Mary's Christmas
It was anything but an idyllic, silent night on that cool Bethlehem evening when a scared teenager gave birth to the King of kings. Mary endured the pain of her baby’s arrival without the aid of anything more than the carpentry-roughened hands of Joseph, her betrothed. Shepherds may have been serenaded in nearby fields by angels singing praises to the Baby, but all Mary and Joseph heard were the sounds of animals, birth agony, and the first cries of God in baby form. A high-magnitude star shone in the night sky above the outbuilding, but the manger scene was a dreary place for these two out-of-town visitors.
As Joseph laid the infant in Mary’s arms, a combination of wonder, pain, fear and joy must have coursed through her heart. She knew, because of an angel’s promise, that this tiny bundle was “the Son of the Highest.” (Luke 1:32) As she peered through the semidarkness into His eyes and then into Joseph’s, she must have wondered how she was going to mother this One whose kingdom would never end.
Mary had much to ponder in her heart on that special night. Now, over 2,000 years later, each of us needs to consider the importance of Jesus’ birth and His subsequent death, resurrection, and promise to return.
- Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread
Something to Think About
Based on Luke 1: 26-38 from The New Serendipity Bible for Study Groups
1. What do you think was the hardest for Mary to comprehend?
a. The fact that she was favoured by God
b. A pregnancy before marriage
c. Who her child was going to be
d. How all this fit into God’s plan
2. Why did God choose Mary to give birth to his Son?
a. She earned the honour by her holy life
b. She was at the right place at the right time
c. Her lineage was correct
d. He had her in mind from the beginning
e. Only God knows why He picked her
3. Mary’s initial reaction to the angel’s appearance was:
a. Fear
b. Confusion
c. Doubt
d. Faith
e. Concern
f. Curiousity
4. If an angel were to reveal God’s plan for my life today, I would:
a. Ask a lot of questions
b. Wonder if I had any say about it
c. Rejoice that God could use me
d. Worry about my ability to carry it off
e. Run away scared
f. I’d rather not know the future; I’d prefer to be surprised
5. After this encounter with the angel, how did Mary envision herself?
a. Ascending a throne
b. As a lowly servant
c. As a surrogate mother
d. As an ordinary person
6. Why did the angel tell Mary about Elizabeth’s condition?
a. To prove God’s power
b. To unfold the rest of God’s plan
c. To encourage her
d. To give her something else to think about
7. My biggest concern about bringing Christ to my world is:
a. I don’t know enough about Him
b. I’m not sure if Christ has entered my world
c. I never know what to say
d. I’m not sure I am ready for people’s reaction
e. My own life does not always reflect God’s holiness
f. It may require some major changes in my life
8. One way I can bring the Saviour into the world right now is to:
a. Talk about my relationship to Christ with others
b. Help those in need around me
c. Do everything in a spirit of joy and gratitude
d. Work with honesty and integrity in the marketplace
e. Persuade my family and community to observe God’s laws
f. Celebrate God’s love in worship with other believers
9. I have the easiest (E) time and the hardest (H) time believing that:
a. All the days ordained for me were written in God’s book ahead of time (Ps 139:16)
b. God has saved us and called us to holy life (2 Ti 1:8-9)
c. I am an important part of the body of Christ (1 Co 12:27)
d. In Christ I can bear fruit for His kingdom (Jn 15:5)
e. To be great, I must become a servant of Christ (mt 20:26-28)
10. If indeed “the Lord is with me,” then I am encouraged that:
a. God can use even me, despite my flaws
b. Serving Him will bring me joy and fulfillment
c. God will guide me each step of the way
d. He will carry me through my time of struggle
e. He has the power to carry out His plan
God Bless...Have a Blessed Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas
Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca/
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