Mary

Introduction:

As we begin this morning I just want to say how awesome these videos that the skits make are.

And as you have guessed we are going to be talking about Mary this morning!

And as in this video here, we are reminded that life throws a lot of curve balls our way

Things that can disrupt our lives

Things that can disrupt our plans

Things that can often times, according to the will and plan of God, shift our direction to better allign ourselves with His will!

And we have to remember that is is God who knows what is best

It is God’s will we seek do be in the center of

It is God’s Glory that is our ulitmate aim as believers.

And yes life is hard, and difficult sometimes, but if we are in the place God wants to be then it will be worth it!

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Paul tells the church in Corinth not to lose heart!

As our bodies fail - which everyones does

Because our inner man, the new man, who we are in Christ is renewed day by day

This is affliction is light and momentary

But is preparing us for the eternal weight of glory

Our focus must therefore remain on what is unseen rather than seen

Becuase they thing that are seen are temporary

I want to focus this moring a bit on the phrase Paul uses in verse 17, “Eternal weight of glory”

Paul here draws a comparison for the reader to ponder, to meditate on, to think through!

What are your burdens in comparison to the glory that awaits you!

Light:

Greek: Elephros - light, insignificant

Sense: The property of being comparatively small in weight

Paul reveals to us that our burdens our light!

They sure don’t feel light sometimes

Sometimse they feel hard and difficult

Sometimes they keep me up at night

Sometimes they make me despair

But then Paul compares them to what awaits

He say the eternal glory that awaits us is weighty

Weight:

Greek: Baros - Burden, weight

Sense: (Gravity, weight) the importance, significance, or dignity of something whose importance bears heavily on the sense or spirit

As we thinkn about this idea, presented by Paul, in light of the year we have had in 2020, the circumstances we may be facing right now, and the burdens we bear in this life

Let us consider the plans that God has for us, and His plans are better than ours.

God’s Disruptive, but Perfect plan:

Luke 1:16–37 ESV

16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 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.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Imagine:

Your young, going about your life, making plans

Your about to married

Your about to start a new chapter of your life

Then BAM!

God shows up in a big way

He tells you your plans are gonna change

I have something for you!

Isnt that basically what he did with Mary!

I know you had ideas about what your life was going to look like

I know you had ideas of things you wanted to do

But God had a very specail task for Mary

She was going to be used by God to fulfill prophecy

She was going to be used to bring the Son of God Jesus Christ into this world

She was going to be have an impact on this world, not beause she was awesome, but because what would be hard for her in a moment (and it was hard) didn’t compar to the weight of God’s glory

God’s plans are better anyway!

Now I know I believe that statment whole heartedly!

But that is because I trust God!

I trust his plans for my life

I trust his leading in my life

I trust that he wants what is best for me

I know he ultimatly leads, guides, and directs my life for His Name, for His Glory!

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 19:21 ESV

21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

1 Corinthians 2:9 ESV

9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

Isaiah 14:24 ESV

24 The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,

If you are like me then you have drawn comfort in difficult and hard times from verses just like these!

But these verse are meant to be more than a comfort in hard times, they are mean to be life shaping verses

That shape our faith

That shape our decisions

That shape our attitudes

That shape our heart

Because if we believe these verse to be true, which I hope you do this morning, then it brings us to the ultimate question.

If God is Good, and His plans are good, will you trust Him?

Mary had to trust God:

Even though she didn’t understand how a virgin could give birth

Even though she couldn’t fathom the depths of God’s plan

Even though it meant that for a time, for vapor of time in light of eternity, she would walk through difficulty

When it comes our lives as we look at Mary’s we can look back see a couple of things:

Mary’s life changed drastically as she followed God’s leading

In the end it wasn’t about Mary’s life, but God’s will!

Galatians 4:4–5 ESV

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

God’s plan was perfect!

God’s plan is perfect!

God’s plan is worthy of following!

Conclusion:

This morning I want to ponder perspective!

How it is we view things matters!

How we perceive thing has an effect on how we live in light of them

How do you see God’s plans in your life this morning?

Are they something that you have to begrugingly do

Are they something that you would rather avoid than be in the middle of

Are they somthing that hinders what you really want to do?

Or are the plans of God, the will of God, what you long to be in the middle of

Do you see the will of God as something that is far greater than anything you could come up with?

Do you look at God’s plan for your life as something that doesnt bring glory to you but rather to God!

Are you willing?

To let God have His way in your life

To Let God, who knows perfectly, disrupt your life

To let God, have all the glory, while you step back and simply trust his perfect plan?

You Gotta Have Faith:

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.