LESSONS WE LEARN FROM MARY (LUKE 1:26-38)

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

GCEFC: DECEMBER 20, 2009

INTRODUCTION

1. You may have heard about the discussion that took place between a Christian theologian and an astronomer. They were discussing the relative complexity and enormity of each of their disciplines.

2. In an attempt to belittle Christian theology, the astronomer said that in his estimation, the entire field of Christian theology can be reduced to one statement: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

3. To which the theologian responded, ‘I suppose you’re right.’ Just as the entire field of astronomy can also be reduced to one statement: Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.

4. I was reminded of this story as I was thinking about preparing yet another sermon on a Christmas theme.

5. Which made me curious as to how many sermons I’ve preached on a Christmas theme. I was a bit surprised myself when I discovered that this is my 49^th Christmas sermon.

6. You might wonder how there could be even one more sermon about Christmas? What could possibly be left to say that hasn’t already been said?

7. What new thought or idea could emerge from one of the most familiar events in all of human history?

8. I can say in response that there is much more that can be said. In fact, I don’t suspect the subject will ever be exhausted.

9. I don’t suspect the time will ever come when someone will be able to say: Today it has been officially determined that there is nothing more than can be said about Christmas.

10. You and I will be long gone before that day comes. So let’s look at Christmas Sermon #49. I trust it will be at least a little different from what I’ve said in the other 48.

A. MANY PLAYERS

1. There are many players in the Christmas drama. Some of them are material.

a. These would include the manger and the stable (or cave, or shelter, or downstairs guest quarters), depending on how we interpret LU 2:7.

b. Then there’s the star and the swaddling clothes. And that’s about it for the material objects mentioned. The other material items are unknown unless we consult medieval paintings or traditional Christmas songs—but we won’t find them in the Bible.

2. Then there are the animal players. It might surprise you, or even disappointment you to know that the Bible mentions no specific animals at the nativity.

a. It does mention the shepherds watching their flocks at night, so we can assume that sheep were out in the fields.

b. And because the newborn Christ is placed in a manger, an animal feeding trough, we may safely conjecture that animals might have been close by.

c. But no animals are actually mentioned, so the nativity scene with animals is pure speculation.

d. Yet for some reason we see quite a collection of nativity animals. Donkeys, horses, camels, sheep, cows, goats, elephants, alligators, penguins, and prairie dogs.

e. It’s quite speculative to say the least. Sorry about that. Any strong Scrooge-like notes addressed to me can be left in the box at the back as you leave.

3. Then there are the human players. These include Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah, the unborn/newborn John the Baptist, Caesar, and the shepherds.

4. The Magi came quite later—and we don’t know their names. And there’s no “innkeeper.” And no little drummer boy either.

5. There are also some non-human players including the angel Gabriel, appearing twice. And the unnamed angel that appeared to the shepherds. Followed by the great company of the heavenly host that appeared with the angel.

6. There are no angels mentioned at the nativity.

7. And of course, there was 1 God/Human. Only one. That’s all there will ever be.

8. There’s one person we don’t know a lot about because the Bible reveals little about them. Yet their role is undeniably one of the most significant of all. I refer to Mary.

9. Though not a lot is actually said about Mary, much is implied by what is said.

10. By simply observing what is said about Mary, and considering the background from which the events of her life unfold, some clear life lessons emerge.

B. LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE

1. The first lesson we learn from Mary is that life is unpredictable.

2. Here is this young Jewish girl, probably 16 years old at the most, planning to marry in the next year.

3. In Jewish society in those days, marriage had very specific and time-honored traditions that were violated at very high personal cost.

4. Marriages were arranged by the parents of the couple and legal contracts were negotiated between families. After the arrangements were made and the terms agreed to, the couple was considered married—they were called husband and wife from that day on.

5. However, they did not move in together at this time. They were required to live apart for one full year. The woman lived with her parents and the man lived with his parents.

6. This period of one year after the couple was legally married was called the betrothal period. The betrothal had one main purpose. It was to verify the pledge of purity the bride had given as a condition of marriage.

7. During this one year period, if the new bride was found to be pregnant—then her pledge of faithfulness would have been proven false.

8. In the event that such unfaithfulness was demonstrated, the marriage would be dissolved.

9. We shouldn’t confuse Jewish betrothal with American engagement. The betrothal brought a legal marriage that could only be ended through a legal divorce.

10. But if after the one year betrothal, the bride was found to be pure and faithful (no pregnancy)—then the husband would travel to the home of the bride’s parents.

11. Then in a ceremonial processional march, the husband would lead his bride back to his own home, where the marriage would be physically consummated, and the couple would live together until death separated them.

12. So, we can appreciate the shock when during this period when her faithfulness was being tested—Mary, this young, pure, wholesome Jewish girl from a traditional, God-honoring family—was found to be with child.

13. Two questions immediately come to mind.

a. What exactly would Mary tell Joseph? And how would she tell him?

b. Possibly something like this: Joseph, my betrothed, I have something very important to tell you—I’m pregnant. But it’s not what you think.

c. You see, the angel Gabriel visited me. And said I was going to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit of God. And that God had chosen me to give birth to the Messiah.

d. And that this conception will take place while still preserving my purity and virginity. So even though I’m going to have a child, you should know that I have been completely faithful to you from day one—I have been with no man.

e. You see, Joseph, my conception is miraculous! It’s the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan for the redemption of mankind. My son will be the Son of God!

f. In MT 1:19 we read: Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

14. In other words—Joseph did not believe Mary’s story—except the part about her being pregnant. The rest of her story would have been insulting and humiliating.

