Mary: An Average Woman with Extraordinary Faith
The New Testament character of Mary is known for her obedience, humility, and faith. She was an average young woman who had no idea what God had in store for her life!
The New Testament character of Mary is known for her obedience, humility, and faith. She was an average young woman who had no idea what God had in store for her life!
Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and Herod all heard God’s message. So what accounted for their different reactions? Zacharias doubted, Mary and Joseph believed, and Herod rejected the message. And each of their responses had significant results.
As followers of Christ our history becomes His story. God has created and shaped each of us on purpose, with a purpose, and for a purpose. For the Christian our life-message is rooted in declaring the glory and grace of God.
Nazareth isn’t some holy hamlet. It’s a rugged and dirty place, always has been. But it was there, in that lonely town, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told she would bear the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.
Pastor Chuck Swindoll revisits the Saviour’s quiet entry into the world in Luke 2:1–20. You’ll be challenged to open God’s gracious present to you anew and to marvel at the humble beginnings of God’s most wonderful gift.
Hopefully we leave the event with a renewed sense of wonder, overwhelmed by the magnificence of what unfolded in Bethlehem long ago. Imagine…
“Don’t be afraid!...I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Come with Pastor Chuck Swindoll to witness this spectacular moment preserved in Luke 2:8–20 and hear the message of rejoicing that still echoes today.
Boredom is the real danger we face when we approach the Christmas story. It’s so familiar, our minds just hit the highlights, because we think we’ve already plumbed the depths of every detail. But if we could approach the nativity as if we’ve never read it before, we’d discover something new and exciting—we’d discover the birth of Jesus is a gift too wonderful for words.
Most of us have this idealistic idea about Christmas, but it will never be perfect. And you know what? The first Christmas wasn’t perfect either. It was beyond messy. So why worry when things go wrong this year?
Want to make this Christmas season one to remember? Let’s consider how to move into the neighbourhood with our celebration. Let’s help people know God’s love this season by being generous inside and out, true from start to finish.