What did Mary Know (pt 2)?
CCCAG 12-22-24
Introduction:
Several years ago, there was a little bit of controversy about the Virgin Mary regarding a song that came out called, “Mary Did you Know?”
In that song, the lyrics ask Mary several questions about what she knew about the child that she was carrying.
Questions like-
Did you know he would walk on water?
Give sight to a blind man
Calm a storm
That HE has walked “where angels trod”
That this child that she delivered, would soon deliver her?
And When you kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God?
That last thing- that will blow your mind. Everything that has to do with taking care of an infant Mary did for the baby Jesus- for God HIMSELF.
These last few weeks, Mary was in the news again-
Netflix released a movie called Mary that is being promoted as a dramatic and accurate portrayal of the Virgin Mary’s birth through the birth of Jesus. They said- “This is the story that you’ve never really heard”
So, I made some popcorn and watched it …well most of it. My TV can only have so many things thrown at it before it breaks after about 90 minutes, I started to skip ahead a little and catch the high points because I know people will ask me about it.
So my movie review- it’s garbage.
Biblical accuracy- 1/10 stars. I gave it one star just because they got one thing right- there was historically a woman named Mary, and she did become pregnant with Jesus. Joseph is in the movie too, but after that- junk.
I had a whole page of errors written but decided not to use it this morning. However, if you want a short list check my Facebook Post from a week ago Wednesday night and my comments about it for the run down. And it’s not even a complete list. Since I wrote this portion of the message, a biblical scholar named Mike Winger did a 2-hour takedown of this movie on YouTube if you really want the gritty details.
For many of us, Mary is a bit of an enigma surrounded by mystery, especially if you are not Catholic. In the protestant church, we have often avoided talking a lot about Mary just because of the veneration of her within Roman Catholicism.
But Mary is a very important figure in our faith, and we should recognize that and remember her because she was the person chosen to birth the Savior of the world.
As we study this incredible woman of faith today, I will be highlighting for you the HOLY SPIRIT’s work in this woman. I know often when Joseph and Mary are spoken of, we focus on how obedient to God’s call they were, but often fail to see that it was really the HOLY SPIRIT’s empowerment to both of them that enabled them to fulfil God’s plan for Jesus to be born.
A few weeks ago, we went through the town of Bethlehem, and why it was so important that the Messiah would be born there.
Today, we will be looking at the woman that God chose to have this honor of carrying him from Infancy and raise HIM to be a Godly man.
Luke 1:26-36
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (NIV)
Prayer
In the Christmas story, we focus a lot on Mary and Joseph, and of course Jesus as a baby.
But here was another person never talked about that was there, and was the most active part of everything going on during that time.
The Holy Spirit.
When we think about Mary and the Christmas story- that is what we should see- that Mary’s life is a testament to the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is what filled her with faith, guided her in God’s direction for her life, and helped her be obedient to her calling.
What we can learn from this, is that Just as the Spirit empowered Mary, so too can the Spirit empower us today as we seek to follow God's call in our lives.
Before we get into that, I want look at something that is not immediately obvious from the text-
I. Her ancestry
The last time we were together, we learned that both Joseph and Mary came from the line of David, meaning they were both direct descendants of him, and that it was vitally important for the Messiah to be born of that family to keep a promise that God made to David.
But do you know who else is that same blood line for both Joseph and Mary?
When you read the genealogies you will see that Mary and Joseph didn’t come from David’s first marriage to Michal, nor his second marriage to Abigail. Not the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th wives.
It was the 8th wife. 8 Wives….so glad to be a NT Christian.
Who was wife #8? Bathsheba.
Mary’s line runs through David’s son Nathan, who’s mother was Bathsheba.
If you remember, Bathsheba was the woman with whom David had an affair. She then got pregnant from the affair. David tried to cover it up by eventually ordering the death of her husband who was deployed with the army, so that David could take her as his wife right away to hide the affair.
I was a bit stunned when I read that. I mean, the fact that God used David for anything given his history is incredible in the first place.
But, God also used the woman David committed adultery with AND who at least was somewhat complicate with the murder of her husband, to be in the line that leads to Jesus.
That’s pretty incredible.
What this shows us today is that despite both of their horrible actions-
No one, regardless of their background, past failures, family, or beginning in life is disqualified from God using them.
The Holy Spirit’s power makes all of the difference.
I hope that is encouraging for someone this morning
The second things we see was her response to what is called the “Annunciation”,
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1. The Annunciation: A Moment of Divine Calling
The Annunciation is the moment we read about it in Luke 1:26-31 when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit.
For a moment, let’s forget we are in 2024, and let’s journey back to the world of 1 BC Palestine.
Mary is a young woman- probably between 14 and 16 years old.
She is from a small town called Nazareth- maybe a couple of hundred people live there. It has a horrible reputation for being what we would call the ghetto town. It so bad that within Israel there is a saying that nothing good comes from Nazareth.
Additionally, Mary is part of the peasant class, living in poverty, young by our standards for motherhood.
Angel Gabrial tells Mary, “God’s going to make you pregnant with the Messiah”
Mary initial response- “She was very troubled” because she was probably thinking- What a minute-
I’m married, and I haven’t been with any man much less my husband as he is fixing up our place and then coming back for me (Jewish Wedding tradition- marriage, man leaves to prepare a place, comes back and consummates)
Mary’s thinking- If I turned up pregnant, I’m dead- the law says I have to be stoned to death as an adulteress.
This is why it says that Mary was troubled.