15. He would have thought: Can’t you even admit what you’ve done? Do you have to concoct some ridiculous story that only a complete moron would buy?

16. Now we could spend a good deal of time looking at the various ways this news would have turned Mary and Joseph’s world upside down.

17. But at this point, we’ll let it suffice to say that the first lesson we learn from Mary is that life is unpredictable.

18. There is no possible way that Mary could have seen this coming. It was about as out of the blue as something can be.

19. But it was real. And it meant things you and I can hardly begin to comprehend.

a. It would mean Mary’s social disgrace, humiliation, and rejection from then on.

b. It would mean immediate divorce from the man she had hoped to spend her life with.

c. It would mean a lifetime of social stigma as a woman who gave birth to a child out of wedlock. It would bring spiritual disgrace.

d. It would mean a lifetime of stigma for her child born out of wedlock.

e. It would likely mean that she would never marry. Who would want her?

20. But we see another dramatic surprise in MT 1:20: But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’

21. We know that Mary and Joseph stayed married. Which eliminated some of the issues. But not all of them. Some of them would always remain.

22. So we can probably all agree that life is unpredictable. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, something happens that just confirms that you don’t.

23. Life is unpredictable at many levels. Physically, relationally, financially, spiritually, emotionally, mentally. Two biblical passages come to mind:

a. ECC 5: When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made one as well as the other.

b. The point is that God is sovereign. And knowing God does not guarantee that things will always turn out as we wish or expect. Life remains unpredictable.

c. JAMES 4: Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

d. The point is that we can’t even know what will happen in less than 24 hours! Life is unpredictable.

24. So how does Mary handle her unpredictable life? How does she respond to the upheaval? How does she deal with knowing that her carefully laid out plans are now upside down?

25. The answer is given in V38: ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. For Mary, this was the bottom line. It encompassed everything she was and everything she believed.

26. No matter what the circumstances, she knew she had done right. No matter what the future might hold, she knew who she was.

27. And though she had little more than a clue about her future, she was confident that as God’s servant, her future was secure.

28. Even though our lives may change significantly over the course of time. And though we may have to make some major adjustments along the way.

29. If we keep in mind that ultimately we are God’s servant. That he’s sovereign over our lives and we are not.

30. If we keep the frame of mind that Mary had—the mind of a servant—life will be much more bearable…even if it’s not predictable.

C. HUMBLE SUBMISSION

1. The second lesson we learn from Mary is that: Humble submission can lead to extraordinary usefulness.

2. This lesson is illustrated in the next words Mary speaks in V38: May it be to me as you have said.

3. Mary’s first response reveals her attitude. She saw herself as God’s servant. He was sovereign over her life. She was not. God was in charge. She was not.

4. In her second response, Mary reveals her behavior. She not only saw herself as God’s servant—but she was prepared to actually act like his servant.

5. She was ready and willing to do what God wanted her to do. May it be to me as you have said. In other words, I’m ready and willing to actually function as a servant.

6. Her response is total submission and obedience. As long as God is at work. As long as God is in charge of the impossible—she’s ready and willing to cooperate.

a. The things Mary was being asked to do would not be easy.

b. She was being asked to make sacrifices.

c. She was being asked to give up things she would have preferred to keep.

d. This path is not the one she would have chosen for herself.

7. But none of this mattered. What mattered is that Mary was humbly submitting herself to God’s purpose.

8. And through her humble submission, God used her to an extraordinary degree.

9. To say that God greatly used her would be one of history’s greatest understatements.

a. Keep in mind that Mary was only a teenager when this call came on her life.

b. Keep in mind that Mary was from a village so unremarkable that it’s not mentioned one time in the entire Old Testament!

c. Keep in mind that one of the first references to Nazareth in the New Testament was when one of Jesus’ disciples said: Can anything good come from there?

d. And though “Mary” is one of the most common names in the world, 2000 years later if you just mention the name “Mary”—everybody knows who you mean.

e. This fact alone is evidence that Mary was an extraordinary agent and channel of God’s plan and purpose.

CONCLUSION

1. There are many lessons we learn from Mary. We’ve looked at two.

2. We learn from her that life is unpredictable. There’s just no way we can be certain of what will happen in the future. We can’t even be certain of what will happen tomorrow.

3. So what will be our attitude when life doesn’t go as we thought it would? Mary’s attitude was to recognize that she was God’s servant.

4. God was not obligated to serve Mary’s plans. But Mary was obligated to serve God’s. And she did…fully and without reservation.

5. We also learn that Mary didn’t just announce that she was God’s servant—she actually lived like one.

6. It’s been said that the surest test of whether someone is really a servant is to see how they respond when treated like one.

7. Mary said she WAS Gods’ servant. And Mary responded AS God’s servant.

8. Between her attitude of servanthood. And her humble submission to God’s plan…she was of extraordinary usefulness in the outworking of God’s redemptive plan. And who could ask for more?