Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG002749
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00:09 It's been 2000 years since the glorious light of the cross
00:12 illuminated the world wailed in darkness and confusion 00:15 about the character of God 00:17 and still today the greatest need of mankind 00:19 is a revelation of God's love 00:21 that's revealed in the life of Christ. 00:23 Amazing Facts presents the everlasting gospel 00:26 with Pastor Doug Batchelor coming to you each week 00:29 from Sacramento Central church in sunny California. 00:33 Discover hidden treasures in God's word today. 00:38 Our message this morning is dealing with Mary. 00:43 It's a portrait of Mary, 00:45 not to be confused with Mary Magdalene 00:47 or the other Mary's in the Bible, 00:49 it's Mary, Jesus' mother 00:51 and Julienne song was not only beautiful, perfect. 00:53 Thank you for planning that to go along 00:55 with the sermon so well today. 00:58 You know I even thought about re-titling this sermon, 01:03 "How to pick your mother?" 01:07 Which you normally wouldn't think of 01:08 but really that's what Jesus had to do, right? 01:13 I remember a few years ago when I was at a camp meeting 01:15 and I met with the-- at the camp meeting 01:18 they had trust officers and little booth went by, 01:21 they talked us about a will. 01:23 Well, I hadn't thought about that, 01:25 I said don't have much to leave behind. 01:27 They said, "Well, you know, 01:28 what if something happen to you, what about your kids?" 01:30 I said, "Well that's what the wife is for." 01:33 And he said, "What if something happens to both of you?" 01:37 And I said, "Well, there's grandmas and grandpas." 01:40 And they said, "Well, you know you got to think about this." 01:43 And so we sat down in talking, started to thinking. 01:47 They said, "Well, you know, if you and your wife 01:50 should die together in a car accident 01:52 and depending on, you know, if grandma and grandpa 01:55 are available or may be the math won't work out or something, 01:58 is there another family that you would like to pick 02:01 to raise your children?" 02:03 Any of you have ever been through that before 02:04 when your kids are young, 02:05 yeah, you think about that and you got to write something up, 02:07 what if or you want the state to decide that? 02:11 And I tell you boy, you really start to scratch your head 02:13 and rub your chin when you think 02:15 who do I want to be parents of my children 02:20 if something happens to me? 02:23 And so we prayed about it and we thought about it 02:25 and we found another family 02:28 in the absence of grandma and grandpa that could do that. 02:32 And we said, you know, we went and talked to him 02:36 and said, "Will you be willing?" 02:37 They said, "You better take good care of yourself." 02:41 Because they knew our kids. 02:44 And since then I have had some-- 02:46 and I knew they have been praying 02:48 for my health and welfare all these years. 02:52 And we actually had some families that are our friends 02:55 and they have called us up and they said, "You know, Doug, 02:57 just wanted you and Karen to know if anything happens to us, 03:01 we have asked you to raise our children. 03:03 And we have been praying for them. 03:07 But it's really, you know we are laughing it's a serious thing 03:09 when you think who would you entrust your child to. 03:15 Now if you were God the Father and even God the Son 03:20 and you've got to pick somebody with an emphasis on somebody 03:26 that you are going to be born into 03:31 and you get to pick your mother and your father, 03:36 earthly mother and father, that's a pretty serious decision 03:41 you know, I'm too-- I believe too much 03:47 in the spiritual dynamics of the Bible to think that 03:50 the Lord just lined up a bunch of Hebrew girls 03:52 and went eeny, meeny, miny, moe 03:54 and I think when He did pick Mary, 03:56 He picked somebody that would also be a fulfillment 04:00 of many things other than just raising Jesus 04:05 or just to be a surrogate mother for the Son of God. 04:11 There is a lot going on there 04:12 so we are going to take some time this morning, 04:14 I am sure we will run out of time, 04:16 as we explore a portrait of Mary, 04:19 the one that Jesus was chosen to be entrusted to. 04:23 If you look in your Bibles probably good place to start 04:27 is the gospel of Luke 04:28 and we will return to this passage several times. 04:30 After Luke introduced the story about John the Baptist, 04:35 you then read in Luke 1. 04:36 Luke's got the longest chapters in the gospels. 04:40 Verse 26, "Now in the sixth month 04:44 that means after he met with Zechariah and Elizabeth, 04:47 the angel Gabriel was sent by God, 04:51 this is the choice God made, 04:53 to a city of Galilee named Nazareth." 04:57 Nazareth was a town that was on the wrong side of the tracks. 05:02 "Betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, 05:06 of the house of David and the virgin's name was Mary. 05:10 So this was the big announcement 05:12 you heard it refer to you before 05:13 where this angel actually appears to Mary. 05:17 And having come in, the angel said to her, 05:20 "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you, 05:25 blessed are you among women." 05:28 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, 05:30 considering what manner of greeting this was. 05:32 She is wondering what does this mean 05:34 and why is he addressing me this way? 05:38 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, 05:43 he called her by name, 05:45 for you have found favor with God. 05:49 And behold, you will conceive in your womb 05:52 and bring forth a Son and His name will be Jesus. 05:57 He will be great, 05:58 He will be called the Son of the Highest 06:02 and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 06:06 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 06:10 and of His kingdom there will be no end." 06:13 I could stop right here, spend the next 50 minutes 06:16 easily talking about the prophetic fulfillment 06:19 and the significance of what was happening here 06:22 after this announcement. 06:25 Mary knew what this meant. 06:27 Every Jewish mother from Abraham 06:30 indeed every mother since Eve knew 06:33 that some day the seed of the woman would be born. 06:35 God will come to earth in the form of a man 06:38 as our example, as a demonstration of who God is 06:42 and ultimately as our substitute, our savior. 06:44 Those are the three big reasons that Jesus came 06:47 to show us the father, to be an example 06:51 and to ultimately trade places with us to take our suffering, 06:56 to take our sin, to give us His goodness, 06:59 to take our badness, He gives us His strength, 07:02 He takes our weakness to make that big exchange. 07:06 God came to earth in the form of man. 07:08 Now, we could spend hours talking about 07:12 how was Jesus like us and yet how was He different. 07:16 There is a lot given in the Bible 07:18 about the genealogy of Jesus. 07:21 First thing I wanted you to notice though 07:23 is that God chose someone by the name of Mary. 07:27 What does that mean? 07:29 You know, I did a little research, 07:30 it's the most popular name for girls. 