Mary s Journey
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Matt 1:18-25, Isaiah 7:14 Dan 9:21
This second week of Advent I want to look at Mary and her journey to Bethlehem. Last week we learned that Jesus traveled the furthest to be in Bethlehem for He left heaven to descend to earth in bodily form. But what of Marys journey?
We in the Protestant churches have some difficulty in how we recognize and acknowledge Mary. I think this is due in part to our vehement reaction to The Cult of Mary as built by the Roman Catholic Church.
We know that scripture does not regard Mary as anything other than a human being who happened to be a descendant of the right family line at the right time and place in history and that she was devout in her Jewish faith oh yes and she was a virgin.
That much we can all agree on. Suffice it to say that the blasphemy put forward by the Roman Catholic Church in recognizing Mary as a fourth member of the God-head is just wrong and is indeed a serious blasphemy.
So then what is Marys true place in our Christian church?
She does have a unique place of honor being selected by God to birth Jesus.
Scripture does give her recognition of being blessed among women for accepting Gods call.
Her place is one chosen by God.
Her place is one of humility.
Her place is one of obedience.
Her place is ultimately a place of servitude.
She is being used as a vessel to bring Jesus Christ into the world she does not assume any of His deity by being the person to birth the Lord. But she gets to share in the life of Jesus as no other women will.
Let us look to Gods word to see just where Mary fits into the Christian church as we journey with her to Bethlehem. We discover she is the daughter of God fearing parents whose lineage can be traced back to King David in Luke Chapter three.
She is engaged to be married to a carpenter named Joseph who is also a member of a God fearing family and is as well a descendant of King David. They have been pledged to each other and their year of engagement has begun. Everything is going along fine until the angel Gabriel shows up.
The last time we heard from Gabriel was some 600 plus years ago in the book of Daniel. Gabriel only shows up for very important announcements and this was one of them. In Luke Chapter 1:28 he begins to make his acquaintance with Mary. He says Greetings you who are highly favored the Lord is with you. Do not be afraid Mary you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son.
Here we learn that there is a lot that Mary is told will happen, not what might happen or could happen but things that God WILL make happen in fact she is even told what name to give the child.
But in accepting all this there are some real pluses. The child, Gabriel says will be great and will be called the son of the most high. He will sit on the throne of David and rule over the House of Jacob forever and His kingdom will never end.
Mary responds to all this by reminding Gabriel that she is a virgin. What Mary doesnt know is that is a very important requirement if scripture is to be fulfilled from Isaiah 7:14.
In all of this supernatural exchange Mary responds by saying I am the Lords servant. She is then told about her much older cousin Elizabeth who is already six months pregnant. The same Elizabeth who was thought to be barren.
Wow thats a lot to take in on one day. Mary who is probably about 16 years old finds out she is going to give birth to Gods son even though she is a virgin and that her cousin who had longed for a child is finally expecting one. She just had to tell someone and she had to see for herself just what was happening to her cousin if anything.
She meets Elizabeth and immediately Elizabeths baby jumps for joy. Then Elizabeth makes an announcement Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Then Elizabeth goes on to say Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.
Then Mary breaks out in what is called the Magnificat (Latin) for the first word of her song.
Now this isnt the first time a woman broke out in song to God when she found out she was pregnant. The bible says that Hannah did a similar thing when she found out she was expecting Samuel in the Old Testament.
But Marys song is unique as it draws from numerous Old Testament scripture to describe the blessing she has received. This expression is thought to be genuine and from Mary herself and not a supernatural phenomenon. This demonstrates that Mary knew her bible and kept Gods word in her heart for such an opportunity of praise as this was. How wonderful it is when we are so moved with praise that Gods word comes pouring out of us.
Can you imagine the burden that accepting this call from God placed on Mary? I can hear her trying to explain things to her parents. Well I spoke to an angel named Gabriel and he said that the power of God would overshadow me and that the Holy Spirit will come upon me and that the Holy One will be born through me even though Im still a virgin. So its all good Mom and Dad.
Talk about a parents worst fears, here she is engaged to be married and she says she is pregnant by a supernatural means and that the child will be the promised one, the Messiah. Thats more than enough for any parent to deal with.
But look at Marys reaction to all this. Her response is immediate, its unconditional, its unquestioning, its complete acceptance. Mary has great faith and demonstrates it here.
Now to break the news to Joseph and his family but wait an angel is addressing him too. The address that the angel uses is important. The angel says, Joseph son of David. This address acknowledges a couple of things. It recognizes that Joseph is of royal descent, it recognizes Joseph is part of Gods plan, it recognizes that Joseph is held dear like a son.
These few words are enough to calm Joseph and get his attention. All this time Joseph was thinking of divorcing his unfaithful fiance. But the angel tells him otherwise.
The Jewish law required Mary be stoned to death for such an offence as being pregnant while unwed but Joseph had compassion on her and only wanted a divorce and quietly at that. After the visit with the angel Joseph changes his mind and his plans and the wedding is on.
This speaks to Josephs character as nothing else can. Infidelity in marriage wither engaged or married is a horrific pain that causes untold anguish, guilt, disappointment, a crushed spirit and broken trust, and a broken heart.
Nothing absolutely nothing is more devastating to someone who is in love and who is married or is about to be married. It is beyond shock, hurt or sorrow it is equal to grief. It is as if someone has died or been murdered. Infidelity is an intentional deliberate decision. It causes personal disgrace, family disgrace, public disgrace and spiritual disgrace.
The soft whispers of the community, the nodding heads, the fleeting glances and accusatory finger pointing take its toll. Joseph wanted to spare his bride to be all of that. Joseph was willing to suffer all of that in order to save her life from stoning. Joseph was willing to bare the weight of the humiliation on him rather than see Mary suffer it. That was the kind of character God was looking for in a step Dad to Jesus. The bible says that Joseph was a Righteous man Matt 1:19.
For Mary and Joseph their suffering for Jesus came before He was even born. It continued as they accepted the gift of being his earthly parents. They would have to travel while Mary was very near to delivering Jesus. They would have to make due in a borrowed cattle stall and use a manager for His crib.
They would have to flee for their lives and go to a foreign land and hide out until the people wanting Him dead had died themselves. Then they would have to return to their home town and maybe return to those same quiet whispers they first heard when they received the news that Jesus was coming into their lives.
Yes Mary and Joseph are to be venerated for their roles but they are not to be worshiped or prayed to as intercessory to God.
Mary was greeted by Gods angel Gabriel, she was met by the lowly shepherds and wise men from the east, she was the topic of gossip by her neighbours and she was hunted down by a mad king. She lived in hiding and returned with a questionable past to assume her duties as mother to a special child.
She dealt with angry mobs, pressing throngs an angry government and witnessed the public brutality of Jesus capital punishment for crimes he did not commit. She heard His last words directing His closest friend to care for her. She was vindicated in all this sacrifice by His resurrection and ascension. She was a force for the early church as mentioned in the book of Acts.
I believe that if Mary were asked to do it all again she would say yes. Not because of the role that she would play but for the Saving power that Jesus would bring.
For that I believe she would say yes and for that we remember her journey to Bethlehem and we know her place in the Christian church. She is the greatest example of a suffering servant that we have. From her we can learn much and we thank God for her example and her life which she devoted to Gods plan for Jesus.
Our response should equal Marys reaction to all this. Her response is immediate, its unconditional, its unquestioning, its complete acceptance. Mary has great faith and demonstrates it here. Do you have the same kind of faith to take God at His word and accept Jesus into your life as Mary did? This Christmas take Jesus into your life and you too will be blessed as Mary was by experiencing Gods son.
Let us pray.
