Mary's Trails

This morning we are continuing our Christmas series Mary’s Christmas: The Christmas Story Through Mary’s Eyes

This series is look at the Christmas story in the eyes of Mary. What she saw and what she went through.

Last week we look at Mary responds to Elizabeth. When Mary went to see her after hearing that Elizabeth was with child too.

We saw how Mary understood the story of God for is mighty arms, Destroying the proud to send the rich away empty. All of this points back to Jesus.

Just like Mary understood the Kingdom story we also must understand the Kingdom story to be part of it.

This morning we skipping ahead in the story of Mary. We will be save the birth of Jesus for next week to end out this series.

If you have your bible go head and turn to first Luke 2:22-40. We wil then be jumping into Matthew 2:1-23 . if you do not have your bible you can follow along on the screen in a few minutes.

Before we look at today verses and how they fit in to Marys life. I have a question for you. So think for a moment.

What is your most favorite Christmas gift?

you might think of a few thing. Maybe something from your child hoop or something in the past couple of years. Do you have just one thing or a lot of thinks.

Growing up we all have those gifts that we wanted. The best toys of the year. The newest gaming set up. it could be anything.

For me the one that came to mind was when I received a Nission truck for my senior year of High school. It an great vehicle that I keep for many years.

We all have gift that bring back great memories and some of those memory can bring us great joy but others can and may bring about pain and trials in our life.

Luke 2:22-40

Luke 2:22–24 CSB

22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord) 24 and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons).

Dedication of Jesus

Purification time?

40 days after birth.

8 days for until the circumcision

plus 33 days

Lev. 12:3-4

Jesus presented in Jerusalem

Firstborn son to be dedicated

Will be called holy to the Lord

Consecrated for Gods work

Luke 2:25–26 CSB

25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

Simeon

What is so important about this man?

He was a man living for God.

The Holy Spirit was with him

God showed him that he would not die until he saw the Messiah

Luke 2:28-35

Light to all people

Destined to cause the fall and rise of many

Tells of how Mary will be hurt by thing to come

Emotionally

Wise Men from the East

We all know this story in fact a lot of time we included the wise men in the nativity set. Fun fact the wise men most like came a year or so later. I will show you way in a few minutes for the sake of time we will not be reading the whole passage this morning.

To some up the the first part. The wise men came to King Herod has they came into Jerusalem looking for the king of the Jews because they saw a star. King Herod did not like this and he was disturbed by it. Herod to them wise me to were to find the baby and to come back and tell him so he to can worship him.

The wise men found Jesus and worship him. They brought treasures of gold frankincense and myrrh. All three were very valued in those days.

Matthew 2:12 CSB

12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Matthew 2:13–15 CSB

13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.

Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt

This is the other trail Mary had to go through. After receive some of the best gift in the world. Mary and Joseph were forced to leave all they had and all they knew to protect this new little baby boy. j

Just the next few verse we see what Herod did.

Matthew 2:16 CSB

16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.

Mary Joseph lessoned to God

and saved Jesus for death by Herod hand. They trust God in what he had given them. They put their faith in God and not that of those around them.

Mary faced these trials with a unique perspective—the knowledge that God would ultimately restore and redeem his creation and his people. She lived in the “already and not yet” that all Christians live in today, but she lived at a unique moment in it.

It’s like June 6, 1944, when the Allies successfully landed at Normandy and won a decisive battle that guaranteed an end to the war, even though German surrender was still almost another year away.

Mary endured the suffering she faced because although there were still battles to be fought, she already knew who would win. She could face her momentary struggles with an eternal perspective. We still see the effects of sin ravaging our world, our relationships, and ourselves. But we face those trials with the eternal perspective that also comforted Mary.

We can face trial with an eternal perspective just like Mary

We will have trials and certain thing will bring those trails to the for front. But We most remember who God is and how he loves us. We must think about God while facing this dark world. We must really on the perfect gift that God has given us all and that is son Jesus.