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>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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She's the most famous
woman in all of history,
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more famous than Cleopatra,
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Helen of Troy,
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Mary, Queen of Scots,
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Joan of Arc.
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Her impact on history
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is greater than virtually
that of any other human being.
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Oddly enough, we don't
really know that much about her.
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Mary the mother of
Jesus appears in the Bible
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only a handful of times.
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The story of the birth of Jesus
is found in Matthew 1 and 2,
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and, of course, Mary
features prominently.
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The same story is
repeated in Luke 1 and 2.
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In Matthew 13 the
question is asked,
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"Is not His"--that's
Jesus'-- "mother called Mary?"
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In Mark 3:32, they
say to Jesus, "Look,
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Your mother and Your brothers
are outside seeking You."
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John 2, the wedding feast of
Cana, when Mary informs Jesus
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that the wedding
host has run out of wine.
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Mary is presented at
the cross in John 19,
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and it's mentioned
there that she has a sister.
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And then in Acts, chapter 1,
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it says that "these all
continued with one accord
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"in prayer and supplication,
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"with the women and
Mary the mother of Jesus,
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and with His
brothers." Acts 1:14.
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And that's basically it.
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Now, admittedly, the story of
the birth and infancy of Jesus
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is a good long story,
but once Jesus is a boy,
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Mary barely
features again in the Bible.
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And that's not surprising.
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The New Testament is the
story of Jesus, after all.
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There's a good amount
of myth surrounding Mary
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in Christianity today,
but as we continue our series,
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"Great Characters of the Bible,"
we're going to investigate Mary.
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She doesn't appear
a lot in the Bible,
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but she's an
extremely important figure,
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and she made an immense
impact on all of history.
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This is the story
that introduces us to Mary.
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We'll pick it up
in Luke, chapter 1.
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"Now in the sixth month the
angel Gabriel was sent by God
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"to a city of
Galilee named Nazareth,
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"to a virgin betrothed to
a man whose name was Joseph,
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"of the house of David.
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"The virgin's name was Mary.
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"And having come in,
the angel said to her,
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"'Rejoice, highly favored
one, the Lord is with you;
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blessed are you among
women!'" That's Luke 1:26.
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That's quite an
experience for a young woman.
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She was betrothed,
engaged, to Joseph.
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And she's
approached by an angel.
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We read that she was
troubled by this greeting,
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was trying to make sense of it.
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"Then the angel said to
her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary,
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"'for you have
found favor with God.
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"'And behold, you
will conceive in your womb
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and bring forth a Son, and
shall call His name Jesus.'"
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The angel goes on to say,
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"He will be great, and will be
called the Son of the Highest;
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"and the Lord God will give Him
the throne of His father David.
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"And He will reign over
the house of Jacob forever,
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and of His kingdom
there will be no end."
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What we can be
absolutely sure of
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is that Mary came from a
dedicated, devout family.
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She would have been
familiar with the prophecies
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that pointed forward to
the advent of the Messiah,
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and she'd have known
that Isaiah had written
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that "a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a Son,
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and shall call
His name Immanuel."
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Isaiah 7:14.
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But she asked the question,
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"How can this be,
since I do not know a man?"
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She'd never slept with Joseph.
How could this possibly be?
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Now, she might
have answered and said,
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"Sure, we plan to have
children after we're married."
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But God's
messenger had other news.
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"The angel
answered and said to her,
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"'The Holy Spirit
will come upon you,
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"'and the power of the
Highest will overshadow you;
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"'therefore, also, that Holy One
who is to be born will be called
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the Son of God.'"
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Luke 1:35.
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"Mary, you're going to become
pregnant. It will be a miracle.
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This is something
God will accomplish."
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And as if to confirm
that this was possible,
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this miracle
birth, the angel told her
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that her cousin
Elizabeth, in her advanced age,
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had conceived and was
also going to have a son.
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Just imagine Mary's
emotions at a time like this.
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To find out you're
pregnant is one thing,
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and usually a
very happy occasion.
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But Mary was unmarried.
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Now, there's not as
much of a stigma today
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in being pregnant out of
wedlock, maybe none at all,
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but in that day,
it was scandalous.
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Adultery was
punishable by death.
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Intimacy prior to marriage,
society didn't take that well.
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Mary was told that "with God
nothing shall be impossible."
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And I want you to
notice Mary's response.
