MARY DID YOU KNOW?

Luke 4:21 (NLT) — 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

Luke 4:21 (The Living Bible, Paraphrased) — 21 Then he added, “These Scriptures came true today!”

Acts 19:20 (NKJV) — 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (KJV) — 1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Jeremiah 23:29 (NIV) — 29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) — 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

1 Timothy 1:18 (NKJV) — 18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

Numbers 23:19 (NKJV) — 19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

1 Chronicles 17:23 (NKJV) — 23 “And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said.

Luke 2:8–19 (NKJV) — 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19 (NIV) — 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

The word signifies not merely to guard but to keep.

She kept on keeping together all these things.

This is the present continuous tense

The present continuous verb tense indicates that an action or condition is happening now, frequently, and may continue into the future.

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart” Mary thought about these events again and again

Means that she thought about them almost constantly, and no wonder!

Mary continuously treasured, pondered, kept and guarded the things she had heard in her heart

They were meat and drink to her.

Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV) — 16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

Job 23:12 (NKJV) — 12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.

She was astonished and filled with holy awe.

Yet she did not know very much, but she guarded and kept what she did know

Mary, however, reflects even more deeply on the events.

Mary has greater understanding than anyone else in this situation, but apparently feels it is most appropriate to keep her feelings and thoughts to herself.

Mary kept all these things, and compared what she was experiencing with what had been written about the messiah by the prophets.

Mary would go over each detail in the words of Gabriel and of the shepherds and compare what they said with the facts as they developed

Angel Gabriel had appeard to Mary prior to the Shepherds visit (Luke 1:26-38)

Luke 2:51 (NIV) — 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

As we approach and contemplate our entry into the New year of 2024, there are things we know and the things we don't know

There were things that Jacob the Father of Joseph knew, and the things he didn't know

Genesis 37:11 “His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.”

Equally there are things we know, and there are also things we definitely don't know

Despite the uncertainty about the future, the bewilderment, the question being asked, there are the things we do know that bring us comfort and encouragement about our future

Yet we presently continuously treasure, keep, guard, protect, wage the good warfare, reflect deeply,seek deeper understanding

Mary contemplated and considered the Words she had heard over and over, again and again, yet without having the full picture

That was the state of knowing and not knowing that Mary was in

Many of us are in that state of knowing and not knowing

We need however to do what Mary did

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”

May did not know!!!

Introduction of the Song

Neither do we know, but the things we do know, the Word of God towards us, the promises of God, the prophecies of God, we:

Continuously Treasure

Ponder in our heart over and over

keep

guard

protect

wage the good warfare

reflect deeply

seek deeper understanding

Seek much detail of the Word

Whatever the shaking of the year 2024, and there will be many shaking and things that we do not know, but hold fast unto the things that you do know

No matter what the challenges in 2024, I pray for many victories

Hold on to and treasure what you do know about

God

His love

His faithfulness

His promises

His prophecies

In due course He will open a new page

God will open a new chapter

Age related diseases

Gender related ailments