male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: It's been
many years, but it still feels
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like yesterday.
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Living in a cave high above Palm
Springs, no money, no prospects
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just drifting through life,
deeply confused about who I was
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and wondering if
life held any purpose.
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Coming from a wealthy family,
I could have had it all: money,
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power, fame.
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But this all struck
me as plastic and empty.
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It wasn't until I was at the
lowest point in my life when I
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found true meaning.
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Somebody had left a Bible in
my cave and I quickly discovered
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why this is the number
one best seller in the world.
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Friends, I can't even begin to
tell you what the Bible has done
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for me.
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It's the awe inspiring living
Word that has the power to
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transform human hearts.
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Jesus said, "If you
abide in My Word, you are My
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disciples indeed.
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And you'll know the truth, and
the truth will make you free."
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And this is
still the truth today.
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And it's the reason that I'm
standing here today, thankful to
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be able to proclaim His Word
and eager to bring hope to those
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in need.
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I truly believe that today's
program is going to fulfill that
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desire and leave you
with a rich blessing.
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And don't forget, stay tuned for
our very important free offer at
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the end of this presentation.
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Doug: Have you ever
heard of a honey guide?
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Honey guides are birds that
you're going to find in Africa
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that have a unique relationship
with people, and even some other
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animals, where they will
flutter and get the attention
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of somebody.
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And if you walk towards the
bird, it'll go a little further,
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still within your distance, and
a little further and it'll lead
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people and, some say, even
badgers, to a beehive which then
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the people will harvest the
honey and the honey guide then
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gets to eat the
pollen and the larvae.
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And so, it is always showing
people or badgers to where the
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honey is so that in the process
they're getting to the hive, it
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opens it up so that the
honey guide can get the honey.
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Now, something else interesting
about honey guides, they're in a
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category of birds that
we call brood parasites.
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That doesn't sound very nice,
but what they do is, they lay
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their eggs in the
nests of other birds.
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And here you have a picture
on the screen of, I think it's a
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woodpecker nest, and you see
one little white egg in there
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because they have other
birds raise their young.
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And they fly around, I guess,
and they look at other nests and
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they evaluate the woodpecker
or whatever the other bird is,
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"That looks like
they got a nice nest.
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Looks like they're
going to be good parents.
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I'm going to put an egg there."
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Now, I realize
that's a crude illustration.
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But can you imagine God deciding
what mother and father are going
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to host and raise
His Son Incarnate?
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What would be the criteria
that you would have to make
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that decision?
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And I think as we look at
the life of Mary, we're going to
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find that she had some
characteristics we could all
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learn from that help us to
understand, what does it take to
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have the Son of God born in you?
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Now, you noticed something else
unique about Mary is--and I can
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go through a number of things.
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I'm going to talk about her
humanity and her genealogy, her
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humility, her devotion,
her endurance, her purity, her
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piety, her adaptability, and it
won't take as long as you think.
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And yes, there's more.
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Talk about her genealogy.
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Mary is a person of prophecy.
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And it says that the Messiah
would not only come through a
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virgin, but the Messiah would
come through the house of David,
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and it tells us that not only
is Joseph related to David, you
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have the genealogy of Joseph in
Matthew, Matthew, who's speaking
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to the Jews, he shows that
the father can be traced back
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to David.
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But in Luke, who's the doctor,
he says, "Well, physiologically,
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she really comes from Mary."
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He then traces it through
Joseph's father-in-law who is
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Heli, and so you can
also find the book in Numbers
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verse--chapter 36, verse 8: "And
every daughter, that possesses
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an inheritance in the tribe of
the children of Israel, shall be
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the wife of one of the family
of the tribe of her father."
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So, Mary married within
the house of David because the
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inheritance could come through
the daughter as well as the
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father, according to what
Moses said to the daughters
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of Zelophehad.
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And then you look--of course,
in Matthew chapter 1, you've got
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the genealogy
going through Joseph.
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Now, you notice next that it
says in Luke chapter 1, verse 38
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that the angel of
the Lord appears to Mary.
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In fact, turn in your Bibles to
the gospel of Luke, turn to Luke
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chapter 1, and we've
got a few references here.
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So, often, I'm just sharing
the scriptures I pasted into my
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notes, but sometimes it's good
for us to go there and to read
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it directly.
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You look--it says now the angel
of the Lord comes and he visits
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Mary, and you can
start with verse 26.
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Comes to see the
virgin, verse 27.
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And he says to her in verse 28,
"Rejoice, highly favored one,
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the Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women!"
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Mary is wondering,
what does that mean?
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Now, what was every
Jewish girl wondering?
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Someday the Messiah would come,
obviously, be coming through
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a mother.
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That's how most of
us get here, right?
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Anyone excepted here?
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We--that's how it happens.
