It’s hard to think of an advent season without a deeper look at Mary, the mother of Jesus. I never fail to be struck by her willingness to obey in what must have been a terrifying situation. It very well could have been a death sentence. If they didn’t stone her first, the challenges of…
I’m always struck by how often the scripture reminds us to “fear not!” That concept appears four times in the Christmas story. Fear not! God answers prayer! The angel said to Zacharias, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard …” Zacharias had prayed for his wife to bear a child. I can’t…
Hannah sang – “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is increased by the Lord. … Indeed, there is no one holy like the Lord, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:1a, 2 ISV And then Mary sang – “My soul praises the greatness of the Lord! My…
Our pastor started teaching in Luke at the end of August. That means we are studying what are typically the Christmas passages in September! And I LOVE it! During the Christmas season, it is easy to get caught up in the overwhelming activities of the season and miss the details of the Bible’s narrative of…
In 1:26-38, Luke continues sharing the background story of Jesus’ birth. In this story, the setting is no longer the temple in Jerusalem. Now he is focused on the town of Nazareth. Archaeology tells us that Nazareth was a small town, a basin area surrounded by hills. The area is known for its limestone –…