Question of the Day, Tuesday, December 25, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  Why did Jesus’ parents not notice that he wasn’t with them?

This week’s text for the First Sunday of Christmas: Luke 2:41-52 (NRSV)

41Now every year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” 49He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50But they did not understand what he said to them. 51Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Question of the Day, Monday, December 24, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  Jesus’ parents were not wealthy. What kind of sacrifices did they possibly make in order to attend the festival of Passover in Jerusalem every year, especially with Nazareth being over 65 miles away?

This week’s text for the First Sunday of Christmas: Luke 2:41-52 (NRSV)

41Now every year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” 49He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50But they did not understand what he said to them. 51Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Question of the Day, Saturday, December 22, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  According to Mary’s song, how are the powerful going to feel about this birth?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Luke 1:39-55 (NRSV)

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Question of the Day, Friday, December 21, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  What does it mean that her soul magnifies the Lord?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Luke 1:39-55 (NRSV)

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Question of the Day, Thursday, December 20, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  What sign did Elizabeth have that Mary believed what had been told her?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Luke 1:39-55 (NRSV)

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Question of the Day, Wednesday, December 19, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  In light of all that Mary would go through being the mother of Jesus, why would Elizabeth call her blessed?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Luke 1:39-55 (NRSV)

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Question of the Day, Tuesday, December 18, 2018

The Question of the Day helps prepare you for next Sunday’s focus text in worship. These questions are posted here each day offering an opportunity for discussion. (Just click in the title of this post and you will be taken to the discussion window.) Try it out for a week and see how Jesus will use your time of pondering upon God’s word to deepen your faith.

Today’s question is:  Why did the child in Elizabeth’s womb, (John the Baptist), leap for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice?

This week’s text for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: Luke 1:39-55 (NRSV)

39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”