Christmas Portraits

Date – Monday, December 7, 2020 – Focus on Joseph

Bible Reading – Matthew 1:18-25 – Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). ²⁴ When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, ²⁵ but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Observation Questions

1. What kind of man is Joseph described as?

2. What did he intend to about he and Mary’s situation?

3. What was his response to the angelic visit?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day – “God made no mistake in choosing him (Joseph) either. A hotheaded man would immediately have had her stoned to death or would have made her a public example by exposing her. But Joseph was not that kind of man. He was a gentle person. He was in love with her, and he did not want to hurt her in any way, although he felt that she had been unfaithful to him.” – Dr. J Vernon Mc Gee in Thru the Bible

Christmas Portraits

Date – Sunday, December 6, 2020 – Focus on Mary

Bible Reading – Luke 1:46-55 – And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; ⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Observation Question:

1. What is Mary’s song primarily about?

2. How does she view herself?

3. How does she view God?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim? Quote of the Day – “This section, commonly called the Magnificat, in many ways resembles Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God recorded in I Samuel 2:1–10. It illustrates Mary’s rich acquaintance with the Old Testament Scriptures and the closeness of her fellowship with the Lord.” – Dr. James A Borland in The KJV Bible Commentary

Christmas Portraits

Date – Thursday, December 3, 2020 – Focus on Elizabeth

Bible Readings: Luke 1:39-45 – “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰ and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴² and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Observation Questions

1. What is the reaction of Elizabeth’s baby to Mary’s baby?

2. What is the reaction of Elizabeth to Mary’ baby?

3. What is the reaction of Elizabeth to Mary?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day – “She (Elizabeth) believed God. Now she encourages Mary. Mary is a young woman and Elisabeth is an old woman. Elisabeth had walked with God for many years and she assures her that there would be a performance of those things which had been revealed to her”.  – Dr J. Vernon McGee in Thru the Bible

Christmas Portraits

Date – Wednesday, December 2, 2020 – Focus on Zacharias

Bible Reading: Luke 1:13-20 – “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” ¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

Observation Question:

1. What was the angel’s promise to Zacharias?

2. What was Zacharias response to this promise?

3. How did God chasten Zacharias for his unbelief?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day: “If an angel said to you, ‘Your prayer is heard,’ what would it mean for you? What is the “too good to be true” news in your life? You may have given up believing God can bring it about.” – Dr. Bruce Larsen in The Preachers Commentary

Christmas Portraits

Date – Tuesday, December 1, 2020 – Focus on Zacharias

Bible Readings: Luke 1:5-12 – In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. ⁸ Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

Observation Questions

1. What was Zacharias’ job?

2. How is he and his wife’s walk with God described?

3. What major need did they have?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day: “Because of the large number of priests this would be the only time in Zechariah’s life when he was allowed to perform this task. As elsewhere in Scripture, the sovereignty of God is stressed even in matters which seem like chance, as in the casting of a lot.”

Dr. John A. Martin in the Bible Knowledge Commentary

Christmas Portraits

Date – Monday, November 30, 2020 – Focus on the Old Testament Prophets

Bible Readings:

Micah 5:2 – But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Jeremiah 23:5-6 –“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,

“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely;

Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Observation questions

1. What names are given the Messiah in these verses?

2.  What are the characteristics of His kingdom?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day: “Have you ever heard of this as a plank in a political platform?…. I’ve heard politicians make almost every other claim under the sun but that one! They wouldn’t dare make it. But righteousness will characterize the kingdom when the Lord Jesus Christ reigns.”– Dr. J. Vernon McGee in Thru the Bible

Christmas Portraits

Date – Sunday, November 29, 2020 – Focus on the Old Testament Prophets

Bible Readings:

Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 9:6-7 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Observation questions

1. What names are given the Messiah in these verses?

2.  What are the characteristics of His kingdom?

Application questions

1. Are there any commands to obey?

2. Are there any sins to avoid or confess?

3. Are there any examples to follow?

4. Are there any promises to claim?

Quote of the Day: “What a difference it makes in our lives that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins! And what a difference it will make in this world when He comes to sit on David’s throne and rule righteously!” – Dr. Warren Wiersbe in With the Word