The Christmas Story: Four Perspectives (2)

The Perspective of Mary

A Lesson in Full Surrender

Text: Luke 1:26-38

Introduction

vs.26-27

We live in a world that celebrates independence, self-reliance, and control. (notice i did not say self-control)

Yet, when it comes to our relationship with God in salvation and in service

—He calls us to full and complete surrender.

Matthew 16:24 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Here In Luke 1:26-38, we encounter Mary, a young woman from the small “backwater” town with a bad reputation called Nazareth.

The town had very little to offer

estimates are that there were as little as 200 people in the village

it offered nothing to the surrounding cites

like many villages throughout the Mediterranean, it was likely self-sufficient and very poor

Nazareth receives no mention in secular sources from the Roman period.

It likely was known only at the local level and perhaps enjoyed little esteem even from them John 1:46

John 1:46 KJV 1900

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Not only did the town have very little to offer, Mary, beging a young girl from this town, was in the same boat

she was most likely independent and self reliant

So we find a young virgin from a backwoods town whose life was completely turned upside down with the announcement from Gaberial and as we will see, her life was transformed when she fully surrendered to the will of God.

This passage gives us a beautiful portrait of what it means to let go of our plans, our fears, and our limitations and say “Yes” to God.

This passage also reviles to us that it does not matter where you come from or what your family name is, if you fully surrender to God, He can and will use you for His glory.

So, Let’s walk through this text together and discover four key truths about surrender that I believe are still relevant for us today.

1. The Call of Surrender

(vv. 28-29)

The first thing we see in Mary’s story is that surrender begins with God’s call on our lives.

The Call of Surrender

A. God’s Initiative (v. 28)

“Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Surrender begins with God reaching out to us.

Gabriel was sent to a small town, to a seemingly insignificant girl.

Gabriel greets Mary with words of grace, (highly favored) (v. 28).

God is calling Mary even though she has done nothing to deserve it.

What I love about God’s Word is how he makes sure there is no room for assumptions

We might be tempted to think Zechariah was chosen because he was righteous and a priest.(vs.5-25)

so God chose a poor Nararize girl

The angel’s greeting to Mary reveals she is chosen solely as a matter of God’s grace

Salvation always begin with God’s initiative, not our own.

Jesus says, No man can come unto Me unless the Father that sent me, Draw them.

For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any by should boast.

We are dead in trespasses and sins

we are haters of God

we want nothing to do with God

that is why He initiates

Is he calling you today?

Are you filling that pull to the foot of the cross?

That is God drawing you unto himself

Dont ignore it, come right now.

Application:

God sees you where you are, no matter how overlooked or insignificant you feel. God initiated the call of grace in me October 2003. I didnt deserve it, I didnt do anything to earn it, ask my wife, she knows what I was before.

The Call of Surrender

God’s Initiative (v.28)

B. God’s Interruption (v.29)

... she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be”

God’s call often interrupts our plans.

Yall think I ever wanted to be a preacher? No! This was not my plan. My plan involved fighting fires and living life. I was saved but I never imagined I would stand behind a pulpit, But our ways are not His ways!

Mary was troubled because this was unexpected.

This is not what she had in mind for her life

she was going to marry a carpenter and start a family

she had her own plans

You may be sitting here this morning, thinking I have big plans

Can I tell you, When God calls you, it’s often disruptive, but it is always for our good and His greater purpose.

Consider the story of Esther. She had her life planned out, but when Mordecai reminded her that she could be the one to save her people, she had to reconsider her plans. Esther's willingness to step into the unknown changed history. This illustrates that when God interrupts our lives, it’s often for a greater purpose—just like He did with Esther.

Application:

Are you willing to let God interrupt your life?

True surrender means accepting that His plans are better than ours.

He initiates our call to surrender to him wither that is salvation or service and most likely He will interrupt any plans you may have had.

Mary’s first lesson in Full Surrender was God is the one that calls you to it.

1. The call of Surrender

2. The Cost of Surrender

(vv. 30-34)

Surrender to God always comes at a cost.

It requires us to trust Him even when the future seems uncertain.

2. The Cost of Surrender

A. Surrender Involves Sacrifice (v. 30-33)

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God… you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son.”

For Mary, this call came with a personal cost

—her reputation, her relationships, and her sense of control.

Jesus tells his disciples that to be one of His disciples it was going to cost them

Luke 14:26–27 (KJV 1900)

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

True surrender will always involve laying something down.

wither that is your pet sin or your pride

it will cost you something

Imagine a young mother who gives up her career dreams to care for her special needs child. Each day, she wakes up knowing her sacrifices help her child thrive. This act of surrender is filled with love, driving home the truth found in Romans 12:1, where we are called to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Her daily decisions reflect a heart transformed by love, illustrating that true surrender often involves profound sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 KJV 1900

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

When we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, we are saying, here am I Lord use me. We are dying to self and allowing God to live through us.

