"Yeah, I Know That Already": Week 5

It's time for the last Yellow House meeting of 2008! Goodness!

This week we'll be looking at the story of Mary, the Virgin Mother. It is the perfect accompaniment to the Christmas season, and it most definitely fits into, "Yeah, I Know That Already."

We hear so much about Mary during the Advent season, and it's tempting to look for a "new spin" on the story - but the story isn't the one that needs to change. (Ha.) This week we'll be looking for a "new spin" inside ourselves. Please join me in prayer for the new revelation of eternal truths... for open hearts. :)

Love you all!
-Chelsea

Readings: Luke 1:26-55; Matthew 1:18-24; Luke 2:1-21; John 2:1-11

***EDIT: Don't forget that we're meeting at Sara & Kate's this week... check your email for maps and details about carpooling!***

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Luke 1:26-55

Now in the sixth month [after that], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth,

To a girl never having been married and a virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one [endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!

But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled and disturbed and confused at what he said and kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean.

And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving-kindness) with God.

And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus.

He will be great (eminent) and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David,

And He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and of His reign there will be no end.

And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband?

Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.

And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren.

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.

Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her.

And at that time Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah,

And she went to the house of Zachariah and, entering it, saluted Elizabeth.

And it occurred that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

And she cried out with a loud cry, and then exclaimed, Blessed (favored of God) above all other women are you! And blessed (favored of God) is the Fruit of your womb!

And how [have I deserved that this honor should] be granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For behold, the instant the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul magnifies and extols the Lord,

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

For He has looked upon the low station and humiliation of His handmaiden. For behold, from now on all generations [of all ages] will call me blessed and declare me happy and to be envied!

For He Who is almighty has done great things for me--and holy is His name [to be venerated in His purity, majesty and glory]!

And His mercy (His compassion and kindness toward the miserable and afflicted) is on those who fear Him with godly reverence, from generation to generation and age to age.

He has shown strength and made might with His arm; He has scattered the proud and haughty in and by the imagination and purpose and designs of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree.

He has filled and satisfied the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty-handed [without a gift].

He has laid hold on His servant Israel [to help him, to espouse his cause], in remembrance of His mercy,

Even as He promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

Matthew 1:18-24

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place under these circumstances: When His mother Mary had been promised in marriage to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be pregnant [through the power] of the Holy Spirit.

And her [promised] husband Joseph, being a just and upright man and not willing to expose her publicly and to shame and disgrace her, decided to repudiate and dismiss (divorce) her quietly and secretly.

But as he was thinking this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary [as] your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of (from, out of) the Holy Spirit.

She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior], for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God].

All this took place that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet,

Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel--which, when translated, means, God with us.

Then Joseph, being aroused from his sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him: he took [her to his side as] his wife.

Luke 2:1-21

In those days it occurred that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole Roman empire should be registered.

This was the first enrollment, and it was made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

And all the people were going to be registered, each to his own city or town.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,

To be enrolled with Mary, his espoused (married) wife, who was about to become a mother.

And while they were there, the time came for her delivery,

And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn.

And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened.

But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.

For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!

And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find [after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven (a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest [heaven], and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased [men of goodwill, of His favor].

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing (saying) that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.

So they went with haste and [by searching] found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger.

And when they saw it, they made known what had been told them concerning this Child,

And all who heard it were astounded and marveled at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary was keeping within herself all these things (sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

And at the end of eight days, when [the Baby] was to be circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

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John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

Jesus also was invited with His disciples to the wedding.

And when the wine was all gone, the mother of Jesus said to Him, They have no more wine!

Jesus said to her, [Dear] woman, what is that to you and to Me? [What do we have in common? Leave it to Me.] My time (hour to act) has not yet come.

His mother said to the servants, Whatever He says to you, do it.

Now there were six waterpots of stone standing there, as the Jewish custom of purification (ceremonial washing) demanded, holding twenty to thirty gallons apiece.

Jesus said to them, Fill the waterpots with water. So they filled them up to the brim.

Then He said to them, Draw some out now and take it to the manager of the feast [to the one presiding, the superintendent of the banquet]. So they took him some.

And when the manager tasted the water just now turned into wine, not knowing where it came from--though the servants who had drawn the water knew--he called the bridegroom

And said to him, Everyone else serves his best wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then he serves that which is not so good; but you have kept back the good wine until now!

This, the first of His signs (miracles, wonderworks), Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory [by it He displayed His greatness and His power openly], and His disciples believed in Him [adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].