# Christmas Verse Plan ## 12.05 - Reference - Matthew 1.18-19 (BSB) - Passage - This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. - Questions / Posts - 2023 - [[1701770409_2023.12.05_Matt_1.18-19|Today is Tuesday, 2023.12.05]] - 2024 - How's your journey toward righteousness going? - 2025 - [[251205_p]] ## 12.06 - Reference - Matthew 1.20-21 (BSB) - Passage - But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” - Questions / Posts - 2023 - [[1701856829_2023.12.06_Matt_1.20-21|Today is Wednesday, 2023.12.06]] - 2024 - To what are we saved by Jesus? - 2025 - [[251206_p]] ## 12.07 - Reference - Matthew 1.22-23 (BSB) - Passage - All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). - Questions / Posts - 2024 - What are your thoughts about modern day prophets? - 2025 - [[251207_p]] ## 12.08 - Reference - Matthew 1.24-25 (BSB) - Passage - When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus. - Questions / Posts - 2024 - 2025 -- [[251208_p]] ## 12.09 - Reference - Luke 1.26-28 (BSB) - Passage - In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” - Questions / Posts - 2024 - How does the greeting Mary received in the Luke 1 passage compare with the commendations in Matthew 25.19-20 and Luke 19.17? - 2025 -- [[251209_p]] ## 12.10 - Reference - Luke 1.29-33 (BSB) - Passage - Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” - Questions - 2024 - Why did most people in the Bible exhibit fear when encountering an angel? - 2025 - [[251210_p]] ## 12.11 - Reference - Luke 1.34 (BSB) - Passage - “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” - Questions - 2024 - What are your thoughts about questioning God? ## 12.12 - Reference - Luke 1.35-37 (BSB) - Passage - The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” - Questions - 2024 - What words from God are special to you? ## 12.13 - Reference - Luke 1.38 (BSB) - Passage - “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her. - Questions - 2024 - To what have you said "yes" to God and to what "no?" ## 12.14 - Reference - Luke 1.39-40 (BSB) - Passage - In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. - Questions - 2024 - 2025 - [[251214_p]] ## 12.15 ### Reference Luke 1.41-45 (BSB) ### Passage When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.” ### Questions 2023 - Who was the first to recognize Jesus as Lord? 2024 - Who were the first to recognize Jesus as Lord? 2025 - [[]] ## 12.16 ### Reference Luke 1.46-56 (BSB) ### Passage Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. ### Questions 2024 - How have you experienced God's mercy? --- ## 12.17 ### Reference Luke 2.1-3 (BSB) ### Passage Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire. This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. ### Questions 2024 - On what basis would you choose to obey God rather than man? --- ## 12.18 ### Reference Luke 2.4-5 (BSB) ### Passage So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. ### Questions 2024 - What are your thoughts about late-term pregnancy travel? ### Image - [[241218.Pilgrimage.jpg]] --- ## 12.19 ### Reference Luke 2.6-7 (BSB) ### Passage While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ### Questions 2024 ### Image - [[241219.Birth.jpg]] --- ## 12.20 ### Reference Luke 2.8-12 (BSB) ### Passage And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord! And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ### Questions #### 2023 What are your thoughts about the shepherd's affect? #### 2024 What do angels look like? ### Image #### 2024 ![[241220.1569271736.jpg]] --- ## 12.21 ### Reference Luke 2.13-14 (BSB) ### Passage And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!” ### Questions #### 2024 What does the "heavenly host" look like? ### Image #### 2024 ![[241221.1569271990.jpg]] --- ## 12.22 ### Reference Luke 2.15 (BSB) ### Passage When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” ### Questions 2024 - What do you imagine the shepherds were thinking and feeling as they traveled to Bethlehem? ### Image #### 2024 ![[241222.Shepherds_Travel_to_Bethlehem.jpg]] --- ## 12.23 ### Reference Luke 2.16-19 (BSB) ### Passage So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger. After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ### Questions #### 2024 - What help do you need with your testimony about Jesus? ### Image #### 2024 ![[241223.Nativity_Scene.jpg]] ---- ## 12.24 ### Reference Luke 2.20 (BSB) ### Passage The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them. ### Questions #### 2024 For what are you glorifying and praising God? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241224.Shepherds_Praise_God.jpg]] --- ## 12.25 ### Reference Isaiah 9.6-7 (BSB) ### Passage For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. ### Questions #### 2024 ### Images #### 2024 ![[241225.Birth_of_Jesus-2.jpg]] --- ## 12.26 ### Reference Matthew 2.1-2 (BSB) ### Passage After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” ### Questions #### 2024 How far would you travel to worship the King of the universe? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241226.1569321173.jpg]] --- ## 12.27 ### Reference Matthew 2.3-4 & 5-6 (BSB) ### Passage When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’” ### Questions #### 2024 What process do you use to discern God's Word? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241227.1569321349.jpg]] --- ## 12.28 ### Reference Matthew 2.7-12 (BSB) ### Passage Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared. And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight. On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route. ### Questions #### 2024 What does worship look like? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241228.1569323805.jpg]] --- ## 12.29 ### Reference Matthew 2.13-15 (BSB) ### Passage When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” ### Questions #### 2024 How well do you listen to and obey God? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241229.1569323813.jpg]] --- ## 12.30 ### Reference Matthew 2.16-18 (BSB) ### Passage When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” ### Questions #### 2024 What are your thoughts about Herod? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241230.1569323837.jpg]] --- ## 12.31 ### Reference Matthew 2.19-23 (BSB) ### Passage After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.” So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” ### Questions #### 2024 Which dreams are from God and which are from last night's pizza? ### Images #### 2024 ![[241231.1569945096.jpg]] ---