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This is key and a
great example for us.
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Mary said, "'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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Luke 1:38.
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You wonder why Mary was chosen
to be the mother of the Messiah,
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and you find the
reason right there.
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She realized this was going
to seriously impact her life.
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You'd expect that she
was awed by the prospect
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of having to raise the
Deliverer of the world.
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But when God picked her
for the most solemn assignment
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ever committed to a human being,
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Mary's response
was full of faith.
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"I am the maidservant
of the Lord," she said.
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"I'm the
servant," or maybe even,
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"I am the slave of the Lord."
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Simeon later told Mary that
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"a sword will
pierce... your...soul."
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Luke 2:35.
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But she went into this saying,
"[I'm the servant] of the Lord!
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"Let it be to me
according to your word."
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It's pretty easy to hear
someone else say those words,
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but this is where the
theory of Christianity
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becomes the
reality of Christianity.
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It isn't hard to
be a believer in Jesus
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when everything is going well,
when faith in God is popular,
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when there's no cross to carry.
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But when the
heat gets turned up...
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This is what we like
about the story of Daniel
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in the lions' den or the story
of the three boys who didn't bow
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to the statue, but instead were
cast into the fiery furnace.
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They were faithful.
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They stood up for God even when
their lives were in jeopardy.
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Mary was told she was
going to deliver the Messiah.
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No one would have
faulted her if she had said,
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"I'm not worthy. The
responsibility is too great.
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I just want to
live a simple life."
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But instead, Mary said
essentially what Jesus would say
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more than 30 years later
when He prayed to His Father,
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"Not my will,
but Yours, be done."
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Mary said that here: "Let it
be ...according to your word."
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And that, my friend, is what
faith is. I'll do it God's way.
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I'll trust God with this,
not my will but God's will.
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So let me ask you,
what is God asking you to do
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that you're
dragging your feet on,
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something that
you're reluctant to do?
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Is there some area of your life
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where you're not
wanting to surrender?
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God might be asking
you to read the Bible more
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and know Him more deeply.
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He might be calling you to pray.
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God might be calling you to
surrender your bad attitude.
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He might be asking you to
move out of a living situation
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you know that He
doesn't approve of,
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or take those bottles
of alcohol in the cupboard
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and pour them down the drain.
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It might be God is
calling you to be faithful
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with your finances,
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to surrender a
destructive habit,
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or to yield to His call to
serve Him in some capacity.
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Is God calling you?
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When He called Mary, she said,
"I'm willing to do Your will."
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Can you say the same?
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This is why Mary is one
of the truly great characters
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of the Bible,
because she gives us
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one of the truly great examples
of faith and trust in God.
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I'll be back with
more in just a moment.
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¤[music swells and ends]¤¤
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>>Announcer: Motherhood
is a wonderful gift from God.
00:08:37.78\00:08:40.32
There are many examples in the
Bible of where a mother's love
00:08:40.35\00:08:43.18
is used to illustrate
God's love for His children.
00:08:43.22\00:08:46.42
Our free offer today
is "A Mother in Israel."
00:08:46.45\00:08:49.46
To receive this free DVD,
00:08:49.49\00:08:50.93
call 800-253-3000
00:08:50.96\00:08:53.63
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:08:53.66\00:08:57.33
Discover what the Bible teaches
about the beauty of motherhood:
00:08:57.37\00:09:00.74
"A Mother in Israel."
00:09:00.77\00:09:01.80
Call 800-253-3000
00:09:01.84\00:09:04.71
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:09:04.74\00:09:07.18
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:09:08.81\00:09:11.68
After discovering she
was going to be pregnant
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with the Son of God,
Mary visited her cousin
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in the hill country of Judah.
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Elizabeth greeted
Mary by addressing her as
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"the mother of my Lord."
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God is
confirming again and again
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that Mary was going to
give birth to the Messiah.
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She would be the mother,
not of God, but of Jesus,
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the One who would be
fully human and fully divine.
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You know, there are a number
of myths surrounding Mary,
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and it's important
that we don't trip on them.
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I just mentioned one.
She wasn't the mother of God.
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Mother of Jesus?
Mother of the Messiah? Sure.
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But mother of God?
No, she wasn't that.
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She was the mother of Jesus, who
came to this earth in the flesh,
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laying aside His
divinity as He did so.