When something dies it is not able to hold on to anything.

We must die to self if we want to fully surrender to God.

v.32-33 He shall be great..Son of the Highest…throne of His Father David…reign over the house of Jacob for ever...

She was going to take a back seat to her Son

full surrender to God, requires us to take a back seat to God.

Placing our wants and desires behind God’s

and every time it requires us to recognize Him as the One that is in complete control

2. The Cost of Surrender

A. Surrender Involves Sacrifice (v. 30-33)

B. Surrender Demands Faith (v. 34)

“How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

Mary’s question wasn’t doubt; it was honest confusion.

Surrender doesn’t mean we have all the answers

—it means we trust the One who does.

In the Bible, we see the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus faced an agonizing decision. He prayed, 'Not my will, but Yours be done.' This moment of surrender defined His mission and solidified His relationship with the Father. Jesus did not walk away from the cup of suffering; instead, He embraced it. This profound act of surrender teaches us that true strength lies in letting go and allowing God's plans to unfold, even when we dont understand.

Application:

What is God asking you to release?

It could be your pride, your dreams, or your fears.

To fully surrender, you must trust God more than your circumstances.

You must trust God more than your currency

When God calls us to full surrender it comes at a cost and God’s cost is everything. God wants your everything!!

Are you willing to step out in faith, trusting God to work in ways you cannot yet see?

3. The Confidence in Surrender

(vv. 35-37)

now true Surrender is not a blind leap;

it is a confident response to a faithful God.

You are saying, I cant see how this thing is going to come about or how it is going to end but I trust you

3. The Confidence in Surrender

A. God’s Power at Work (v. 35)

“The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest will overshadow thee.”

God’s call to surrender is never dependent on our own strength or ability.

It is accomplished through His power working in us.\

Philippians 4:13 KJV 1900

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

Application:

When you surrender to God, He equips you.

Don’t focus on what you can’t do; focus on what God can do through you.

3. The Confidence in Surrender

A. God’s Power at Work (v. 35)

B. God’s Promises Are Sure (v. 36-37)

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Gabriel reassures Mary that God’s plans will not fail.

What He promises, He performs.

Full surrender is possible when we trust in the certainty of His Word.

Application:

Are you standing on God’s promises?

Full surrender is sustained by confidence in His character and His faithfulness.

4. The Commitment of Surrender

(v. 38)

Ultimately, surrender is a deliberate and personal decision to submit to God’s will.

4. The Commitment of Surrender

A. A Willing Heart (v. 38a)

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord!”

Mary declared her identity as a servant of God.

Surrender begins with acknowledging that our lives belong to Him.

Paul said multiple times “Paul an apostle, the servant of Jesus Christ”

James, the half brother of Christ, said, James the servant of Jesus Christ

Application:

Have you made the decision to say, “Lord, I am Yours”?

Surrender begins with a willing heart that offers everything to God.

4. The Commitment of Surrender

A. A Willing Heart (v. 38a)

B. A Wholehearted Response (v. 38b)

“ be it unto me according to thy word.”

Mary didn’t negotiate or resist.

She responded in obedience, entrusting herself completely to God’s will.

True surrender means saying “Yes” to God with no conditions.

Consider a potter and a piece of clay. The clay must fully yield to the potter’s hands to become a beautiful vessel. If it resists, by becoming hard it becomes misshapen and useless.

Similarly, in our walk with Christ, we often hold onto parts of our lives, resisting His shaping hand. But when we yield completely, He molds us into something magnificent, something that can fulfill His purpose. Just like that clay, our journey of surrender allows us to embrace the masterpiece God has designed for us.

In the Bible, the story of Abraham illustrates surrender beautifully. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, and Abraham prepared for the journey without questioning. It wasn’t just about obedience; it was about surrender—laying down his greatest love at God’s feet. When God intervened and provided a ram instead, Abraham learned that complete surrender is not about losing what we love but gaining a greater understanding of God’s provision. Our own acts of surrender can lead to unexpected blessings when we trust His will above our own.

Application:

Will you echo Mary’s words today?

Full surrender means yielding to God’s Word and His plan without hesitation.

Conclusion: Surrender Leads to Blessing

Mary’s full surrender not only changed her life—it changed the world.

Through her willingness to say “Yes,” Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born.

Likewise, when you surrender to God in salvation and service, He will use your life for His glory and for eternal impact.

Invitation:

For Salvation: If you have never surrendered your life to Christ, the first step is to accept Him as your Savior. Will you say “Yes” to Him today?

For Service: For believers, God is calling you to surrender more fully. What is He asking you to do? Where is He asking you to go? Will you respond as Mary did, “be it unto me according to thy Word”?

Closing Prayer: “Lord, help us to surrender to You fully and completely. May we trust Your plans, rely on Your power, and follow Your leading in salvation and service. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”