Here is the key for you and I this morning-
What helped her? The power of the HOLY SPIRIT comes upon her.
For you and I- This moment in Mary’s life is a powerful illustration of the call of God.
God gives a call, and then gives the power for the call.
Remember the disciples after Jesus rose from the grave? Jesus gives them a calling, and then says to wait- wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon you.
God never asks you to do something without giving you the presence, power, or provision to accomplish the task. God does that by giving you the HOLY SPIRIT.
Just like Mary, we are all called to carry Jesus- HIS name, HIS power, and HIS presence to this world by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT.
Next we see Mary’s response-
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2. Mary’s Faith and Obedience to God’s Word
“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’” (Luke 1:38, ESV)
Yes, Mary was troubled at first, but after having the Holy Spirit come upon her, she no longer had a shred of doubt or resistance. Instead, her response was one of total submission and faith
As Christians who believe in the power and work of the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives, we should understand that obedience to God requires a deep trust in His sovereignty and HIS WILL.
God often calls us into situations where the outcome is uncertain, where we don’t have all the answers. But, just as Mary trusted God’s word, we too must step out in faith and obedience. The Holy Spirit will guide us and empower us to fulfill His purpose, just as He did with Mary.
Illustration: Many of us can recall a time when God gave us a task, and asked us to step out in faith.
That initial call might make you troubled in your heart, and if that is the case, do what Mary did-
Stop and listen, and let the Holy Spirit come upon you, empower with God’s peace, presence, and provision so that you can respond as she did- in faith.
But there was still one person that needed the same thing Mary was receiving-
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3. Joseph: Trusting God in Difficult Circumstances
Mary was engaged/married to Joseph, and when he learned of her pregnancy, he must have been deeply troubled. His initial response was to quietly divorce her- send her out of Nazareth to live with Zechariah and Elizabeth so the townsfolk wouldn’t stone her to death.
But then, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, confirming Mary’s story and instructing him to take her as his wife.
“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.’” (Matthew 1:20, ESV)
When I read the bible, I always try to put myself in the other person’s shoes.
If I was Joseph in this situation, this would be a bit of a wrestling match with God.
It’s bad enough today if your spouse cheats- it hurts, and causes all kinds of negative emotions, and if it becomes public- maybe a temporary stain on your reputation, but then the crowd finds someone else to talk about and your situation is largely forgotten.
Not so in 1st century Israel- actions had drastic consequences, and for Joseph it meant that that expectation was for him to call for Mary to be stoned, and for him to throw the first one.
But the angel pointed Joseph to the Holy Spirit. Joseph was then filled with faith, and this enabled Joseph to choose God’s plan.
He was willing to take the social stigma and personal sacrifice that it would entail.
In our own lives, we may face situations where trusting God requires us to step out of our comfort zones and face challenges. Whether it’s in relationships, finances, or ministry, there are times when God asks us to trust Him in the midst of uncertainty.
Like Mary and Joseph, we are called to be obedient and trust that God will guide us through even the most difficult of circumstances, and HE does so by giving us The HOLY SPIRIT
Illustration: In July of 1993, when I got saved, God called me to do several things that made me very uncomfortable. One of the things I strongly felt God tell me was to get rid of a lot of music I had collected I was very much into heavy metal and some of it was overtly satanic in its lyrics.
Do you know what enabled me to do that- The Baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT. The power, presence and provision of God filled me, and I no longer wanted to sing about the devil- it actually repulsed me to do so.
Too many times we expect behavioral change in a person before the power comes, and that is backwards. Our job is to bring them to Jesus, and then release the Holy Spirit to do the cleaning.
That’s the Gospel.
Another thing we see in Mary’s life is the importance of Godly friends.
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4. Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth: A Celebration of God’s Work
After the Annunciation, Mary visited her relative Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Upon Mary’s arrival, Elizabeth’s baby leaped in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth exclaimed:
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43, ESV)
This shows us the importance of Godly family and friends- Mary’s visit to Elizabeth was not only a time of mutual encouragement but also a powerful moment of worship.
What it shows for us is that The Holy Spirit is not to be kept in a sealed part of our souls- HE is meant to be shared one to another.
This moment highlights the importance of celebrating God's work in our lives and encouraging one another. As Spirit filled believers, we understand that the Holy Spirit moves powerfully in times of corporate worship and fellowship.
That Hebrews 10:25 tells us-
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Mary’s visit to Elizabeth exemplifies how the Spirit empowers believers to rejoice in God’s work, to share in each other’s joys, and to celebrate the mighty things God is doing
Illustration: Have you ever had a moment when you shared your testimony with someone, and the Holy Spirit filled the space with joy and affirmation? Some of the biggest struggles in my life have been solved during times of corporate worship and fellowship- allowing the Holy Spirit to move among us as we life up the name of Jesus.
Don’t hide your light under a bushel, but put it in the highest place in your life so that it’s light can spread to others.
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Conclusion: All Rise
As Pentecostal Christians, we are reminded that the same Holy Spirit who filled and empowered Mary is at work in our lives today. Just as Mary responded to God’s call, so too are we called to walk in faith, obedience, and expectation of God’s mighty work in our lives. Let us be open to the Spirit’s leading, trusting that He will guide us through every circumstance and empower us to fulfill God’s purposes.
Finally, to answer the question posed by the title of this message- “What did Mary know?”
Mary knew to be filled with the Holy Spirit and let the presence of God guide her, and because of that, Jesus came and the rest is HIS-STORY.
