“Mary- The Favored One”
Luke 1:26-38; 10/19/08
Series: Heroes of the New Testament
Introduction: There is nothing like being someone’s favorite. I don’t know if you have ever had this experience, but if you’ve been married, then this should be true. I know that I have been chosen by Tami to be her husband. I am her favorite in that respect! This hopefully is true for you and your good friends as well. We take the time to choose our friends. They are important to us; favored by us, and hopefully we are favored by them. There is nothing like calling someone on the phone, or seeing someone, and having their face light up because they are so glad to hear from you, or see you! This is what it is to be favored. To be favored is to have a special place in someone’s life. This morning, as we conclude our series, “Heroes of the New Testament,” we will be looking at the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was one who was favored by God, for she was the one who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus! Let’s look at what makes her a hero.
I. Do not be afraid- (Luke 1:26-33)
a. Finding favor-
1. Mary: In the passage we just read, Luke 1:26-38, we see an
angel of the Lord coming to Mary. And the angel speaks to Mary, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Now, what was Mary’s reaction? What would your reaction be?/ Exactly, she was a little afraid. We know this because the angel then said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Now I don’t know if you noticed, but the angel expressed a wonderful thought to Mary. In fact, the angel expressed this thought twice to Mary; in verse 28, and in verse 30. And the thought is this, that Mary is favored with God.
Can you imagine having an angel tell you this; that you have found favor with God? In verse 28 the angel says: “Greetings, favored one…” And then in verse 30: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” This is an extraordinary statement. To find favor with God is not easy to do. It is interesting to note that the same Greek word for favor (charis) is also translated as grace. And I’m sure you remember that, “grace is a gift given to us that we do not deserve.” So for Mary to find favor with God meant that God was giving her a gift that she did not earn or deserve. God chose Mary to give a special gift to. And this gift is that Mary has been chosen to be the mother of the savior of the world. I’m not sure if she looked at this as a gift at first, but through this gift she will become a hero.
But Mary wasn’t thinking in terms of being a hero. I’m sure that Mary’s first concern was that she was being asked to be in charge of a great responsibility. To be a mother in general is a great task, but to be the mother of the savior of the world is an even greater responsibility. A second concern that Mary had was that she was a virgin, not yet married. How was she to conceive a child? Both of these issues would bring fear to one’s mind. But the angel was prepared for this, first in the greeting, and then in his second response. You see, the greeting deals with this issue of fear by letting Mary know that “the Lord is with her.” Later in the passage we will see the angel explain even further how this will be!
2. Us: So let’s step away from the text for a moment and ask
this question: How would you respond if you were told that you had found favor with God? Because the truth is, when we seek God, when we commit ourselves to God, when we desire to live for God, when we attempt to follow the will of God, we will find favor with God!! How will we find favor? In the same way Mary found favor, by God’s presence being with us and God’s power working for us!! Did you catch that? I DON’T THINK YOU DID, SO LET ME SAY IT AGAIN…we find favor with God when we seek Him and commit to Him, and by this we have God’s presence with us and God’s power working for us!!
b. Letting God reign- So it is really about letting God reign in your life.
This is what we see Mary doing./ This is the first aspect of her being a hero. She gives us the example of letting God reign. But it didn’t come to her right away, just as it doesn’t come to us right away. The angel of the Lord is trying to explain all this to Mary, and she is trying to take it all in. She is going to bear a son; his name will be Jesus; he will be great; he will be called the Son of the Most High; he will be given the throne of David; he will reign over the house of Jacob; there will be no end to his kingdom.
I’M GOING TO BE HIS MOTHER!
You can imagine Mary saying: “Whoa! Stop. Slow down. I can’t take all this in.” And Mary does say this, but she says it basically by putting up an objection when she says in verse 34: “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Which takes us and Mary back to the angel’s introduction, and the thought that God is with her, God has found favor with her, God is giving her a special gift and a special opportunity.
But isn’t it true that all too often we want to just hang back. We might think to ourselves: “Thanks God for the thought, thanks for the confidence you have in me (even though I don’t have it in myself). Thanks for the offer God, but I don’t really want this responsibility. This is too great for me./ And that is exactly true. It is too great for any of us alone. Without God’s presence and power in our lives, without us letting God reign in our lives like God reigns over His kingdom, then none of what God calls us to do will happen!
