Mary's Example to Us:

• Singing praises

• Serving Her Savior

• Sharing His story

• Caring about people's soul/spirit

• Knowing Scripture

• Knowing her Savior

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13–14

Psalm 1

Matt. 5:2-11

Gen. 13:12-13

Gen. 19:1

Gen. 19:7

John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

1 Peter 1:24-25

Jeremiah 17:7–8 - “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

A 5 Week Series from Luke 1 & 2

   •   5 Weeks of Christmas Truths

   •   5 Weeks of Christmas Roots

   •   5 Weeks of Christmas Births

I. The First Miraculous Birth (JB)

   1.   The Eyewitness Writer - Luke 1:1-4

   •   A Gentile; A Physician; A Missionary with Paul

   •   Luke’s first account in the gospel book named after him follows Jesus from birth to Calvary

   •   Luke’s second account in the Book of Acts follows Peter at Pentecost then Paul from Damascus to Rome

   •   Mentioned in Col 4; II Tim 4; Philemon 1:24

   2.   The Eyewitness Forerunner - 1:5-25 (The birth foretold)

   3.   The Uniqueness of this birth - 1:15-16 (His unique birth isn’t in every gospel book, but his unique role is in every book)

       a. He will be great in the sight of

             the Lord

       b. He will take a Nazarite Vow

       c. He will be filled with the Holy

             Spirit even from the womb

       d. He will turn many of the children

             of Israel back to the Lord their

             God

       e. He will go in the spirit and power

             of Elijah - Matthew 3:1-3; Mark

             1:1-5; Luke 3:1-6; John 1:19-23

   •   TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THE CHILDREN

   •   THE DISOBEDIENT TO THE WISDOM OF THE JUST

   •   TO MAKE READY FOR THE LORD A PEOPLE PREPARED - Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1-4; Malachi 4:5-6

   4.   John was the forerunner; Elijah to come; The one who prepared people; The one who introduced Jesus (John 1:29); The Best Man (John 3:22-31)

I. Keeping the Focus on Faith in Christ

1. The Identity & Audience - 1:1

2. The How & Why - 1:2a

3. The Heart - 1:2b

4. The Great Mercy/Living Hope - 1:3a

5. The Resurrection - 1:3b

6. The Inheritance

8. The Prophets & Angels - 1:10-12

9. The Mind Prepared/Hope Set - 1:13

10. The Obedience - 1:14-17

11. The Gospel - 1:18-25

I. Lessons learned from a lost man:

   1.   Clearing up Bad Theology - vv. 1-7

   2.   Clearing up Right Identity - vv. 8-12

   3.   Clearing up Messianic Credentials - vv. 13-17

   4.   Confronting the Parents -vv. 18-23

   5.   Confronting the Seeing Man - vv. 24-34

   6.   Converting the Seeing Man - vv. 35-41

I. How the Victory was Won - Colossians 2

   1.   Walking in Grace - 2:6-7a

   2.   Overflowing with/ Gratitude - 2:7b

   3.   The Problem of Philosophy - 2:8-10

   4.   The Power of the Cross - 2:11-15

   5.   The Problem of Legalism - 2:16-17

   •   Mark 7:14-19

   •   Illustrated in Acts 10:9-16

   •   Ratified in Acts 15:28-29

   6.   The Problem of Mysticism - 2:18-19

   7.   The Problem of Asceticism - 2:20-23