Tag: Faith
-
Understanding Joseph’s Dilemma: A Cultural Perspective
Why did Joseph have to divorce Mary if they weren’t married yet? It helps to know the ancient culture when trying to interpret stories like the birth of Jesus. Marriages in Jesus’ time had three phases: Initiation (paying the bride price), Preparation (preparing the home for a family), and Consummation (the wedding feast- usually a…
-
Faith Lessons from Mary’s Life
As we look at the life of Mary, we see three aspects of the life of faith. First, Mary’s submission to the will of God in the face of the unknown displays an uncommon faith. Her submission stems from her understanding of who she knows God to be: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it…
-
Understanding Elizabeth’s Spiritual Sensitivity
In the story of the first Christmas, Elizabeth is unique in her experience. Mary, Joseph, and Zechariah all get supernatural visitations. But Elizabeth has no angel who visits. She has the word of Zechariah (by note, no doubt) about how God has begun to move in the life of Israel and in the life of…
-
Exploring Zechariah’s Faith During Christmas
This morning we begin our meditations on the birth of Christ during Christmas week. We will take four people and watch their faith as the story of the first Christmas unfolds. You are invited to read each post this week and add your comment. Can’t wait to read what we observe together! Zechariah’s Faith Luke…
Bennett Life 