MARY (2)

INTRO

Hebrews 12:1 NLT

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

It’s so good to see all of you here today! We’re in week three of our series called Running With the Giants. The idea comes from Hebrews 12, which says we are “surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.” In other words, there are people in heaven watching us run our race. And if they could step out of the stands for just one lap with you, what would they say?

Last week we looked at Elijah. Today, we’re pulling Mary, the mother of Jesus, out of the stands. She wasn’t some untouchable saint. She was a teenage girl — probably 14 to 16 — when an angel told her she would carry the Son of God. That’s overwhelming. That’s confusing. And yet Mary shows us how to handle those God moments.

GOD MOMENTS

1. GOD MOMENTS OFTEN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE.

Luke 1:31–34 NLT

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

A. GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT ALWAYS LOGICAL.

B. IF YOU ONLY FOLLOW WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU’LL MISS GOD’S BEST.

C. MOVE FROM YOUR HEAD TO YOUR HEART.

Mark 10:27 NLT

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

2. WHEN GOD MOMENTS COME, JUST SAY YES.

Luke 1:38 NLT

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

A. MARY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT SHE SURRENDERED.

B. OBEDIENCE IS THE DOORWAY TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S POWER.

C. FAITH ISN’T ABOUT HAVING THE PLAN, IT’S ABOUT TRUSTING THE ONE WHO HAS THE PLAN.

Mark 5:36 NLT

But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

3. YOUR GOD MOMENT WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR GOD’S BEST.

Luke 1:42–45 NLT

Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

A. BELIEF, NOT UNDERSTANDING, IS WHAT GOD BLESSES.

B. SOMETIMES YOU NEED ENCOURAGERS TO REMIND YOU YOU’RE BLESSED.

C. YOUR HISTORY WITH GOD BUILDS YOUR CONFIDENCE.

John 2:5 NLT

But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

MARY’S ADVICE TO US

BEFORE MARY GOES BACK INTO THE STANDS, I BELIEVE SHE’D LEAVE US WITH FOUR CLEAR PIECES OF ADVICE.

1. STAY CONNECTED TO GOD.

Luke 2:16–19 NLT

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

A. EVERYONE ELSE HURRIED OFF, BUT MARY SLOWED DOWN TO PONDER.

B. WORSHIP AND STILLNESS KEEP YOU GROUNDED WHEN LIFE FEELS OVERWHELMING.

C. DISCONNECTION FROM GOD LEADS TO BARRENNESS, CONNECTION PRODUCES FRUIT.

John 15:5 NLT

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

2. STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR PURPOSE.

A. PURPOSE FUELS PERSEVERANCE.

B. YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT ISN’T MEANT TO SMOLDER, IT’S MEANT TO BURN BRIGHT.

3. STAY CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE WHO ENCOURAGE YOU.

Luke 1:56 NLT

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

A. SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO REST IN ENCOURAGEMENT.

B. YOU NEED TO HEAR PEOPLE IN YOUR EAR CALLING YOU “BLESSED.”

C.CHURCH, SMALL GROUPS, AND GODLY FRIENDS ARE NOT OPTIONAL, THEY ARE LIFELINES.

4. STAY CONNECTED TO THE BIGGER PICTURE.

John 19:25–27 NLT

Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

A. MARY HAD TO ENDURE THE DARKEST MOMENTS OF HER LIFE — WATCHING HER SON DIE.

B. JESUS WAS WORKING THE BIGGER PLAN: SALVATION.

C. WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, REMEMBER: THE WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME. ETERNITY IS THE BIGGER PICTURE.

CONCLUSION/CLOSE

MARY’S LAP AROUND THE TRACK WITH US WOULD SOUND LIKE THIS:

GOD MOMENTS MAY LOOK IMPOSSIBLE, BUT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH HIM.

WHEN THEY COME, DON’T ARGUE — JUST SAY YES.

YOUR YES OPENS THE DOOR TO GOD’S BEST.

THROUGH IT ALL, STAY CONNECTED TO GOD, YOUR PURPOSE, ENCOURAGERS, AND THE BIGGER PICTURE.

COMMUNION

GIVING MOMENT

IF YOU’VE NEVER GIVEN TO THE LOCAL CHURCH, WE’D LOVE TO INVITE YOU TO JOIN THE GREATER STORY GOD IS WRITING AND KNOW THAT WHEN YOU GIVE TO CHURCH AT SOUTHSHORE, YOU GIVE THROUGH CHURCH AT SOUTHSHORE. SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN GIVING TO CHURCH AT SOUTHSHORE FOR A WHILE HERE AND THERE, BUT THIS PLACE IS NOT YOUR CHURCH HOME AND IS A PRIORITY TO YOU. AND SO LIKE YOU INVEST IN OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU LIKE YOUR STREAMING SERVICES AND MORE, YOU WANT TO GIVE CONTINUALLY TO THE MISSION OF THIS PLACE. AS YOUR FAITH IN GOD CONTINUES TO GROW, YOU ARE REALIZING THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO TRUST HIM WITH ALL OF YOUR RESOURCES AND MOVE TOWARDS GIVING 10% OF YOUR INCOME. THIS IS WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS A “TITHE”. THE TITHE IS NEITHER A STARTING POINT OR A STOPPING POINT, BUT A STRONG MEASURE OF OUR DISPLAY OF TRUST THAT GOD OWNS EVERYTHING AND WE TRUST HIM.