GodSpeak for the Week of December 23
“Light NOW – Love”
We finish our Advent season this week – and, along with it, our Advent theme of putting the “light” of Christ into practice “now,” by considering God’s promise for LOVE and by considering the work we will be doing to bless kids awaiting permanent homes – specifically and intentionally THROUGH Christ – and the good folks at Children’s Home Society.
Day 1…Read Luke 2:7
- Consider this – the “swaddling cloths” into which Mary wrapped Jesus were no mistake. They were intended to keep Him WARM. Back in those days it was also believed that swaddling a baby would keep His LIMBS STRAIGHT as He grew in those first several months.
- Consider this – on this day before Christmas Eve, we have the unique privilege to make and gift blankets to kids awaiting permanent homes and families at Children’s Home Society/LSS.
- Answer this – how could God use the blankets we’ve made and gifted these kids to keep them WARM (not just literally)?
- How might God keep these kids’ “limbs straight” through these gifts in the days and weeks-to-come?
Day 2…Read Luke 2:1-3
- Consider this – Luke is very intentional about mentioning that Jesus was born during the reign of Roman emperor Caesar Augustus AND during the governorship of Quirinius in Syria.
- Answer this – why is it important to Luke that he mention details such as these?
- What do these details DO to the story we’re being told?
- What does that do in terms of Jesus’ birth?
Day 3…Read Luke 2:8-9
- Consider this – to convey the idea of “terrified” (v. 9), Luke uses FOUR words in Greek: “phobeo megas phobeo phobos” (literally, “afraid mega afraid afraid).
- Answer this – what do Luke’s FOUR words do to convey a clearer, more understandable sense of what the shepherds felt versus simply the word “terrified”?
- What must that have been like, looked like, felt like for the shepherds to have gone from pitch dark to the instantaneously bright light of the angel?
Day 4…Read Luke 2:13-14
- Consider this – the word “peace” that the angels sing in v. 14, literally means “the way that leads to salvation”.
- Answer this – what does it mean, then, that God has sent His “peace” into the world through the Savior born in Bethlehem?
Day 5…Read Luke 2:15-18
- Consider this – the word Luke uses for “amazed” in v. 18 literally means that people MARVELED at what the shepherds told them.
- Note as well – the three letter word Luke includes in v. 18 to tell us how many people marveled at what the shepherds reported! ?
- Answer this – what does this tell you about the shepherds? How does this strike you in terms of how many people were moved by the story they told?
Day 6…Read Luke 2:19-20
- Consider this – Luke notes that Mary “treasured up” and “pondered” in her heart everything she’d seen and experienced.
- That idea of “treasured” means Mary kept those things to herself so she wouldn’t forget them.
- That idea of “pondered” means that she literally kept flipping those memories over in her mind.
- Answer this – how do these insights give us a greater appreciation for what Mary was experiencing and doing?