And so, up to this point we don’t see Mary fully receiving this; accepting this gift. She is confused and afraid at the greeting, and even more perplexed and concerned at the thought of having to be the mother of One who has such a list of great characteristics. She isn’t ready to be a hero in this way.
II. Overshadowed by God- (Luke 1:34-38)
a. The Holy Spirit’s work- So we see that out of all of our heroes, Mary
is the most reluctant. She was not a leader to begin with, she is just a young girl, engaged to be married, and live out the simple life she had planned. Mary is in this dilemma, being asked to do something that is causing her concern and fear. What could the angel say, what could God do that would bring peace to this situation?
Well, the angel says to her in verse 35- “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.”
Does this make it any better? Does this make it any easier to accept? It does if you understand who the Holy Spirit is, and what the Holy Spirit can do. Often times we get confused about who the Holy Spirit is. We might think that the Holy Spirit is just the spirit of God without any real power. Or we might think that the Holy Spirit is passive. Or we might think that the Holy Spirit is uninvolved in personal matters. Or we might not understand what the role of the Holy Spirit is; why the Spirit of God is here.
Like Mary, we too at times get confused about the Holy Spirit. We can forget that the Spirit of God is active in our lives to help us in times of confusion and fear. We forget that the Holy Spirit is here to live in us, and work in and through us. The Holy Spirit brings God’s gifts to us, and helps us to utilize these gifts for God!
So let’s break down this verse to see what the angel is really telling Mary.
First, the angel lets Mary know that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God will come upon her. Meaning that Mary is not being asked to do this alone, but will have God’s help. Second, the Holy Spirit will overshadow her. This is to let Mary know that the baby that she will carry will be placed in her womb by the power of God, and because of this, the baby will be holy. But the “overshadowing” is that the Spirit will be there to guide Mary, and help Mary walk through this. Third, Mary is not alone in this wonderful journey of serving God in another way. The angel says to her in verse 36: “And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.”
Why did the angel say this to Mary? It is to show Mary that God is doing great works in and through those who believe and follow. Elizabeth, who was thought to be barren, is pregnant! Not only is Mary receiving a miracle, but Elizabeth is as well. And they will be able to walk together in their pregnancies, and walk together in being mothers…. God usually doesn’t call us to carry out His will by ourselves, but gives us others to walk with us!
b. Nothing is impossible- “Two Rabbits and Two Foxes,” Amusing Grace, p. 173, #587
“There is a story of 2 rabbits who were being chased by a pair of foxes.
They ran down a hill and into a drain trying to escape. But the foxes
were too fast and ran to the ends of the drain. The drain opening was
too small for the foxes to enter, but the rabbits found themselves
trapped. The first rabbit asked the second rabbit: ‘What do we do now?’
To which the second rabbit said: ‘Stay here until we outnumber them!’”
That is some positive thinking. And this is the kind of thinking that the Holy Spirit is leading Mary to have. That is why the Holy Spirit reminds Mary that “nothing will be impossible with God.” What God is doing here for Mary is to show Mary the love of God by reaching out to her; the joy of God by blessing her; the hope of God by showing her the future God has for the world. And the grace of God by giving this gift, this opportunity to her.
Grace is something we are to just receive. We shouldn’t try to explain it, understand it, or pay for it. For example, let’s say that you were invited to a dinner at some friend’s house. When you arrive you see beautiful decorations and a wonderful meal on the table. Do you reach into your wallet, pull out a twenty- dollar bill, and say: “I can see that this cost you a lot to make this evening so nice. Here is $20.00 to help pay for it?” NO. That would be an insult to your friend and host. You simply receive this wonderful, gracious gift. This is what we see Mary finally doing in verse 38 when she says: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
At this point we can see that Mary is receiving the words from the Holy Spirit. She realizes that nothing is impossible with God. She understands the importance of submitting to God. She has obediently accepted God’s call and God’s gracious gift knowing that it is God’s will for her life. She might not understand that she will play the role of hero, but she is willing to accept this opportunity of service.
III. Sticking by Jesus- (Judges 6:12; John 19:25-27)
a. Insecurity- There are times in our lives when we are feeling a little
insecure; when we need a little extra love. There are times when we feel alone or afraid, or when we are struggling to believe in ourselves. There are times when we doubt that God could ever do anything in and through our lives. IN THESE TIMES, LIKE MARY, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD IS THERE.