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Mary wasn't taken to heaven
bodily without seeing death.
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If there's no evidence in the
Bible that something happened,
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you can't appeal to tradition
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or say that because the Bible
doesn't say it didn't happen,
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then maybe it did.
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You can understand the can of
worms that that would open up.
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You know, there are some
good traditions in the world:
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white wedding dresses,
Thanksgiving in North America,
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baby showers, standing
for the national anthem--
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all positive traditions.
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But when you start
bringing traditions
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into your Christian experience,
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traditions that are
not based on the Bible,
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you're not far away
from entertaining traditions
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that run contrary to the Bible.
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Some people pray to Mary.
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There's nothing in the
Bible that says you should--
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and plenty that
says you should not.
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Paul wrote to Timothy
that "there is one God
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"and one Mediator between God
and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
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"who gave
Himself a ransom for all,
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to be testified in due time."
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That's 1 Timothy 2:5 and 6.
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Jesus taught His
disciples to pray, "Our Father,"
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and He said nothing at all
about praying to His mother.
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Praying to Mary, or
anyone else outside the Godhead,
00:11:11.50\00:11:14.94
for that matter, is inconsistent
with the teachings of the Bible.
00:11:14.97\00:11:19.14
Jesus said, "Come
unto me, all ye that labour
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and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest."
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That's Matthew 11:28.
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He said, "Whatever you ask
in my name, ...I will do [it]."
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John 14:13.
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John wrote in 1 John 5:13-15,
00:11:32.19\00:11:35.86
"These things I have written
to you who believe in the name
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"of the Son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life,
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"and that you may continue
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"to believe in the
name of the Son of God.
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"Now this is the
confidence that we have in Him,
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"that if we ask
anything according to His will,
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"He hears us. And if
we know that He hears us,
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"whatever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions
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that we have asked of Him."
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I understand if, if you're used
to praying to a certain person,
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a saint, someone
you consider special,
00:12:06.39\00:12:09.12
this could be a challenge.
00:12:09.16\00:12:10.66
But remember, Mary
herself said to the angel,
00:12:10.69\00:12:14.30
"Let it be to me
according to your word."
00:12:14.30\00:12:17.77
And that's Christianity:
00:12:17.80\00:12:20.67
surrendering to the will
of God in order to serve God
00:12:20.70\00:12:24.67
and to receive Him
more fully into your life.
00:12:24.71\00:12:27.21
We do His will
because He loves us.
00:12:27.24\00:12:29.88
Obedience to God's will and not
our own is a foundational tenet
00:12:29.91\00:12:34.25
of the Bible.
00:12:34.28\00:12:35.35
You don't want to deify Mary.
00:12:35.38\00:12:36.99
You don't want to insert
Mary into the plan of salvation.
00:12:37.02\00:12:39.65
She has nothing to do
with redemption or mediation.
00:12:39.69\00:12:43.36
But that doesn't
make her any less special.
00:12:43.39\00:12:46.76
Elizabeth
greeted Mary by saying,
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"Blessed are you among women,
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and blessed is the
fruit of your womb!"
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Blessed among women, Mary
holds an extremely special place
00:12:55.64\00:13:00.18
among all people of all time.
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But we want to keep
that in perspective.
00:13:02.78\00:13:04.78
She was a special
woman-- there's no question.
00:13:04.81\00:13:07.75
In some circles,
00:13:07.78\00:13:08.88
her contribution to faith
might even be undervalued.
00:13:08.92\00:13:12.75
But there's nothing to
suggest Mary never sinned.
00:13:12.79\00:13:16.42
It's clear that she and her
husband Joseph were intimate
00:13:16.46\00:13:19.76
after they were married,
00:13:19.79\00:13:20.86
and, of course, that
would be normal and natural.
00:13:20.90\00:13:23.43
And she isn't
the queen of heaven.
00:13:23.47\00:13:25.40
And that picture in
Revelation 12? It says,
00:13:25.43\00:13:28.14
"And there appeared a
great wonder in heaven;
00:13:28.17\00:13:30.21
"a woman clothed with the sun,
and the moon under her feet,
00:13:30.24\00:13:33.61
and upon her head a
crown of twelve stars."
00:13:33.64\00:13:35.74
That's Revelation 12, verse 1.
