“I am the Lord’s Servant,” Mary Answered. Key Passage: Luke 1:38 Focus verse: “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38) The angel Gabriel has just delivered shocking news to Mary. It’s a lot for her to take in. It would be a lot for anyone. The […]
The Genealogy of Jesus Today’s Passage: Matthew 1:1–17 Focus Verse: This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1) We’ve already talked about how John, Mark, and Luke open their biographies of Jesus. Now we’ll look at Matthew’s approach. Though it may seem strange to us […]
Luke Bible Study, Day 4 Today’s passage: Luke 2:1–38 Focus verse:“I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10) Joseph and his pregnant fiancée travel to Bethlehem for a mandatory census. Unable to find a place to stay, they hunker down in a barn. There, among the stench […]
Luke Bible Study, Day 3 Today’s passage: Luke 1:26–80 Focus verse:“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” (Luke 1:31) Six months later the angel, Gabriel, makes a return visit to earth. This time it’s to see Mary, a young girl, a virgin. Luke makes sure we […]
Childless, Elizabeth and husband Zechariah are getting old; their chance for kids is slim. Still they pray for the improbable. Despite not receiving what they yearn for, their faith remains strong. They are a righteous couple who honor God. One day at work, an angel shows up and tells Zechariah that he and his barren […]
Mary Receives Shocking News An angel visits Mary, a teenage girl engaged to be married. The angel celebrates her as one highly favored by God. Perplexed, she wonders about the angel’s shocking greeting. Then he further stuns her by saying she will become pregnant, and her child will save her people. “How,” Mary asks? “I’m […]
At the Temple Anna and Simeon Bless Jesus Today’s Passage: Luke 2:39 Focus Verse: They returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. (Luke 2:39) As we’ve covered, Mary and Joseph go to the temple in Jerusalem when Baby Jesus is eight days old. They do so to consecrate him to God as their […]
Mary Treasured These Things and Pondered Them in Her Heart Today’s Passage: Luke 2:19 Focus Verse: But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19) Mary’s delivery had been a private experience. Now a bunch of strangers show up. They’re nearby shepherds who have left their sheep unattended to […]
Though They Didn’t Believe in Him at First, They Later Did John writes that even Jesus’s own brothers did not believe in him. We can assume this applies to his sisters too. How shocking to learn that Jesus’s siblings didn’t believe in him or who he really was. They grew up living with the Son […]
Elizabeth’s Unborn Child Leaps for Joy at the Sound of Mary’s Voice Today’s Passage: Luke 1:39–45 Focus Verse: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45) Not only will Mary have a baby, but her much older relative Elizabeth will have one too. Mary sets off […]