This isn’t new to our time and generation. And it isn’t just you and me that might feel this. Even those who we look to be as great people can feel insecurity. In the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, we read in 6:12- “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said: ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’”
Here we have a mighty warrior, Gideon, who needed reassuring. Sometimes, just because we are human, we need some reassurance. It is hard to feel confident, and to venture out to do God’s work, when you are insecure.
Example- Many people have low self-esteem. And if you were to draw what they felt, it might be a picture of a person who is bowed over; a weary traveler. They would be holding over their shoulder a mile-long chain, and attached to this chain are many pieces of metal. Each piece of metal is inscribed with the details of past humiliations, failures, embarrassments, and rejections. This weary traveler could let go of this chain, and be free from this heavy burden, which immobilizes and exhausts him, but he chooses to hang on; he chooses to struggle to take each step as he pulls this baggage along. Paralyzed by the weight, he plods along, feeling like there is no other choice; this baggage has become a part of who he is! (taken from …The Tardy Oxcart, by Chuck Swindoll, p. 510). Insecurity comes from not believing in yourself because of your past. In this, you keep from believing that God would do something wonderful in your life or through your life in the future. Your past keeps you from realizing how God is present.
Even though Mary accepted this call on her life, she still has insecurities. And yet, what helped her to constantly move forward in her call was that she time and time again realized that the Lord was her. However, it took a visit from an angel. But not only did the angel Gabriel deliver the message to her, he was visibly present with her, and by his presence, brought the presence of God to her. And while most of us will not have a visit from an angel in visible form, God’s angels are with us, and God’s presence is with us. We need to believe this. With this faith, we have great peace. With this knowledge, we can rise above our insecurities.
b. The Lord is there- The Lord provided His presence in Mary’s life in
so many ways. By the angel coming to her. By her being the mother of Jesus. By sending the shepherds and wise men to worship Jesus. By protecting her and her family from King Herod when he wanted to kill Jesus.
And all through this, Mary stuck by Jesus. Not only because He was her son, but because she knew that He was the savior of the world, and was her Lord. I’m sure that this was an interesting dynamic for Mary. For all of her life, there was an aspect of her being Jesus’ mother. She cared for Him when He was young. Nurtured Him; loved Him; supported Him; raised Him. But then He grew up, and ventured out to fulfill His mission of being the Savior. Mary had to learn how to support Him in a whole new way.
EX. “The Passion of Christ.” There is a scene in the movie the Passion of Christ, near the end when Jesus is trying to carry His cross to Golgatha. As He is walking down the road, off to the side, you see his mother, Mary, following. This is a powerful scene, because as his mother, you can see the pain in her eyes as she watches her son being abused in this way; and as she thinks of her son being led to his death.
SO WHY IS SHE THERE? WHY WOULD SHE TAKE IN THIS SCENE THAT IS CAUSING HER SO MUCH PAIN? It is because He is not just her son; HE IS HER LORD AND HER SAVIOR. She is supporting Him in what He is doing for her and for the world!
EX. Last Sunday we had a very small turnout for church. I have to admit that this can be a little discouraging, because the goal is for us to reach this community, and to have this church be a force for God! When there is a low number of people coming to worship, it doesn’t feel like we are a force. But then on Monday morning God reminded me of how He is at work in many ways. I was in my office writing my sermon, when I heard clapping in the chapel. I knew that Liliana was having her prayer meeting. Intrigued, I decided to go in to see what was happening. And there was a group of 12 Hispanics, praying together, and clapping to the Lord! You could feel the presence and power of God right there!
God is here with us. And like Mary, we have to support Him by our actions, by our excitement, by our commitment, by our service!
And yet, even in the midst of Jesus hanging on the cross, we see Him showing Mary that God is with her. Listen to John 19:25-27, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” Jesus showed Mary that God still cared for her and for her well being, and that even in His death He would not leave her alone.
Conclusion: God knew Mary. And because God knew that Mary loved Him, she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Mary was a hero because she accepted this call. Mary was a hero because she believed that “nothing is impossible for God.” Mary was a hero because she let the Holy Spirit fill her, and bless her. Mary was a hero because she stood by Jesus until the end.
Do you love God? How will you show it? In this way you will be a hero. But you can also be a hero for God by believing in the call that God gives to you here at the church, and beyond the church, and by believing that nothing is impossible for God, and by sticking by Jesus until the end. Let us follow Mary’s lead. Let us be heroes for God! Amen.
