Mary

Today on Renewing Your Mind.

The Roman Catholic Church is exalted Mary to a high level of veneration shed in reaction to that Protestant churches have said no at in their reaction, have tended to move to the other extreme, and act, almost apologetic that there ever was such a person as mayor Saturday due to the renewed mind today were going to consider one of the most misunderstood characters in the Bible. Some believe that Mary the mother of Jesus should be venerated while others tend to ignore the importantly, she holds in redemptive history. How should we view this woman who was told by the angel Gabriel that she had found favor with God. There's Dr. RC Sproul, the highest title that is ever been so upon by human banks. Is this type Theo focus title bestowed by the ancient church upon Mary and the title for Atoka's means mother of God, of course, when the church bestowed this title for Atoka's upon Mary by calling her the mother of God. They didn't mean anything so crass as to suggest that somehow Jesus derived his divine nature from his mother. It's not that Mary had a divine power to transmit deity to her offspring. What is meant by this confession. In the early church was that Mary was the mother of a child which trial was God incarnate sink women of the awesome responsibility that you feel in the new experience with the care of a child because every child is precious. Mary has God incarnate in her crib that is a responsibility. None of us could ever really a magic but think of what kind of a woman God would choose to bear the Christ. When I look at heroes and heroines I can think of. None greater than Mary the mother of God.

Now I realize I'm a Protestant, an advocate of reformed theology.

I'm aware of the tension over the centuries between Reformation theology and Roman Catholic theology in one of the better points of disputes has been the role in the function of marriage in Roman Catholic theology. The Roman Catholic Church is exalted Mary to a high level of veneration shed in reaction to that Protestant churches have said no at in their reaction, have tended to move to the other extreme, and act, almost apologetic that there ever was such a person as mayor Protestants ought not to forget that there is no human woman born of man greater character from which we can learn than this woman, whom God selected to be the mother of Jesus Christ.

I like to take a few moments to look at just a couple of insights into Mary's life and into her personality as we find it in the Scripture. Let's go. First of all to where it all starts where this humble peasant woman is approached. As we read in Luke's gospel in the six months of her cousins pregnancy. That is, the six months of Elizabeth's pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth's to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David and the virgin's name was Mary. Some of you have heard the rosary and those who were not Catholic in the background sometimes also react against the rosary Hail Mary full of Grace blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy work womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary mother of God pray for us is not have a definite, do you realize that the first stanza of the rosary comes from Scripture itself is a repetition of the greeting that the angel Gabriel Dave at the time of the Annunciation becomes and says hail Mary full of grace, the angel recognizes this woman is a woman with 1 to 2 an overwhelming major of grace within her Hail Mary, full of grace. How blessed you are the statement. Blessed are you among women needs.

What of all of the women in the you are most blessed and blessed is the fruit of your the Lord is with our Mary saw this angel.

She was troubled troubled at what he said, not just at the sight of him, but his words and cast in her mind.

What kind of salutation. This should be the angel said to her will, be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

From the horrible shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name Jesus, and he shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest in the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. I'm going to be the mother of the successor to King David.

I'm going to be the mother of the King he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Mary was puzzled at the beginning.

Now, her bewilderment, instead of being solved by the explanation of Gabriel is intensified for.

She says how can this be, since I know not a man to possible virgin can't beat again. Mary isn't trying to play games and pretend that she's a virgin because there's no sense pretending your version. If you're not a virgin when you talk about angel right C is absolutely astounded by this. And the angel answered her and said the Holy Ghost will come upon you the power of the highest will overshadow you therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of them shall become less son of God, for with God nothing is impossible. Now that's the announcement, Mary's response is crucial for us to see her response is called in theology. Mary's fiat I think this is one of the great misnomer's in theology. Fiat is a word we usually used to describe what the case, but it is the Latin form of the imperative of the verb to be so a fiat is a command. Gabriel tells her she's going to have this child that Mary responds by saying listen.

Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. Now that last phrase, be it unto me according to thy word is stated in the imperative form. That's why it's called Mary's fiat the command that she utters is it unto me like they know the tone of her command was not an imperious authoritative mandate where she says to Gabriel what notice the context in which she says this behold, the hand made of the Lord. I am willing to be a slave to my God is not like Mary is saying you so unto you.

According to my word but. So unto me according to thy word here, her command is an act of surrender and of acquiescence to the command of the Lord. Mary say if that's what you want then let it happen and then the next thing we see about Mary is that she goes to see Elizabeth.

She's all excited shares Elizabeth's house.

Elizabeth's baby jumps in Elizabeth's room in recognition in the end Elizabeth echoes the greeting of Gabriel Bresson art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy world rinses this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me and then Mary under the influence of the Holy Spirit's things.

A song you know the name of the song you Episcopalians know the name of the song and what's the name of the song the Magnificat member that one martyr Magnificat, so named for the first words in the Latin version of the biblical text. The Magnificat in my estimation is one of the most moving songs that we find anywhere in Scripture are used to teach a course on the Gospel of Luke. For women for women only and I gave assignments in the course and one of the assignments that I gave the woman our class was that they had to go home and memorize verbatim. The Magnificat and I made this promise is that if you were memorize the Magnificat. It will transform your prayer life because the elements of godly prayer are so richly contained in this prayer from the mouse of the mother of Christ. How does it begin my soul doth magnify the Lord's prayer of adoration.

