The Blessing Of Mary's Faith

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Have you ever had a mountaintop experience with your faith, something happened and you are on a spiritual high, you are ready to do whatever God wants you to do and you are ready to share the gospel of Jesus with everyone!

• Mary MOST definitely had a mountaintop experience with the Angel Gabriel along with the message Gabriel shared with her from God.

• Mary could have done a lot of things in the aftermath of that awesome experience.

• Mary could have sat at home and waited for the birth of her son, she could have developed an arrogant attitude because of the greatness of her mission.

• She could have reflected on the experience; she could have thought about how exciting was for an ANGEL OF THE LORD COME TO HER.

• During our series, MARY CHRISTMAS, we are on a journey with Mary as she closing in on the birth of her son Jesus.

• Mary had an experience like no other when she was visited by the Angel Gabriel, she had to decide what to do next.

• Does she get lost in the moment, or does that event lead to more?

• We most likely will not have that kind of mountaintop experience, yet we still must decide what we are going to do for the Lord.

• Will our excitement die a slow death or will it lead us to something greater?

• Let’s see what Mary does with her wonderful moment. I pray we can learn from not only her response from last week, but from her action in the message this week.

• Let’s begin our excursion by turning to Luke1:39-40

• SLIDE #2

• Luke 1:39–40 (HCSB) — 39 In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40 where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. Faith inspires action.

• How many times have we been inspired by something, only to see the inspiration fizzle out, or have other people throw water on our fire.

• Mary had one, if not the most awesome experience a person could have when Gabriel showed up at her door.

• How many people do you know have said something to the effect that if they could get a sign from God, they would believe? Do you think Mary received that sign?

• From our message last week, as Gabriel was seeking to support and encourage Mary, he told her to consider her relative Elizabeth, who up to this point childless and past typical childbearing years.

• The word CONSIDER means to examine. Gabriel was encouraging Mary to go see Elizabeth for herself.

• He trusts that she believes him, yet he wants her to go see for herself so she can be blessed even further.

• So what does Mary do. To be able to see Elizabeth, she was going to need to travel at least 50 miles.

• Today, we hope in the car, or get on the motorcycle, or for those who are ambitious, hop on your road bike. Mary is going to walk!

• SLIDE #4 Map

• She is in Nazareth and she is going to travel South to just a little south of Jerusalem. It would be a bit unusual for an engaged woman to make such a journey, she most likely would have had to speak to Joseph before leaving on the trip.

• In Matthew 1:18-21, it is recorded that Joseph knows that Mary is pregnant, this trip most likely takes place before what happens in Matthew 1:18-21.

• Verse 39 indicates that Mary did not leave to moment Gabriel left, but within a couple of weeks since she would have to prepare for the trip. Mary would end up staying with Elizabeth for three months according to verse 56.

• Mary had some time to think about what she was going to do.

• Isn’t it easy to get on fire about doing something great, only to allow time to snuff out the desire?

• Mary could have thought of so many valid reasons not to make this long trip, yet she stuck with the plan.

• She was not going to allow anything to detour her from going to see Elizabeth.

• Why is it that some folks can be on fire for serving and following God and others just do not seem to get it?

• I think Jesus offers some insights when He gave the us the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:1-9.

• He told the story of a man sowing seeds and that some fell on the along the path and the birds ate them up.

• Some fell on the rocky soil and sprang up quickly, but also died quickly because the seeds were not planted in deep soil.