Mary

Devoted to God’s Plan

Miles Custis

Douglas Mangum

Matthew M. Whitehead

Rebecca Brant

John D. Barry

Elizabeth Vince

Michael R. Grigoni

Editor

Jim LePage

Graphic Designer

Studies in Faithful Living

Introduction

The story of Mary’s life opens with a shocking event: Without warning or invitation, the angel Gabriel suddenly appears to Mary and announces that she will be the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26–33). Mary responds with “let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) Thus begins the dramatic story of Mary, mother of Jesus. While the subsequent steps of her journey do not get easier (imagine raising the Son of God!), her story teaches us a profound lesson: the life of faith is made up of a series of steps that bring us closer to the fulfillment of God’s will, but not necessarily farther from the challenges and struggles involved with moving ahead.

Looking at the “steps” that make up the lives of people like Mary is one way to engage with the story of the Bible. This is the approach taken by the Studies in Faithful Living series. In this volume, we examine the life of an ordinary young woman who received an extraordinary call from God, drawing out the lessons her faithful response provides for us. Studying the Bible in this way teaches us to model the exceptional characters of Scripture and grow in our efforts to imitate Christ. In doing so, we enter deeper into the story the Bible narrates for us: God’s redemption of creation—a story that continues in the lives of those who respond to Him today.

We begin in Chapter 1 by considering Gabriel’s announcement to Mary and her assent to God’s plan. In Chapter 2, we journey with Mary to visit Elizabeth and hear the words of the Magnificat, Mary’s outpouring of praise to God for choosing her to give birth to the Messiah. Chapter 3 relates Mary and Joseph’s trek to Bethlehem and the humble yet wondrous circumstances of Jesus’ birth. In Chapter 4, we follow Mary and Joseph as they present Jesus in the temple and learn more about His significance through Simeon and Anna. Chapter 5 considers the visitation by the magi and Herod’s threat to kill the Christ-child. In Chapter 6, we find Mary frantically searching for Jesus, who stayed behind in the temple during Passover. Chapter 7 considers two events: Mary’s prompting Jesus at a wedding in Cana and Jesus’ new definition of family as “whoever does the will of God” (Mark 3:35). Chapter 8 brings us to the foot of the cross, where Mary watches her Son die. Throughout the study, we witness Mary’s steadfast devotion to God’s plan as she grows into an understanding of her Son’s purpose and mission.

To help you dig deeper into these biblical accounts, we’ve arranged each chapter into five sections. In Setting the Stage, we introduce the theme of the chapter and the significant literary, historical, and cultural details of the story at hand. A Closer Look illuminates the narrative by walking you through the story itself. Throughout the Bible connects the Old and ...