Wonder Woman & The Invisible Airplane Series

WONDER WOMAN & THE INVISIBLE AIRPLANE

BIBLICAL STUDY: MARY & JOSEPH

TOPIC: SEX & OTHER STUFF

INTRO: Our final chapter in the superhero series deals with a hero we haven’t seen much of since the 70’s. And in the 1970’s, this superhero had superhuman strength and had the ability to fly around the world in her invisible airplane.

TRANSITION: Today, we will continue our “Sex & Other Stuff” issue by discussing purity—the purity of a superhero named Mary. And whenever Mary felt that she could not go on, she turned to her invisible powers—the Love of God and in His hand of protection.

1. MARY:

BIBLE VERSE: Luke 1:39-56 (it may not be necessary to read the whole verse, but explain “Mary’s Song”

1:39 In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, 1:40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 1:42 She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! 1:43 And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 1:44 For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 1:45 And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

1:46 And Mary said,

“My soul exalts the Lord,

1:47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior,

1:48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant.

For from now on all generations will call me blessed,

1:49 because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

1:50 from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.

1:51 He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts.

1:52 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position;

1:53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.

1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy,

1:55 as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

1:56 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.

BIBLE LESSON SIDENOTES:

Leaped in her womb: What was John the Baptist’s primary mission in the world: to preach the message of Christ. Can a person witness by being excited? YES. Therefore, this leap was John’s first testimony about Christ! And who was he witnessing to? His own mother!

And Mary said: The message is poetic, or in the style of a hymn or song—it would have rhymed in the original text. It has an unusual use of theological terms, not something typically spoken by a commoner, unless of course she really understood what was happening (and that so, the joy would be unbelievable).

In other words…this is a Psalm…just in the New Testament!

From the sheer arrogance: In Greek context, could be translated “in the imaginations of their of heart.” Which halfway applies that arrogance tends to follow someone who lives in an imaginary world—a fantasy world.

OXYMORONS: In school, I learned about something that I have forever found amazing… the oxymoron. The oxy moron is the connection of two opposite words placed together that somehow form a meaning (two contradictory terms side by side).

Words such as:

Clearly Confused Jumbo Shrimp Military Intelligence Unbiased Opinion

Plastic Glasses 90 Years Young Friendly Fire Working Vacation

Hell’s Angels Freezer Burn Microsoft Works Pretty Ugly

And now a new one…Pregnant Virgin (kind of defeats the purpose…unless of course it’s God)

Who happens to be:

Beginning and the End Lion and the Lamb Son of God and Son of Man

get the picture?

MARY DID YOU KNOW? FROM MARK LOWREY (Song)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to the blind man?

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And, when you kissed your little baby you’ve kissed the face of God?

Oh, Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?

2. THE DIVORCE:

BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 1:18-23

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 1:19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her privately. 1:20 When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 1:21 She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 1:22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means 21 “God with us.”