Mary: Carrying the Word
Mary was the only person in history to witness both the birth and death of Jesus, but her strength didn’t come from her circumstances—it came from the truth she hid in her heart. By looking at the "Magnificat" in Luke 1, we discover that Mary had the Word of God in her heart before she ever carried the Word in her womb. Her example proves that memorizing Scripture is the most powerful way to carry God’s truth into every moment of our lives.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What are some things you used to have to memorize that we don’t anymore, like phone numbers, addresses, or directions? How do you think technology has made it harder for us to slow down, focus, and commit things to memory? (Bonus: share a landline phone number that you can still remember!)
2. Pastor Josh shared an overview of Mary’s life. What part or parts of her story stand out to you the most, and why?
3. Read Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55 and then Hannah’s song of praise in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Discuss how this demonstrates this point: Memorizing God’s Word fills our hearts with His truth.
4. As a group, come up with three or four reasons why memorizing Bible verses is beneficial for our faith and daily life. Psalm 119:11 is a great place to start. Then share your own experience: Have you memorized Scripture before, or would this be new for you?
5. Is there a verse you would like to work on memorizing? Share it with the group and why you chose it.
6. Close in prayer, thanking God for His Word and asking for His help to hide it in our hearts and live it out each day.