07:33 Did you know that? 07:36 The US Census Bureau has a list of names 07:39 and in North America these percentage show 07:43 names chosen for girls, Mary is more than twice 07:49 as many times chosen, as choice number 07:54 to which is Patricia, then on to Linda, 07:56 Barbara, Elizabeth so forth, 07:57 you notice several of those are biblical names. 08:01 A very popular name, Mary is the Greek form 08:06 of the Hebrew name Miriam, Latin would be Maria. 08:13 Lot of people, I won't ask for show of hands 08:14 but I venture to say there's probably some Mary's 08:17 right here in this room, 08:18 oh, now I got to know how many here? 08:20 How many Mary's we got, either first or second name? 08:23 Mary, raise your hand. 08:24 I see one, two, of course, Mary Hudson, three, 08:29 I didn't know that, Laurie, is that your middle name? 08:32 Ah look at that, see you got to see some others here yeah, 08:36 ah, ah, there is, not you, what is it Cathy Mary, yeah see. 08:40 Popular, how many here named Jezebel? 08:47 Why doesn't anyone, she is a Bible character? 08:51 You know why people pick Mary 08:53 is because her life was such a noble life 08:56 and such a high calling. 08:58 Now, I did a little study on the word Mary 09:00 and it's, it's something of an enigma. 09:04 The first time you find a Mary in the Bible, 09:06 remember its Mary is a Greek form of Miriam. 09:10 Is an Old Testament girl and the word Miriam means 09:17 rebellious or strong, stubborn, resistant, 09:23 it might be Miriam stubborn waters or strong waters, 09:27 or waters of strength, they are not sure. 09:30 They are not sure if Miriam was not really 09:32 a play on the Hebrew name 09:34 but it may have been Egyptian. 09:35 Now, if it's Egyptian and don't forget 09:37 Miriam's brother Moses was his name Hebrew or Egyptian? 09:42 Moses name was Egyptian, 09:44 he was named Moses by the princess 09:45 for he was drawn from the water. 09:47 There are pharaohs named Tuthmosis. 09:51 So may be keep in mind they had been there slaves for years 09:53 that may be from Egyptian what does the Egyptian mean? 09:56 If it's from the Egyptian Mir or Miriam 10:00 it means beloved or love, 10:05 so some have said her name was Miriam meaning 10:08 strong or rebellious because they were a people in captivity 10:12 and Miriam was rebellion against the captivity. 10:16 Don't know for sure. 10:17 One thing I do know is you immediately should realize 10:21 what was Miriam's role with Moses. 10:26 Here she was supposed to help preserve her brother 10:31 who was going to be her savior. 10:35 During a time when they were occupied by another nation, 10:39 Mary was to preserve Jesus 10:45 who was told also to be her savior. 10:48 That must be very interesting to be the surrogate mother of-- 10:54 to participate in some way in the creation of you Creator, 10:57 you ever think about that to watch your Creator be born? 11:02 I mean, wow, just mind blowing. 11:04 How Mary could both be the parent 11:08 of the Creator of all parents. 11:13 I mean you start thinking about what that means? 11:15 How Mary could be nursing the great provider. 11:21 I mean you start thinking about the role of Mary 11:23 and so when this angel comes to her makes this declaration. 11:27 Every Jewish mother knew that someday 11:29 the heir to David's throne would come 11:32 whose throne would have no end, 11:34 he be the savior of the world, 11:36 he be the great, the anointed, the Messiah. 11:38 And so when the angel says, "You're the one," 11:41 he made it very clear, he used a lot of passages 11:43 to make it clear, you are the one. 11:46 She could have bucked at that like Zechariah said, 11:49 you know, how can this be and it's not possible. 11:52 But ultimately she says, beat unto to your hand maiden 11:56 as you have said, she accepted it. 11:59 And that's really something when you consider it. 12:02 Now when you look at Mary 12:04 you find out something she's got a prophetic pedigree. 12:08 You notice it says that Jesus would be on the house of David. 12:12 As you begin to study the genealogies in the Bible 12:15 right away when you open to New Testament, 12:18 Mathew begins with a list of begats 12:20 and you find out that the begats of Matthew go down to Jacob 12:24 who is a father of Joseph who was married to Mary. 12:27 But you go to Luke, it's a little different 12:30 and Luke it says Joseph who is the son of Heli, not Jacob. 12:35 And people say, ah, Bible can't be trusted, 12:37 there is a conflict here what are you suppose to do. 12:40 Well, Luke was a doctor, 12:42 Luke understanding that Jesus came through Mary 12:46 and that nobody could question 12:47 the physical connection between Mary and Jesus, 12:51 he said let's trace it through Mary. 12:53 The father of Mary was Heli 12:55 and so Luke traces it through Mary's line. 13:00 Hebrew genealogies never listed the mother, 13:05 they always listed the father, 13:06 so it said Jacob whose father was-- 13:09 and what it really means is his father-in-law, 13:12 he is going through Mary's father. 13:14 Now some commentators have said one of the names it's the same 13:19 is Matthan or Matthat, it's the same name. 13:23 He could have been the father of two boys, 13:26 Jacob and Heli they were brothers, 13:29 Heli was the father of Mary, Jacob the father of Joseph. 13:34 It was not uncommon to marry 13:35 first cousins even in Bible times. 13:37 Matter of fact there was a law in the Bible that dictated 13:44 that it was important to preserve the family inheritance 13:48 by marrying the daughter of the land. 13:53 If Heli's only daughter was Mary, 13:55 in order to keep the inheritance in that family, 14:00 Joseph would have to marry her. 14:03 And there has been some discussion how old was she? 14:06 Ah, I don't go along with some of these pastors who love to say 14:09 while she was probably just the 13 or 14 year old girl 14:12 because they married young back then and I don't believe that. 14:15 When everything else I read in the Bible seems to indicate 14:19 Mary was probably 18, 19 years of age. 14:24 She was a young lady, 14:26 it may have been that Joseph married her 14:28 and Joseph was considerably older. 14:32 I probably out of pause right now and explain something. 14:36 That people always hick up, folks struggle with this. 14:40 The Bible tells us that Jesus had at least six siblings 14:46 four brothers that are named 14:49 and two or three sisters because it says his sisters. 14:54 So it could have been He had six 14:57 which would have made Jesus the seventh, 14:58 I like that ratio a little better. 15:01 It's kind of interesting 15:04 similar to some other line ups in the Bible. 15:07 Joseph probably had those other six children 15:11 before he married Mary, now let me tell you why. 15:15 Meaning there were older step brothers and sisters of Jesus. 15:19 Meaning Mary only had one child which was Jesus. 15:24 Pastor Doug, how can you say that? 15:26 Well several reasons, first of all in the Bible 15:28 if Jesus was the oldest of the siblings 15:32 it would have been considered very disrespectful for Him 15:35 to leave after Joseph died the family business 15:38 and become an itinerant preacher. 