The Gift of Jesus

Introduction

Series Summary

Tamar- The Gift of Provision

Rahab- The Gift of Truth

Ruth- The Gift of Favor

Bathsheba- The Gift of Intercession

Mary- the Gift of Jesus

We know God is good, we know His truth is good, but don’t we sometimes come to points where we think about the goodness of God but because of the evil in the world we question that goodness or if even a good God exist

For us to have a conscious though ad question great evil, great good has to exist

Because evil is the absence of good

The believer in God has to account for the existence of unjust suffering; the atheist has to account for everything else. -Milton Steinberg

One of the greatest “unjustices” was Jesus dying on the cross, lived a perfect life

Do you not think as Mary watched the crucifixion she had to question the good things of God

But before we get to her at the cross lets get to her at the manger

A Pondering Heart

Read Luke 2:8-20

Luke 2:10–12 ESV

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:19 ESV

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

This was already an exciting time, of having a child but then to be told all these good things by the shepherds, that your child is good news of great joy and impact all people. that angels were singing to the lowliest about your child

Mary after hearing these words from the shepherd meditated on them, meditated on the things of God

Application #1: Think deeply on the things of God

Philippians 4:8–9 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What things are you giving head space? The things you give head space will dictate how you live

How do we ponder on the Word of God?

Journaling

Scripture memorization

Discussing Scripture

How many times throughout her life would she had pondered the things said that night, how many times through Jesus’ life did she ponder on the prophecies pertaining to him

How many nights did she ponder to help her push through another day

Benefits of pondering on the Word:

Strength

Wisdom

Pondering the Shepherd’s Words at the Cross

How did she ponder the things of God when she hears the words of Jesus in John 19.

John 19:25–30 ESV

but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Let us take a moment to ponder the sight of the crucifixion

Mocked

The whip (Matthew 27:26)

Would have been a whip with pieces of bone, rock or glass mixed in the end

With every hit grabbing skin, then muscle and tissue ripping his back to shreds

Up to 39 times

Crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29)

These thorns at the smallest would have been 1/2 an inch, but could have been as long as two inches

Hammered into his head

massive blood loss

Cross (John 19:17)

would have carried the crossbar which would have weighed around 110 pounds

Carrying this with flesh ripped from his back and blood flowing into his eyes

Tripping with no way to catch yourself with 110 pounds slamming you to the ground

Nails

Would have been driven through his wrist and feet

Wrist has the median nerve that runs through it and the nail would have damaged or crushed the nerve

The nails would have caused alternating pain as you would go from pushing on the nail in the feet to hanging by the ones in the wrist, just to breathe

Spear (John 19:34)

Then after he had died she would have to watch the speak go into his side and wash water and blood drain from the puncture

pericardial effusion

Pericardial effusion (per-e-KAHR-dee-ul uh-FU-zhun) is the buildup of too much fluid in the double-layered, saclike structure around the heart

Looking at scripture no one truly understood Jesus’ mission while He was here

Mary’s thoughts probably were along the lines of:

What do you mean John is going to care for me?

Not the answer Mary probably wanted as she pleaded for God to spare her son

Pause and think about the fact Jesus at any moment could have ended it, but he chose to stay because that is what most glorified God and what it would take to save men’s souls

This was not the answer she wanted

Like any mother she wanted things to be alright now

Things got ugly and tough to watch but Mary’s love kept her close to Jesus

Application #2: Pondering on scripture gives us supernatural strength

Back to the words of the shepherds, that I imagined Mary had reflected on regularly throughout the years, not really truly grasping the depth of the words and what was happening

So let us take those words and evaluate them in light of the cross

How is this good?

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

“according to his purpose”

The cross was good because it was God’s plan to bring redemption and the only plan that would work (Matthew 26:39)

It was not suffering lacking purpose or direction

“justified”

All Men have sinned and their is a price to our sin, death is that penalty

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The cross was good because justice was done and God’s holiness was able to stay in tact

We who are called to salvation were justified and that is good

How is this joyful?

Joy is not controlled by outside circumstances like happiness. rather joy is something dictated by the internal spiritual state

When the crucifixion was taking place that was death being defeated, that was sin loosing its sting

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 ESV

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual victory happened on the cross that allows for our souls to be revived so that we may experience joy in the Lord

Luke 15:10 ESV

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God shows joy over salvation

Life may beat us up and surround us with chaos, but the craziness of life does not have to dictate us, we can find joy in surrendering to the Lord and letting him breathe life into our soul

How is this for all people when all the people are shouting crucify Him?

The reality is most want accept him, but he came so all may have an opportunity to repent

And we have an opportunity to take the gospel to all nations

Outro

Acts 1:12–14 ESV

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Mary experienced the resurrected Jesus, received the great commission, and probably still was not sure what the next step was, but as we are going to see over the first half of next year as we dive into Acts the gospel would hit the world like a whirlwind

As they figured things out though they did not forsake assembling together or praying

What words of the Lord have you been meditating on? What do you need to come deal with the Lord about?