Observing Mary
Please stand as we read our newest memory Scripture together …
Isaiah 9:6
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
And our memory refresher verses for today are …
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ISV)
“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
Please open your Bibles to Luke 1:5-20 and 1:26-38
Last week when the Needhams (theneedhams.com) were here for a concert they sang a song that has become very popular at Christmastime called “Mary Did You Know?”
To me one of the most astonishing lines in the song is when it this question to Mary, “Mary did you know … when you kiss your little Baby, you’ve kissed the face of God?”
Can you even imagine that????
I remember the first time that I realized that that actual event had actually happened. And not just once but multiple times!
We can wrap our minds around kissing the face of a baby, but when you realize the enormity of fact that although Jesus was indeed a human child He was and is fully God just as much as He was and is fully human.
What a question. Actually what a series of question are asked in that song!
Some people over the years have bestowed upon Mary powers that are nearly godlike. And, if she did actually have godlike powers that song would be ridiculous.
One of the attributes of God is that He is omniscient, He knows everything.
Now, we know that Mary is not omniscient. How do we know that? We know that because her very first words in the Holy Scriptures are, “How will this be ….?”
I have often been fascinated by similar situations in the Bible that have different reactions. For instance, both Abraham and Sarah laughed when they were told that Sarah would bear a child in her old age but only Sarah was asked, “Why did you laugh?”
Something similar happens when Gabriel announces to Zechariah that he will have a son and when Gabriel announces to Mary that she, too, will give birth to a Son.
The first thing we will do today is compare two similar passages with two similar conversations. The first conversation is between Gabriel and Zechariah and the second is between Gabriel and Mary.
First we see Zechariah. Zechariah is a Jewish priest. He is a holy man.
He is an elderly man and his wife is barren which was a disgrace in that society.
Actually, the Bible says that both Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, “… were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” - Luke 1:6
So, let’s go ahead and read Luke 1:5-20 for the first conversation …
Here we see a message being delivered to Zechariah by the angel Gabriel.
Next we see a similar interaction between Mary and the angel Gabriel …
Read Luke 1:26-38
In both of these passages the angel Gabriel gives amazing news of seemingly impossible future events to Zechariah the elderly Jewish priest and Mary the young virgin girl.
Zechariah response to the news is, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” - Luke 1:18
And, Mary, on the other hand, asks, “How will this be since I am a virgin?” - Luke 1:34
What is the difference in these two responses and why did the angel Gabriel respond differently in each case?
What is Zechariah doing when he asks the question; “How can I be sure of this?”
Zechariah is questioning the certainty of the prophecy; is this really true???
How can I be sure!
What is Mary doing when she asks, “How will this be since I am a virgin?”
Notice the difference? Zechariah asks, “How can I be sure?” and Mary asks, “How WILL this be?” NOT, “How can this be?”
Mary has already concluded that it WILL take place.
She just cannot understand how it WILL be possible given the circumstances?
Now, we know that both of these prophecies were true because they both were fulfilled.
This is not to throw any bad light on Zechariah at all! The Lord considered him to be blameless and righteous. I think we can all admit to having doubts from time to time when it comes to trusting the Lord.
But, what would it have really been like to walk through Mary’s life?
We have already seen that Mary was not all knowing like God.
So, Mary was walking step by step, day by day in faith!
Now, when it comes right down to it, there is really very little about Mary in the Bible.
Mary is only mentioned 18 times in the Bible and some of them are duplicate accounts in the various Gospels.
So, let’s take a walk through a few parts of Mary’s life as it is found in the Holy Scriptures.
What do we see from Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel?
We see that Mary trusted in the Lord.
This is so important, MARY TRUSTED THE LORD to accomplish the great miracle he had promised!
One of our memory Scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
I don’t know if Mary had memorized that Scripture but she sure lived it out!
We know this because Mary not only TRUSTED THE LORD but her response was also an acknowledgment of her acceptance of the prophecy.
Acknowledging the will of the Lord is not just saying, “Yeah, I hear You …” like a child might say to a parent when being told to do something.
Mary’s acknowledgment was more like what a sailor would say with the response of, “Aye, Sir”, I understand and will comply.
The difference here is that Mary is not being given a command by a superior officer but is being given a prophetic message by an angel of the Lord. And the message is coming from the Lord who loves her and has chosen her for a task that has never been accomplished before and that will never be repeated.
So, what is Mary’s answer? “May your word to me be fulfilled …” Luke 1:38
Can you imagine what questions might have been thrashing about in Mary’s mind?
I know that you have explained it to me even though I really do not understand it but may your word to me be fulfilled …
I know that Joseph may break our betrothal but may your word to me be fulfilled …
I know that it will cause me to be a social outcast but may your word to me be fulfilled …
I know that I may be put to death for being pregnant out of wedlock but may your word to me be fulfilled …
We don’t know if Mary had those question or not, but here is something we do know!
