![]() Mary must have stored up many memories of her remarkable son Jesus. Twenty-one years later it will give her perspective as Jesus would pour out His life for the sins of the whole world.ĭo you have your Bible? Have you located the stained-glass windows? Find a seat and allow God to speak to you as you prepare for Christmas this year.ĭiscover more of God’s promises when you read His Word every day.But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary would continue to soak in, to ponder, and to treasure all that was happening in her life-all that was pointing to the true mission of her divine Son. ![]() Everyone was amazed at the wisdom of this 12-year-old boy! Luke 2:51 says Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” Imagine Mary’s thoughts in realizing her Son was truly the Savior of the world! “On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions” (2:46). A day into their return journey they realized Jesus was missing. Jesus was 12 years old when His parents took Him to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. What would amaze you? What was Simeon saying that would impact Mary and Joseph and even you? Mary Treasures Jesus’s Identity: Finding Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41–52) In verse 33 we are told that Joseph and Mary are amazed at what Simeon says about Jesus. In the temple, the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) meets the “good, God-fearing man” Simeon, who was waiting for the Messiah. Focus on Mary’s reaction to the visitation of the angels and shepherds in verse 19: “Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them.” What sorts of things do you think Mary treasured and pondered in her heart? Mary Is Amazed by Her Messiah Son: The Presentation in the Temple (Luke 2:22–36) Angels announce to the shepherds His birth but begin by saying, “Don’t be afraid!” (2:10). Mary gives birth to Jesus and lays Him in a manger. Mary Ponders the Miracle of Jesus: The Nativity (Luke 2:1–20) Gaze at the window and imagine what it meant for Mary to say, “May it happen to me as you have said” (1:38). How would you have reacted to an angel showing up in your room? Mary is told that she will be the mother of the Son of God no one else would ever have that honor. The angel tells Mary, “Don’t be afraid!” (1:30). The imagination, let alone a stained-glass window, can’t do justice to an angelic visitation. ![]() Mary Accepts God’s Plan: The Annunciation (Luke 1:26–38) Let’s walk through a bit of Mary’s story together and see what she can teach us. I would like to suggest two key practices that can make a difference this season: read carefully through chapters 1 and 2 in Luke’s Gospel in your Bible, and find some time to reflect on the Christmas story in a church with stained-glass windows that depict the joyful narratives of Jesus’s early life. How does that compare to how you usually prepare for Christmas? Mary stopped and took time to reflect and allow God to teach her what He was doing. As I follow Mary through the book of Luke, she teaches me to take time to ponder and to treasure Christmas-to slow down and see the things I might have missed. We are introduced to Mary, the mother of Jesus, in Luke 1:26 when she is visited by the angel Gabriel who announces that she has been chosen by God to be the mother of the Savior. Over the past several years, I have been learning from one of the central characters of the biblical Christmas story on how to make the Christmas season different. In all the hustle and bustle of this season, how can we soak in this “most wonderful time of the year?” Christmas has great significance for our Christian faith, but it’s easy for us to get caught up in its busyness and miss its message. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |