Wednesday, December 19, 2007

What's In A Christmas Scripture For Me?


There were many of our youth group absent from tonight 's meeting: Some were on a youth skiing retreat in Minnesota with some of our leaders and many were attending Christmas programs and activities in our immediate area. Our pastor, Jay, presented scripture found in Luke 1:26-38 to those youth in attendance. He was challenging them to learn how to feed themselves when they read the scriptures in the Bible. He instructed them to do two things when they read scripture: 1. Circle main words in the verses. 2. Ask this question to the verse. What is God wanting to tell them (meaning the people in the scripture). To take it one step further, what is God saying to me? Ok, give it a try with Luke 1:26-38 listed below:

(26)In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, to a town in Galilee, (27)to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (28)The angel went to her and said,"Greetings , you are highly favored! The Lord is with you.

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. (30)But the angel said to her,"Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. (31)You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. (32)He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of the father David, (33)and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

(34)"How will this be," Mary ask the angel, "since I am a virgin?'

(35)The angel answered,"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (36)Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she was said to be the barren is in her sixth month. (37)For nothing is impossible with God."

(38)"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Here is what our youth came up with...how appropriate a lesson that God teaches us with this scripture passage:
(v28)The Lord is with you.
(v30)Don't be afraid.
(v31-33)I have a plan for your life.
(v34-35)There is nothing I can't do.
(v37)Nothing is impossible with God.
(v38)How much do I love God?

Mary was a living sacrifice for God...What about you?


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