Why Mary - Part 1

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Make it clear why God favored her with his Waterloo and the Christmas introduces today's message why Mary and today we turn our attention to, apart from Jesus, the main character in the Christmas story. It was to Mary that Jesus came into humanity. And what a woman she was, most people think that Mary was in her 20s, but it is more likely that when she heard from the Angels and told that she was going to be of child of the Holy Spirit.

She was maybe 15 or 16 years old. She was a young girl and she was a girl young woman who had great faith and confidence in God. What a testimony she is for us this is a wonderful story will get to it in just a moment you know we've been going through some really difficult times in our culture and our in our country and what we need more than anything else is a real great bracing and appreciation of the true meaning of Christmas that in this dark season the light of the world has come. It's the season of lights, its lights on our trees. It's candles. It's the beautiful light of Christmas, a reminder to us that while the world around us may seem dark. There is light and this light dispels the darkness if we will embrace that light. It makes all the difference in the world. We are not without hope.

Our hope is in God. We know the one who holds the future. Now let's dig into this story about Mary, and here's why Mary is people in all of the world have made their daughters, Mary. This Hebrew name has been popular in all the countries of the Western world and has altogether. Some 20 different variation like Maria or Marie or Marion several years ago, a survey was taken to see which names were most popular in America, and Mary was far and away the most popular girls name.

In fact, one study said there were 3,700,000 girls named Mary in America and another 645,000 named Marie the name Mary is a very popular name. It's a very good name and it appears 51 times in the New Testament. Now Mary the mother of Jesus, who is front and center during this season of the year is better known than any other female character in all of the Bible. She has been the best known woman in the world since the days of the manger in Bethlehem and after centuries.

The statement still stands.

Blessed are you among women, all that you will ever know about Mary. You will have to learn from Matthew and Luke. They are the ones who tell us about this woman and today we're going to look at the mother of our Lord's life and discover three characteristics of godliness that she teaches us that are illustrated in her life that should be true in our lives as we walk with the Lord every person in the Bible has their story in the Bible, not so that we could learn about them particularly but so that we can learn from them and apply the lessons of their lives to our lives as well. I want you to know we all have much to learn from Mary.

First of all, Mary teaches us the submission of godliness in Luke chapter 1 and verse 38 we read these words. Then Mary said, behold the maidservant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word and the angel departed from her. Now I read that verse out of context so that I can go back and put it in context and you can see how profound this truth really is. From the very beginning of Mary's relationship with Jesus. It was all about submission. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary with the news that she was to be the human mother of the Messiah. Mary had no warning. She had no preparation.

She had no timeline. She had no precedent, she was presented with this announcement in the normal routine of a young Jewish maiden's life and the entire dialogue between Mary and the angel took place in Mary's home now.

Truth be told every Jewish woman had this dream but perhaps she would be privileged to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah and they would dream of this but not really believe that it could ever happen to them.

Surely Mary had this thought, but perhaps just casually and she could not have imagined that such a thing would happen to someone like her. A peasant woman of the least estate. Mary was told by the angel that day when the angel intervened in her life that she would bear a son, and that the son's name would be called Jesus and she was told that this Jesus would be born to her in a manner by which no child had ever before been born into the world she was to have a child without having a relationship with a man she would be with child of the Holy Spirit.

Now, once again, I want you to read with me the words of Luke 138 this is how Mary responded to the news that she was to become the mother of the Messiah. She said behold the maidservant of the Lord, be it unto me according to your word.

In other words, Lord. I don't understand this. I don't comprehend it.

But whatever you desire being done to me according to your word must have wondered in her heart.

Why have I been favored to be the mother of Jesus. Why the reason she was chosen are not told us in the word of God are known only to God himself.

But it is clear from studying her life in the little information that we have that she was no random selection. She was an ordinary small town girl and she would be obedient and courageous as she was from her son. We learned that she was a woman of Scripture, woman of faith. She should be a virgin that the glory of God might be miraculously demonstrated. She should be a peasant. In keeping with the humble nature of the Lord's birth.

Mary was all of these things. She honored and obeyed the will of her father, providing his only son home from which he could emerge to launch the work that would define all of human history and explain the very reason why we sit in celebration today. The child Jesus toddled behind Mary in his infancy that in time she walked behind him. In fact, she walked behind him all the way to the cross and all the way to the tomb.

