Christmas Through The Eyes of Mary
Luke 1:26-38
When Christmas is mentioned what do you think?
What memories does the Christmas season bring to your mind?
I think we all have memories of days gone by when Christmas had an extra special meaning or significance.
Maybe it’s a Christmas as a child when you got the perfect gift, the gift you had asked Santa for, the gift you had begged your parents for, the gift of all gifts.
It could be that your memory of Christmas was of being with someone special on during the Christmas season. It is possible that this would be the last Christmas you remember spending with this person here on earth.
What about the first Christmas you remember following your salvation, a time when you can really understand the full meaning of Christmas.
As we think of Christmas memories I want to take a look over the next several weeks at Christmas Through the Eyes Of…
Mary
Joseph
The World
Most importantly I want to look at Christmas Through the Eyes of Jesus.
This morning we find our Bible reading telling the story about Mary and how she encountered an angel of the Lord.
Lets look at Christmas Through The Eyes of Mary
First—
Mary Saw an Angel…
Can you imagine here is Mary minding her own business, planning here wedding to Joseph, the love of her life. Living in a small carpenters town called Nazareth. Then the Bible says, “The angel went to her”.
There are many people talking about angels appearing to them today and I don’t know how true that is, but I do know that on a certain day Mary heard from God through an angel. And by the way, not just any angel, God sent Gabriel.
This angel Gabriel is the same angel who appeared to Daniel and Zechariah as a messenger from God.
Gabriel brought a message that would soon change Mary’s world.
In our lives we can be sure of one thing angels are present and watching over us. God has placed angels in charge of protecting us and watching over us.
Genesis 24:40
"He replied, ’The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.
Exodus 23:20
"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.
Psalm 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
Daniel 6:22
My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
Luke 16:22
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
Hebrews 1:14
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Secondly—
Mary, Selected by God…
Out of all the women on the face of the earth why Mary?
What quality did she exhibit that set her apart from all the others?
It is apparent from this passage that…
…Mary was a woman of great character.
In verse 28 Gabriel said, “you who are highly favored”. God saw a quality in Mary that others may have overlooked.
Many times we find ourselves no liking what we see in the mirror, or because of our weight, or because what someone said, or because of our raising.
Can you imagine Mary and what she must have felt like hearing this news about her being chosen to give birth to Jesus, God’s Son?
…Mary found favor with God. V.30
To find favor with God requires us to live for God. It seems that Mary must have honored God in her life and relationships.
No doubt Mary spent time at the Temple in worship and followed the Levitical laws with the utmost respect for God.
In other words—Her walk matched her talk!
James 1:22-24
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
Lastly—
…Mary Served God Faithfully v.38
Look at verse 38
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
Wow, what if each time God told us something He wanted us to do we would answer like that?
Mary was willing to do whatever she needed to do to please the Lord and as a result she received the greatest blessing in the entire world.
Mary would give birth to Jesus!
Look at verse 35
Luke 1:35
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.
Take a walk with me to Bethlehem—
A manger rented for the night. Farm animals all around and only hay for a bed, Jesus the Son of God was born to Mary.
An interview with Mary, Mother of Jesus:
Q. Mary just how did you become with child?
A. One day while minding my own business an angel, I think he said his name was Gabriel, came to visit me. He told me that I was going to have a child and that he would be the savior of Israel. Well, I told him that this was impossible since I hadn’t known a man before. But you know what nothing is impossible for God. He told me that the Holy Spirit would come to me and I would be with child. He assured me that God was in control and I told him whatever God wanted I wanted.
Q. Mary do you want us to believe that you are a virgin?
A. I know it sounds impossible, but I told you nothing is impossible for God.
Q. What do you think the town’s people will say about you and Joseph?
A. Oh, my Joseph is such a Godly man. He could have turned me out and not understood God’s plan for our lives, however an angel visited him as well. I love Joseph. You know what it doesn’t matter what others thinks, only what God thinks.
Q. Now Mary this baby, you said he is to be the savior of Israel?
A. Yes, the Messiah, the King of Kings, Emanuel, the Prince of Peace, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Holy One of Israel, Jehovah Jirah, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Shammah, God’s one and only Son, the Savior of the World.
Q. Now why would the Savior of the World be born in a manger?
A. To show the world that he was willing to humble himself to the lowliest point of life to serve man.
Q. A King serve his people? You must be out of your mind?
A. Jesus is no ordinary king. He’s the King of Kings, The First and the Last, The Alpha and Omega, the very Son of God.
Q. You seem so proud of your son, but Mary something seems out of place, something seems wrong, is something bothering you?
A. I know that for me to have eternal life my son, Jesus, must die.
Q. What do you mean?
A. Jesus’ father, God, sent his son as an atonement for sin. Jesus will give his life one day as Savior of the world.
The Life Application Bible puts it this way in a profile of Mary, Mother of Jesus…
Motherhood is a painful privilege. Young Mary of Nazareth had the unique privilege of being mother to the very Son of God. Yet the pains and pleasures of her motherhood can be understood by mothers everywhere. Mary was the only human present at Jesus’ birth who also witnessed his death. She saw him arrive as her baby son, and she watched him die as her Savior.
Christmas Through The Eyes of Mary
What does Christmas Look like to you?
