Mary's Treasure

Today is Mother’s Day. We love and cherish for who they are and for being faithful to the calling and responsibility of raising your children, with all of the up and down, joys and heartaches along with it. Mother’s have unique and special connections with their children. As I was thinking about that this week, the thought dawned on me to see if we could search the Scriptures to discover something of the richness of Mary’s relationship with Jesus. I’ve written sermons about Mary before for Christmas and Mother’s day. But, I have never before gone to the Scriptures to uncover the uniqueness of Mary’s relationship with her son and our Savior, God, and King, Jesus Christ.

Mary’s relationship with Jesus was:

I. Birthed in Wonder (Luke 1:30-36)

Every parent in this room remembers the birth of their children. The common phrase to use is called the miracle of birth because when you have experienced the presence of new life in your arms, we know intrensicly that life comes from God and that life is precious. There is a certain amount of wonder and amazement that comes with every birth. But, how much more was the birth of Jesus filled with the wonder of God.

The birth of Jesus was filled with two angelic visits. A angel came to Joseph and told him that his wife was going to have God’s baby. I bet that was an interesting conversation.

He had the responsibility of naming that child, conceived from the Holy Spirit, Jesus, which means the Lord Saves because “he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:17) He will be the earthly father to the world’s Savior.

We see the angel Gabriel’s conversation with Mary in Luke 1:26-38.

Luke 1:28–33 ESV

28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Do you remember when you saw and held your first child for the first time? Noah was born 5 weeks early so he had to stay in the NICU for 10 days. I remember going into see him with this great wonder of who he was, what would his personality be, what thing would he like and dislike, what would he become in life? Can you imagine Mary, learning that she would have a child and this child was God’s Son and he would reign as King over all for an eternity!

Her relationship with Jesus was birth in wonder!

II. Expressed in Joy (Luke 1:39-55)

Everywhere you look there is joy expressed in the coming of Christ.

We are familiar with the announcement of the birth of Christ to the Shepherds by the angel who proclaimed with joy:

Luke 2:10–13 ESV

10 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

Then, of course, after Mary had been told of her pregnancy by the angel, she went to see her cousin Elizabeth who even though she was older than most child baring women and had been barren her whole life was pregnant with John the Baptist. He was given by God to be the forerunner of Christ.

Luke 1:41–45 ESV

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

I picture baby John the Baptist leaping up and cheering at the presence of Christ like you do when your team score a touchdown.

Then, the greatest display of Mary’s joy is seen in the fact that Mary, writes and preforms a song of her joy in that moment. We know it as Mary’s Magnificat.

So in the same way that barren Hannah had once sung over Samuel, glorifying God for her miracle child Samuel who served the Lord faithfully in the OT. Mary sang of the glories of God who would use her child to save the world. Listen to a few words of her song.

Luke 1:46–50 ESV

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

III. Treasured in Silence (Luke 2:19, 2:51)

Every married man know that women can be deep wells. Mary was no different. There were realities of who Christ was, the events that surrounded his birth and life, and how he grew up that she treasured, but that she also kept between her and God.

Twice the phrase is used of Mary, “treasured up all these things”.

The first was concerning the experience with the shepherds who showed up next to the manger sharing all kinds of wonderful truths concerning her son.

Luke 2:13–19 ESV

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 among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

To all who heard this, what the shepherds were saying was new and baffling. But, as Mary heard the shepherds speak. It wasn’t new or baffling. She had been told it all 9 months before. So while everyone else was bewildered, I can see Mary smiling with a sheepish grin, “treasuring up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (v.19)

In Luke’s record, following this is Jesus’ circumcision and purification. While it doesn’t say it, I’m sure the blessing of Simeon and Anna over Christ while they were in the temple was a special treasure that she put deep in her soul.