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And every Jewish girl was
wondering, could I be the mother
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of the Messiah?
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Goes all the way back to Eve.
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Eve knew a Savior was coming and
when Cain came along, she says,
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"I've received a manchild
from the Lord," and she hoped it
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was Him.
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Obviously, he wasn't.
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And she's wondering
what this declaration means.
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"Rejoice, highly favored
one, the Lord is with you.
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When she saw him, she's
troubled and wonders what the
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greeting means.
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He says, 'Don't be afraid, Mary,
for you found favor with God.'"
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And so, she's surprised
and wonders what this is.
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And he says, "This is
what's going to happen.
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The Holy Spirit will come upon
you and the power of the Highest
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will overshadow you; therefore,
also, that Holy One who is to be
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born will be
called the Son of God.
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Now indeed, Elizabeth
your relative,'" tells us
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that--Elizabeth is from the
daughters of Aaron, which is a
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priest family, and Mary is
related to David and, evidently,
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David and Aaron.
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So, she's got in her
blood--you listening?
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She's got the king in her blood
and she's got the priest in
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her blood.
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Jesus is our
king and our priest.
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By the way, "You are a
nations--a nation," Peter says,
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"of kings and
priests," holy priesthood.
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She said, "How can this be?"
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"For with God
nothing is impossible."
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Can you say amen?
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Then what is Mary's attitude?
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Verse 38, "'Behold the
maidservant of the Lord!
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Let it be to me
according to your word.'
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And the angel
departed from her."
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So, we see that Mary's
got a spirit of humility.
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She submits.
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You know, you're never more like
Christ than when you're humble.
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Bible says
Jesus humbled Himself.
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You're never more like the
devil than when you're proud.
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The devil wanted
to exalt himself.
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So we see her genealogy, we
see her humility, and if we want
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Christ to be born in us,
we must humble ourselves.
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And then you
see Mary's devotion.
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Continuing on in
Luke chapter 1, verse 39.
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And I'm going to read here.
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"Now Mary arose in those days
and went to the hill country in
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haste, to a city of Judah
and she enters the house of
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Zachariah to greet Elizabeth.
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And it happens, when Elizabeth
heard the greeting of Mary that
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the babe leaped in her womb,"
Now, how far along is Elizabeth?
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We just read it, "In the
six month," it said, okay.
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How long does the
gestation usually take?
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Nine months.
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That'll come up.
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"The babe leaped in her womb;
and Elizabeth was filled with
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the Holy Spirit.
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And she speaks out with a loud
voice and says, 'Blessed are you
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among women, and blessed
is the fruit of your womb!
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But why is this granted me, that
the mother of my Lord should
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come to me?
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For indeed, as soon as the voice
of your greeting sounded in my
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ears, the babe
leaped in my womb for joy.
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Blessed is she who believed,"
what does it tell us about Mary?
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When she said, "Be it
unto me according to the Lord"?
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She--Mary believed.
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How are we saved?
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By faith.
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Mary believed the Word of God.
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What did Zachariah say to
the angel when he said, "You're
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going to have a baby?"
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He starts to argue.
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And the angel said, "Well, God's
going to keep His Word, but
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you're going to be deaf
until--you're going to be dumb,
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rather, until the baby is born."
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And Elizabeth is
saying, "You believed.
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Blessed is he who who believed,
for there will be a fulfillment
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of those things that
were told her from the Lord.'
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And then Mary said," verse 46.
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This is the longest
statement of Mary in scripture.
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"My soul magnifies the Lord, and
my spirit has rejoiced in God
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my Savior.
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For He has regarded the lowly
estate of His maidservant," she
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sees herself as a servant,
"for behold, henceforth all
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generations
will call me blessed.
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For He who is mighty has
done great things for me."
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And it says, "Mary remained
with her," for how long?
00:10:04.57\00:10:07.20
"Three months."
00:10:07.24\00:10:08.90
How long did Mary stay with her?
00:10:08.94\00:10:11.07
She was there when John the
Baptist was born and then she
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goes back home.
00:10:15.08\00:10:16.41
So, she gets a lot of traveling
in before this is over.
00:10:16.44\00:10:20.08
So, we see Mary's devotion.
00:10:20.12\00:10:23.39
Mary knew the Word.
00:10:23.42\00:10:25.15
She quotes from the scripture,
she had a personal relationship
00:10:25.19\00:10:28.29
with the Lord.
00:10:28.32\00:10:29.66
She prayed, she read the Word.
00:10:29.69\00:10:31.59
And that's
something, I think, we want.
00:10:31.63\00:10:34.00
For the Lord to be born in us,
we must be people of devotion.
00:10:34.03\00:10:37.90
Then we learn
about Mary's endurance.