Proverbs 3130 defines the kind of woman that Mary was charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be priced. Mary teaches us the submission of godliness. Can I pause for just a moment and say that in all of our lives. There comes a moment when God asked us to do something or gives us a word that we should obey and we face the same dilemma that she did will be accepted or will we turn from it and it is my prayer that in my life I can learn from Mary that when God asked me to do something that may be hard or certainly that I don't under and I can allow my soul to rise up in obedience with the words of Mary unto me according to your word. Lord, whatever you want.

I am your servant.

I will do what you tell me to do and then Mary teaches us not only the submission of godliness. She teaches us the surprise of godliness. I get weary with people who talk about the Christian life and say you Christians must not have any fun. It sure looks like it's a boring life. Being a Christian or anybody who really knows what Christianity is all about nose.

That's about as far from the truth as anything could be the adventure of walking with Jesus Christ is the greatest adventure you will ever know on this earth and heaven will be better but nothing before that will be to know that you are related to the King of Kings and Lord of lords, and that the creator of the universe sent his son to live within your life and that you have a direct communication to Almighty God, and that every day you can fellowship with him and walk with him and he will direct you and guide you and strengthen you and be with you and you don't have to face this world by yourself.

The adventure of walking with Jesus is truly a great adventure but let's be honest about it. It's also full of surprises. Can I get a witness in the word of God tells us that when you walk with the Lord.

He doesn't always give you a lot of information about what's going to happen in the distant future is sort of like need to know basis that the way it is. Need to know David you need to know this today. I know it's very some questions about tomorrow when tomorrow comes, I'll tell you what you need to know and that was the way it was with Mary Mary's whole relationship with Jesus Christ was a relationship of surprise when Gabriel made a startling announcement to Mary concerning the birth of Jesus. Here is how Mary first responded. She said when she saw him she was troubled at his saying and she considered what manner of greeting this was. Mary was dumbfounded by all of that, she had no way of preparing God surprised her with the message of his plan for her life, and when the shepherds told Mary and Joseph what the angel had said about Jesus at his birth. She became quietly pensive. We read and all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told in by the shepherds but Mary kept all of these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary was so taken by the message that she went inward. She went inward to her heart. She collected all the screws in the deposit of them within the deep recesses of her heart and she did not discuss them with others. She just thought them through herself and never had a moment like that when Almighty God speaks to you or something happens in your life, and this is where new and different and surprising. There's no way you can even explain it.

You just go inward to your heart and you ponder what God is said we like Mary often find ourselves surprised and confused as we try to submit to God, we often struggle as we see what he is doing in the lives of our children. We like Mary do not have a blueprint for their lives anymore than we have one for our own. But when we submit to the Lord by faith we discover along with Mary that he is worthy of our trust, you know he always comes through.

He always is there for us, he hears our prayers and he meets our needs. Mary teaches us the submission of godliness in the surprise of it but finally we need to take a pause here away from the joy and gladness of Christmas and just remember that Christmas is only meaningful in light of the fact that it is the beginning and not the end. Christmas by itself is a beautiful story and nothing more. Christmas without Easter is one of the better stories in the history of the world, but no more. But when you put Christmas together with Easter when he realized that the cradle and the grave have a straight line drawn between them then even Christmas becomes more profound and more meaningful. Mary teaches us not only the submission of godliness and the surprise of it, but she teaches us the suffering of it as well and somehow this story is all wrapped into the fabric of Christmas and the friends from Christmas spin out and keep going until you end up standing outside of the tomb on the first resurrection morning in John chapter 19 verses 26 and 27 we read these words when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by, he said to his mother, woman, behold, your son, and he said to the disciple, behold your mother and from that hour that disciple took her to his own home now we move from the announcement of Jesus birth to the agony of his death. It is the right transition to make. I remember years ago when our Christmas program is to start with the birth of Jesus and all of the celebration of Jesus and then we actually went through his life story and reacted it out and we ended up at the cross. I cannot tell you how many people wrote me letters angry that we had the cross in the Christmas story and saying that was the bloodiest story and it took away from the joy of Christmas. I had to explain to them that if you don't have the cross, you might as well not have the cradle. There's no reason for the cradle.

If there is a 90 cross and so the transition from the birth of Jesus to his death is a normal and natural. One ladies and gentlemen.

Jesus Christ was born to die.