15:40 It was always the youngest who was free to leave home, 15:42 the oldest was supposed to get a double inheritance 15:45 and take over the family business. 15:47 Even in the story of the prodigal son, 15:49 which one leaves home? The younger one. 15:54 Another reason is you will notice 15:57 that Jesus' brothers are trying to tell Him what to do 16:01 several times during His ministry, 16:03 the younger brothers would not do that with the eldest brother. 16:06 Furthermore at the cross of Christ, 16:08 Jesus commits the care of His mother 16:11 not to one of His siblings, 16:13 wouldn't that have been the natural thing to do 16:14 if they were her real children, 16:17 why even bother, it was understood. 16:19 But the fact that they were not her children 16:21 meant that He needed to commit the care of His mother 16:23 and He doesn't even use one of His brothers, He uses John. 16:28 So you have to in your mind revise that postcard 16:33 you got in your head of when Mary and Joseph are going 16:36 and fleeing down to Egypt, 16:38 the idea that it is Mary and Joseph 16:40 and Mary sitting on a donkey and she is holding the baby 16:42 and you got the silhouette 16:44 of those three fleeing, probably not. 16:48 It's Mary on the donkey holding the baby and Joseph 16:52 and then picture a trail a whole ogle of little kids following 16:58 and so that is little more accurate, 17:00 most scholars agree with this 17:02 in spite of what the Christmas card say, 17:04 they were probably His step brothers. 17:06 Now having settled that, one of the reasons 17:08 that Joseph probably married Mary, his wife had died, 17:11 it was not uncommon to even marry your sister, 17:15 ah your sister-in-law if your brother had died 17:18 and so he may have married her for this reason. 17:20 Numbers 36:8, "And every daughter 17:25 that possesses an inheritance in any tribe 17:28 of the children of Israel shall be wife 17:30 unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, 17:34 so people say, well, Joseph came from David 17:37 but how do we know about Mary, it's telling you right here. 17:40 He was to marry within the tribe, 17:42 she was to marry within the tribe to keep the inheritance, 17:45 they were both related to David. 17:47 So in case you are wondering about that. 17:51 Now after she gets this declaration from the angel, 17:55 the angel said-- let's go back to Luke 1. 17:59 Mary said, "How can this be," 18:02 verse 34, "Since I've not know a man?" 18:05 She is not expressing doubt, she is just saying in naturally, 18:09 I'm engaged to Joseph but we haven't come together yet 18:12 so how exactly is this going to happen? 18:14 It's a legitimate question. 18:17 "And the angel answered and says to her, 18:19 "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, 18:22 the power of the Highest will overshadow you 18:25 therefore, also that one who is born to you 18:28 will be called the Son of God." 18:31 Now this is a great mystery, people debate this in the church 18:36 even our General Conference president 18:40 commented on this subject about the nature of Christ. 18:43 How many of you have heard 18:44 discussions about the nature of Christ? 18:46 And let me just simplify that for you as much as I can. 18:50 When Jesus was born, did He have the nature of Adam 18:56 before Adam fell before temptation? 18:58 Adam and Eve were sinless before they sinned 19:01 and they did not have any normal ingrain propensity 19:04 or inclination towards sin 19:08 because they were motivated by love, 19:10 or did Jesus have the attributes of Adam's nature after the fall 19:16 and there has been a big debate in the church over this. 19:18 And some say Jesus had 19:20 the nature of Adam before the fall, 19:21 so He really didn't have 19:22 the attraction of sin that we had. 19:24 Problem with that is 19:25 then He is not really our example of how to overcome 19:28 because He is born with this advantage. 19:30 And if the Bible says He is tempted in all points 19:33 as we are tempted yet without sin, 19:35 then He can be a faithful high priest. 19:38 I'm of the opinion that Jesus took the nature that Adam had 19:41 after the fall but He was without sin. 19:44 I know that there is somethings about this that are mystery, 19:47 I concede that, the Bible admits that. 19:50 But, why would the Bible go through all of the trouble 19:54 to list the genealogy of Jesus 19:57 with all of the sorted characters in his family tree. 20:00 You know the history of some of those folks, 20:02 if it had no bearing on His life. 20:05 And if Jesus had the nature of Adam 20:07 before the fall how tall was Adam? 20:09 Oh, 18-20 feet may be. 20:12 How tall was Jesus? You think he was 18 feet? 20:15 Or closer to the average size of a man? 20:18 So physically did He inherit the body of the people? 20:22 Did he have any DNA from Mary? 20:24 I believe He did. 20:25 Could it be that when you looked at Jesus and you looked at Mary, 20:28 you say you can't deny there are some similarities? 20:31 He was human. 20:33 And I think sometimes we try to make Him so divine 20:38 that we forget that He does really relate to us. 20:42 He is called our elder brother, there is that connection, 20:45 so, yeah, I weighed on that subject before 20:49 and you know our Amazing Facts stands on that position. 20:51 But that way, you know what that does, 20:54 that tells us that Christ did not resist sin and temptation 20:58 with anything that is not available to you and me. 21:02 That means that He can provide us 21:05 with the same victory that He had, 21:06 it doesn't set Him out that is so divine we can't relate Him. 21:11 And He also, you know, what else is important, 21:14 the claim of the devil is that fallen people cannot obey 21:17 and the reason Jesus obeyed 21:18 'cause He had the unfallen nature of Adam. 21:21 But by Jesus living a holy life 21:24 even though He was born with the fallen nature, 21:27 He then disproves the claims of the devil. 21:30 Did you get that? Otherwise He can't disprove it. 21:33 The devil's accusations stand. 21:36 So you and I can live Godly lives. 21:39 All right, I have said enough about that 21:41 so then after the angel tells with this in verse 36, 21:46 "He says, now indeed, Elizabeth, 21:47 your relative has also conceived a son in her old age 21:52 and she is now in the sixth month, 21:54 one who is called barren." 21:56 Again you've seen a repeat of what happened with Abraham 21:58 and Sarah in Zechariah and Elizabeth, 22:01 so Mary wants to go and see Elizabeth. 22:03 Now little more about genealogy. Who is Elizabeth related to? 22:07 She is of the daughters of Aaron. 22:10 Aaron was from what tribe? Levite the priesthood. 22:16 David was from what tribe? Judah. 22:19 So not only is Mary related to David, 22:23 Mary evidently had some linkage to Aaron. 22:27 You know some of them did intermarry over the generations 22:31 and so Christ is related to David as a high priest, 22:34 He is also related, I'm sorry 22:36 He is related to Aaron as our priest 22:37 and He is related to David as our king and the son of David. 22:42 So, she goes and she meets with Elizabeth. 