the Christmas season is hard for them.

We're walking through the Gospel of Luke, which takes a detailed look at the life of Christ, but as you can imagine, it starts by centering on the birth of Jesus Christ.

The same angel who 600 years prior announced the rise and fall of kingdoms to Daniel now announced pregnancies six months apart — John the Baptist and Jesus — part of the eternal kingdom Gabriel prophesied about.

The word "joy" appears twelve times in Luke; Luke uses "rejoice" more than any other New Testament book except Philippians. Much of that joy centers around the birth announcements of Jesus.

When God responds to our needs and answers our prayers, the first thing we should do is praise God — not post or text first; thank God, then tell others so they know God is able.

Zechariah’s praise is sometimes called a song, but it was a prophecy — likely spoken like poetry or a spoken word — a prophetic declaration of what God was doing.

Three things you can do to help others experience the joy of Christmas: thank God for what He has done, tell others what God has done for you, and tell others what Jesus has done for humanity — sent the Savior.

Luke writes a detailed account of the life of Jesus, but much of the joy and rejoicing in his Gospel revolves around the birth of Jesus.

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