Advent Reading for Saturday, Week 4 (December 24, 2022)

 

The Season of Advent prepares us for Christ's coming--both on Christmas Day and when we comes again in glory.  This year, we will spend each week exploring a different way we can prepare ourselves.  The post for each day will include a scripture, a song, a few brief questions to reflect upon, and a prayer. 

 

Week 4 Reminder

As we enter into the 4th week of Advent, the time has come to proclaim that our Savior is about to arrive.  The Hebrew and Greek words for "proclaim"  give us a variety of ways to share the Good News.  For a more in-depth introduction to the idea of proclamation, please refer back to our post for Sunday, Dec. 18.

Scripture

Luke 2:16-20

¹⁶ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, ¹⁹ and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them. (NRSVUE)

 

Hymn

Questions

Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds had each received a slightly different message from angels, and they each had the chance to proclaim what they had seen and heard to one another.

• Who was probably more amazed by their conversation that first Christmas  night--Jesus's parents or the shepherds?
• What questions might Mary have been pondering after she heard the shepherds' story?
• If you had run into one of the shepherds the next day, would you have believed their story?
• Are you willing to share the Good News a boldly and joyfully as the shepherds did?  Why?
  

 

Prayer

Christ, us share our perspectives on the amazing news of your Incarnation with others--even we wonder what it all means.