We are honored to have Beau Smith join us today, a gifted preacher who has served as a minister in the Presbyterian Church for over twenty years and has since become a Spiritual Director, the practice of accompanying people on their personal spiritual journey. In this week's message, we look at Mary's song - rightly called a doxology, "glory words," sung to God. The beauty of this song is not just the content of what Mary sings, but also in how she sings it. The force with which she sings of her belief in God and God's redeeming acts—God's grace enacted, and enacting, through her soon to be child. It's also an invitation to us to step out of our lives lived in lock step to our watches and calendars and laundry lists, and into this time and space where God is—where God works, where God seeks to meet us in a child, in a Savior, in all that God has already done that we have yet to see. The time and space where God's grace has already got you. 

Printed Sermon

Scripture Readings:

- Luke 1:26-45 (NIV) read by Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor

- Luke 1:46-56 (NIV) read by Beau Smith, Spiritual Director/Soul Friend

As we go through the Old Testament portion of The Story, there are many questions about violence, war and bloodshed.  To help us think through these sensitive and important questions, the following resources are recommended.

Did God Order Genocide in the Old Testament?

This is a one-page article from a publication of the Christian Reformed Church. It will not answer all of your questions, but help us to think more deeply about the scriptures and our responses to them.

God Has a Name Teaching Podcast by John Mark Comer

• Episode 1: Yahweh
• Episode 2: Yahweh Elohim
• Episode 3: Compassionate and Gracious
• Episode 4: Slow to Anger
• Episode 5: Forgiving Wickedness, Rebellion, and Sin
• Episode 6: Carry the Name