22:45 And let's read about that, that is an amazing account here. 22:50 She went to Elizabeth, in verse 41 22:52 I am still in Luke 1, "It happened, 22:54 when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, 22:57 and she is got to go from Nazareth 22:58 to the hill country of Judea, that the babe leaped in her womb 23:02 here is this old woman she is probably 55, 60 years of age, 23:06 she is pregnant and she is got this baby in 23:10 then jumps in her womb at the greetings of Mary 23:12 and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit 23:15 and she makes this incredible prophetic deceleration 23:18 and then you read in verse 46 and Mary said, 23:26 "My soul magnifies," this was conformation of the miracle 23:30 if God could do this for Elizabeth 23:34 then He really was going to keep His word 23:37 and she was now going to give birth 23:38 to this prophetic Son, this Messiah. 23:45 You know, I just did a search on the internet, 23:48 let me read this to you, I typed in Christmas songs. 23:52 I don't know if you have ever tried that, Debby, 23:53 I know you had a Christmas program the other week. 23:55 One million nine hundred and seventy thousand hits 23:59 on Google if you type in Christmas songs. 24:02 Well, you want to hear one of the first Christmas songs 24:05 even before the angels, it's the song of Mary. 24:09 She is talking about-- she sings the song 24:11 and by the way Mary's great ancestor Miriam, 24:16 her namesake was Miriam a prophetess. 24:20 Was Mary a prophetess? 24:23 Well, something she said in the Bible 24:26 is it inspired by the Holy Spirit? 24:29 have you ever thought about that? 24:32 And then Mary utters the words of this song, 24:36 the song here verse 46, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 24:41 And my spirit has rejoiced in my God, my Savior, 24:44 in God my Savior, For He is regarded 24:46 the lowly state of His maidservant and behold, 24:49 henceforth all generations will call me blessed." 24:52 That why they picked the name Mary not the name Jezebel. 24:55 "For He who is mighty has done great things for me, 24:59 And holy is His name, 25:01 His mercy is on those who fear Him. 25:03 From generation to generation, 25:05 He has shown strength with His arm, 25:07 He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 25:11 He has put down the mighty 25:13 from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 25:15 He has filled the hungry with good things, 25:17 and the rich He has sent away empty. 25:19 He has helped His servant Israel, 25:22 in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, 25:25 to Abraham and to his seed forever." 25:27 It's interesting, she ends her song 25:30 with Abraham and his seed. 25:32 What does she now have in her? 25:35 The promise seed of Abraham. This is end of her song. 25:38 Something else if you ever mark in your Bible, take your pencil, 25:41 go through Mary song and you know 25:44 what comes out more than anything? 25:46 He, he, he, she is not singing about herself, 25:49 she could be prancing up and down the streets 25:51 and I am going to have the Messiah, 25:52 I am going to have-- I was chosen not you, 25:55 and she doesn't have that attitude, does she? 25:57 I mean you talk about something to brag about, 26:01 and you know woman who are pregnant 26:03 sometimes are happy, they are going to be mothers 26:05 and you know, they feel good about that. 26:07 But Mary's whole emphasis was on God, 26:10 Circle how many times she refers to God 26:12 in her song of adoration and exaltation of God. 26:19 So now she is pregnant, 26:22 of course the angel communicates with Joseph, 26:24 they have a quick wedding, 26:26 Joseph was going to put her away 26:28 but the angel says, no, you got to trust this is-- 26:30 she is going to have a baby of the Holy Spirit 26:33 and then through the providence of politics 26:38 they got to go to Bethlehem from Nazareth to register for a tax. 26:43 Jesus was probably not born during December, 26:47 this is as good a time as any 26:49 because we don't know the exact date, 26:50 probably in the fall and several reasons 26:54 that I could give you from the Bible, 26:55 one is the Caesar would never issue a senses 26:59 for people had to travel all over his kingdom 27:01 in the coldest time of the year 27:02 when there is no food in the fields. 27:04 They even used to plan their wars 27:07 so they could sustain their armies 27:08 when there will be food in the fields. 27:10 Shepherds are not- the climate in the Israel, 27:12 I have been there a couple of times, 27:13 it's very much like northern California, 27:15 cold this morning, wasn't it? 27:16 How many of you scraped ice of your car today on the way? 27:22 Shepherds are not out in the fields 27:23 with their flocks during this time of year. 27:26 And for some other reasons we know 27:29 Jesus died during the spring, 27:31 it says He ministered three and half years. 27:32 You go back three and half years from the Passover 27:34 and it takes you to the fall. 27:36 So they had to make this journey 27:39 and being gripped with child whether she sat on a donkey, 27:43 probably sat some and rode some and who knows 27:45 but that must have been a grueling 70 mile trip 27:49 without rapid transit down from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 27:53 It's amazing how the Bible promised 27:57 that this child would be born in Bethlehem 27:58 and they weren't even living there 27:59 when the angel came, God worked all that out. 28:03 Now, in the Bible it refers through Her as a virgin. 28:08 Remember the angel was sent to a virgin named Mary. 28:11 And we have heard a lot about the Virgin Mary, 28:15 but there is a prophecy in the Bible Isaiah 7:14. 28:19 "The Lord Himself will give you a sign, 28:22 behold, a virgin will conceive and bear a Son, 28:26 and you will call his name Immanuel," 28:28 which means God with us. 28:31 And whenever I talk about Mary, I've got to be honest with you, 28:34 I feel a little conflicted, you know why? 28:36 Because Mary is a Bible character 28:38 that really deserves our attention in our study 28:42 but there are a few churches that deify Mary. 28:46 And so whenever I talk about Mary, I kind of feel like, 28:48 boy, this is such a wonderful character study from the Bible 28:51 but then I feel like I got to stop and say, 28:53 I hope you are not going to go out of here 28:55 and start buying Mary shrines 28:56 and sticking them with Velcro to the dash of your car. 29:00 And so you understand this little paradox 29:04 when you talk about Mary, 29:06 you almost have to explain to people 29:07 why she was chosen of God 29:11 in a tremendous character in the Bible, 29:13 I expect to see her in the kingdom. 29:16 She is not to be venerated and revered as a goddess. 29:21 And you know some of our Roman Catholic friends, 29:24 they have been debating whether it is really 29:27 instead of the holy trinity, is a holy quartet 29:31 about whether they should exalt Mary just a little further 29:34 and should be on the level of God 29:35 because it's they tell people to pray to Mary of course 29:39 and how many you understand 29:40 the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception? 