LOUD - Study 3
Pray: ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud:Luke 1; 39-56
Re-tell the passage in your own words
Loud – Study 3
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Specific Questions
1. This part of Luke’s Gospel sees Mary going to visit Elizabeth and on arrival the baby inside Elizabeth jumps for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice. Elizabeth exclaims “God has blessed you above all women.” Describe a time when you have described someone as being blessed? What does being blessed look like for you in your context today?
2. At another point in the passage Elizabeth says “Blessed is she who believed that the lord would fulfill his promises to her” (NIV) or as the NLT puts it; “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Describe a time when you have had to hold onto a promise that the Lord had given to you? Describe how you felt having not only believed but having seen that promise become reality?
3. God can speak in numbers of different ways, sometimes through angels, sometimes through his word and also through his spirit living in his people. When and how does God speak or has God spoken to you?
4. It can be such a gift when as a community we listen to what God has to say for one another, it can be such an encouragement. But it does also take some bravery! Elizabeth is one of the first people in the New Testament that we see Holy Spirit working through to speak to someone else. The Spirit still works in this way today! One of the ways we can be louder at Christmas is to speak out what we think God is saying to each of us. What obstacles do you think you need to overcome to share what you think God is saying to you?
5. One of the tests we use to determine if it is God speaking through us is does what we feel like God is saying build up, strengthen or edify the people or person? Will we be “loud this Christmas in affirming, building up or edifying each other with the things God is saying?
6. Re watch the clip from “The Chosen.” The magnificat, is the event in the narrative after Elizabeth confirms what Gabriel has said. It’s Mary’s response and understanding of what's happening.
Do Mary’s words about God’s character and actions toward us ring true for you today? Do you need a reminder of God’s posture and his mercy towards you? What would help you to remember that suffering will not always be your story? Sometimes we need to pray through our circumstances but sometimes we need to praise through our situations. When have you praised through the situation you have been in?
7. Perhaps you need a reminder of God’s great faithfulness, that his promises will not be empty. From generation to generation God is faithful in all of his promises - when have you seen God’s faithfulness in your own life?
8. Who are the people who encourage and help you on your faith journey?
Who has been influential in encouraging you in your life? Who could you come alongside to encourage? Who might God want to speak to through your voice? God invites you to be a part of his story, all that is needed is your willingness. Even if you think you’re too old and have missed the boat or too young and inexperienced, God invites you in and he wants to speak to and through you. This Christmas season will you bend your ear towards him and offer him your voice?
Read Passage Aloud:Luke 1; 39-56
Re-tell the passage in your own words
Loud – Study 3
General Questions
What do you like about the passage?
What do you find interesting and or challenging about the passage?
Specific Questions
1. This part of Luke’s Gospel sees Mary going to visit Elizabeth and on arrival the baby inside Elizabeth jumps for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice. Elizabeth exclaims “God has blessed you above all women.” Describe a time when you have described someone as being blessed? What does being blessed look like for you in your context today?
2. At another point in the passage Elizabeth says “Blessed is she who believed that the lord would fulfill his promises to her” (NIV) or as the NLT puts it; “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Describe a time when you have had to hold onto a promise that the Lord had given to you? Describe how you felt having not only believed but having seen that promise become reality?
3. God can speak in numbers of different ways, sometimes through angels, sometimes through his word and also through his spirit living in his people. When and how does God speak or has God spoken to you?
4. It can be such a gift when as a community we listen to what God has to say for one another, it can be such an encouragement. But it does also take some bravery! Elizabeth is one of the first people in the New Testament that we see Holy Spirit working through to speak to someone else. The Spirit still works in this way today! One of the ways we can be louder at Christmas is to speak out what we think God is saying to each of us. What obstacles do you think you need to overcome to share what you think God is saying to you?
5. One of the tests we use to determine if it is God speaking through us is does what we feel like God is saying build up, strengthen or edify the people or person? Will we be “loud this Christmas in affirming, building up or edifying each other with the things God is saying?
6. Re watch the clip from “The Chosen.” The magnificat, is the event in the narrative after Elizabeth confirms what Gabriel has said. It’s Mary’s response and understanding of what's happening.
Do Mary’s words about God’s character and actions toward us ring true for you today? Do you need a reminder of God’s posture and his mercy towards you? What would help you to remember that suffering will not always be your story? Sometimes we need to pray through our circumstances but sometimes we need to praise through our situations. When have you praised through the situation you have been in?
7. Perhaps you need a reminder of God’s great faithfulness, that his promises will not be empty. From generation to generation God is faithful in all of his promises - when have you seen God’s faithfulness in your own life?
8. Who are the people who encourage and help you on your faith journey?
Who has been influential in encouraging you in your life? Who could you come alongside to encourage? Who might God want to speak to through your voice? God invites you to be a part of his story, all that is needed is your willingness. Even if you think you’re too old and have missed the boat or too young and inexperienced, God invites you in and he wants to speak to and through you. This Christmas season will you bend your ear towards him and offer him your voice?
LOUD - Study 2
Pray: ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud:Luke 1:26-38
Re-tell the passage in your own words
General Questions:
What do you like about the text?
What do you find challenging about the text?
Specific Questions:
1. Luke begins this part of the passage by talking not only about Nazareth’s location but also by talking briefly about Mary. He does this because both the town of Nazareth and Mary are unknown and might seem insignificant in the eyes of the readers. It’s true for Mary, and it’s a pattern through so many characters in the Bible that God chooses ordinary, unlikely, normal people like you and me to be the recipients of God’s invitation. An invitation to partner with what God is doing in the world.
When have you been in a situation when you have felt unknown and or insignificant? What are some other words to describe how you felt? How did you overcome that feeling?
