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A troubling message for Mary. Good News Bible used here. (Pg.#1)

(Mark ALL the correct answers.)

Luke 1:5-22… (GNB) During the time when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife’s name was Elizabeth; she also belonged to a priestly family.  (6)  They both lived good lives in God’s sight and obeyed fully all the Lord’s laws and commands.  (7)  They had no children because Elizabeth could not have any, and she and Zechariah were both very old.  (8)  One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service.  (9)  According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord,  (10)  while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned.  (11)  An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar where the incense was burned.  (12)  When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid.  (13)  But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John.  (14)  How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born!  (15)  John will be great in the Lord’s sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,  (16)  and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  (17)  He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord’s people ready for him.” (18)  Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also.”  (19)  “I am Gabriel,” the angel answered. “I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news.  (20) But you have not believed my message, which will come true at the right time. Because you have not believed, you will be unable to speak; you will remain silent until the day my promise to you comes true.”  (21)  In the meantime the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was spending such a long time in the Temple.  (22)  When he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Unable to say a word, he made signs to them with his hands.

— Q1. Why did Zechariah doubt the angel’s message?

O – Angels aren’t trustworthy.     O – He knew that he and Elizabeth were past child-bearing years.

— Q2. We read in (Vs.17)… He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah.

Who was John (the Baptist) to go ahead of?

O – His dad Zechariah.     O – The angel Gabriel.     O – His yet to be born cousin, Jesus.

Continuing in Luke 1:23-25… When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home.  (24)  Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months.  (25)  “Now at last the Lord has helped me,” she said. “He has taken away my public disgrace!”

— Q3. Why did Elizabeth say, “He has taken away my public disgrace!” (Vs.25)?

O – Because Zechariah couldn’t talk.     O – Because a barren woman was considered disfavored by God.

Moving on to Mary’s inconvenient news in Luke 1:26-38… In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.  (27)  He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary.  (28)  The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”  (29)  Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant.  (30)  The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.  (31)  You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  (32)  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was,  (33)  and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!”  (34)  Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”  (35)  The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.  (36)  Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old.  (37)  For there is nothing that God cannot do.”  (38)  “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

— Q4. Why did the words of the angel trouble Mary? (Vs.28-29)

O – Because you can’t trust angels.      O – She was concerned about how his news would affect her life.

— Q5. How did Mary handle this life-altering and deeply complicating news? (Vs.38)

O – She fled the scene.     O – She accepted the will of God.     O – She decided it must have been a dream.

(Quiz continues on Pg.#2)

A troubling message to Mary. Good News Bible used here. (Pg.#2)

Seeking comfort and strength Mary seeks out her relative in Luke 1:39-45  Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea.  (40)  She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.  (41)  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit  (42)  and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  (43)  Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me?  (44)  For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness.  (45)  How happy you are to believe that the Lord’s message to you will come true!”

— Q6. What miraculous and physically impossible news moved Mary to visit Elizabeth? (Vs.36-37)

O – Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah was made mute.     O – Elizabeth was pregnant.

— Q7. How could Mary visiting Elizabeth bring some comfort to Mary?

O – It would prove the angel’s words to be true.     O – Elizabeth’s pregnancy was also scandalous news.

— Q8. What signs did God give to comfort Mary in Vs.41-45?

O – Elizabeth’s baby jumped in the womb.     O – God’s Holy Spirit caused Elizabeth to bless Mary.

Luke 1:46-56  Mary said, “My heart praises the Lord;  (47)  my soul is glad because of God my Savior,  (48)  for he has remembered me, his lowly servant! From now on all people will call me happy,  (49)  because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy;  (50)  from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honor him.  (51)  He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans.  (52)  He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.  (53)  He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands.  (54)  He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors, and has come to the help of his servant Israel.  (55)  He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham and to all his descendants forever!”  (56)  Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.

We will close off this quiz with a study of the Christmas message in Mary’s Prayer of Praise…

— Q9. How is Mary choosing to react to God’s earthshaking call on her life?

O – She obeys with a glad heart((Vs.46-47).     O – She praises God’s choice of a humble servant (Vs.48).
O – She recognizes God’s purpose to lift up the humble over the proud.
O – She acknowledges how God will provide for His humble people who are poor and needy (Vs.50-52).
O – She praises God for His promise to watch over Israel (Vs.54-55).

As Satan continues to conspire against this gift of a Savior announced to those shepherds in
Luke 2:10-11… And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  (11)  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

— We also need to remember as Mary did, that God always keeps His promises, and HIS WORD CANNOT BE BROKEN…

This truly is the message of Christmas, so FEAR NOT, GOD ALWAYS WINS. …(KK)

(Click here for PDF copy Pg.#1)

(Click here for PDF copy Pg.#2)