Sunday Scripture

 

Here is our second Sunday Scripture for December.  Remember, I am writing these posts from an Advent study that I did with Good Morning Girls in 2013.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download, so if you are interested head on over there and get it.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image similar to the illustration above, and the pdf should open right up.

Just a note too that I am also doing Sunday Scripture posts over at my Christmas blog, Mrs. T's Christmas Kitchen -- and I am using different verses (from the same study) in those Sunday posts.  So if you really want some biblical encouragement during this Christmas season, you might enjoy reading at both blogs.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

Each week of this Advent study focuses on a theme: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.  This second week's verses are focused on Love.

Today's Scripture is Matthew 1:22-23.  In the actual study, this one was from December 7 -- just in case you downloaded the study and are following along with it.

S= "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.
"Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  (Matthew 1:21-23)

O=  Matthew was a publican, a Jew who collected taxes for the Roman government and was thus despised by the Jews.  His Gospel was written originally for the Jews and presents Christ as both the son of David and the son of Abraham.

Verse 23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 -- "Therefore the LORD Himself shall give you a sign: behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shalt call His name Immanuel."

A=  I love to see how Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled!  It is just so neat to see how God's plan of salvation is so perfectly designed and how it all fits together.  God "covers all the bases", so to speak, as He inspires the Gospel writers to trace Christ's genealogy back to David and also to Abraham.  What attention to minute detail!  All of this points me once again to the awe-inspiring greatness and goodness of our God.

P= "Lord, once again I stand in awe of You!  I am amazed and awestruck as I look at who You are and all that You have done.  Your great love for the world and Your design of salvation's plan; Your provision of the only possible perfect sacrifice for sin; Your inspiration that enabled 'holy men of God' to write Your words -- it is all part of Your unfathomable wisdom and knowledge.  Words completely fail me as I consider these 'deep things of God'.  I praise You for all that You are, all that You have done, and all that You will do.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

And that's this week's Sunday Scripture.  Are you following along with this study too?  I'd love to hear how these verses are speaking to you!