![]() ![]() "So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. Both seemed impossibilities one, an old woman of 80 years the other, a virgin.Īs the angel said to Mary upon the announcement that she would conceive in holiness, “For nothing shall be impossible with God”. and His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation'” ( Luke 1:46-50).Ĭousins Mary and Elizabeth each had miraculous reasons to rejoice! God had honored their everyday faithfulness by granting them pregnancies. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. ![]() “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'" ( Luke 2:13-14). God sent Emmanuel-God with us, to “save His people from their sins” no matter who we are, or what we’ve done. But Christ’s heavenly ancestry rang perfect, pure, and holy. This speaks to our Father’s abundant mercy! The Messiah descended from a royal human bloodline, but one riddled with human frailty. And while we don’t get to choose our lineage, God chose Christ’s human ancestry right from David’s seed.ĭavid-the man after God’s own heart, yet David-the man who committed adultery. Whether we’re proud of our ancestral roots or not, we’re stuck with them. ![]() The underlying message, woven throughout the Christmas story, is “God and sinners reconciled”. “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit" ( Isaiah 11:1-2). Since many of us grew up hearing the Christmas story, sometimes the wonder is lost in the retelling (like watching a Christmas classic such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the 49th time).īut for today, sit back and watch the story unfold from 6 hidden lessons you may have never considered. In case you haven’t heard of the Serendipity Bible for Groups… The Serendipity Bible for groups has a Bible study like the one above for every passage of Scripture in the Bible.What’s the best story you’ve ever heard-the one that drew you in and had you hanging on every word until the end? The dynamics probably involved suspense, danger, and heart-tugging moments.Īnd for me, the best stories are those with happy endings (Ahem-Hallmark movies). What precious event has God done that you “treasure in your heart”? What does that imply about what it means to be “spiritual”? How has God spoken to you in the ordinary flow of life? 2. God appeared to Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds when they were just being themselves. What do you treasure the most about Jesus? What three titles are given to Jesus in verse 11? What is significant about them? 3. Of all the people the angels could have visited, why do you suppose God sent them to the shepherds? How does that relate to Mary’s song (Luke 1: 46 – 55)? 2. Ice-Breaker: When does your Christmas tree go up? Who trims it? How? What other traditions do you observe from your childhood?īible Discussion: 1. I think you’ll find it will create healthy, life tranforming conversation. Below you’ll find questions for a small group experience taken from the Serendipity Bible for Groups produced by Lyman Coleman. Also… If you’re like me you don’t want to purchase an entire study for just one small group experience. ![]() If you’re like me, you may want to take a one week break from the study your group is involved in so that you can focus on some part of the birth of Jesus. Your small group may have decided to take a break beginning a few weeks from now or you may be spending Christmas day together. The celebration of Jesus’ birth is almost here. ![]()
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