00:13:35.78\00:13:37.48
That's referring to the church,
00:13:37.51\00:13:40.52
to the line from which
God raised up the Messiah,
00:13:40.55\00:13:44.59
to the body God had preserved
00:13:44.62\00:13:46.55
from which the Savior
of the world would come,
00:13:46.59\00:13:49.32
the church of the
Old and New Testaments.
00:13:49.36\00:13:52.23
Look in verse 17:
00:13:52.26\00:13:53.70
"And the dragon was
wroth with the woman,
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.10
"and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
00:13:56.13\00:13:58.97
"which keep the
commandments of God,
00:13:59.00\00:14:01.24
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:14:01.27\00:14:04.14
Revelation 12 is a
chapter that spans history,
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.51
and rather than
referencing Jesus' mother,
00:14:07.54\00:14:10.35
it's referencing the
church down through time.
00:14:10.38\00:14:13.31
Mary is an example
of faith and devotion
00:14:13.35\00:14:15.98
and love and commitment.
00:14:16.02\00:14:18.35
As a mother, she prepared Jesus
for His life on this earth.
00:14:18.39\00:14:24.49
And you'll notice Mary bore her
considerable shame with dignity.
00:14:24.53\00:14:30.40
She was called by God
and accepted the call,
00:14:30.43\00:14:34.24
even though she'd have to
walk a rough road, literally.
00:14:34.27\00:14:37.71
The journey from
Nazareth to Bethlehem
00:14:37.74\00:14:39.44
while she was great with
child would have been arduous,
00:14:39.47\00:14:42.54
an unmarried, pregnant woman in
the Middle East 2,000 years ago.
00:14:42.58\00:14:48.78
And the people knew about the
circumstances of Mary's life.
00:14:48.82\00:14:51.65
One day, as Jesus' words brought
conviction to certain hearts,
00:14:51.69\00:14:56.22
they sneered at
Him, and they said,
00:14:56.26\00:14:58.29
"We were not
born of fornication."
00:14:58.33\00:15:01.03
You read that in John 8:41.
00:15:01.06\00:15:02.83
That was a nasty swipe at
the miracle of Jesus' birth.
00:15:02.86\00:15:07.10
The people who
should have welcomed Jesus
00:15:07.14\00:15:09.07
instead turned it all
around and insulted Him.
00:15:09.10\00:15:13.51
And this stunned Mary.
00:15:13.54\00:15:15.41
They knew.
00:15:15.44\00:15:16.98
They knew she'd become
pregnant out of marriage,
00:15:17.01\00:15:19.15
and they weren't
letting her forget it,
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.72
but she carried
herself with dignity.
00:15:21.75\00:15:25.02
She didn't have to worry
about their petty insults
00:15:25.05\00:15:27.22
because she was living with
assurance in the sight of God.
00:15:27.26\00:15:30.36
She was right with God.
00:15:30.39\00:15:32.16
She didn't have to let
their nastiness drag her down.
00:15:32.19\00:15:35.66
And you can be the same.
00:15:35.70\00:15:37.37
You don't have to let the
slights or criticism of others
00:15:37.40\00:15:40.20
drag you down.
00:15:40.24\00:15:41.70
If you're living with
integrity in the sight of God,
00:15:41.74\00:15:44.34
that's all that matters.
00:15:44.37\00:15:45.74
The details of your past
life, the mistakes you made,
00:15:45.77\00:15:49.38
the sins you committed,
the things you got wrong,
00:15:49.41\00:15:52.41
you don't have to
be haunted by that,
00:15:52.45\00:15:54.48
held back by that,
weighed down by that.
00:15:54.52\00:15:57.69
When God forgives
you and calls you,
00:15:57.72\00:16:00.32
you owe no one an apology,
00:16:00.36\00:16:02.26
not for the
direction God has called you
00:16:02.29\00:16:04.69
and not for your past.
00:16:04.73\00:16:06.19
Look at 1 John 1 in verse 7:
00:16:06.23\00:16:08.26
"But if we walk in the
light as He is in the light,
00:16:08.30\00:16:11.43
"we have
fellowship with one another,
00:16:11.47\00:16:13.13
"and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanses us
00:16:13.17\00:16:17.47
from all sin."
