Wednesday, December 08, 2021

Family Portraits | Small Group Questions | Luke 1:26-38





Coastline Bible Church just started a brand new sermon series called: "Family Portraits." For the month of December we're studying the people who would have been closest to Jesus at the time of His birth. The thought is that we will see what the Bible teaches us about those who might have been in the birth, or early years, pictures of Jesus. We want to learn from these individuals on how they lived their lives, handled the news of Jesus, and their response.  For this series I volunteered to write the small group questions that go along with each sermon. It seemed like a waste to leave them in a file on my computer and not share them with everyone.

Small Group Questions | Mary-Surrender | Luke 1:26-38

As we move into the Christmas season we begin a brand new sermon series for the month of December. During this month we will look at different people who would have been present in the early days of Jesus’ life on earth. We begin this series by looking at Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary was a teenager when the angel Gabriel visited her. He gave her a four-fold angelic message that would serve a prophetic word about Jesus and His time on earth. At the conclusion of this meeting Mary offers a great line that she is surrendered to the plans of God. Oh that we would follow in her example and surrender our life to God this Christmas. 

1) As we move into this Christmas season we can look around and see the clash of the sacred and secular. Christmas is the only Christian holiday that is also a major secular holiday. How can we hep redeem Christmas for Christ? 

2) Read Luke 1:26-27. Luke introduces us Mary the mother of Jesus. He makes is clear that she is a virgin and a descendant of David. Read Isaiah 7:14, 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and Jeremiah 23:5-6. Talk about the prophecies about Jesus. 

3) Each of our lives have a backstory and a lineage of people in our family line. Read Matthew 1:1-17. When you read the backstory of Jesus share about some of these people. Who sticks out as faith, broken, committed, or scandalous? 

4) Read Luke 1:28-30. Immediately the angel Gabriel tells Mary not to be afraid. Read Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 56:3, and Philippians 4:6-7. What are you afraid of right now and where do you need help overcoming that fear? 

5) Read Luke 1:21-33. The angel gives a four-fold prophetic message about Jesus. When you read these verses what part about the prophecy are you most looking for in Jesus? Share why you focusing on that this Christmas season. 

6) After Mary hears this message she responds with a question and statement (read Luke 1:34-38). Mary chose to live a life surrender to God’s greater plan. What cost would it be to Mary for such surrender? 

7) For Mary to have such a great surrender meant to trust God with her entire life. Thinking about surrender: where, how, or what do you want to surrender to God this Christmas season? What is holding you back from such surrender? 

Close your time in prayer. Pray for strength to invite a friend to meet Jesus. 



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