Advent 2: Birth Announcement of a King
Birth Announcements
Among pregnant families today, there is a tradition of making cute and wondrous birth announcements for family and friends. Sometimes it will the family with a cute sign or board that detail the due date of the added member, or sometimes the older children or pets are used to share about the coming arrival. My favorite birth announcement that I have ever seen was a game that the new parents played with their own parents.
Here is the video:
The cuter the better, in fact there is almost a competition for who can do the announcement the best.
The reason that birth announcements have become so popular is because it prepares and excites the family for the coming child.
The Birth Announcement Trump Card
There is no birth announcement that will ever trump the announcement of the everlasting King found in Luke chapter 1.
Luke 1:30-33
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Several things make this birth announcement special.
1) It was not a new mother and father announcing to their family, instead it was the giver of life announcing to a mother that she would conceive and bear a son. God sent the angel Gabriel to announce to Mary that she was going to have a child. Mary was surprised and excited to have been chosen by God for such a wonderful task.
2) The birth announcement reveals to Mary that her child will not be ordinary. God declares that "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High." The greatness of this child is revealed in the name that is given to Him by God. Son of the Most High
3) God was announcing the everlasting King. God's birth announcement also reveals that this child is was to receive the throne of King David. This child would be King of Israel and Isaiah 9 foretold that God's King would be a King forever who establishes a Kingdom forever. This is an exciting announcement that calls for all people to honor this coming child.
This announcement generated excitement for Mary and offers the reader a framework for understanding the coming of a baby who would be King.
The Trouble with Birth Announcements
Announcements likes these leave all who hear them in anticipation. The event would not come for sometime. Like any other prenancy announcement, Mary and Joseph had to wait for 9 months, but the people of God had been waiting much longer. For those who had been waiting for God's coming King, there wait would soon be over.
Inspiring Hymn
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King; peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations, rise; join the triumph of the skies; with the angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