Luke 1:26-38; 10/19/08
Series: Heroes of the New Testament
Introduction: There is nothing like being someone’s favorite. I don’t know if you have ever had this experience, but if you’ve been married, then this should be true. I know that I have been chosen by Tami to be her husband. I am her favorite in that respect! This hopefully is true for you and your good friends as well. We take the time to choose our friends. They are important to us; favored by us, and hopefully we are favored by them. There is nothing like calling someone on the phone, or seeing someone, and having their face light up because they are so glad to hear from you, or see you! This is what it is to be favored. To be favored is to have a special place in someone’s life. This morning, as we conclude our series, “Heroes of the New Testament,” we will be looking at the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was one who was favored by God, for she was the one who was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus! Let’s look at what makes her a hero.
I. Do not be afraid- (Luke 1:26-33)
a. Finding favor-
1. Mary: In the passage we just read, Luke 1:26-38, we see an
angel of the Lord coming to Mary. And the angel speaks to Mary, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Now, what was Mary’s reaction? What would your reaction be?/ Exactly, she was a little afraid. We know this because the angel then said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Now I don’t know if you noticed, but the angel expressed a wonderful thought to Mary. In fact, the angel expressed this thought twice to Mary; in verse 28, and in verse 30. And the thought is this, that Mary is favored with God.
Can you imagine having an angel tell you this; that you have found favor with God? In verse 28 the angel says: “Greetings, favored one…” And then in verse 30: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” This is an extraordinary statement. To find favor with God is not easy to do. It is interesting to note that the same Greek word for favor (charis) is also translated as grace. And I’m sure you remember that, “grace is a gift given to us that we do not deserve.” So for Mary to find favor with God meant that God was giving her a gift that she did not earn or deserve. God chose Mary to give a special gift to. And this gift is that Mary has been chosen to be the mother of the savior of the world. I’m not sure if she looked at this as a gift at first, but through this gift she will become a hero.
But Mary wasn’t thinking in terms of being a hero. I’m sure that Mary’s first concern was that she was being asked to be in charge of a great responsibility. To be a mother in general is a great task, but to be the mother of the savior of the world is an even greater responsibility. A second concern that Mary had was that she was a virgin, not yet married. How was she to conceive a child? Both of these issues would bring fear to one’s mind. But the angel was prepared for this, first in the greeting, and then in his second response. You see, the greeting deals with this issue of fear by letting Mary know that “the Lord is with her.” Later in the passage we will see the angel explain even further how this will be!
2. Us: So let’s step away from the text for a moment and ask
this question: How would you respond if you were told that you had found favor with God? Because the truth is, when we seek God, when we commit ourselves to God, when we desire to live for God, when we attempt to follow the will of God, we will find favor with God!! How will we find favor? In the same way Mary found favor, by God’s presence being with us and God’s power working for us!! Did you catch that? I DON’T THINK YOU DID, SO LET ME SAY IT AGAIN…we find favor with God when we seek Him and commit to Him, and by this we have God’s presence with us and God’s power working for us!!
b. Letting God reign- So it is really about letting God reign in your life.
This is what we see Mary doing./ This is the first aspect of her being a hero. She gives us the example of letting God reign. But it didn’t come to her right away, just as it doesn’t come to us right away. The angel of the Lord is trying to explain all this to Mary, and she is trying to take it all in. She is going to bear a son; his name will be Jesus; he will be great; he will be called the Son of the Most High; he will be given the throne of David; he will reign over the house of Jacob; there will be no end to his kingdom.
I’M GOING TO BE HIS MOTHER!
You can imagine Mary saying: “Whoa! Stop. Slow down. I can’t take all this in.” And Mary does say this, but she says it basically by putting up an objection when she says in verse 34: “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Which takes us and Mary back to the angel’s introduction, and the thought that God is with her, God has found favor with her, God is giving her a special gift and a special opportunity.
But isn’t it true that all too often we want to just hang back. We might think to ourselves: “Thanks God for the thought, thanks for the confidence you have in me (even though I don’t have it in myself). Thanks for the offer God, but I don’t really want this responsibility. This is too great for me./ And that is exactly true. It is too great for any of us alone. Without God’s presence and power in our lives, without us letting God reign in our lives like God reigns over His kingdom, then none of what God calls us to do will happen!
