Mary: Mother of Jesus (Part 4)

Welcome to Part Four of our Advent Bible Study on Mary.  Check out Part One, Part Two and Part Three if you are just joining in today.  

Remember: participation is up to whatever level you can manage.  Just reading through and thinking about it as you do, writing your responses down in your personal journal, leaving a comment or question in the comments section or emailing thoughts to me.  You could chat to a local friend about what comes up or if you get really excited you are welcome to use these questions for your family or small group study time.  I'd love to know if you do so let me know!

So go and grab your Bible, a cup of tea and a some biscuits and whatever else you might need and let's get into studying the character of the wonderful woman Mary, the Mother of our Lord.

Consider

What is Christmas, the Birth of Christ, without Easter?  We cannot truly celebrate the birth of Our Saviour without acknowledging what he came to do for us.  His birth holds very little meaning without the knowledge of his death and, ultimately, of his resurrection.   We can celebrate the entirety of Christ at Christmas but at his death Mary had yet to see the full realisation of her sons purpose in being born.

Last week we left Mary pondering the words her beloved son Jesus had spoken to her after leaving her for 3 days to be in the temple.  This week we join her at the very end of Jesus' life as she believes he is about to leave her forever.

Read John 19:25-27

Of all the horrendous things in life that a person could witness  there could be no words for the kind of agony Mary experienced in seeing her own son crucified….  And for Jesus to see his mother’s torment at his pain knowing his Father’s plan could have only added to his own pain.  Yet how could she leave him?  The son whom she had rejoiced over, given birth to, went into exile for, whom she searched and followed?

Q21.                  What does it tell you that she would chose to be there to witness his suffering?

Q22.                  Do you think she understood the full purpose God had for her son? His Son?

Q23.                  Do you think that as she watched him die she had doubts about Gabriel’s message?  About her son being the Saviour?

Q24.                  What do you think her reaction would have been to discover her son had risen from the dead?

Read again Luke 1:37

Q25.                  What part of Mary’s character would you most like to emulate?

Thank you for joining me in this Advent Preparation study on Mary the Mother of Jesus.  I pray that you have learnt a few things about her, yourself and Our Lord over the past few weeks as well as being challenged and inspired.  May your hearts be ready this Christmas for the birth of Our King and may your heart forever know that with Christ all things are possible.