Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Greetings…

Mary, the mother of Jesus typically falls between two extremes and both are wrong.

By that I mean there are those on one hand that deify her, making her one to pray to and almost on par with God himself.

On the other hand there are those that will talk about every other faithful woman in the bible but not Mary.

As one many put it, “they are more interesting in the ‘virgin birth’ than the virgin.”

Mary was not divine but she was the mother chosen by God to raise the Messiah.

With this in mind let us examine the heart of Mary, the mother of the Messiah.

Mary had…

A Pure Heart

The Virgin Mary.

If the Son of God isn’t pure he is illegitimate and thus we find the need for not just a virgin to be conceived in but one of great faith in her God.

When we look back at what we just read a moment ago there are so many great attributes given about Mary and her pure heart.

Mary was a virgin.

No less than three times in just a handful of verses is this fact mentioned.

Luke 1:27 (ESV)

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.

And the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:34 (ESV)

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

In today’s society virginity i.e., one that has not has sexes yet, is a rare thing indeed, even by those in the church unfortunately.

During this time it was no different and so the reality of virginity is something to be praised and Mary is to be remember for, which is why God mentions it so much; whether in prophecy or in the gospel accounts.

Mary was the “favored one.”

Other translations have “highly favored one.”

The idea being she was God was with her, he was on her side.

Mary wasn’t from a “good town.”

It’s interesting that God chose one from Nazareth.

We remember what Nathanael said about it.

This simply shows us that “our environment” doesn’t have to dictate our faithfulness.

You can be good even growing up in a town with a bad name.

God chose a good girl from a bad town.

Mary chose to be involved.

When told, every Jewish girls dream to be the mom of the Messiah, she didn’t back down from it she whole hardly accepted it.

Mary didn’t back down from the responsibility but rather took it head on.

We will consider her involvement more as we go through the rest of the lesson.

Summary

Mary, the mother God chose to raise his son, was most pure in heart.

What a feat considering everything.

We also can see that Mary had…

A Pondering Heart

Treasured Memories.

After Mary gave birth to the Messiah the only fanfare given was to some local and obviously faithful, shepherds.

And when the shepherds come and see Joseph, Mary, and this little newborn baby Jesus in a manager they tell them all that the angel had told them.

This is when we read this about Mary in Luke 2:19.

This isn’t the only time we find this characteristic of Mary.

After 12 year old Jesus is found in the temple and he responds about “being about his father’s house” we read this in Luke 2:51

Summary

With every step, with every scrapped knee, with every biblical lesson, Mary was aware that she was teaching the “Son of God.”

The memories Mary must have pondered upon when seeing her child grow up and then become “the Man Christ Jesus.”

That leads us to our last point.

We see Mary had…

A Pierced Heart

Imagine Rearing Jesus.

What an overwhelming responsibility, to rear the Son of God.

It’s mind-boggling to change the diaper, to nurse, to so “no no” to the Son of God as a baby in your arms.

To watch God learn to walk, learn to read, play with other kids…

The bible mentions many of the great men of faith’s parents, “Moses, Samuel, Samson” but Mary raised God!

Not only did she have that responsibility she did so with a stigma.

Remember, she was pregnant before marriage.

Now I want us to…

Imagine Knowing Jesus’ Future.

I’m not talking about her knowing his death but that he is God and not just God but the Messiah.

Mary was raising him whom she would have to eventually bow down to.

When Jesus left home to start his ministry I have no doubt Mary was very proud but then, very shortly after that feeling became one of fear.

Her boy, her son, was being targeted for death teaching what she strove to teach him.

Summary

Mary, the mother of God, heart was pierced when she watched her son be hung on a cross no doubt.

However, her heart was pierced in a better way when she witnessed her Son’s work come to fruition.

Remember, she was in that upper room with the apostles when she saw all the “tongues” of fire come down on them and witnessed people lining up to obey the “Gospel Of Jesus” (Acts 2:41).

Conclusion

Nothing after Acts 1 is said of Mary.

Like her husband Joseph we know nothing of when or how she passed, but rest assured with one like Mary who had a pure, pondering, and pierced heart she is with her son now awaiting the rest who have submitted like she did to her Son and Savior.

Invitation