My soils magnify God. The second port was St. Thomas Aquinas grew so much significance to and my spirits. The innermost part of my being Beth rejoice in God my Savior. In the days of because Aquinas there was arguments as to whether or not Mary was sinless, and Aquinas, the great Dr. Angelica's of the church said no that Mary even here, acknowledges her need for a Savior, as assist my soul doth magnify the Lord, my spirit thus rejoice in God my Savior. She describes the character of God in all of this, which is so beautiful. Listen, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaid's like Mary say how did you find me even know you know I exist. She is rejoicing because he sang God has looked at me. God hasn't overworked me. God has considered me. God is visited me. God has blessed me in my low estate for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed that I remember the song is not merely the composition of Mary from the depths of our own human insight but it's a Holy Spirit inspired song and so it is prophetic in its scope and she says here under the influence of the Holy Spirit, all generations shall call me blessed is that come to pass. Were talking about right now were talking about how blessed Mary was, for he that is mighty hath done too many great sayings and holy is his name memorize that prayer is mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation has shown strength with his arm.

He has scattered the proud of the imagination of their heart mighty from their seats and exalted them around the greatest has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to her father sent Abraham to the sea forever dear was she saying as His promise. This is what he sent Abraham centuries ago, and Isaac unto our fathers primarily pay attention to the cumulative power and strength of human institutions rhymes up to try to thwart the breaking through the kingdom of God and things like Caesar Augustus and Herod the great sat in mighty places they tried to destroy as we will see later newborn children with the slaughter the innocent, but Grant remembered his promise to Abraham that he is the pride with his arm writing down from their seats and exalted those of low degree prayer for all history. Salvation is condensed into this prayer. What a woman who can pray like this, but that's just the beginning. What happens next. Next thing you know we read that the days were fulfilled that she should deliver and in her travail of labor she has to take a journey because of the imposition of the state upon her and Joseph could say I'm not taking my wife anywhere. Augustus but he went and she went and she brought forth her firstborn son, and Luke tells us in the nativity angels appeared the shepherds in the fields and the glory of God broke through the darkness of the night getting to Braga, etc. I think about being there. I got told the story before ours over Palestine. I was there Bethlehem I worked out that feel allies of ice all kinds of incredible things in Palestine and I felt I could've been there that night and she knew that if phones and glory of God. Just breakthrough across the plane and have the angels sing, who in the wanted a stripper said let us now go even on the Bethlehem anyone in their in a hurry and Mary and she's having this baby also the least. Shepherds are coming. Were you doing here you can't where we doing here, how can we not be here that one of the heavens as a sport like fireworks on 4 July out there. Angels were singing the glory of God was shining and it drove us here and there on their knees before this baby in Mary's watching presenter comes these guys with gold and frankincense and myrrh with opulent gifts, which she and her poverty could never have imagined in their placing these things at the feet of her child and what's her response is what her response was Mrs. verse 19 of chapter 2.Mary kept all these sayings and pondered them in her essay many times we live in the age of the sensuous Christian where our devotion and obedience in our commitment is always intense. It's only as strong as the vivacity of our memory of the last blessing we got from God when that memory fades our commitment for the essence of apostasy in the Old Testament is forgetting. Hence, the psalmist prayer. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits Jesus in the upper room said do this in remembrance of me. Whatever else guys don't forget we forget married Mary The stay letter she's keeping the treasurers. She kept these events and pondered them in her heart Mary the mother of God had an easier for God and I forgot she was thoughtful ever ponder the things of God is your thought life tuned in to the things of God. Mary was a godly woman. Her thoughts were on the things of God.

And she's obedience at every step.

The next thing, of course, after the baby is born is to take the child to the temple for the presentation. Circumcision we know the story of what happens when she goes the temple how she makes a couple strange characters with other was prophetess Anna and his old man. Simeon got a promise that he wouldn't die until he saw the Lord's Messiah. This like he had a thousand times before Simeon walks and dutifully walks in the temple. What does he say she's a peasant woman holding baby Simeon goes nuts for the patient should say the salvation. Obviously, the prophecy is made over the baby and over.

Mary listen to the prophetic words that are entered and Simeon blessed them and set up to marry his mother, behold, this child is set for the fall and the rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against May, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed is a very pondered the day a sword shall pierce your soul swords computer's muscles and organs hearts hookah sword cursor so they could only be speaking of one of Mary was there on Good Friday. One of the seven last words of our Lord from the cross were addressed to his mother and to John, his beloved disciple. When Jesus is concerned about the well-being of his mother in his own desk and so he commends the care of his mother to John and he says to his mother, woman, behold thy son son behold I'm in the centurion took the sword and drove it in to the side of Christ in front of his mother when Mary saw that sword go in her son's side. I ask you this. Did she feel it.

Certainly she felt any mother would feel mother hands but no legs were she feel in her small mother of God, watched as the father of God crucified the son of teeth.

Mary life character personally. Prayer ponder she's a woman delivered by that is Dr. RC Sproul helping his view, Mary the mother of Jesus, biblically she is not to be venerated.

We do not pray to her but we can and should see her as blessed uniquely by God. And there's so much we can learn from her godly example you're listening to Renewing Your Mind on this Saturday.

As we continue Dr. RC scrolls look at great men and women of the Bible. If you found today study helpful. You may want to consider requesting Dr. scrolls series duster glory.

That's is 57 part overview of the Bible and it covers everything from creation to Christ return and will send it to you for your donation of any about to later ministries Casper duster glory on DVD when you call us at 800-435-4343 could also give your gift online@renewingyourmind.org. We hope you'll join us again next week as we continue this series on great men and women of the Bible. RC will profile the apostle Paul is next Saturday here on Renewing Your Mind