2. Mary is an example of what happens when God is at work through human beings. God’s power and the indwelling spirit, together result in things being done which would have been unthinkable any other way. We are reminded that nothing is impossible for God. Share an example from your own life when you thought the circumstances or situation you were facing seemed impossible and how God provided or got you through that situation.
3. Mary’s question, “How can that be?” is a legitimate question to ask given the circumstance. When have you questioned God because you didn’t understand his plan or purpose? What happened?
4. In this series we’re invited to consider how we might be inspired and informed by this story to dare to get a little louder in our walk with Jesus ourselves. In view of some of the experiences and feelings that you’ve talked about from the questions above, share something you could do this Christmas to intersect with people and help them through some of the same issues or circumstances.
5. We can only imagine the awe Mary would have experienced. This was beyond her understanding, beyond anyone’s understanding. Somehow… this awe moved her to surrender and to trust.
How does God, gently or dramatically, prompt you to awe and wonder?
What ignites or facilitates a sense of awe of God’s presence in you?
6. Mary demonstrates that she recognised her limitations, and then acknowledged God’s greatness. It must have required great humility and openness. A posture of faith and availability.
What would it look like to amplify your availability to God’s direction and leading?
7. Mary is awestruck and available, and while the passage ends as the angel leaves her, we’ve read the end the book. We know what happened next. The baby is born! His name is Jesus! He is the Son of God!
Where in your life might you turn up the volume this week, this Christmas or into next year?
Perhaps one way of moving forward is to simply pray “God, I want to be more attentive to your presence and activity in my life. I want to be awestruck by you. Even while I sometimes feel ordinary or insignificant, I am available for you so use me to reach those people in my spheres of influence this Christmas season.”
Read Passage Aloud:Luke 1:26-38
Re-tell the passage in your own words
General Questions:
What do you like about the text?
What do you find challenging about the text?
Specific Questions:
1. Luke begins this part of the passage by talking not only about Nazareth’s location but also by talking briefly about Mary. He does this because both the town of Nazareth and Mary are unknown and might seem insignificant in the eyes of the readers. It’s true for Mary, and it’s a pattern through so many characters in the Bible that God chooses ordinary, unlikely, normal people like you and me to be the recipients of God’s invitation. An invitation to partner with what God is doing in the world.
When have you been in a situation when you have felt unknown and or insignificant? What are some other words to describe how you felt? How did you overcome that feeling?
2. Mary is an example of what happens when God is at work through human beings. God’s power and the indwelling spirit, together result in things being done which would have been unthinkable any other way. We are reminded that nothing is impossible for God. Share an example from your own life when you thought the circumstances or situation you were facing seemed impossible and how God provided or got you through that situation.
3. Mary’s question, “How can that be?” is a legitimate question to ask given the circumstance. When have you questioned God because you didn’t understand his plan or purpose? What happened?
4. In this series we’re invited to consider how we might be inspired and informed by this story to dare to get a little louder in our walk with Jesus ourselves. In view of some of the experiences and feelings that you’ve talked about from the questions above, share something you could do this Christmas to intersect with people and help them through some of the same issues or circumstances.
5. We can only imagine the awe Mary would have experienced. This was beyond her understanding, beyond anyone’s understanding. Somehow… this awe moved her to surrender and to trust.
How does God, gently or dramatically, prompt you to awe and wonder?
What ignites or facilitates a sense of awe of God’s presence in you?
6. Mary demonstrates that she recognised her limitations, and then acknowledged God’s greatness. It must have required great humility and openness. A posture of faith and availability.
What would it look like to amplify your availability to God’s direction and leading?
7. Mary is awestruck and available, and while the passage ends as the angel leaves her, we’ve read the end the book. We know what happened next. The baby is born! His name is Jesus! He is the Son of God!
Where in your life might you turn up the volume this week, this Christmas or into next year?
Perhaps one way of moving forward is to simply pray “God, I want to be more attentive to your presence and activity in my life. I want to be awestruck by you. Even while I sometimes feel ordinary or insignificant, I am available for you so use me to reach those people in my spheres of influence this Christmas season.”
LOUD - Study 1
Pray: ask God to speak
Read Passage Aloud:Luke 1:5-25
Re-tell the passage in your own words
General Questions:
What do you like about the text?
What do you find challenging about the text?
Specific Questions:
Read Passage Aloud:Luke 1:5-25
Re-tell the passage in your own words
General Questions:
What do you like about the text?
What do you find challenging about the text?
Specific Questions:
- Look up an image of the layout of the Temple, with the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place that Zachariah was chosen to enter. What might it have been like for Zachariah to have been selected to serve in this special place?
- Read Luke 1:13-17, then read Malachi 4:5-6. What parallels do you notice? What did the angel say that stands out to you?
- Zachariah was silenced for not believing the angels words, but this silence may have been a gift as much as a punishment. How might this time of quiet have been a gift to Zachariah?
- Christmas is a time when God got loud. There are many reasons we are not loud and outspoken about God. Consider this list: It's not my job. I’m too busy. I don’t know everything. I don’t know anyone. People will reject me. I don't have a story to tell. Do any of these stand out as barriers to sharing faith?
- If we do not know what God has done for us in a personal way it is hard to be motivated or enthused to share. Take a look at these barriers to encountering God, That is for the spiritual people. I didn't feel anything so gave up. I prefer control. I'm not good enough. I already know my story it can't change. Which ones stand out to you? Are there others?
- How might you find time to get quiet so that you can encounter God more intimately? What does it look like in your life to encounter God?
- The 1962 Christmas song, Do You Hear What I Hear? has a shepherd boy saying to a mighty king, "Do you know what I know?" What do you know about God that might be worth getting loud about?
- In what ways might you get more Loud as Christmas approaches?