The Birth of Jesus Foretold

I hope each of you is surrounded by loved ones this Christmas Eve, filled with excitement for what tomorrow celebrates - the gift of certain and unfailing hope that God sent to us in His Son so many years ago.

"26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'

 ²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.³²He 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, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'

 ³⁴How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'

 ³⁵The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. ³⁷For nothing is impossible with God.'

 ^38'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.' Then the angel left her.

 - Luke 2: 26-38 (NIV)