29:44 I used to think the Immaculate Conception 29:46 was talking about Jesus being born of Mary, 29:49 that's not what it's about, It's Mary's birth. 29:52 They say that Mary was born in the womb of her mother 29:55 but was not tainted by sin, was not tainted by original sin. 30:00 Matter of fact, let me read it to you 30:01 from the Catholic Encyclopedia. 30:04 The Immaculate Conception 30:05 according to Catholic Encyclopedia 30:07 teaches the conception of Mary, 30:09 her birth and her mother. 30:11 The mother of Jesus was without any stain 30:14 of original sin in her mother's womb. 30:17 It is further believed, listen, that she lived a life 30:20 completely free from sin. I got problems with that. 30:24 Mary may have been a godly good woman 30:28 but how many humans are sinless. 30:31 Only one lived a sinless life, 30:33 that's Jesus, the Bible makes it very clear. 30:35 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God 30:39 that would include Daniel, John the Baptist, Elijah, 30:43 Elisha and Mary, I mean these are some saints I agree, 30:47 holy men and women but she was a human and she did sin. 30:51 She needed the redemptive sacrifice of her child 30:56 as much as you do, isn't that interesting? 31:00 Jesus who was born in her 31:03 had to recreate her just like He recreates us. 31:07 Isn't that mind blowing when you think about it? 31:10 Started out as a birth within, a miraculous birth within 31:14 and then it was demonstrated without 31:16 and she had to look to the cross the same way 31:18 you and I looked to the cross. 31:19 And you see Mary going through this metamorphous 31:22 in her experience with life-- of her life 31:25 having to make that distinction. 31:28 So we've talked a little about her genealogy, 31:32 they finally get to Bethlehem and you know the story. 31:35 I think it's wonderful when you consider 31:37 that Jesus was the bread of life, 31:39 was born in a town called Bethlehem house of bread. 31:43 And then He is placed in a box for holding grain, bread, 31:47 that's a manger, so here you get the bread of life, 31:50 born in the house of bread, placed in a box for bread 31:53 and there was no room in the end 31:55 because most of the world has no room for Christ. 31:59 "He came unto His own, His own received him not." 32:02 Further evidence that they were not very wealthy. 32:05 And even though that was a very humble event 32:09 as far as the world is concerned. 32:11 I would not have done things like that, 32:12 if I was God the father with my fallen viewpoint 32:19 if I was going to send my son in the world, 32:21 you would naturally think that it would have been 32:22 with all this fanfare and trumpets blowing 32:26 and parades and like the coronation of a king. 32:30 But it was so unobtrusive and so quite 32:34 and so humble that it just tells you 32:37 about the meekness of Jesus how He entered the world. 32:41 Before I go any further as we talk 32:43 more about Mary and this portrait of Mary. 32:46 What does a woman represent, 32:48 you heard me say it a hundred times 32:49 but we always have visitors, 32:50 there is always new people watching. 32:52 Prophetically, symbolically, 32:53 what does a woman represent in the Bible? A church. 32:58 Mary is a type of the church in this sense 33:03 and if I was Jesus and I was going to pick a mother, 33:08 I want a mother who is going to take me to church. 33:11 She and Joseph took Him to the temple, 33:14 they took Him to the church where He was dedicated there. 33:17 Now, in our church we dedicate children when they are young 33:20 they don't have to be eight days old 33:22 but we dedicate children, that's different from baptism. 33:26 Dedication is the parents choice, 33:28 baptism must be the individuals choice. 33:30 We don't believe it's appropriate to baptize babies 33:32 because they need to first repent of their sins 33:34 and believe and confess and all these things 33:37 that babies obviously cannot do. 33:39 So they brought him to the temple 33:40 and while they are there at the temple 33:43 as they bring him to church, 33:45 there Simeon who was a priest in the temple 33:48 had been told by the Holy Spirit, 33:49 the Messiah was going to come that he would see it. 33:52 He said to Mary's mother, "Now this is the child," 33:55 he says, "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, 33:58 I have seen your salvation." 33:59 and I wish I had time to read 34:01 the whole prophetic utterance of Simeon, 34:03 that experience with Mary, 34:05 but one thing he says in his statement. 34:07 He tells Mary, he blesses them but he says to Mary, his mother, 34:13 "Behold, this child is set for the fall 34:17 and the rising again of many in Israel 34:21 and for a sign which will be spoken against, 34:25 yes, in other words there's going to be resistance, 34:27 there is going to be persecution, 34:29 there will be apposition to who He is. 34:32 Yes, a sword will pierce through thy own soul, 34:37 that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed." 34:40 Again I could take a detour right now 34:42 and talk about a sword in Bible prophecy. 34:44 The sword is a symbol for the word 34:46 and what does Jesus tells us that, 34:49 we need the sword of His word going in 34:51 sharper than any too edge sword that cuts us and convicts us 34:56 and helps also to make advances for Christ. 34:58 The sword of the word is how we conquer for Christ. 35:01 Jesus has seen in revelation with the sword 35:03 coming from His mouth. 35:04 It's a symbol for the word of God. 35:07 One time the disciples said, "Lord--" 35:12 Jesus said, "He that has a sword, let him take it." 35:14 And they said, "We've got two swords here." 35:16 He said, "You don't get it, that is enough of this." 35:18 People think he said, oh, that's enough. 35:20 I'm gonna take on the Roman army with two swords, 35:22 it's not what He meant. 35:23 He said you are not getting it, I'm speaking symbolically. 35:26 And so when Simeon said a sword will pierce your own soul, 35:30 the truth of the word of God that her child was going to die. 35:36 See the Jews had this popular belief in Mary 35:38 even was hoping but he was going to just take the throne of David 35:42 and that she be sitting there like the mother of Solomon on-- 35:46 Remember Solomon set down on a throne 35:48 by his throne for Bathsheba, his mother 35:51 and then Mary was going to sit down next to Jesus 35:53 who would be on the throne of David 35:54 and there would be all this glory. 35:57 And the word of God was saying, 35:59 "No that's not how the Messiah comes the first time." 36:02 And so that sword, that truth pierced through own soul 36:05 to know He is coming first as a lamb 36:08 before He reigns like a lion 36:10 and that He was going to have to die. 36:13 That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36:15 The word of God convicts and brings those truths up. 36:18 Then after that experience through the episode 36:21 of course the shepherds come, the wise men come 36:25 and the angel after the wise men says to Joseph and Mary, 36:28 you better leave town and you better leave fast 36:32 because there is a clatter of Roman sandals 36:34 coming up to cobblestone streets 36:36 to slaughter all the baby boys in Bethlehem. 