Mary, Do Not Be Afraid!
Opening Questions:
Can you identify these common phobias?
Hemophobia
Aerophobia
Ranidaphobia
Pogonophobia
Ephebiphobia
Do you have any other phobias?
What effect do they have on your life?
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38
Feeling Greatly Troubled
What reasons would Mary have for fear in her situation?
What fears do you have related to your physical and emotional security? What do you think is causing these fears?
Feeling Reassured
How do you think Mary, a young peasant teenager, would have found favor in the Lord’s sight?
What impact do you think the angel’s words of God’s favor had on her?
How do you feel God looks at you, with favor, love, grace, expectations, disappointment, anger, or something else?
Think of a relationship in which you have felt the most unconditional love.
What impact did that love have on you?