Mary knew that this message was coming directly from Yaweh, the God of Israel through a special messenger and her response in spite of all the fears and uncertainty was, “May your world to me be fulfilled.”
MARY WAS OBEDIENT
Mary not only trusted the Lord but HER RESPONSE WAS YES!!!
What about us?
When the Lord asks me to do something difficult, do I say, “Yes?”
When the Lord asks me to do something I don’t feel like doing, do I say, “Yes?”
When the Lord asks me to do something I don’t understand, do I say, “Yes?”
If the Lord asks me to do something that is going to be costly to me financially, or time wise or that will require great effort, will I say, “Yes?”
Mary said “YES”.
So, we see, MARY TRUSTED THE LORD and MARY WAS OBEDIENT.
What else do we see in this Scripture?
We see how Mary viewed herself?
In Luke 1:38 Mary says, “I am the Lord’s servant …”
In Luke 1:46-48 Mary says, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.”
Nowhere at any time does Mary exalt herself.
Nowhere does Mary say, “The LORD chose me because I am awesome!”
In Luke 1:48b Mary does say,
“From now on all generations will call me blessed …
But the important thing is WHY will they call her blessed? Because she is awesome?
Because she has miraculous powers and is holier than everyone else?
No …
In Luke 1:48b-49 Mary says,
“From now on all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is His name.”
Mary diverts all possible praise from herself to the Lord. MARY WAS HUMBLE!
Even in the midst of the most miraculous event that would ever take place MARY WAS HUMBLE!
Yes, we do call her blessed and we do honor her and we love to tell the story of how a young maiden submitted to the will of the Lord and was used to bring the Savior of the world into the world.
It is a beautiful event!
But, what about us?
If the Lord uses us to accomplish anything of worth for the kingdom of God do we try to take the glory or do we redirect all glory to the Lord?
I recently heard a pastor of a fairly large church being interviewed about why so many small churches around the country are closing. His conclusion was that they are closing because the pastors of those churches do not have the necessary leadership skills needed to coordinate the programming that is needed to grow a church.
He repeatedly said that with good leadership skills a church will grow and without good leadership skills the church will die.
He did not come right out and say it but since his church is big and growing then he must be a great leader. Humble or not humble?
What does the Bible say about the church?
The Bible says that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God and on that great foundational truth Christ will build His church and not even the gates of hell itself will be able to stand against it! (Matthew 16)
We, like Mary must be humble.
MARY TRUSTED THE LORD … MARY WAS OBEDIENT … “MARY WAS HUMBLE”.
Finally, Mary is walking a path that she does not know and she is just trusting the Lord for guidance.
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
Shepherds come into the stable in the middle of the night searching for infant Jesus shortly after He was born and they are telling about a heavenly host announcing Jesus’ birth to them and exactly how to find Him!
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
Jesus is taken to the Temple and Simeon runs up to them and says, “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations: a Light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
Wise Men from the east show up at their door with gifts fit for a king and then they not only give the gifts to Him but they fall to the ground and worship Him!
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
An angel appears to Joseph in a dream in the middle of the night and tells him to take Jesus and His mother to Egypt because Herod wants to murder Jesus!
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
When Jesus is only 12 years old and He stays behind in the Temple in Jerusalem while His family is headed home and when questioned about His actions He replies with, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?”
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
Jesus’ brothers are mocking Him, thinking that He was trying to be some kind of big shot when they say, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him. - John 7:3-5
Imagine the thoughts in Mary’s mind and the emotions in her heart when:
Jesus is crucified and then when Jesus is resurrected!
Well, we know a little about her thoughts and emotions in the early part of Mary’s life because it says in …
Luke 2:33
“The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about Him.”
Luke 2:51b
“[Mary] treasured all these things in her heart.”
So, what do we see in these events in Mary’s life? We see that in the good times and the bad times MARY WAS FAITHFUL.
It is easy to be faithful when things are going well, it’s not so easy when things are tough. Mary was faithful even when Jesus hanging on a cross dying for the sins of the world. How do we know this?
The last place in the Bible we see Mary is in Jerusalem with about 120 disciples after Jesus has risen from the dead and has ascended to heaven. Mary is right there with them in faithful obedience to Jesus’ words that they should wait for the promised Holy Spirit.
MARY WAS TRUSTING … MARY WAS OBEDIENT … MARY WAS HUMBLE … MARY WAS FAITHFUL
What a wonderful example we have in the young virgin girl from Nazareth who was chosen to bring God One and Only Son into the world for our salvation.
Final thoughts and closing prayer.
