What Did Mary Know?

Last week, Peggy and Lynette sang MARY DID YOU KNOW, one of the more hard-hitting of the newer Christmas songs

It asks a bunch of very pointed questions that all parents, mothers in particular, can relate to; and yes, it does move me to tears, because I can relate to those questions…and you know how I am with babies

The short answer to those questions is this: She knew what Gabriel had told her AND what the prophets had foretold

Later in this same Gospel, a bit further along in the narrative. when the shepherds had left the scene of the birth, Luke tells us at 2:19

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” I’m sure there were a lot of questions in her mind

Next week we get two services to expound the events surrounding the birth of Jesus

This week we’re doing the early stage in the sequence of events which led to His birth—particularly those events surrounding his mother, Mary

We’re doing a long-range look with couple close-ups on particular portions

We’re using a lot of Scripture, so nothing gets lost in between those close-ups

We’ll focus on the setup, vv. 26 ff; the submission, v. 38; and the song—vv. 46 ff

The Setup

The Angel Gabriel appears with a message…what to a young woman would have been a disturbing one

Mary, a virgin—and there is no argument about that term, both linguistically—parthenos-- and from her own statement, “I have known not a man”

It’s worth remembering that this is Luke’s Gospel—a doctor—an investigator writing a report…he made sure of the facts

Also worth noting that though Gabriel’s address to her does, to a degree, exalt her, he quickly turns his attention to the child she would bear

His name—Jesus

He would be great…be called the Son of the Most High

Would receive the throne of His Father David—bringing in the promises foretold by the prophets

He would reign over an eternal kingdom

Mary asked a logical question, given the circumstances, “HOW” …and was given an explanation suitable for the moment

We can imply, from all this, that Mary was totally familiar with the words of all the prophets who had given the bits and pieces of this over the years

Adding what she knew from the prophets and Gabriel’s words, she knew she was going to play a major part in God’s plan of redemption

The Submission

This in v. 38, and the shortest part of the message

After hearing the message given by Gabriel, Mary responded in absolute submission

Luke 1:38 (ESV)

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

We can imagine Mary, in all humility, bowing her head as she responded to Gabriel’s pronouncement

The form translated servant—doule—is used only three times, twice in this chapter, here and v. 48, and once in Acts where it is translated “female servants”

We could also understand the term as bond-servant or even slave; I think bond-servant carries more impact as it implies a level of commitment not found in servant alone

The other term of note here is word, the underlying Greek could also be though of as STATEMENT—a bit more forceful

An Unpleasant Reality

At least one scholar has observed that to people given great blessing, there is often great effort required—he further suggests that Mary understood she would bear a great burden—as indeed she would as she watched her firstborn hang on a cross, dying for our sins

She would shortly travel to visit with her relative, Elizabeth—soon to bear John the Baptist—who would make a statement to confirm the words the angel had spoken

English Standard Version (Chapter 1)

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.

NOTE: she believed—she KNEW that that word spoken would be fulfilled

Then Mary speaks one of the most beautiful poetic pieces of Scripture

The Song

OOOPS, this is next week’s message

The Magnificat occupies vv. 46-55

We’ll not fully analyze it…we could spend hours

All we’ll say for this morning is that Mary KNEW the very fact that the nation and people still existed—after many attempts to stamp it out—stood as testimony to the promises God had made to their fathers:

English Standard Version Chapter 1

to Abraham and to his offspring forever

Mary knew that to be a fact!

…and yes,

NOW she knew that would play a role in God’s fulfillment of these promises

Our Situation

Mary didn’t have the whole story,

She knew what the angel had stated to her, what the prophets had foretold and what promises had been fulfilled, in the history of the nation

She didn’t know all the details

She was told some nearly unbelievable things—yet she believed…and acted on her beliefs, submitting to the words spoken

We now have far more information

We have the whole story—or at least all we need to know—of the birth of Jesus

We can couple that to the knowledge of the prophets

We can add to that the workings of Jesus in the Gospels and the early years of the Church from the book of Acts

We are given what we need to know 2 Pe 1 3

2 Peter 1:3 ESV

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

What we’re given in the Scripture is truth, John 8 32

John 8:32 ESV

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Interesting side note: Hebrew word for truth אֱמֶת aleph to taw; corresponds to our A to Z or Alpha and Omega as God spoke concerning Himself in Rev. 1:8

The first freedom we have is freedom from the penalty of sin

We’ve been set free by Jesus Christ—His birth we but the beginning of a process that would include His death, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, as the song said;

This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you

…and can deliver us…if we but turn to Him in humility, confession and repentance

This is the foundation of the Gospel; that we can have eternal life with Christ

…but wait, there’s more freedom coming… John 10 10

John 10:10 (ESV)

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus sets us free from the penalty of sin; the power of sin…and ultimately, the presence of sin

What did Mary know, and what did she do with what she knew?

What will we do with the things that Mary did know? ...and the things we now know?

Paul lays it out for us in Ro 10 9

Romans 10:9 (ESV)

...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

A lot of people try to get half of that and think it’s enough---

“I’ve raised my hand” “I went forward” “I gave my testimony” but have never believed in their heart...

With the heart-belief comes a change

John 3:36 ESV

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

We see that true belief provokes change

You may know what Mary knew…but what have you done with it?