00:10:37.93\00:10:41.27
If you can read in Luke chapter
2, it says that the emperor
00:10:41.30\00:10:49.58
issues a census that all
the world is to be taxed,
00:10:49.61\00:10:52.41
all the Roman Empire.
00:10:52.45\00:10:53.78
In order for them to be
registered for the tax, so that
00:10:53.82\00:10:56.42
people aren't moving from place
to place, they need to go back
00:10:56.45\00:10:58.79
to the city of their birth.
00:10:58.82\00:11:01.02
And Joseph and Mary are forced,
now, to go from Nazareth to
00:11:01.06\00:11:06.43
Bethlehem, which
is about 70 miles.
00:11:06.46\00:11:10.83
How many of you remember reading
about the donkey she rode?
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How many of you have
seen her riding on a donkey?
00:11:16.30\00:11:19.84
Come on.
00:11:19.87\00:11:21.21
I mean, pictures.
00:11:21.24\00:11:22.54
Hey, and you know I never
seen--oh, you're afraid I'm
00:11:22.58\00:11:24.11
trying to trap you.
00:11:24.15\00:11:25.45
You said, "I'm
not saying nothing.
00:11:25.48\00:11:26.78
He's trying to get me."
00:11:26.82\00:11:28.12
Yeah.
00:11:28.15\00:11:29.38
And how many of you have seen
pictures of Mary on a donkey?
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.19
Come on, fess up.
00:11:31.22\00:11:32.55
Where does it say, anywhere,
she ever rode a donkey?
00:11:32.59\00:11:35.99
The donkey is not there.
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The donkey is with
Balaam in the Old Testament.
00:11:37.76\00:11:41.80
The donkey's with Jesus
when He rides into Jerusalem.
00:11:41.83\00:11:45.53
She may have ridden a donkey.
00:11:45.57\00:11:47.17
She may have walked 70
miles nine months pregnant.
00:11:47.20\00:11:53.74
That's endurance.
00:11:53.78\00:11:56.61
She was tough.
00:11:56.64\00:11:59.38
Just like the children of Israel
going through the wilderness.
00:11:59.41\00:12:01.58
So, she has endurance.
00:12:01.62\00:12:02.85
You read about that in Luke
2, verse 6, not only that, while
00:12:02.88\00:12:06.35
she's in Bethlehem, "The
days were accomplished that she
00:12:06.39\00:12:09.69
should be delivered.
00:12:09.72\00:12:11.06
She brought forth her firstborn
Son and wrapped Him in strips of
00:12:11.09\00:12:14.86
cloth," swaddling clothes, "and
laid Him in a manger, because
00:12:14.93\00:12:18.53
there was no room
for them in the inn."
00:12:18.57\00:12:20.90
And then you see
that Mary has purity.
00:12:20.94\00:12:25.07
It says she had--now, this
is Matthew 1:25, "And she had no
00:12:25.11\00:12:29.41
marital relations--Joseph had no
marital relations with her until
00:12:29.44\00:12:33.75
she had born her Son
and named Him Jesus."
00:12:33.78\00:12:37.39
Now, I just got to
take a little detour here.
00:12:37.42\00:12:40.09
You know, our friends in the
Catholic Church, and maybe some
00:12:40.12\00:12:42.86
of the other orthodox churches,
they teach something called the
00:12:42.89\00:12:45.53
Immaculate Conception and
they believe that Mary remained
00:12:45.56\00:12:51.27
a virgin through her life.
00:12:51.30\00:12:53.87
The Bible doesn't teach that.
00:12:53.90\00:12:55.77
I think it's pretty clear when
the Bible says that, "He did not
00:12:55.80\00:12:58.84
know her until," that
would settle the matter.
00:12:58.87\00:13:03.81
Joseph and Mary had a
normal--they were humans and
00:13:03.85\00:13:06.58
normal married life, but because
she's now carrying the child,
00:13:06.61\00:13:11.22
Joseph and Mary, and through
the Holy Spirit, they said that,
00:13:11.25\00:13:14.39
"We don't want anyone to
have any questions or any doubt.
00:13:14.42\00:13:16.76
We never came together as man
and woman until after this child
00:13:16.79\00:13:19.53
was born, He was conceived
purely of the Holy Spirit."
00:13:19.56\00:13:22.26
So, to remove all doubt they had
that covenant that they kept,
00:13:22.30\00:13:25.43
you understand?
00:13:25.47\00:13:26.77
But after Jesus was born,
they had a normal marriage.
00:13:26.80\00:13:32.94
But it tells us that
she had a life of purity.
00:13:32.97\00:13:37.38
Mary was pure.
00:13:37.41\00:13:39.45
Mary was pious.
00:13:39.48\00:13:41.98
Now, what do I mean by that?
00:13:42.02\00:13:43.92
It tells us that, and you read
in Luke chapter 2, verse 34, she
00:13:43.95\00:13:48.02
brings Him to the house of God
at the appropriate time, on His
00:13:48.06\00:13:52.89
eighth day, so that He could be
named, registered, circumcised.