36:40 And she and Joseph 36:41 and that little tribe of children that they had, 36:45 had to very quickly get out of town. 36:48 Joseph probably took some of the gold and frankincense, 36:51 and myrrh and went to the local pawnbroker 36:53 and said, I need some money 36:55 because we need to get a ticket fast as donkey out of Bethlehem. 36:59 And they had to make that journey down there to Egypt. 37:02 Now, another parallel, you've got Mary, 37:06 Miriam in Egypt preserving the savior. 37:12 You see the parallels between the Mary 37:14 and her Old Testament counterpart Miriam 37:18 whom she was named after probably. 37:21 So they flee and they take him down to Egypt 37:23 where there He is preserved in Egypt 37:26 in the same way that Miriam preserved Jesus. 37:30 Was there an attempt to kill Jesus when he was a baby? 37:34 Was there an attempt to kill all the baby boys in Egypt 37:37 when Moses was a baby? 37:39 There are so many parallels there, it is fascinating. 37:42 I don't know why people doubt the word of God. 37:44 I mean here you know Moses wrote this in Genesis 37:47 1500 years before Jesus was born, this experience 37:51 and we know last week the Amazing Facts evangelists 37:54 were in San Diego and there is a display down there, 37:56 you might run down there tomorrow 37:57 if you can go to San Diego 37:59 and it's on the Dead Sea Scrolls. 38:01 They have actually got some copies of the scrolls on display 38:03 and it was very inspiring going through 38:05 and you are looking at fragments 38:07 that date back before the time of Christ 38:09 that are reciting the Ten Commandments 38:11 from Deuteronomy and from Exodus, 38:13 how the word of God you know that had existed 38:16 before these things happen 38:17 and there the fulfillment of the prophecies right there. 38:20 They had passages dating back before Christ. 38:24 That perfectly described Christ in His ministry 38:27 not only that are in scripture 38:29 but that are in the writings of Dead Sea Scrolls, 38:32 some extra biblical texts about the Messiah. 38:35 Matter of fact Jesus quotes from one of them. 38:37 When he go and says to the messenger 38:39 go back to John the Baptist, I am rambling right now I know, 38:42 but it's so exciting when you think about the connection 38:46 between what happened in the Old Testament 38:48 and the New Testament and how perfect it was. 38:50 How can we doubt that Jesus was the Messiah 38:54 that was spoken of? 38:56 And then Mary has this incredible, 38:58 finally they get word that Herod the great is dead, 39:00 it's safe to go back. 39:02 They don't feel real safe staying in Judea 39:05 because Herod's bloodthirsty son is there 39:07 and so they go up back to Galilee 39:10 and return to Nazareth. 39:12 And Mary now has the charge, 39:14 Jesus is probably three, four years old 39:16 by the time they leave Egypt. 39:18 She has got the charge of teaching the son. 39:22 Again I reject some of the notions I hear. 39:25 They make these movies about it, 39:27 I read some of the-- the pastors, 39:30 what they have to say that Mary was ignorant, 39:32 15 year old girl cannot read or write. 39:34 I don't believe that, friends, 39:36 I think that she was very educated, she could read. 39:38 You know it was not common during the 18th century 39:42 for women to study theology. 39:46 But Susanna Wesley whose father was a pastor 39:50 was extremely educated and she had, I forget sometimes, 39:55 was it 13 children or 19 children? Uh? 39:59 19 children and many have became pastors 40:03 and they learned it from their mother. 40:04 She could go, a voracious reader and a student. 40:07 She married a pastor and she knew 40:08 twice as much as her pastor husband. 40:10 But Mary, I think was very educated, 40:13 it wasn't common for the girls to go to the synagogues 40:16 where the boys were taught but they might learn to read at home 40:18 from their fathers and so they were allowed to do this. 40:21 One reason I see that is a quote from the book, Desire of Ages. 40:27 Can you imagine being given the responsibility 40:31 of raising and training and teaching the Messiah? 40:36 How seriously would you take raising your children? 40:39 Let me ask this question, why should it be any different? 40:43 Ah, well, you know, this is just-- 40:45 I'm just raising you a typical sinner, 40:46 I don't need to worry about it. 40:49 I mean that's probably not the right attitude. 40:52 With deep earnestness, this is Desire of Ages, 40:56 the mother of Jesus watched the unfolding of His powers, 41:00 and beheld the impress of perfection upon His character. 41:04 With delight she sought to encourage 41:06 that bright, receptive mind. 41:09 Through the Holy Spirit she received wisdom 41:12 to co-operate with heavenly agencies 41:14 in the development of this child, 41:16 who could claim only God as His Father. 41:20 But you know you and I can do that with our children. 41:22 Ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in their training, 41:24 and I'm not done. 41:26 The child Jesus did not receive 41:28 instruction in the synagogue schools. 41:31 His mother was His first human teacher. 41:35 From her lips and from the scrolls of the prophets, 41:39 you think Mary could read? He learned of heavenly things. 41:44 The very words which He Himself had spoken to Moses for Israel, 41:48 He is now taught at His mother's knee. 41:51 Ah, you ever think about that? 41:53 Here is Jesus sitting at His mother's knee 41:55 hearing his mother rehearse what He had given to Moses. 41:58 I thought this is mind blowing, 41:59 when you think about 42:00 how the circle goes around in this way. 42:04 So Mary is a faithful teacher. 42:06 She is obviously a very bright woman, 42:08 a very dedicated woman, 42:09 she tried to not only teach by word 42:11 but by example to Son of God. 42:15 She must have done a good job. 42:18 She wasn't sinless, we know that but she was a good mother. 42:25 Then he gets a little older, 12 years old 42:28 time to go to the temple with dad. 42:31 Luke 2:48, on their way to the temple, 42:37 they become busy visiting with family, 42:40 they used to go kind of in a parade, a crowd, 42:42 they take this big pilgrimage, they go to temple for the feast 42:45 Jesus is finally old enough to go. 42:47 Mary and Joseph trust Jesus, He is not one of these kids 42:51 where as soon as you turn your head you wonder where He is, 42:53 you got to look for Him, He's always in trouble 42:54 in some dark corner somewhere. 42:56 They could trust Him. 42:57 And so because they could trust Him, 42:59 because He was so obedient and compliant 43:01 and don't you all wish you had child like that? 43:04 They kind of lost track of Him and when it came time to-- 43:08 the feast is over, to hit back up to Nazareth. 43:12 They just assumed that He was somewhere with some other kin, 43:14 some of the family, the procession had left, 43:16 they didn't see Him right away but they-- 43:18 it was a big throng and people were eating along the way. 43:21 They got a day and half into their journey 43:23 before they started to frantically search and realize, 43:25 how we went to church in a big religious feast 43:29 and we don't know where Jesus is anywhere 43:31 and they lost track of Him 43:33 and they had to retrace their steps 43:35 and in Mary's words sorrowing, wondering 43:40 can you imagine being committed the Son of God, 43:43 you've got the national treasure and you lose it. 43:47 She lost the national treasure. Finally they find Him where? 