The next account of this special phrase comes in the very next verses. Though some 12 years have past, and Jesus as 12 year old travels with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem for the Passover. Things went really well until it was time to go home, then young Jesus acts like we expect teenagers to act. Listen to the account:

Luke 2:43–49 ESV

43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Now any of the rest of us, when our children act like that, are ready to employ the discipline of the Almighty. But, in Mary’s case, she remembers what has been foretold about her son, beginning with the angel. And, she again with sheepish smile grins at what it means for her son to be in the Father’s house. And the text says:

Luke 2:51 ESV

51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

IV. Marked by Difficulty (Matt. 2:19-23; Luke 2:41-51; Luke 8:19-21, John 19:25)

Most of us might think that raising Jesus must have been the easiest parenting assignment ever given. We would be wrong.

1. Not to mention having to bare the stigma of an unwed pregnancy by so many onlookers.

2. As soon as Jesus was born, Herod learned from the wise men that the King of the Jews had been born. There was no room for another king in Jerusalem and sought to have him killed by killing all of the male children in Bethlehem 2 years old and under.

Therefore, they didn’t get to go home to a nice, safe, prepared nursery. They were warned by an angel and had to flee to Egypt for several months, up to 3 years, depending on the scholar you read.

3. Of course, I already mentioned to you the 12 year old Jesus that didn’t always do what Mary and Joseph expected. And, if that is what is recorded in Scripture, can you image what other suprises that Jesus had for them in that phase of his life?

4. Also, along the way, the mother who treasured her son so much, had to learn that she must let her son go, for the mission he was sent for and to the people he was sent to.

One one account, Mary and his brothers came to speak to Jesus while he was teaching a crowd. Listen to what Jesus told the crowd.

Luke 8:19–20 ESV

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.”

How hard it must have been for his mother to hear that. But, he didn’t just come to love his moma, but to save the world.

5. Mary role as a mother called her to stand near the cross and suffer while her son was dying for the sins of the world. We read these verses a moment ago. But we need to continue reading.

John 19:25 ESV

25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

It’s not right for a child to die first. For any child, much less the child who God had promised you would be the King in the line of David of which there would be no end to his reign. And here he is dying for some reason that she can’t understand. But, what she can understand is grief. A relationship birthed in wonder, expressed in joy, treasured in silence, now marked by pain.

V. Cherished by Christ (John 19:25-27)

Bible scholars often recognize the 7 last sayings of Christ on the cross. On of the most human and heart wrenching moments on the cross is that moment that Jesus, dying for our sin, looks down and sees his mother.

John 19:25–27 ESV

25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Here Jesus is at the apex of history. The Son of God himself, bearing the wrath of the Father for our sin, his last act on this earth was to care for his momma. By saying what he did, he was entrusting her to one of his best friends in the world, the Apostle John.

He said, “John, you care for her like that was your momma right there!” And, he did. He brought her him to his own house and cared for her from then on.

+What a touching moment! But, I have to be honest. When I read that I can’t help but think, “What about James or Jude.” Mary had other children that could have cared for her. Here’s the thing, at that point his other brothers weren’t believers. He left his mother in the hands of his true family, the church of which John was one of the first leaders.

VI. Compelled by Love (Acts 1:12-14)

What do we know of Mary after the ascension of Christ. Truthfully, not a whole lot. But, I want you to see the closing scene that marked the rest of Mary’s life. The apostles had just witnessed the ascension of Christ on the Mount of Olives. Now, they returned to Jerusalem into what we know as the upper room. There they are praying and waiting for God to send the Holy Spirit. From this prayer meeting, God would send out the people who would win the world for Christ. Notice who was there.

Acts 1:12–14 ESV

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 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. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

His earthly family had joined his spiritual family. There she is, his mother named with all the apostles, compelled by the love of she experienced with her Son.

A relationship:

1) Birthed in wonder

2)Expressed in Joy

3) Treasured in Silence

4)Marked by Pain

5) Cherished by Christ

6) Compelled in Love

Now today that Son and that Mother invites us all into the their family.