00:16:17.51\00:16:18.84
If you're standing with God, if
you're following God's calling
00:16:18.87\00:16:22.48
in your life, if you have
surrendered your life to Jesus,
00:16:22.51\00:16:26.68
live in peace with your past
and let the barbs and attacks
00:16:26.72\00:16:30.69
and insinuations and criticisms
of others roll right off you
00:16:30.72\00:16:35.19
like water off a duck's back.
00:16:35.22\00:16:37.93
Must have been difficult
for Mary to be the recipient
00:16:37.96\00:16:40.33
of the malice of
others, and it was malice.
00:16:40.36\00:16:44.13
But Mary lived in
integrity before God.
00:16:44.17\00:16:46.53
Peter wrote, "But sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts,
00:16:46.57\00:16:50.94
"and always be ready to
give a defense to everyone
00:16:50.97\00:16:53.94
"who asks you a reason
for the hope that is in you,
00:16:53.98\00:16:57.15
"with meekness and fear;
having a good conscience,
00:16:57.18\00:17:01.12
"that when they
defame you as evildoers,
00:17:01.15\00:17:04.25
"those who revile
your good conduct in Christ
00:17:04.29\00:17:08.16
may be ashamed."
00:17:08.19\00:17:09.29
First Peter 3:15 and 16.
00:17:09.32\00:17:12.19
In just a moment, some of
the best advice Mary ever gave.
00:17:12.23\00:17:18.50
¤[music swells and ends]¤¤
00:17:18.53\00:17:25.54
>>Announcer: Motherhood
is a wonderful gift from God.
00:17:27.68\00:17:30.18
There are many examples in the
Bible of where a mother's love
00:17:30.21\00:17:33.05
is used to illustrate
God's love for His children.
00:17:33.08\00:17:36.28
Our free offer today
is "A Mother in Israel."
00:17:36.32\00:17:39.32
To receive this free DVD,
00:17:39.35\00:17:40.79
call 800-253-3000
00:17:40.82\00:17:43.53
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:17:43.56\00:17:47.23
Discover what the Bible teaches
about the beauty of motherhood:
00:17:47.23\00:17:50.53
"A Mother in Israel."
00:17:50.57\00:17:51.60
Call 800-253-3000
00:17:51.63\00:17:54.50
or visit iiwoffer.com.
00:17:54.54\00:17:57.04
¤[soft music]¤
00:17:58.51\00:18:00.54
>>John Bradshaw: The Bible
is filled with stories of people
00:18:00.58\00:18:03.08
who took a leap of faith.
00:18:03.11\00:18:05.88
Gideon was asked by God
to lead an army of just 300
00:18:05.91\00:18:10.65
against an innumerable foe.
00:18:10.69\00:18:13.12
And he did, and
he was triumphant.
00:18:13.15\00:18:15.82
Noah was asked by God
to build an ark, a boat,
00:18:15.86\00:18:19.03
so he and his family
could ride out a storm
00:18:19.06\00:18:21.40
in a world where rain
had never before fallen.
00:18:21.43\00:18:24.60
And he did, and he and his
family and the world was saved.
00:18:24.63\00:18:29.24
¤[soft music]¤
00:18:29.27\00:18:30.24
Life can be like that.
00:18:30.27\00:18:32.81
Sometimes you have
to take a leap of faith.
00:18:32.84\00:18:36.58
¤[dramatic music]¤
00:18:36.61\00:18:38.38
After you've received all
the necessary instructions,
00:18:38.41\00:18:41.92
after the
equipment has been checked,
00:18:41.95\00:18:44.89
you take a leap of faith.
00:18:44.92\00:18:47.86
Grow your faith in
God and in His Word.
00:18:47.89\00:18:51.43
Don't miss "The Leap of Faith,"
00:18:51.46\00:18:54.36
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:18:54.40\00:18:56.90
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:18:56.93\00:18:57.93
>>John Bradshaw: One of
the most remarkable characters
00:18:59.33\00:19:01.60
in the Bible was
Mary, the mother of Jesus,
00:19:01.64\00:19:05.01
the only woman in history
called to do what she did.
00:19:05.04\00:19:08.94
It was a privilege, but
an awesome responsibility.
00:19:08.98\00:19:13.48
She was a humble woman.
She gave birth in a stable.
00:19:13.52\00:19:16.69
She endured hardship, having to
flee with her husband and baby
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.59
to a foreign country in
order to save their lives.
00:19:19.62\00:19:23.02
She experienced incredible
grief. She lost her Child.