00:13:52.93\00:13:56.87
By the way, the first time
Jesus shed blood was at His
00:13:56.90\00:13:59.60
circumcision, Mary was there.
00:13:59.63\00:14:02.80
On the cross when He shed
blood, at His Crucifixion, Mary
00:14:02.84\00:14:07.44
was there.
00:14:07.48\00:14:09.44
Mary was one of the only ones
to witness both His birth and
00:14:09.48\00:14:15.32
His death.
00:14:15.35\00:14:16.85
Another little footnote, you
might find it interesting that
00:14:16.89\00:14:19.85
the name Mary and the person
Mary is also even revered in
00:14:19.89\00:14:23.12
the Quran.
00:14:23.16\00:14:24.56
They have a whole chapter
dedicated to Mary, did you
00:14:24.59\00:14:26.76
know that?
00:14:26.80\00:14:28.06
They believe that
she was a holy woman.
00:14:28.10\00:14:30.80
But she brought Him to church
and she must have done something
00:14:30.83\00:14:34.37
right, because not only does
she bring Him to be named and
00:14:34.40\00:14:36.81
circumcised--and then, of
course, Simeon comes out and
00:14:36.84\00:14:39.77
he's filled with the Holy Spirit
and he makes a declaration; Anna
00:14:39.81\00:14:42.98
comes out, she's
filled with the Holy Spirit.
00:14:43.01\00:14:45.35
And so, it's a very, you
know, important occasion.
00:14:45.38\00:14:50.49
It's auspicious, as they would
say, when she brings him to the
00:14:50.52\00:14:54.66
temple and He is named Jesus
and it's registered, and He's
00:14:54.69\00:14:57.76
circumcised according to the
covenant, and--but she brings
00:14:57.79\00:15:01.30
Him to church.
00:15:01.33\00:15:02.63
And I think it was a habit
all through His life because you
00:15:02.66\00:15:04.80
read on and it says in Luke
4:16, "So He came to Nazareth,
00:15:04.83\00:15:09.44
where He had been brought up.
00:15:09.47\00:15:11.31
And as His custom was, He
went into the synagogue on the
00:15:11.34\00:15:15.24
Sabbath day."
00:15:15.28\00:15:16.61
Where do you think
Jesus got that custom?
00:15:16.64\00:15:20.25
His mother and father had
the pattern of bringing Him to
00:15:20.28\00:15:24.69
church, even through the teenage
years when some might protest,
00:15:24.72\00:15:29.09
Jesus never protested.
00:15:29.12\00:15:31.09
Something else He learned
about Mary, she must have had
00:15:31.13\00:15:33.33
some adaptability.
00:15:33.36\00:15:36.50
Joseph says, "Mary, I know
you're six months pregnant, but
00:15:36.53\00:15:39.63
we've got to go
down to Bethlehem."
00:15:39.67\00:15:42.04
Says, "Okay."
00:15:42.07\00:15:43.84
Then, after they're in
Bethlehem, she settles down
00:15:43.87\00:15:45.91
because the wise men came into
the house so they settled there
00:15:45.94\00:15:48.24
because they were from
there originally, anyway.
00:15:48.28\00:15:50.61
And then the angel says,
"Joseph, you better get out
00:15:50.65\00:15:52.88
of town.
00:15:52.91\00:15:54.25
Herod wants to kill the baby."
00:15:54.28\00:15:55.58
And Joseph says to Mary,
"Mary, we're moving to Egypt."
00:15:55.62\00:15:59.62
Any of you married
to a man like that?
00:15:59.65\00:16:02.59
Just makes a
sudden announcement?
00:16:02.62\00:16:05.76
And she says, "Okay,
if that's what God wants."
00:16:05.79\00:16:08.20
And she moves to Egypt.
00:16:08.23\00:16:09.56
Strange land, strange people,
speak a different language.
00:16:09.60\00:16:12.77
Though, they did have a Jewish
community in Alexandria and they
00:16:12.80\00:16:15.54
may have gone there.
00:16:15.57\00:16:16.87
So, we see that she's got
adaptability and God preserves
00:16:16.91\00:16:21.31
them there.
00:16:21.34\00:16:23.41
Then you see that
Mary's got wisdom.
00:16:23.45\00:16:27.15
It's the sagacity of Mary.
00:16:27.18\00:16:31.49
And that's telling us--look at
this, in Luke 2, verse 40, "The
00:16:31.52\00:16:35.29
Child grew and became strong in
spirit, filled with wisdom; and
00:16:35.32\00:16:40.70
the grace of God was upon Him."
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.57
Look in Luke 2:52, "And
Jesus increased in wisdom and in
00:16:43.60\00:16:49.67
stature, and in
favor with God and man."
