Mary: Trust of a Mother

Luke 1:26-38

I. The cast

a. Matthew tells the announcement of Jesus birth from Joseph’s perspective (Matthew 1:18-23) Here Luke tells it from Mary’s perspective

i. See why you need the whole Bible?

b. Mary most likely a young teen just going about her life. Most likely excited about her upcoming marriage.

c. Mary (Miriam in Hebrew) Exalted one

d. Details (Luke a doctor)

i. Luke is very keen on details

ii. Still Jewish writing leaves a lot of gaps but what they wrote was very important

iii. The place – Nazareth – a real town – middle class – but small on the edge of the Jews – Galilee of the Gentiles

iv. Named the girl – Mary – to marry Joseph of the house of David

1. Isaiah 9:6-7

II. The Greeting

a. The angel greets Mary in the way God saw her

i. Favored

1. Full of grace, endowed with grace, or enriched with grace

2. A grace that was given her by God not something she earned

3. Ephesians 1:3-6

ii. The Lord is with you

b. But she was troubled – she most likely did not see herself this way

i. Again she was most likely just going through her life as a faithful Jewish woman

c. Again the angel

i. Do not be afraid

ii. Repeats himself – you have found favor with God

III. The announcement – the favor

a. Mary had been chosen at the right time

i. Her young life had prepared her for this moment

1. Place, family, even who she was engaged her

2. All these details that Luke shares had all come about by the activity of the Holy Spirit in Mary’s life – all her life

b. You are going to have a baby

i. Wait what? They knew how things worked

ii. She asked how this can be – More of how will this happen? Not out of unbelief like Zechariah had

iii. Isaiah 7:14 = Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel

IV. The Holy Spirit

a. The Holy Spirit will come upon you

b. The power of the most high will overshadow you (think cloud as a visual - covering Moses, the temple and the transfiguration)

i. Luke 24:49

1. The same Holy Spirit that conceived Jesus in the womb of Mary is the same Holy Spirit – the same power that dwells inside of us

c. The evidence – Elizabeth – Mary’s Aunt pregnant in her old age

i. God was trying to remove any friction to belief in Mary

1. John had a purpose not just for Mary to believe

V. Mary’s response – faith – belief

a. I am sure a thousand thoughts were going through her mind

i. How will I tell Joseph? (my opinion)

ii. What will my family and community think?

1. The side glances and the whispers

iii. Adultery was punished by stoning.

1. However, she told Joseph he did not believe her. Not sure how long did it take for the angel to appear to Joseph?

b. Again the angel to Mary proclaimed – Nothing will be impossible with God

i. I am the Lord’s servant

1. Translates as slave girl, or slave woman

ii. May it be done to me according to your word

1. Despite all those thousands of thoughts, emotions, situations still unanswered Mary – said may it be done to me according to your word

2. Come what may she was willing to follow the Lord

c. Elizabeth recognized Mary’s belief and her willingness

i. Believed what the Lord said they would do – Luke 1:45

d. In Mary’s song (we read last week for Advent) she uses the same terminology that Gabriel did – Luke 1:48-49

i. Looked on me with favor

ii. Has done great things for me

iii. Study idea – compare Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55 & Hannah’s (mother of Samuel) in 1 Samuel 2:1-10

VI. Her belief would continue as Jesus walked this earth

a. Birth in the Manger

b. Simeon’s prophecy Luke 2: 34-35

i. Fall and rise of many

ii. A sword would pierce Mary’s own soul

c. Flight to Egypt – Matthew 2:13-15

d. Trying to keep Jesus safe – Jesus staying in Jerusalem at age 12

i. Luke 2:41-50

1. Still they did not understand but Mary would have faith

e. Witness to crucifixion

f. Witness to the resurrection

g. Clearly no easy life

When we look back to the very first Christmas, we find an example of someone who “just believed”- Mary, the mother of Jesus. She received God’s promise that her son – the son of an unwed teenager – would be the Savior of the world. She probably went through an array of emotions. But in the end, Mary simply took God at His word. She didn’t make back-up, “just in case” plans. She didn’t try to pray the situation away.... - Susan Narjala

i. Remember her own words were that God had shown her great favor and done great things for her

ii. She did not pray for a way out

VII. Our response – do we believe

a. Catholic’s go too far but we protestants often think too little of Mary and the great role she played in the story of redemption

i. For Jesus to come in the flesh. For God to send the son there needed a faithful and willing servant

1. “I am the Lord’s servant, said Mary. May it be done to me according you your word.” - Luke 1:38

2. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed - Luke 1:48b

b. Mary is worthy of our reflection, worthy of our remembrance

i. It is too easy to simply say if she was not willing then God could have found someone else.

c. Mary is someone we should praise God for

d. Are we willing that our life might be according to God’s word, even if that is difficult?

e. Do we recognize God’s favor upon our life even in the difficult times?

f. Do we recognize the role we are called to play in expanding God’s kingdom?

g. Pray to live a life covered and empowered by the Holy Spirit

i. According to us God’s Word