And so, up to this point we don’t see Mary fully receiving this; accepting this gift. She is confused and afraid at the greeting, and even more perplexed and concerned at the thought of having to be the mother of One who has such a list of great characteristics. She isn’t ready to be a hero in this way.
II. Overshadowed by God- (Luke 1:34-38)
a. The Holy Spirit’s work- So we see that out of all of our heroes, Mary
is the most reluctant. She was not a leader to begin with, she is just a young girl, engaged to be married, and live out the simple life she had planned. Mary is in this dilemma, being asked to do something that is causing her concern and fear. What could the angel say, what could God do that would bring peace to this situation?
Well, the angel says to her in verse 35- “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.”
Does this make it any better? Does this make it any easier to accept? It does if you understand who the Holy Spirit is, and what the Holy Spirit can do. Often times we get confused about who the Holy Spirit is. We might think that the Holy Spirit is just the spirit of God without any real power. Or we might think that the Holy Spirit is passive. Or we might think that the Holy Spirit is uninvolved in personal matters. Or we might not understand what the role of the Holy Spirit is; why the Spirit of God is here.
Like Mary, we too at times get confused about the Holy Spirit. We can forget that the Spirit of God is active in our lives to help us in times of confusion and fear. We forget that the Holy Spirit is here to live in us, and work in and through us. The Holy Spirit brings God’s gifts to us, and helps us to utilize these gifts for God!
So let’s break down this verse to see what the angel is really telling Mary.
First, the angel lets Mary know that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God will come upon her. Meaning that Mary is not being asked to do this alone, but will have God’s help. Second, the Holy Spirit will overshadow her. This is to let Mary know that the baby that she will carry will be placed in her womb by the power of God, and because of this, the baby will be holy. But the “overshadowing” is that the Spirit will be there to guide Mary, and help Mary walk through this. Third, Mary is not alone in this wonderful journey of serving God in another way. The angel says to her in verse 36: “And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.”
Why did the angel say this to Mary? It is to show Mary that God is doing great works in and through those who believe and follow. Elizabeth, who was thought to be barren, is pregnant! Not only is Mary receiving a miracle, but Elizabeth is as well. And they will be able to walk together in their pregnancies, and walk together in being mothers…. God usually doesn’t call us to carry out His will by ourselves, but gives us others to walk with us!
b. Nothing is impossible- “Two Rabbits and Two Foxes,” Amusing Grace, p. 173, #587
“There is a story of 2 rabbits who were being chased by a pair of foxes.
They ran down a hill and into a drain trying to escape. But the foxes
were too fast and ran to the ends of the drain. The drain opening was
too small for the foxes to enter, but the rabbits found themselves
trapped. The first rabbit asked the second rabbit: ‘What do we do now?’
To which the second rabbit said: ‘Stay here until we outnumber them!’”
That is some positive thinking. And this is the kind of thinking that the Holy Spirit is leading Mary to have. That is why the Holy Spirit reminds Mary that “nothing will be impossible with God.” What God is doing here for Mary is to show Mary the love of God by reaching out to her; the joy of God by blessing her; the hope of God by showing her the future God has for the world. And the grace of God by giving this gift, this opportunity to her.
Grace is something we are to just receive. We shouldn’t try to explain it, understand it, or pay for it. For example, let’s say that you were invited to a dinner at some friend’s house. When you arrive you see beautiful decorations and a wonderful meal on the table. Do you reach into your wallet, pull out a twenty- dollar bill, and say: “I can see that this cost you a lot to make this evening so nice. Here is $20.00 to help pay for it?” NO. That would be an insult to your friend and host. You simply receive this wonderful, gracious gift. This is what we see Mary finally doing in verse 38 when she says: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
At this point we can see that Mary is receiving the words from the Holy Spirit. She realizes that nothing is impossible with God. She understands the importance of submitting to God. She has obediently accepted God’s call and God’s gracious gift knowing that it is God’s will for her life. She might not understand that she will play the role of hero, but she is willing to accept this opportunity of service.
III. Sticking by Jesus- (Judges 6:12; John 19:25-27)
a. Insecurity- There are times in our lives when we are feeling a little
insecure; when we need a little extra love. There are times when we feel alone or afraid, or when we are struggling to believe in ourselves. There are times when we doubt that God could ever do anything in and through our lives. IN THESE TIMES, LIKE MARY, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD IS THERE.