43:54 In the temple, sitting at the feet of all the scholars 43:57 both listening and asking them question, 43:59 profound question that just threw them for a loop 44:05 that this child could be so perceptive and so intuitive. 44:10 They found Him they were amazed 44:13 and His mother said to Him, 44:14 "Son, why have you done this to us?" 44:19 Think about this too, I can't rush past this story, 44:23 Mary and Joseph good, you all want them in your church, 44:27 religious, they go to church, religious festival 44:29 they leave church and they go through it all 44:31 and you know what they lose Jesus in the process, 44:33 they forget all about Jesus. 44:35 I wonder if it's possible for us today 44:37 to go trough all the religious motions 44:39 and the fanfare of the services and the ceremony 44:42 and go to church and leave church 44:43 and forget all about Jesus in the process. 44:47 Pastors can do it, you can get so involved in the service 44:52 and the program and trying to get every thing to work out 44:56 that you go and you come and you leave me 44:58 and say, did I forget something? 45:00 Ah, Jesus, I forgot about Jesus. 45:04 The person, the real living Jesus, 45:06 I left Him there at the church. 45:09 Don't do that, friends. 45:10 When you leave today, don't leave Jesus here, 45:12 take Him home with you. Amen. 45:15 You missed the cue, that was the best 45:16 amen opportunity in the whole service. 45:19 Then He gets a little older now, He is baptized, 45:23 He says, "Mom, I feel my calling." 45:25 He is baptized at the Jordan River by John the Baptist. 45:27 And she says, "Oh great, He is going to begin His ministry." 45:30 They go to a wedding feast 45:32 not far from Nazareth, a place called Cana. 45:35 The third day of the weddings would last a week there. 45:37 They did not plan well, too many people showed up 45:40 uninvited to the wedding, that sometimes happens today. 45:44 They did not sign the RSVP and they run out of wine. 45:49 And his disciples were there and Jesus comes to them 45:51 and she says, "They have no wine." 45:55 He says, "Woman," 45:56 that is not a disrespectable term in the Bible. 45:59 I know if many of you husbands referred your wife as a woman, 46:03 that would not be received well, 46:05 but in the Bible when Jesus said woman, 46:08 it's equivalent is madam, it was a term of respect. 46:13 And he says, "Madam what does your concern have to do with me? 46:19 My hour has not yet come." 46:21 Now, in referring to her as woman, 46:23 why it is respectable it's distant. 46:27 Meaning it's not, He didn't say mommy, 46:30 He could have said mother, 46:31 He didn't say that, He said woman. 46:34 And so some of these churches that venerate Mary 46:37 that if we want to get Jesus' attention 46:38 you go to Jesus through Mary 46:39 because after all that's His mom. 46:41 Jesus went out of His way during His earthly life to explain, 46:44 Yes, she is the holy vehicle 46:46 through whom I was chosen to come, 46:50 I'm not saying she was sinless. 46:52 But I'm really for all people, you don't, 46:57 you know, she is a sinner, 46:58 she needs my salvation as much as anyone does. 47:01 And I think sometimes that's forgotten. 47:04 My hour has not yet come. 47:07 And His mother said to her servants, 47:09 but she knew by the tone of his voice he was going to help. 47:11 He said, look mom, I will help but this is not what you think. 47:15 I'm not going to take the throne of David. 47:17 That's why she says to the servants, 47:20 "Do whatever He tells you to do." 47:21 He was getting ready to do something? 47:22 Now what does wine represent? 47:24 Isn't it interesting that one of the first things that happens 47:27 in the ministry of Christ is He works a miracle 47:30 turning water into wine, the best wine, pure grape juice, 47:35 best did not mean the highest alcohol content. 47:38 It meant the best quality, the last thing that happens 47:42 when Jesus is on the cross is they give Him sour wine. 47:48 So His ministry begins by giving 47:51 at a wedding pure wine to humans. 47:55 At the end humans, sinner, give Him sour wine 48:00 when He is on the cross. 48:02 It's a symbol for the blood of the covenant. 48:03 Remember what He said, "Take this, 48:05 it's a symbol of the blood, my blood which is shed for you." 48:08 His whole life is about a blood transfusion. 48:10 He takes our sin, He gives us His purity. 48:15 Mary is a type of the church here. 48:17 She says, "Do whatever He says." 48:20 And you know what, that ought to be 48:21 the message of the church to the world. 48:23 Listen to him, do what He says. 48:25 So, oh, I can go on and on talking about this 48:29 and it's in the context of servants. 48:32 What is Mary thinking about? 48:33 Herself or there is the need of others, 48:36 they are thirsty, they have run out of a necessity 48:39 and she is interested in supplying their need. 48:43 Then you go on here 48:46 and Jesus wants His mother's attention, 48:53 I'm sorry Mary wants her son's attention, 48:54 Luke 8, it's establishing priorities. 48:59 He is possibly in Peter's house teaching, 49:02 the crowd is crunched him in and a message comes to Jesus, 49:06 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, 49:10 and he could not-- they not come out him for the press, 49:13 the crowd that's all around Him 49:15 and it was told Him by certain, 49:17 the word was passed in the slip of paper 49:18 it say your mother and your brethren are outside, 49:21 they want to talk to you. What does Jesus say? 49:24 He looks surrounding the motions to the crowd 49:27 and he says "My mother and My brethren 49:30 are those who hear the word of God and they do it." 49:33 What else is He doing? 49:35 Is He establishing that priority again 49:37 that his mother Mary while she was at that holy position, 49:42 He is now got a priority for reaching the people of the world 49:49 and what does He say about the word of God, 49:51 that's the priority. 49:54 Now I'm going to rush ahead because I see the clock here. 49:56 John 19:25, Mary was his mother 50:01 but she slowly is transitioning 50:03 into something of also His follower, 50:05 she is recognizing through His ministry and His teaching 50:08 that He is got a broad calling 50:10 that His Father is God the Father. 50:13 But there at the cross, she is there, John 19:25, 50:19 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, 50:22 and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, 50:25 and Mary Magdalene." Isn't that interesting? 50:28 There at the cross, you got Mary, Mary, Mary. 50:33 If the word Mary does mean love that would have been interesting 50:38 because Jesus said to Peter, do you love me? 50:39 Do you love me? Do you love me? 50:41 And there is that devotion of those three woman 50:43 at the cross, all named Mary. 50:48 Can you imagine how hard that must have been 50:49 for her to stay and watch that? 50:52 She had such glorious expectations for Jesus 50:55 to be on the throne of David. 