Motherhood Lessons from Mary (35-minute sermon)
- Deb, Linda, Grace
Motherhood Really Matters
Luke 1:26–33 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end.”
Nazareth
· Never mentioned OT, Talmud, Josephus Apocrypha
· Jesus day – 1 well, no plumbing, wood heat
· Jesus day – 10-15 families and 50-100 people, a few hundred at the VERY most
· House = size parking space
· Nathaniel in John 1:46 “can anything good come from Nazareth”
Joseph
- 1. Young 2. Carpenter 3. Poor 4. David line 5. In love, gal grew up with
Angels = Worshippers, Ministers, Messengers
- 300X Bible, roughly 90% of the books
- “innumerable angels”, “a thousand thousands & 10k X 10k “
- 3 named angels Michael, Gabriel, Lucifer? (Isaiah 14:12 KJV, NKJV)
- Categories (archangel, commander, cherubim/seraphim, guardian, church Rev 2-3)
- Heb 13:2 angels undercover
Mary – teen?
-“Betrothed” #1. Covenant- betrothed, legal, call “wife” #2. Consummation– 1 yr. later, ceremony
-“Favored” = chosen/elected by grace
Jesus means “he saves people from their sins”
- Man – son of Mary
- God – Son (= Father) of the Most High (above gods/spirits/religions)
- King – “great” vs Herod the Great thru Joseph (2 Samuel 7:8-16)
Motherhood is Ministry
Luke 1:34-38 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary
Isa. 7:14 “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
- Servant/handmaid – lowest female servant
- Gives reputation, marriage, & body to God
- Little knowledge. Big obedience.
- Luther = greatest miracle her faith
- Jesus echoes Mary in Gethsemane “your will be done”
Motherhood is Miraculous
Luke 1:39-45 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
- 100 miles? probably a dangerous walk
- John – 1st person to worship Jesus
- Luke 1:15 Gabriel “he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
- Believing unleashes blessing
Motherhood is Magnifying
Luke 1:46-55 “And Mary said [sang], “My soul magnifies the Lord, & my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, & holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones & exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry w/good things, & the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham & to his offspring forever.
Worshipper – either a song she wrote prior or in the moment??
- The Magnificat – taken from the first words
- Mary “my soul magnifies” – reflects/imago dei
In Worship we remind ourselves & declare to others who our God is
- “Lord” – above all, enthroned, she “servant”
- “Savior” – rescuer, deliverer (she was a sinner “my Savior” “Jesus”=savior)
- Omniscient – watchful, sees our lives, knows our pain
- Respectful – “blessed”, gives our dignity back
- Mighty – cannot be thwarted
- Personal – “done great things for me”
- “Holy” – w/o sin, trustworthy, good, unique
- Merciful – steadfast love to families for generations
- Worthy – fear/reverence/obedience/respect
- Powerful – “strength” & “arm”
- Sovereign – no human or civil rights – wars against proud & mighty
- Gracious – exalts the humiliated
- Generous – to the needy
- Just – to the greedy
- Humble – helps us
- Faithful – keeps his promises forever
- Eternal – gracious “forever”
= WORRY or WORSHIP?
- Church 120 people (Acts 1:12)
Jesus Siblings (Matt. 13:55-56 “brothers” & “sisters”)
Jude 1 “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James…”
James & Jude – worship brother Jesus, pastors, wrote Bible books
“James the half-brother of Jesus was executed . . . he was thrown off the temple and, still alive, was stoned to death.” Dying, James echoes his big brother Jesus from Luke 23:34 saying, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” One archaeological expert says, “When James is murdered…it is Simon…who takes over leadership of the movement.”
TOO MUCH Cath & Orth – 1. virgin born too 2. sinless, 3. ever virgin, 4. Hail Mary prayer
TOO LITTLE – Protestant (only Xmas. Mary is a great example for young women & mom’s)
