A Christmas Presence - Mary
December 9, 2007
Luke 1:26-38
The Bible declares that when the time was right - God the Father birthed Jesus his Son into our world.
And when He did - like all proud Fathers do - He got the word out.
God the father declares to some specific people that His son - Jesus has been born.
Hey, John
Mary
Wise Men
Some shepherds and some others.
"A baby’s been born. He is Christ the Lord. You will find him - Go and see."
Last week, we said that God was specific in who He told
Intentional in who found out.
Direct in wanting certain people
And purposeful in not letting certain others know initially.
God the Father desired that a wild card prophet be there. (John)
God the Father invited the religiously curious to be there - those interested in spiritual matters to come and
The Magi came.
He also invited some outsiders - some shepherds. A people group most others chose to ignore or glance away from.
And He also selected a young teenage girl - a quiet and pious girl to be the one through whom His Son would be born. When the baby Jesus was born into our world, God the Father - through His control of bright stars, angels and His Holy Spirit got the word out.
For God wanted each of them to know.
He wanted each of them to be there.
He invited them to be a Christmas Presence for Jesus.
And each of them responded to His Divine Birth Announcement.
They came.
They brought themselves. They sacrificed something to make the journey to be present for the life of Jesus Christ. And together they formed for baby Jesus - that first Christmas community.
Last week we looked at the first of these 4 people - John the Baptist, we acknowledged that John wasn’t actually in Bethlehem for Jesus birth but was present to Jesus while each of them was in their mom’s womb.
John while in the womb - confirmed to his mom Elizabeth and to Mary that indeed - the Christ child was on the way.
While in his mother’s womb, he was already beginning the ministry that would envelope his life. A ministry of preparing others for Jesus.
Last week we said John did 3 specific things to help people prepare themselves for Jesus.
He invited people to -
Come out to him in the desert/wilderness.
Come in to get away from their normal busy lives.
Come into the waters of the Jordan River - being washed clean of the past given hope for the future.
And then John sent them back. Back to living where they had come from living life anticipating Jesus’ arrival.
This was John’s gift.
His present he brought/gave to baby Jesus.
John gave his life to preparing others for Jesus-
"After me will come One more powerful than I."
John’s life was lived trying to get the obstacles people had in their lives removed- so that they would be ready to receive their King.
We said - we admitted that we need Johns in our life- to clear away the fluff- to get at the important
The real stuff.
The critical issues.
And today we will see what Mary gave our God.
In Luke 1:26, p. 1589, we read a bit of her story.
The text tells us a few things about Mary-
It tells us she was a virgin- a young women who was not and hadn’t been sexually active. She was keeping herself pure, whole and righteous for her husband. This fact indicates that Mary was Godly- a righteous woman.
In verse 28- the angel describes Mary as being "highly favored." As one the "Lord is with." The text also tells us she was pledged or betrothed or engaged to a man name Joseph.
In Jewish culture- a couple that was engaged was considered legally married- even before the official wedding day. These are the facts the text gives us about Mary. But notice we know virtually nothing else about her background.
The Bible tells us nearly nothing about Mary- she is an unknown.
An unassuming young woman from an obscure village named Nazareth.
And yet God noticed her. God was with her. God wanted to involve a teenage girl.
An unknown girl.
A faithful girl to birth to the world his Son.
God uses, pursues all kinds of people. Last week a locust and honey eating camel hair wearing say it like it is prophet and this week a quiet, righteous, faithful teenage girl.
Friends- there is room for each of us to be used by our God.
After greeting Mary and calming her startled and fear filled state, the angel tells to Mary, God’s plan for her. Verse 31
"You will be with child and give birth to a Son and you are to give him the name Jesus."
The angel was specific and direct.
A child will be born to Mary.
It will be a boy.
You are to name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
He will reign on David’s throne.
Over Jacobs’ house forever.
His kingdom will never end.
Her response? How- verse 34, "How will this be since I am a virgin?
How is this going to be possible?"
Mary isn’t naïve - she understands the birds and the bees.
She knows herself to be pure- there was no way Joseph could be the father until after their wedding day.
Lord how?
The Angel responds- "The Holy Spirit will come upon you."