00:16:49.70\00:16:53.84
I remember when I first started
reading the Bible, I went down
00:16:53.88\00:16:56.38
to the local bookstore and I
found the Christian section and
00:16:56.41\00:16:59.08
it had, "The
Aquarian Gospel of Jesus."
00:16:59.11\00:17:01.88
I didn't know better and I
was kind of open to anything
00:17:01.92\00:17:03.95
back then.
00:17:03.99\00:17:05.29
And it was saying, "Yeah, Jesus,
when He was a boy, He could
00:17:05.32\00:17:07.56
never have gotten that
wisdom from Joseph and Mary.
00:17:07.59\00:17:10.06
The wisdom--He was adopted
by these gurus in India and they
00:17:10.09\00:17:15.53
taught Him."
00:17:15.56\00:17:17.50
And, you know, they've got
all these theories about where
00:17:17.53\00:17:20.27
did--what happened
during the silent years.
00:17:20.30\00:17:22.90
They say, "Jesus went
missing from His birth until
00:17:22.94\00:17:25.14
His ministry."
00:17:25.17\00:17:26.51
He didn't go missing.
00:17:26.54\00:17:27.84
It says right here in the Bible
He was home growing in wisdom
00:17:27.88\00:17:30.41
and stature.
00:17:30.45\00:17:31.75
He grew up with them.
00:17:31.78\00:17:33.11
Says, "He went home and
He was subject to them."
00:17:33.15\00:17:34.55
He was there.
00:17:34.58\00:17:35.98
Amen?
00:17:36.02\00:17:37.35
He was with them in Egypt,
in Bethlehem, in Nazareth.
00:17:37.39\00:17:40.36
He did not take a trip
to China or India as some
00:17:40.39\00:17:43.49
have speculated.
00:17:43.53\00:17:44.83
How many of you have heard
some of these crazy theories?
00:17:44.86\00:17:47.40
Yeah.
00:17:47.40\00:17:48.70
They just can't figure how
He could have got that wisdom.
00:17:48.73\00:17:51.97
So, you see, that
Mary must have been wise.
00:17:52.00\00:17:55.67
She was teaching that wisdom.
00:17:55.70\00:17:57.57
By the way, Solomon's wisdom
was not just all spiritual, you
00:17:57.61\00:18:02.51
might say.
00:18:02.54\00:18:03.85
Solomon's mother,
what was her name?
00:18:03.88\00:18:06.75
Bathsheba.
00:18:06.78\00:18:08.42
Do you know who
Bathsheba's grandfather was?
00:18:08.45\00:18:12.22
Ahithophel,
David's wisest counselor.
00:18:12.25\00:18:15.96
She had some good genetics, too.
00:18:15.99\00:18:18.99
So, Bathsheba was
wise, Mary was wise.
00:18:19.03\00:18:22.06
Look at this.
00:18:22.10\00:18:23.40
Luke chapter 2:46, after
they had come, when Jesus was 12
00:18:23.43\00:18:26.87
years old, first time they go
to the temple, and when Mary and
00:18:26.90\00:18:30.84
Joseph go home with the
big entourage that's come from
00:18:30.87\00:18:34.71
Nazareth, they're heading north.
00:18:34.74\00:18:36.38
And, you know, Jesus
was a responsible young man.
00:18:36.41\00:18:38.61
They assumed He was
somewhere in the crowd of
00:18:38.65\00:18:40.88
pilgrims who
were going back home.
00:18:40.92\00:18:42.65
But that first or second night,
they didn't see Him anywhere
00:18:42.68\00:18:45.49
around the camp.
00:18:45.52\00:18:46.86
Finally, they turned back.
00:18:46.89\00:18:48.89
And where did they find Him?
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.43
In the temple.
00:18:51.46\00:18:53.70
And it says, "After three days,"
and this is Luke 2:46, "came to
00:18:53.73\00:18:57.70
pass after three days they found
Him in the temple, sitting in
00:18:57.73\00:19:01.07
the midst of the
doctors," and Jesus had no Ph.D.
00:19:01.10\00:19:06.31
We also learn
about Mary's compassion.
00:19:06.34\00:19:08.48
Now, Christ has
begun His ministry.
00:19:08.51\00:19:10.75
She seemed to know that when
He went to get baptized this was
00:19:10.78\00:19:13.58
His mission.
00:19:13.62\00:19:15.45
And the first miracle is, you
know, the wedding feast at Cana.
00:19:15.48\00:19:20.16
Says, "On the third day, there
was a wedding in Cana," probably
00:19:20.19\00:19:22.72
a relative, because Mary comes
and Jesus comes, "and Mary, the
00:19:22.76\00:19:27.50
mother of Jesus, was there.