00:19:23.06\00:19:27.50
In fact, she
witnessed His brutal execution,
00:19:27.50\00:19:31.27
standing by
while He was crucified.
00:19:31.30\00:19:34.24
Mary was strong. Just
how do you endure that?
00:19:34.27\00:19:38.87
And Mary was faithful.
00:19:38.91\00:19:41.04
After the death of Jesus,
she didn't give up on God.
00:19:41.08\00:19:44.38
She didn't allow grief
or anger to derail her.
00:19:44.41\00:19:47.38
She carried right on
00:19:47.42\00:19:49.42
and identified and
associated with the disciples.
00:19:49.45\00:19:52.72
Her faith didn't falter.
00:19:52.75\00:19:55.59
And Mary, she was
brave, courageous.
00:19:55.62\00:19:59.33
She didn't
disassociate from the disciples
00:19:59.36\00:20:01.16
for the sake of her own safety.
00:20:01.20\00:20:02.96
She pressed forward and wouldn't
allow even the authorities
00:20:03.00\00:20:06.33
to shake her from her faith.
00:20:06.37\00:20:07.54
And keep this in
mind. She wasn't perfect.
00:20:07.57\00:20:11.04
Now, understand
what I'm saying here.
00:20:11.07\00:20:12.31
For one thing, she was a sinner
just as everyone is a sinner.
00:20:12.34\00:20:16.11
The Bible says
that "all have sinned,
00:20:16.14\00:20:18.38
and come short of the
glory of God" in Romans 3:23.
00:20:18.41\00:20:21.55
But beyond that, Mary
wasn't above making mistakes.
00:20:21.58\00:20:26.19
They were in Jerusalem,
a bustling, busy place--
00:20:27.19\00:20:30.89
not New York City or
Lagos or Tokyo, but still busy,
00:20:30.93\00:20:35.83
especially at the
time of the Passover.
00:20:35.86\00:20:37.87
Afterwards, the family set
out for their home in Nazareth.
00:20:37.90\00:20:40.94
Jesus was just 12 years old.
00:20:40.97\00:20:43.14
Luke 2:43 says,
00:20:43.17\00:20:44.87
"When they had finished
the days, as they returned,
00:20:44.91\00:20:48.84
"the Boy Jesus
lingered behind in Jerusalem.
00:20:48.88\00:20:52.28
"And Joseph and His
mother did not know it;
00:20:52.31\00:20:54.78
"but supposing Him to
have been in the company,
00:20:54.82\00:20:57.89
"they went a day's journey,
00:20:57.92\00:20:59.75
"and sought Him among their
relatives and acquaintances.
00:20:59.79\00:21:03.56
"So when they did not find
Him, they returned to Jerusalem,
00:21:03.59\00:21:07.40
"seeking Him. Now so it
was that after three days
00:21:07.46\00:21:11.47
"they found Him in the temple,
00:21:11.50\00:21:13.30
"sitting in the
midst of the teachers,
00:21:13.34\00:21:14.97
both listening to them
and asking them questions."
00:21:15.00\00:21:18.21
Luke 2:43-46.
00:21:18.24\00:21:20.51
Now, I want you
to think about this.
00:21:21.51\00:21:23.45
Mary and Joseph were, no
doubt, responsible parents.
00:21:23.48\00:21:27.55
They set out for
home and somehow managed
00:21:27.58\00:21:32.32
to leave their
12-year-old Boy behind.
00:21:32.35\00:21:36.49
They thought He
was in the group,
00:21:36.52\00:21:37.73
maybe with relatives or friends.
00:21:37.76\00:21:39.73
But He wasn't.
00:21:39.76\00:21:41.30
You know, I'm not finding
fault with Mary and Joseph,
00:21:41.33\00:21:43.80
I mean, not really.
00:21:43.83\00:21:45.70
But what I am
saying is that even they
00:21:45.73\00:21:48.07
were not beyond
making a mistake.
00:21:48.10\00:21:50.67
I haven't met too many
parents who always get it right.
00:21:50.71\00:21:53.68
So if you're a parent and you've
ever made a parenting mistake,
00:21:53.71\00:21:57.95
you can know that
you're in good company.
00:21:57.98\00:22:00.68
But there's
something Mary said one day
00:22:00.72\00:22:02.72
that I want to
draw your attention to.