And her response- verse 34, "I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said."
Mary surrenders.
She makes herself available.
She says - I’m in.
She enters into God’s plan.
She had asked only one question.
Though initially she was full of fear.
Though she would have to explain this to Joseph
To her parents.
Though people- her friends would know doubt think other things.
Though she might be misunderstood.
Be subject to abuse.
And experience suffering and ridicule.
She wouldn’t let fear- friends - pain - uncertainty control her.
She responds, "I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said."
Is there a more beautiful expression of faith than that?
Is there a greater gift than one could give?
Just as the One within her would one day lay down His life - she was now laying down hers.
"I am the Lord’ Servant. May it be to me as you have said."
This is Mary’s response.
Her RSVP to God’s invitation.
This was her present to her God - herself.
Completely.
Wholly.
I Submit.
I see Mary as embracing Plan B.
I see Mary as surrendering to God’s Plan - Plan B.
Plan A was Mary’s plan - you know engagement - marriage to Joseph - after a while begin a family - have the opportunity to name her child and not let someone else do that.
That was Plan A- her plan.
A good plan.
A terrific plan.
A righteous plan, vision, desire for her life. Her parents, friends, teachers, neighbors would have said- "Mary’s doing it right. Making the right choices. She’s on the right path. She’s going to temple. She’s a good girl."
Plan A-
All of us have plan A’s don’t we. I had mine going into college- Dentist- BMW and a sailboat.
I had a different one while in college- teacher - basketball coach.
I had a still a different one coming out of college - a job - anywhere - anything.
Plan A’s- though they change with age and seasons of life.
Singleness - Marriage - Retirement - Illness - etc. We have Plan A’s.
Most of us here pray about our plan A. We ask for God to guide us into knowing the plan for our lives. We realize life is short - so we want to figure things out - get it right - not mess up.
We want to live life in the right order - Plan A.
Mary had her Plan A - and yet God invited her into plan B - His plan.
And she accepted.
She embraced it.
She surrendered.
But here’s the thing- this Plan B stuff.
God inviting and asking Mary to enter into his desire for her wasn’t just for Mary. It is was also time for the disciples.
To some fishermen whose Plan A was fishing for fish.
He introduced a Plan B - fishing for men and they bit.
To a murderer Moses whose plan A was to live his life under the radar- in his own witness protection program.
A Plan B came near. Moses! Moses! I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:10)
It was the same time for-
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
Lazarus
Ruth
Elijah
Nearly every person, we celebrate in the Bible is worthy of being honored because they embraced God’s Plan B. And when they did their life was used by Him to bless others.
Marriage- Plan A- Bail
Plan B- Forgive
Be faithful
Money- Plan A- Spend
Plan B- Give
Kids- 2 kids
Plan B- 3 kids
Job- Plan A- Lots and lots of $ money
Plan B- influence and light
Hitting and fighting
A- Hit when you are hit.
B- Turn the cheek.
A- Tell the off color joke.
Join the gossip tree.
B- Gain control of your tongue.
A- Ignore that voice/prompting to
Help that _______.
Call that ________.
Invite that ______.
B- Listen to the impulse.
Boss- Plan A badmouth.
Disrespect.
Plan B serve, forgive
Church Plan A come and sit
Plan B serve, changes etc
Reconcile Plan A ignore and move on.
Plan B talk-ask
Forgiveness, admit fault
Students Plan A- rebel, experience, seek life
Plan B- trust in God and his way of life.
Time Plan A- time/to do list
Agenda
Plan B- Allow- tempted
Plan A My plan
Got me somewhere so that in the ____________.
I will live long
Plan B Allow me to experience God along the way.
Remember the verse
"My ways are not your ways declares the Lord-"
We can’t know God’s way
Be used by him if stay with plan A.
Mary came to know the God she loved in a deeper way because she entered into God’s Plan B.
Friends our God invites us to do the same.
The thing with Plan B’s is that,
We aren’t in control.
We don’t know the outcome.
We often can’t see to far down the road.
When we follow God’s Plan B’s others might think us foolish - crazy - others might disagree. But you and I will have a quiet peace and confidence in knowing that our lives are being used by our God in a very real way.