00:19:27.56\00:19:28.83
Now both Jesus and His disciples
were invited to the wedding.
00:19:28.86\00:19:32.57
And when they ran out of wine,"
they probably would have had
00:19:32.60\00:19:35.10
enough if He hadn't brought all
the disciples, "they ran out of
00:19:35.14\00:19:38.81
wine, the mother of Jesus said
to Him, 'They have no wine.'"
00:19:38.84\00:19:43.28
Now, everyone makes a big deal
of the miracle of Jesus and, as
00:19:43.31\00:19:46.01
they should, but I think
sometimes we miss something.
00:19:46.05\00:19:49.02
Who is it that has compassion
on the embarrassing situation of
00:19:49.05\00:19:54.86
the bride and the groom?
00:19:54.89\00:19:57.59
Mary has compassion.
00:19:57.63\00:20:00.00
She says, "Oh, this is
embarrassing," and, "This is
00:20:00.03\00:20:02.13
awkward," and,
"What can we do to help?"
00:20:02.16\00:20:03.50
And she wants to
remedy the situation.
00:20:03.53\00:20:05.57
So, she goes to Jesus and
she said, "They have no wine."
00:20:05.60\00:20:09.87
She says with
an imploring voice.
00:20:09.90\00:20:12.74
You know, sometimes, if you're
married or you're a parent, you
00:20:12.77\00:20:17.65
might just say, "Oh,
the garbage bag looks full."
00:20:17.68\00:20:21.08
Now, that translates,
"Will you take the garbage out?"
00:20:21.12\00:20:23.69
But the way you say it
is, first, you just say the
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.52
problem, right?
00:20:25.55\00:20:26.86
Then you're hoping that
they'll know what the answer is.
00:20:26.89\00:20:29.92
So, she says,
"They have no wine."
00:20:29.96\00:20:31.46
He understands what the
implication is and He says,
00:20:31.49\00:20:34.50
"Woman," I got to just stop.
00:20:34.56\00:20:36.43
When He says, "Woman," there,
sometimes you think, that's kind
00:20:36.46\00:20:38.50
of harsh.
00:20:38.53\00:20:39.83
"Woman."
00:20:39.87\00:20:41.20
You know, when I was a hippie,
these motorcycle riders would
00:20:41.24\00:20:44.34
call their girlfriend,
"Hey, woman," and it was kind
00:20:44.37\00:20:46.91
of demeaning.
00:20:46.94\00:20:48.78
That isn't what this word means.
00:20:48.81\00:20:51.21
The word was a term of
respect, it means madam.
00:20:51.25\00:20:54.52
I don't know, maybe in Spanish
it would be like, "Seņora."
00:20:54.55\00:20:57.49
It's a term of respect.
00:20:57.52\00:21:00.19
And so, He says, madam, "What
does your concern have to do
00:21:00.22\00:21:04.76
with Me?"
00:21:04.79\00:21:06.43
"Providing the grape
juice for the wedding is not My
00:21:06.46\00:21:08.46
principal mission."
00:21:08.50\00:21:10.10
"My hour has not yet come."
00:21:10.13\00:21:12.57
In the garden of Gethsemane
He finally says, "My hour
00:21:12.60\00:21:15.00
has come."
00:21:15.04\00:21:18.04
But then His mother--there
must have been some unwritten
00:21:18.07\00:21:20.48
communication because she then
tells the servants, "Whatever He
00:21:20.51\00:21:23.95
says to you, do it."
00:21:23.98\00:21:25.58
He must have smiled and said,
"I'll help you, but this is not
00:21:25.61\00:21:28.88
My primary mission."
00:21:28.92\00:21:32.09
You know--I don't know.
00:21:32.12\00:21:33.42
Do you underline in your Bible?
00:21:33.46\00:21:35.62
You know what Mary said?
00:21:35.66\00:21:36.99
"Whatever He
says to you, do it."
00:21:37.03\00:21:41.33
That's a good
thing to underline.
00:21:41.36\00:21:43.73
"Whatever He
says to you, do it."
00:21:43.77\00:21:47.40
And, of course,
He works a miracle.
00:21:47.44\00:21:49.40
So we see Mary's
compassion there.
00:21:49.44\00:21:52.14
Then we see Mary's patience.
00:21:52.17\00:21:55.54
"Came to pass," and this is
Luke 8:19, "His mother and His
00:21:55.58\00:21:59.55
brethren could not come to
Him because of the crowd so they
00:21:59.58\00:22:02.75
sent a messenger to fight
his way through the crowd.
00:22:02.78\00:22:04.82
And the messenger says, 'Your
mother and Your brothers are
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.39
standing outside,
they're desiring to see You.'"
00:22:07.42\00:22:09.59
We don't know exactly why,
but they wanted to see Him.