50:58 Another quote from the book Desire of Ages, 744, 51:02 "The mother of Jesus, 51:04 supported by John the beloved disciple, 51:06 had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. 51:09 She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, 51:12 she longed the place as supporting hand 51:15 beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow 51:18 which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. 51:21 But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. 51:25 With the disciples she still cherished the hope 51:27 that Jesus would manifest His power, 51:30 He would deliver Himself from His enemies. 51:32 Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words 51:35 in which had been foretold the very scenes 51:38 that were now taking place. 51:40 As the thieves were bound to the cross, 51:42 she looked on with agonizing suspense. 51:45 Would He who had given life to the dead 51:47 suffer Himself to be crucified?" 51:49 Even Mary still at the cross 51:50 didn't realize what is going to happen? 51:53 Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain 51:58 must she witness His shame and sorrow, 52:00 without even the privilege 52:01 of ministering to Him in His distress? 52:05 She saw His hands stretched upon the cross, 52:08 the hammer and the nails were brought in his hands 52:11 and the spikes were driven through the tender flesh 52:14 and the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene 52:19 the fainting form of the mother of Jesus." 52:23 Can you imagine the devastation 52:24 and that's what Simon meant when he said, 52:26 His sword will pierce your own soul. 52:32 Evidently she revives, He is on the cross, 52:34 the cross for hours after the crucifixion, 52:37 a few hours later John brings her back again 52:39 to right at the feet of the cross. 52:41 Jesus can look down, He sees His mother 52:44 through the sweat and the blood in his eyes. 52:48 And when Jesus therefore saw His mother still in John 19:26 52:53 and the disciple standing by whom He loved 52:56 that would be John, He said to His mother, 52:58 "Woman, behold thy son!" 53:02 And then He said to the disciple "Behold my mother!" 53:06 You know, It's worthy of mention the Gospel of John 53:09 begins by saying, "Behold the Lamb of God 53:11 that takes away the sin of the world." 53:14 All through the first chapter of John, 53:16 it's about beholding and seeing. If I'm lifted up, why? 53:19 Position of visibility I'll draw 53:22 and here are the statements of Christ on the cross, behold. 53:26 And when he says, woman behold thy son. 53:29 Who does Mary represent? The church. 53:33 Who is the church supposed to behold? It's an appeal. 53:37 Woman, I'm saying it to you again today. 53:39 Behold thy son and again, son behold thy mother. 53:47 He is also telling us that John was to then take Mary 53:52 and this is Jesus' last will and testament 53:55 it's His last, last bequest. 53:59 I mean what did He have to leave? 54:01 They had already taken His robes and gamble for that, 54:02 the only thing left to take care of and His will is His mother. 54:07 I don't know about you but if I was on the cross 54:09 going through that I probably be 54:12 so preoccupied with my own suffering I forget that detail 54:15 but He loved His mother so much, He took care of her. 54:19 Now we get to the last references of Mary, 54:22 I'm just about done. 54:24 Evidently Mary was not at the tomb, 54:28 Mary Magdalene was there, Mary the wife of Cleopas 54:31 and others but Mary is never mentioned has been at the tomb 54:33 when they buried Him. 54:35 But she was in the upper room when Jesus appeared. 54:40 Now who is taking care of Mary after Jesus dies? 54:43 John, the night of the resurrection, Luke 24:33, 54:49 it talks about the road to Emmaus, 54:51 those two disciples that go to the upper room, 54:53 they returned to Jerusalem, 54:55 and they found the eleven. 54:57 Eleven who? Eleven apostles. 55:00 and those who were there gathered together with them. 55:05 This is the last reference that you find. 55:07 Mary was in the upper room. 55:09 Can you imagine her joy in both John 20:19, 55:13 it says Jesus stood in their midst, 55:14 and in Luke 24, in both places he says peace 55:18 and there was great rejoicing 55:20 among the disciples when they saw Him alive. 55:22 Who do you think was the happiest of all? 55:25 Can you imagine how difficult 55:26 that weekend must have been for Mary? 55:29 Ah talk about it, yeah, it's amazing 55:30 she survived the broken heart 55:32 of that week after Christ was crucified. 55:35 Now when she actually sees Him again and they all, 55:38 and He says all hail and they all come and they worship Him. 55:41 Can you imagine her joy and then the last reference 55:44 we find of Mary is Acts 1:14, it says, 55:49 these all continued when the Holy Spirit is poured out 55:52 in the upper room it tells us that Mary was there, 55:57 "These all continued with one accord in prayer 56:00 and supplication with the women 56:02 and Mary the mother of Jesus, and all His brethren. 56:07 His mother became His follower, His mother became a disciple. 56:14 Now that's really something when you trace, 56:16 we've just done a quick overview for each one of these 56:18 could have been a whole series taking it from Mary being chosen 56:22 that this miracle should happen and Christ should be born in her 56:26 and then over the course of her experience, 56:28 she ends up being transformed in the process 56:31 and the one who she is nurturing ends up nurturing her. 56:37 That's sort of the way it happens with us. 56:39 When you have a new birth experience 56:41 you grown on the milk of the word, 56:43 you nurture Christ within you 56:47 and it becomes something where it transforms your whole life 56:50 then instead of just receiving Him you become a disciple. 56:53 We find Mary at the beginning reciting Christ, 56:56 we find her at the end proclaiming Christ 56:58 and she understands now what the relationship is. 57:01 Let's bow our heads, loving Lord, this is our prayer, 57:09 we need You in our hearts and minds, 57:14 sometimes we can make the mistake of Mary 57:18 what we think that it's by virtue of our genealogy 57:22 or simply because we are going through 57:24 the ritual of coming to church 57:26 that we have the miracle of You living within. 57:29 And it's possible to lose track, Lord. 57:32 I pray that we can all have that epiphany 57:36 that you are willing to be born in us 57:38 but we must guard that relationship, 57:40 we must nurture it, we must feed it 57:42 and then we must also proclaim it. 57:46 Lord, I pray that we can experience 57:47 the same surrender that Mary had 57:49 and the same joy that she had 57:52 when she saw You alive after the resurrection, 57:56 be with us that we might proclaim that good news 57:58 and that others can have that experience of new life with Him. 58:02 I praise as we go from this place 58:04 that we will remember to take Jesus with us. 58:06 This we ask in His name, amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17