1)Listen to Podcast
2)GG Questions 12/02/2018
Advent: Enlarging Mary and Joseph’s Souls Luke 1:26-38 and Matt. 1:18-25
1. What We Have Planned: God has a funny habit of interrupting our ‘perfect’ plans. The young couple in the first chapters of the gospels were planning their wedding when God, through His Spirit and angels, interrupted… What were the first words the angels said both Joseph (Matt. 1:20) and Mary (Luke 1:30)? Why are these words so necessary when our plans change? After these words, how did Joseph (Matt. 1:24) and Mary (Luke 1:38) respond to the angels’ news? Is God interrupting your plans today? Have you ever experienced God’s blessing after embracing His interruptions?
2. The Impossible: What the angels told Joseph and Mary was impossible (Luke 1:36-37). In the words of Mary, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And yet, we are asked to respond to the (sometimes impossible) words of God with BELIEF (Luke 1:20, 45). Can you think of any other examples in Scripture where men and women of God believed in the impossible and were blessed? Are there places where God is asking you to believe something which seems impossible?
3. What God Has Planned: Joseph and Mary probably planned to eventually start a family. What kingdom
plans did God have through their marriage (Luke 1:32-33)? Luke tells us that Mary’s son will also “be called the SON of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). What does it mean for Jesus to be the ‘Son of God’? Have you thought of your life in terms of God’s kingdom plans?
4. His Name Shall Be: The naming of the child is very important in the birth accounts of both John the Baptist (Luke 1:13, 59-63) and Jesus (Matt. 1:21-23). In question 3, we learned Jesus was destined to become King of Israel and the world. What additional roles does Jesus’ name indicate He will play (Matt. 1:21)? Do you think of yourself as a person who needs saving? How should this realization shape the whole of the Christian life?