00:22:09.62\00:22:12.93
"And He answered and said, 'My
mother and My brethren are these
00:22:12.96\00:22:16.23
that hear the Word
of God and do it.'"
00:22:16.26\00:22:18.67
There again you have the
emphasis on doing the Word
00:22:18.70\00:22:20.94
of God.
00:22:20.97\00:22:22.40
Now, Jesus always kept family
a priority, but what's the most
00:22:22.44\00:22:25.17
important family?
00:22:25.21\00:22:27.11
Family of God.
00:22:27.14\00:22:29.41
Jesus said,
"That's the priority.
00:22:29.44\00:22:31.85
It's not just that we might be
related by blood, but those who
00:22:31.88\00:22:36.48
do the Word of
God, they are My family.
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.49
They are My mother, and
My sister, and My brother."
00:22:38.52\00:22:41.19
Mary deals with this patiently.
00:22:41.22\00:22:43.12
There's no protest.
00:22:43.16\00:22:45.06
Now, the next time Mary appears,
I'm sure she was there many
00:22:45.09\00:22:49.16
times along the
way, is at the cross.
00:22:49.20\00:22:53.47
You know, when she was in
the temple with Jesus and He was
00:22:53.50\00:22:56.57
named, Simon said, "And a sword
will pierce your own soul."
00:22:56.60\00:23:03.14
If you're a mother, there
are going to be times of sorrow
00:23:03.18\00:23:07.68
and heartache.
00:23:07.72\00:23:09.32
I've never heard that
truth discourage any woman from
00:23:09.35\00:23:11.95
choosing to be a
mother, but you know it's true.
00:23:11.99\00:23:14.79
There'll be times where you
worry, and times you fret and
00:23:14.82\00:23:17.13
you pray, and there
might be some anguish.
00:23:17.16\00:23:20.10
Don't be
discouraged, you're not alone.
00:23:20.13\00:23:22.83
And doesn't it hurt us more to
see our children suffer than to
00:23:22.86\00:23:25.67
suffer ourselves?
00:23:25.70\00:23:28.77
So, when Jesus is being tried
and led away, word eventually
00:23:28.80\00:23:33.04
reaches Mary, as it did all the
apostles, and she's trying to
00:23:33.07\00:23:38.61
keep up with what's happening.
00:23:38.65\00:23:41.72
And she sees the
Crucifixion is going to happen.
00:23:41.75\00:23:45.12
She finally comprehends, fully,
the mission of Jesus after
00:23:45.15\00:23:48.99
the cross.
00:23:49.02\00:23:50.36
And guess who's in the upper
room when the Holy Spirit is
00:23:50.39\00:23:52.69
poured out?
00:23:52.73\00:23:54.73
You read in Luke 24:33,
she was probably there at
00:23:54.76\00:23:58.37
the Resurrection.
00:23:58.40\00:23:59.63
It says, "They rose up that very
hour and returned to Jerusalem,
00:23:59.67\00:24:02.57
they found the eleven and those
who were with them," the 11 and
00:24:02.60\00:24:05.41
those who were with them.
00:24:05.44\00:24:06.74
Who were with the 11?
00:24:06.78\00:24:08.08
You go to Acts
chapter 1, verse 14.
00:24:08.11\00:24:11.15
"These all continued with
one accord in prayer," the 12
00:24:11.18\00:24:13.95
apostles, "and supplication,
with the women and Mary the
00:24:13.98\00:24:18.25
mother of Jesus, and with
His brethren," the brothers.
00:24:18.29\00:24:24.13
And so, we see that she's there
now, she's filled with the Holy
00:24:24.16\00:24:27.03
Spirit, with the early church.
00:24:27.03\00:24:28.83
And she became, as you'd say,
a mother in Israel, a patriarch.
00:24:28.86\00:24:33.07
Mary is a good example for us.
00:24:33.10\00:24:34.57
She had these qualities, this
patience, this endurance, this
00:24:34.60\00:24:38.14
purity, humility, devotion that
every one of us wants to have.
00:24:38.17\00:24:42.38
Not just the mothers in
our group, but we all have
00:24:42.41\00:24:44.88
those things.
00:24:44.91\00:24:46.25
And Christ is born in us.
00:24:46.28\00:24:48.38
She witnessed the Crucifixion,
then she witnessed the filling
00:24:48.42\00:24:51.89
with the Holy Spirit.
00:24:51.92\00:24:53.32
When we see Jesus lifted up for
us, we also receive the filling
00:24:53.36\00:24:57.69
of the Holy Spirit.
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.23
Mary is a child of God just like
all of us and how many of us
00:24:59.26\00:25:03.30
want to be children
of our heavenly Father?
00:25:03.33\00:25:07.00
Doug: Mary, the mother of Jesus,
is one of the most fascinating
00:25:09.74\00:25:13.64
yet misunderstood
characters in Bible history.