This isn’t new to our time and generation. And it isn’t just you and me that might feel this. Even those who we look to be as great people can feel insecurity. In the Old Testament, in the book of Judges, we read in 6:12- “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said: ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’”
Here we have a mighty warrior, Gideon, who needed reassuring. Sometimes, just because we are human, we need some reassurance. It is hard to feel confident, and to venture out to do God’s work, when you are insecure.
Example- Many people have low self-esteem. And if you were to draw what they felt, it might be a picture of a person who is bowed over; a weary traveler. They would be holding over their shoulder a mile-long chain, and attached to this chain are many pieces of metal. Each piece of metal is inscribed with the details of past humiliations, failures, embarrassments, and rejections. This weary traveler could let go of this chain, and be free from this heavy burden, which immobilizes and exhausts him, but he chooses to hang on; he chooses to struggle to take each step as he pulls this baggage along. Paralyzed by the weight, he plods along, feeling like there is no other choice; this baggage has become a part of who he is! (taken from …The Tardy Oxcart, by Chuck Swindoll, p. 510). Insecurity comes from not believing in yourself because of your past. In this, you keep from believing that God would do something wonderful in your life or through your life in the future. Your past keeps you from realizing how God is present.
Even though Mary accepted this call on her life, she still has insecurities. And yet, what helped her to constantly move forward in her call was that she time and time again realized that the Lord was her. However, it took a visit from an angel. But not only did the angel Gabriel deliver the message to her, he was visibly present with her, and by his presence, brought the presence of God to her. And while most of us will not have a visit from an angel in visible form, God’s angels are with us, and God’s presence is with us. We need to believe this. With this faith, we have great peace. With this knowledge, we can rise above our insecurities.
b. The Lord is there- The Lord provided His presence in Mary’s life in
so many ways. By the angel coming to her. By her being the mother of Jesus. By sending the shepherds and wise men to worship Jesus. By protecting her and her family from King Herod when he wanted to kill Jesus.
And all through this, Mary stuck by Jesus. Not only because He was her son, but because she knew that He was the savior of the world, and was her Lord. I’m sure that this was an interesting dynamic for Mary. For all of her life, there was an aspect of her being Jesus’ mother. She cared for Him when He was young. Nurtured Him; loved Him; supported Him; raised Him. But then He grew up, and ventured out to fulfill His mission of being the Savior. Mary had to learn how to support Him in a whole new way.
EX. “The Passion of Christ.” There is a scene in the movie the Passion of Christ, near the end when Jesus is trying to carry His cross to Golgatha. As He is walking down the road, off to the side, you see his mother, Mary, following. This is a powerful scene, because as his mother, you can see the pain in her eyes as she watches her son being abused in this way; and as she thinks of her son being led to his death.
SO WHY IS SHE THERE? WHY WOULD SHE TAKE IN THIS SCENE THAT IS CAUSING HER SO MUCH PAIN? It is because He is not just her son; HE IS HER LORD AND HER SAVIOR. She is supporting Him in what He is doing for her and for the world!
EX. Last Sunday we had a very small turnout for church. I have to admit that this can be a little discouraging, because the goal is for us to reach this community, and to have this church be a force for God! When there is a low number of people coming to worship, it doesn’t feel like we are a force. But then on Monday morning God reminded me of how He is at work in many ways. I was in my office writing my sermon, when I heard clapping in the chapel. I knew that Liliana was having her prayer meeting. Intrigued, I decided to go in to see what was happening. And there was a group of 12 Hispanics, praying together, and clapping to the Lord! You could feel the presence and power of God right there!
God is here with us. And like Mary, we have to support Him by our actions, by our excitement, by our commitment, by our service!
And yet, even in the midst of Jesus hanging on the cross, we see Him showing Mary that God is with her. Listen to John 19:25-27, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” Jesus showed Mary that God still cared for her and for her well being, and that even in His death He would not leave her alone.
Conclusion: God knew Mary. And because God knew that Mary loved Him, she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Mary was a hero because she accepted this call. Mary was a hero because she believed that “nothing is impossible for God.” Mary was a hero because she let the Holy Spirit fill her, and bless her. Mary was a hero because she stood by Jesus until the end.
Do you love God? How will you show it? In this way you will be a hero. But you can also be a hero for God by believing in the call that God gives to you here at the church, and beyond the church, and by believing that nothing is impossible for God, and by sticking by Jesus until the end. Let us follow Mary’s lead. Let us be heroes for God! Amen.
posted by Logan's Blog at 12:41 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home