That's why he came to this earth as most of you know the words from Jesus on the cross. The seven distinct statements that Jesus made in his dying hour before he gave up his spirit to the father and those seven statements are found in all the gospel spread out in the gospel. Some here, some bear there usually a series of messages that some preachers preach before Easter, the seven last words from across. I want to give them to you quick. I just want to show you what they are because there's a point I want to make from all of this.

The first word from the cross is in Luke 2334 father forgive them for they know not what they do. That is a prayer for God to forgive those who were crucifying Jesus Christ.

The second word is Luke 2343 Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. That's a word of forgiveness to the repentant thief was hanging next to Jesus, the forthrightness Matthew 2746 and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Eli Eli Lammas about than I that is my God, my God, why have you forsaken me word of resignation spoken to the father in heaven. The fifth word is John 1928 after this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Said I thirst.

The sixth word. So when Jesus had received the sour wine he said it is finished bowing his head. He gave up his spirit in the seventh word is and when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice he said, father, into your hands I commit my spirit. Now if you listen carefully you know I left without some of your saying I would have to go up and ask him afterwards.

What was the third one when I left it out on purpose because in many respects, it doesn't belong. It's out of context. It doesn't fit all these words, these profound words from the cross from the lips of Jesus words of forgiveness, words of resignation words. At first, but the third word is the word we read a few moments ago when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by, he said to his mother, behold, your son, and he said to the disciple, behold your mother and from that hour that disciple took her to his own home is a pastor so what's the big deal about that is not an amazing thing that when Jesus hung upon the cross in the agony of the crucifixion, in the last moments of his life here on this earth turn his thoughts away from all that was involved on the cross to his concern for his own mother around the cross that they were the onlookers and the bystanders the critics of our Lord, were there. Many were there who would mock him with their words somewhere who decided if you are the son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross. The chief priests and scribes, the elders of the Jews pointed their fingers at him and shouted if you're the Christ, save yourself some of Jesus friends were also there.

John mentioned some who were present that day. If you merge the two lists were the names are given, you will discover that Mary, Jesus, mother Mary the wife of clear purpose, and Salome and John's mother and Mary Magdalena and John, his beloved disciple where there is an interesting three Mary's left at the cross and Jesus turned to John and one of the last moments on the cross and concern himself with the well-being of Mary and the Scripture says that when they left the place of crucifixion. John took Mary to his own home has to be one of the most tender moments in all of the New Testament record. By the way, did you notice the first three words from the cross from Jesus were all about others. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. This day you shall be with me in paradise. And John, that's my mother to take care of her. The record concerning Mary and John is still with insights about godliness and translate into our culture into our very homes as we think back to the life of Jesus and his mother will identify with so much. They must've experienced. In fact, in the Christmas story.

There is a little prophecy that makes us look into the crucifixion to remember when Jesus was taken to the temple by his parents and presented to Anna and to Simeon to remember that part of the story is right there in Luke chapter 2 often omitted from the Christmas message but let me just read to you versus 34 and 35 of the second chapter of Luke. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against US a sword will pierce your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. These words recorded by Luke or spoken by Simeon when Jesus as an infant, was presented to Simeon and Anna in the temple of the Bible says that Simeon took Jesus in his arms and blessed God and then Simeon turned to Mary and prophesied the words that we just read and he told Mary that her child would be the cause of much sorrow and much pain in her life. He spoke of a sword, piercing through her own soul. This prophecy was given 30 years before the crucifixion, but it was being fulfilled. Now, as we have read from John Mary watches her son being beaten and nailed to the cross is more. There's more about Mary for us to talk about what were going to have to take a little break for the weekend and will come back on Monday and finish up the discussion next week. It's why Bethlehem and why no room in the inn. Don't forget on the weekend. You can find us on television in your community almost everywhere available now either through a network or a local station.

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Be sure to go to church on Sunday. If you can attend, then join us again here on Monday as we continue to discuss the question why the nativity is message came here from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr. David Jeremiah would love to hear your story of Turning Points impact on your life right there was a Turning Point PO Box 3838, San Diego, CA 92163 or visit our website it David Jeremiah thought/idea must be accompanied David 365 day devotional for 2021 strength today. It's filled with truthful gift of any amount to keep your spirits bright through the holiday season. Visit the home for Christmas Channel at 10 important TV free source for Christmas music videos, messages, and the home for Christmas channel@anypoint.tv. I'm very good friend John is Monday. We continue the series why the nativity Turning Point. Jeremiah taking time to listen to all