00:25:13.68\00:25:17.05
A godly woman entrusted
with one of the most awesome
00:25:17.08\00:25:20.22
responsibilities of any mother.
00:25:20.25\00:25:22.72
But how are we to
understand that role?
00:25:22.75\00:25:25.32
And what does it
mean to Christians today?
00:25:25.35\00:25:28.09
Does the Bible say that Mary
became a goddess that should
00:25:28.12\00:25:30.86
be worshiped?
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.23
Do the scriptures encourage
followers of Jesus to pray
00:25:32.26\00:25:35.00
to Mary?
00:25:35.03\00:25:36.33
To answer these questions,
Amazing Facts would like to send
00:25:36.36\00:25:38.90
you a special free resource
called, "The Mystery of Mary:
00:25:38.93\00:25:42.84
the Mother of Jesus."
00:25:42.87\00:25:44.57
This easy to understand
book delves into the biblical
00:25:44.61\00:25:48.14
principles to explain, in a
respectful and loving way, what
00:25:48.18\00:25:52.15
her role was in her
time and in our time.
00:25:52.18\00:25:55.28
Explore Mary's fascinating
family tree, discover the nature
00:25:55.32\00:25:59.32
of Mary and the miraculous
conception, and understand
00:25:59.35\00:26:02.76
something of her relationship
and interaction with Jesus.
00:26:02.79\00:26:06.36
To get your free copy, call the
number on your screen and ask
00:26:06.39\00:26:10.00
for offer number 865
or visit the web address.
00:26:10.03\00:26:13.64
And after you read this
inspirational resource, make
00:26:13.67\00:26:16.54
sure and share it with a friend.
00:26:16.57\00:26:20.21
male announcer: "Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to
00:26:20.24\00:26:23.58
every creature."
00:26:23.61\00:26:25.08
Through radio, television,
print, evangelistic events, and
00:26:25.11\00:26:28.55
the internet, Amazing Facts
00:26:28.58\00:26:30.35
International is heeding
the call of Jesus to go into all
00:26:30.39\00:26:33.99
the world.
00:26:34.02\00:26:35.36
Millions of individuals in over
150 countries have been blessed
00:26:35.39\00:26:39.26
by the Word of God.
00:26:39.29\00:26:40.63
Amazing Facts has spawned
new spheres of influence in
00:26:40.66\00:26:43.70
India, Africa,
China, and Indonesia.
00:26:43.73\00:26:46.60
With each new country come
hundreds of translated booklets,
00:26:46.63\00:26:49.67
study guides, and video
presentations produced in each
00:26:49.70\00:26:52.91
region for the
people of that region.
00:26:52.94\00:26:55.14
Armed with these precious
truths, gospel workers are
00:26:55.18\00:26:58.28
empowered to spread bright
rays of light on every path
00:26:58.31\00:27:01.52
they travel.
00:27:01.55\00:27:02.88
Please visit
reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org
00:27:02.92\00:27:06.25
to learn more about Amazing
Facts International and how you
00:27:06.29\00:27:09.52
can participate in this
exciting soul winning ministry.
00:27:09.56\00:27:12.93
That website, again, is
reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org.
00:27:12.96\00:27:17.37
Thank you for your support.
00:27:17.40\00:27:20.80
Doug: Thank you for
tuning in to Amazing Facts.
00:27:20.84\00:27:23.54
Have you ever wanted to study
the teachings of the Bible in an
00:27:23.57\00:27:26.81
easy to
understand, step by step way?
00:27:26.84\00:27:29.71
The Amazing Facts Bible school
offers free, simple to follow
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lessons that will guide
you through all of the vital
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teachings of scripture.
00:27:36.69\00:27:38.02
Visit AmazingBibleStudies.com to
sign up for your free lessons.
00:27:38.05\00:27:43.32
They're available
by mail or online.
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Studies are also
offered in multiple languages.
00:27:46.06\00:27:49.70
¤¤¤
00:27:49.73\00:27:59.74
male announcer:
Don't forget to request
00:28:02.28\00:28:03.58
today's free offer.
00:28:03.61\00:28:04.91
It's sure to be a blessing.
00:28:04.95\00:28:06.25
And thank you for your
continued support as we
00:28:06.28\00:28:08.08
take the gospel of Jesus Christ
00:28:08.12\00:28:09.78
to the world.
00:28:09.82\00:28:11.12
We hope you'll join
us next week as we delve
00:28:11.15\00:28:13.02
deep into the
Word of God to explore
00:28:13.05\00:28:15.79
more Amazing Facts.
00:28:15.82\00:28:18.23
¤¤¤
00:28:18.26\00:28:23.70
This presentation was brought
to you by the friends of the
00:28:24.00\00:28:26.20
Amazing Facts ministry.
00:28:26.23\00:28:28.24