00:22:02.75\00:22:04.62
At the wedding feast in Cana,
00:22:04.65\00:22:06.62
the hosts ran
out of refreshments,
00:22:06.65\00:22:08.99
and Mary said to Jesus her Son,
00:22:09.02\00:22:11.43
"They have no wine,"
00:22:11.46\00:22:12.96
and then she
said to the servants,
00:22:12.99\00:22:15.03
"Whatever He
says to you, do it."
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.27
You find that in
John 2, verses 3 and 5.
00:22:18.30\00:22:21.60
Now, the context doesn't
make clear whether or not
00:22:21.64\00:22:23.94
Mary expected
Jesus to work a miracle,
00:22:23.97\00:22:26.44
but that's not really the point.
00:22:26.47\00:22:28.18
It's what she said: "Whatever
He says to you, do it."
00:22:28.21\00:22:33.78
Now, that's advice that
we can take to heart today.
00:22:33.82\00:22:37.15
What's faith in God?
00:22:38.15\00:22:39.85
Faith is acting
upon the Word of God
00:22:39.89\00:22:42.36
and expecting the Word of God
to do what it says it will do,
00:22:42.39\00:22:46.59
so that when God speaks,
our natural response is to say,
00:22:46.63\00:22:50.67
"Yes, Lord, whatever You want."
00:22:50.70\00:22:53.64
Some people get
hung up on obedience
00:22:53.67\00:22:55.34
as though it's a bad
thing, as though grace means
00:22:55.37\00:22:57.67
that you can
disregard whatever God says.
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.34
Nothing could be
further from the truth.
00:23:00.38\00:23:02.34
Obedience isn't
only a good thing;
00:23:02.38\00:23:04.91
it's an inevitability as
you grow in your relationship
00:23:04.95\00:23:08.12
with God and
surrender to Him more and more.
00:23:08.15\00:23:11.09
Jesus said in John 15,
00:23:11.12\00:23:12.92
"Abide in me, and I in you.
00:23:12.95\00:23:15.69
"As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself,
00:23:15.72\00:23:17.79
"unless it abides in the vine,
00:23:17.83\00:23:20.06
"neither can you,
unless you abide in me.
00:23:20.10\00:23:23.67
"I am the vine,
you are the branches.
00:23:23.70\00:23:27.10
"He who abides in me, and
I in him, bears much fruit;
00:23:27.14\00:23:31.97
for without me
you can do nothing."
00:23:32.01\00:23:35.81
When Jesus lives in
the life of a believer,
00:23:35.84\00:23:39.01
that person bears much fruit.
00:23:39.05\00:23:41.82
When you're
surrendered to Jesus,
00:23:41.85\00:23:43.22
you're living for the
glory, for the honor of God.
00:23:43.25\00:23:47.02
When you're just
living for yourself,
00:23:47.06\00:23:49.02
you're pleasing yourself,
00:23:49.06\00:23:50.49
and your intent
isn't the honor of God.
00:23:50.53\00:23:54.30
Mary gave wise counsel:
"Whatever He says, do it."
00:23:54.30\00:23:59.33
Read the Bible, and
you'll find God providing
00:23:59.37\00:24:01.57
guidance and instruction.
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.07
He says, "Have faith." So we do.
00:24:03.10\00:24:05.84
He says, "Keep my commandments,"
00:24:05.87\00:24:07.81
and so we do,
because it was His idea.
00:24:07.84\00:24:10.41
When He says, "Give
me your heart; trust me,"
00:24:10.45\00:24:13.42
that's what we do.
00:24:13.45\00:24:14.42
"Whatever He says, do
it." Very good advice.
00:24:14.45\00:24:18.52
And how is that accomplished?
00:24:18.55\00:24:19.99
As Paul wrote, "It
is God who works in you
00:24:20.02\00:24:23.26
both to will and to do
for His good pleasure."
00:24:23.29\00:24:26.43
Philippians 2:13.
00:24:26.46\00:24:28.13
Truly surrender
your heart to Jesus,
00:24:28.16\00:24:30.97
and He'll do His
will in your life.
00:24:31.00\00:24:34.67
That's what it is to
live a life of faith.
00:24:34.70\00:24:38.01
Although she gave
birth to the Messiah,
00:24:38.04\00:24:40.51
Mary lived a life of faith,
00:24:40.54\00:24:43.01
a life that was at times
challenging, at times wonderful,
00:24:43.04\00:24:48.22
at other times,
brutally difficult.
