Treasure in the Heart Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Treasure in the Heart--------------------------------------- Date: 12/25/2000 Keywords: "amazed" "glory" "heart" "treasure" "word" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Luke 2:13-20* 13. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18. and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Questions 1. What do you, yourself, do with the news of Jesus' coming?   2. Where did Mary put the knowledge of all these circumstances surrounding her firstborn?   3. What did the shepherds do with the knowledge?   4. What sort of word do you most frequently share with your friends?     Practical help The story of Christmas is more than just a news event. It's not like the story of the 2000 election, which has been water-fountain talk for the last couple of months but will quickly pass from the scene and be replaced by other current events. In fact, we count to 2000 for this year's election precisely because of the story of Christmas. This passage tells us two things about the story: It's a story to be treasured in the heart, and it's a story to be told far and wide. While the birth of a child is exciting to the family, it is an everyday event and usually doesn't merit front-page photo-spread mention. Not this one. Announced by a choir of angels, witnessed by poor shepherds, the news spread like wildfire. It spread far and wide, and all who heard it were amazed. It also went deep, penetrating to the heart. The image of the manger scene is one that has been burned deeply into the memories of human culture through countless paintings, sculptures, creche sets, songs, poems, and icons of human remembrances. What does all this mean to someone whose heart has been blackened with stories and images of perversion and depravity? Just this: Don't think you're any different than the people in this story. None of them were moral superhumans. All of them were just as likely to have fallen into the trap of porn and sensual indulgence as you are, except maybe they didn't have the same tools with which to indulge. Yet, Jesus came for them, and for us, and for you. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit S*Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.