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Good Monday morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Yesterday was Mother’s Day and we began looking at some of the remarkable aspects of Mary’s life as the earthly mother of Jesus, the Son of God. I’ve imagined John the disciple asked Mary many questions about what we know as the Christmas story, since John took responsibility for Mary after Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:26). Today, let’s dig into two or three more of the unique aspects of Mary’s relationship with Jesus, the Son of God, and see how they apply to your life and mine TODAY!
In Luke 1:34 Mary asked the angel Gabriel a logical question about his shocking announcement to her that she was going to bear a son known as the Son of the Most High God. She asked “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” I can imagine John and Mary discussing this miracle that we call ‘the virgin birth’ by the hour, can’t you? I mean… it’s simply not possible! Unless, of course, God Himself does what we simply can’t explain much less fully understand… the Incarnation of God INTO the human race! My friends, have you figured out by now in your lifetime, that there is much about our universe, our bodies, and the function of humanity, that is simply beyond our comprehension? Have you also learned that GOD welcomes our hard questions and no question is too big for Him?
Young, teenage Mary evidently had enough confidence in the love and compassion of God, that she was not afraid to ask the hard questions. Let’s do the same thing my friends. Don’t feel intimidated, bring your questions to God! Jesus promised the Holy Spirit will lead you and me into all truth. (John 16:13) I think David in the Old Testament had the same passion that Mary had… to understand God! David wrote “Teach me Your way O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name.” (Ps. 86:11) What if you and I had a passion to be life-long learners? What if our desire for understanding God and His truth led us to learn something new about God EVERYDAY for the rest of our lives?
I can see Mary leaning across the table toward John and saying: “John, do you know what has happened to me as I’ve tried to everyday learn more about God? I find my growing understanding of His majesty, His greatness, leads me to bow my head in both adoration of Him and joyful submission to whatever He would like to do in my life…for His glory!” Look with me my friends at what happened next in Mary’s life and you’ll see why I imagine that conversation with John. Luke 1:37,38 tells us the angel answered Mary’s question with a remarkable explanation that included the announcement that old Elizabeth was already 6 months miraculously pregnant! And then Gabriel said “For nothing is impossible with God.” Wow what a statement! May I ask… do you believe it? Has the power of those words penetrated your life and guided you in taking great faith steps when you faced great challenges in your life?
I can imagine John saying to Mary “and when the angel told you that, how did you respond?” “I am the LORD’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.” I can see John’s eyes as big as donuts, what about you friends? When faced with an outrageous opportunity or challenge which God has allowed to confront us, even like the Coronavirus, what would it take deep in your soul for you to say “I am the LORD’s servant, His will be done in my life…?”
And how do you suppose God will respond when you and I choose to take that attitude in the face of great challenges? Well, listen to 2 Chronicles 16:9 “The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro, across the whole earth, looking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.” You see, my friends, I believe Mary was able to make that statement because she had unwavering confidence in God’s character and His attributes. She was confident He is Omniscient, He understands everything far better than we ever will! And she believed He was Omnipotent, He had unlimited power to do anything! And that God is Holy, He will only do those things which are right. He is Sovereign and has authority over all things at all times in all places. Therefore Mary entrusted herself to Almighty, Holy God with confidence whatever happened she could trust Him! Do you and I have that same confidence and are we responding in the same way when we face situations that require great faith steps from us?
I believe Mary was in awe that Almighty God would want to involve her in His remarkable purposes which He intended to accomplish, here on earth in her generation! What if you and I believed that, and said what Mary said, when God opens a door of opportunity for us to join with HIM in His purposes, here on earth in our generation?
And finally my friends I see in Mary a courageous willingness to entrust herself to God, in a preposterous situation, confident that even if she didn’t understand it, she was safe in God’s hands. I wonder if Mary thought about this Old Testament power truth when she told Gabriel that she was God’s servant, available to Him for His will, whatever it was: “Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10)
We don’t know anything about teenage Mary’s parents or siblings, so we don’t know what type of family she grew up in, or where such remarkable faith in God came for young Mary. But I think I find a secret to Mary’s courage. Luke 1:39-45 tells us that after Gabriel left her, she packed some things and went perhaps 50 or more miles down to the hill country northwest of Jerusalem, to spend some time with two old relatives, Zechariah and Elizabeth. As she explained that to John, I can imagine John asking WHY them?
Of course a big part of the answer is that Gabriel had told Mary that old Elizabeth was miraculously pregnant! Therefore Mary perhaps assumed here was a woman who might understand what was happening in her teenage body. Also Zechariah was a faithful, life-long priest. He had been a student of God’s word and a man with a profound prayer life. Mary likely thought Zechariah might be able to help her search the Scriptures to find God’s answers to her many questions about this miracle she was experiencing.
So, here’s my questions for you and me, my friends today: Do you value the wisdom of mature, older Christ followers, who’ve been walking with Jesus longer than you have? Are there some of the old, wise ‘saints’ from whom you seek wise counsel when you are facing great challenges in life? What kinds of questions do you ask them, and how well do you listen to their responses? Who are those older, mature Christ followers who will take you into God’s Word, who will pray with you, and help you discern God’s guidance when you face important decisions in life?And finally, are you patient to wait for God’s answers? Mary stayed with Elizabeth and Zechariah 3 months and I believe what she learned from them profoundly shaped the rest of her life. So who are those older, mature saints for you and me my friends, to whom we can go, when we are facing the challenges of life?
Listen to this, Psalm 145:4-6 “One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor if Your majesty, and then I will meditate on Your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and I will proclaim Your great deeds!” Do you see the power, my friends, of one generation influencing and instructing the next. Has that been your experience?
Now let’s talk to Jesus about all this… and ask the Holy Spirit to help us first to see the changes He wants to make in our lives, and then give us the courage to participate with Him in integrating these truths deeply into our life patterns for God’s glory.
Oh Lord Jesus please help us. We want to learn from Mary’s life. In Jesus name, Amen!
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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