00:24:48.25\00:24:51.42
But Mary was constant.
00:24:51.45\00:24:54.76
Honored by God in a way
no other person has been
00:24:54.79\00:24:57.83
or will be honored,
00:24:57.86\00:24:59.53
she was
faithful, looking to God.
00:24:59.56\00:25:03.70
You can do that, too.
Are you willing today?
00:25:03.73\00:25:06.87
If you'll open
your heart to Jesus,
00:25:06.90\00:25:09.77
He'll abide in you, and you'll
abide in Him...for all eternity.
00:25:09.80\00:25:16.51
¤[soft piano music]¤
00:25:17.51\00:25:18.65
[mug clinks on table]
00:25:18.68\00:25:20.18
>>Man 1: What does the
Bible say about astrology?
00:25:22.18\00:25:24.85
>>Man 2: Why do bad
things happen to good people?
00:25:29.19\00:25:32.19
[rattle of crayons]
00:25:34.00\00:25:35.66
>>Girl: What color is Jesus?
00:25:37.67\00:25:40.14
>>John Bradshaw: If
you have a question,
00:25:40.17\00:25:41.37
we'd love to find an
answer for you from the Bible.
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.64
Line Upon Line
00:25:43.67\00:25:44.97
from It Is Written TV.
00:25:45.01\00:25:46.74
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:25:47.68\00:25:49.64
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:25:49.68\00:25:53.01
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:25:53.05\00:25:56.25
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:25:56.28\00:26:00.56
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:26:00.59\00:26:02.06
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00:26:02.09\00:26:03.56
or you can visit us
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00:26:03.59\00:26:07.40
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:07.46\00:26:10.17
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:10.20\00:26:14.34
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:14.37\00:26:17.37
>>John: Let's pray together now.
00:26:18.34\00:26:20.28
Our Father in
heaven, we thank You today
00:26:20.31\00:26:22.51
for the example of Mary, who
gave birth to our Savior Jesus.
00:26:22.54\00:26:28.28
She brought the
Messiah into the world.
00:26:28.32\00:26:30.59
It was a miracle.
00:26:30.62\00:26:33.39
And we thank You for
the miracle of her life,
00:26:33.42\00:26:36.36
of her example of
faithfulness and humility.
00:26:36.39\00:26:40.13
We thank You that in Mary we
see qualities worth emulating.
00:26:40.16\00:26:44.27
And we thank You that Mary's
life pointed people to Jesus.
00:26:44.30\00:26:48.77
Direct us to Him now, Lord.
00:26:48.80\00:26:51.07
Friend, as we think of
Jesus, the Savior of this world,
00:26:51.11\00:26:54.18
I wonder where you
are in relation to Him.
00:26:54.21\00:26:56.85
Have you
surrendered your heart to Him?
00:26:56.88\00:26:58.65
If you have not, that's why we
have this moment together now.
00:26:58.68\00:27:02.65
Would you do so?
00:27:02.68\00:27:04.25
Would you pray the prayer that
says, "Jesus, take my heart.
00:27:04.29\00:27:07.42
"Father, make my life Yours.
00:27:07.46\00:27:08.79
Holy Spirit, fill me"--
can you pray that prayer?
00:27:08.82\00:27:11.06
Let's do it now.
00:27:11.09\00:27:12.33
Father, take our hand; guide us;
00:27:12.36\00:27:14.40
our hearts, live in us;
00:27:14.46\00:27:17.50
our lives, make them Yours.
00:27:17.53\00:27:19.50
Friend, are you
reaching out to Jesus now?
00:27:19.53\00:27:22.97
When Jesus returns, we
want to be ready to meet Him
00:27:23.00\00:27:26.54
and be with You,
Lord, in eternity.
00:27:26.57\00:27:28.84
Let it be so, we pray.
00:27:28.88\00:27:31.11
And we thank You in Jesus' name,
00:27:31.15\00:27:33.11
amen.
00:27:33.15\00:27:34.62
Thanks so much for joining me.
00:27:34.65\00:27:35.82
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:35.85\00:27:37.82
Until then, remember:
00:27:37.85\00:27:39.85
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:39.89\00:27:43.73
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:43.76\00:27:47.60
¤[dramatic theme music]¤
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¤[music ends]¤¤
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