HoHum:
From the Pregnancy Resource Center: Tania couldn’t believe it was happening. They had been careful, but somehow she was pregnant. She called an abortion clinic and set an appointment. She said she knew people expected her to have an abortion because “I am young and not married.” Then Tania (not her real name) saw an online ad for women facing an unexpected pregnancy. She called and told the client advocate that she didn’t want to be pregnant and had an appointment for an abortion. The client advocate listened carefully, answered her questions and arranged for Tania to come into the center. Tania had many doubts about abortion and its risks. She was worried became many of her friends had terrible stories. One had even suffered an emotional breakdown on the date she would have delivered. Tania agreed to have an ultrasound. She was early enough that the radiologist offered a second ultrasound to be sure her pregnancy was viable. After the second ultrasound, a client advocate met with her. Crying, Tania said, “It’s so real now!” Tania came in for a third ultrasound. She was happy to hear the heartbeat again. She said she had decided to have her baby. She was also open to a spiritual conversation. She said she was a Christian, but not close to the Lord. She prayed with her client advocate to come closer to God again. I am sure the Pregnancy Resource Center will be in the new year to speak.
WBTU:
An unplanned and unwanted pregnancy is inconvenient. In our day, we can have that taken care of at an abortion clinic or take some drugs that cause a miscarriage. The song from the Oak Ridge Boys called an inconvenient Christmas makes reference to this: A young girl expects a child she can't explain, Forced to walk a hundred miles just to give birth in the hay, While the king at that same hour, Fearing challenge to his power, Sent his troops to track them down and wipe them out, Yep, hands down The most inconvenient Christmas ever was Was the first one, when God came so far to give himself to us, So when the stress hits each December, How it helps me to remember , God is with us most when things just can't get worse, The most inconvenient Christmas ever was, was the first
We find in Luke 1:26f: God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 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, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on 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… For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
The Holy Spirit did this to Mary and so that places Mary and the baby Jesus in a unique position never to be repeated. Even so, Mary experienced many of the same reactions that an unwed and unexpected mother would receive. According to Matthew 1:19f, Joseph (knowing that he was not the father), had in mind to divorce her (Mary) quietly. But after he had considered 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 home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).” I take it that Joseph did not know about this until the last trimester. Mary had left to be with her cousin Elizabeth where Mary would be shielded from disdain in the town. However, when she came back, that is when it all hit the fan (as they say). In the Pregnancy Resource Center’s newsletter, it also talks about a woman named Jessie who got pregnant. “The father, to whom she was not married, didn’t want more kids.” I take it that he left Jessie when she refused to have an abortion. God knew that Mary’s womb would be a safe place for a baby no matter what others would think. Mothers, is having a baby inconvenient? Reside for 9 months in the body and when they come, yes, they are cute, but a baby changes everything. A baby is completely dependent upon others and usually the mother is the one who is most inconvenienced. Around this time of the year, we hear a song by Mark Lowry called, “Mary, did you know?” Just the first stanza- “Mary, did you know that your baby boy will some day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you’ve delivered will soon deliver you.” The song causes us to wonder, “Was Mary aware of all that Jesus would do?” Now there were many things that Mary did not know or that Mary did not fully comprehend. Even so, Looking at the biblical account, a fair amount of information was given to Mary
Thesis: Focusing on Matthew 1 and Luke 1, turning the question around to, What did Mary know?
For instances:
1. Mary knew the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14- Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Jewish women waited for a messiah. They hungered to be the mother of the savior. They bore children in the hope of a messiah. None of them were virgins until Mary. Imagine Mary saying to her mother, “No, really, God did this!” First one who could say that!
A number of years ago a new version of the Bible came out called the Revised Standard Version. That version translated Isaiah 7:14 as a young woman and not as a virgin. The Hebrew word there is unclear. Is this referring to a young woman or more specifically to a virgin? Some burned this version of the Bible because of things like this. Even so, the New Testament lets us know that Isaiah 7:14 is referring to a virgin and not just a young woman. Matthew says even more about this, not just the Messiah but Immanuel, God with us. O come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. Rejoice, Rejoice, Immanuel, shall come…
Michael Card “Immanuel”. A sign shall be given A virgin will conceive A human baby bearing Undiminished deity The glory of the nations A light for all to see That hope for all who will embrace His warm reality Immanuel Our God is with us And if God is with us Who could stand against us Our God is with us Immanuel. For all those who live in the shadow of death A glorious light has dawned For all those who stumble in the darkness Behold your light has come Immanuel Our God is with us And if God is with us Who could stand against us Our God is with us Immanuel So what will be your answer? Will you hear the call? Of Him who did not spare His son But gave him for us all On earth there is no power There is no depth or height That could ever separate us From the love of God in Christ.
2. Mary knew that Jesus would be “great and will be called Son of the Most High”. The Most High is talking about the one who is the highest- like King of the Hill. During recess in grade school, my classmates and I would look for a pile of snow in the winter and a mound of dirt in the spring and fall. The biggest and strongest would scurry to the top and claim the royal title, “King of the Hill.” Those of us remaining at the bottom were then challenged to climb up and overthrow our friend and make ourselves into royalty. No one is higher than Jesus and no one can dethrone Jesus. It is interesting that this same wording is used of the Holy Spirit as well. “The Holy Spirit will come on 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.” No one will overcome or overthrow the Trinity, the 3 in 1.
3. Mary knew that the “Lord God would give to Jesus the throne of his father David.” Peter in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost said in Acts 2:29-30: “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.” Jesus was to be the fulfillment of all the prophecies that spoke of one who would come from the lineage of David and be the King and Messiah of the people of Israel. It is interesting that both Matthew and Luke have genealogies that trace Jesus’ lineage from David. Notice how Luke 3:23 says it: Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph. No worries, Mary is also a descendant of David.
4. Mary knew that Jesus would “reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Mary knew that Jesus would be given a kingdom and would reign forever and ever, which would fulfill the prophecy of Daniel 7:13–14: there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
5. Mary knew that Jesus would bring salvation to the world, save his people from their sins. The name Jesus is a variation on the name Joshua- God is salvation. Mary knew that Jesus would deliver his people from their sins. Notice in Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-47: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. That term Savior is "sótér" in Greek and is used in the New Testament to refer to one who saves or delivers. The word conveys the idea of rescue from danger or destruction, particularly in a spiritual sense, signifying salvation from sin and its consequences. This term is used to describe Jesus Christ, highlighting His mission to save humanity from sin and reconcile us to God.
