Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Dec 25th, 2012 Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl

Today’s Passage – 1 John 3 – 3 John 1; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read –Psalms 120 – 125; Proverbs 25)

Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:6

A Study Of The Women Of The Bible

Mary

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.”     (Luke 1:26-37)

There could be no better person to study about, on Christmas Day, then Mary.  She is a well known woman  of the Bible because she was the only one to bear and raise God’s only Son, Jesus.

A lowly servant girl, overwhelmed when visited by an angel and the message he brought, said she would do whatever He desires.  She would become the mother of the Messiah.  With her wondering  how this could be, the angel asured her not to be afraid and explained that the Holy Spirit would work the miracle in her.  Her child would be called the Son of God.   Mary was the willing servant.  This was complete surrender on her part.  She learned that having a great privilege often goes along with sacrifice.  Moses had experienced this before her.  She sacrificed her reputation in order to be available to God.  How could Joseph, Mary’s fiance, marry a girl who was expecting a baby by someone else?  The law stated she would be stoned to death.  But God protected them both.

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”     (Mat 1:20)

God gave encouragement through Mary’s cousin, Elisabeth.  God blessed every aspect of Mary’s life, from the explanation to Joseph through the birth and all the troubles that followed.  Mary hung on the truths given, which ould guide her faith.

The next time Mary is mentioned is when she and Joseph lost Jesus when he was twelve years old.

“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.”     (Luke 2:41-42)

In later years, Mary became apart of Jesus’ ministry at the wedding in Cana.  But from that point on Mary is rarely mentioned.  We can only imagine the anguish she must have felt as she heard the religious leaders’ disapproval of Jesus.  She tried to serve and comfort Him while He did His Father’s will.

“Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”     (Luke 8:19-21)

At the foot of the cross, Mary appears again.  Watching Jesus’ death wounded her like nothing else could.  She must have desired to wrap her arms around Him, as His arms were streched out onto the cross.   Her heart pounded each time the hammer strucked the nails.  In her heart she must have screamed when her Son bowed His head and gave up the Ghost.  She was the one who bore Him.  But even at the cross Jesus watched over Mary and placed her in the care in His disciple John.

Last we see Mary is in the upper room with the disciples (Acts 1:14).

Mary had no easy life.  She was not wealthy, her reputation was destroyed by the pregnancy of her first born child and she watched her inocent Son die a curl death.  But through it all she stayed faithful and trusted God and He never forsook her.

What a wonderful example Mary is to us.  Do we give ourselves completely to God?  Or do we hold back when He asks us something that seems “unreasonable”?  Mary didn’t.  Though she had her doubts, she remained true to God’s calling for her life.  Mary stood firm during pain, doubt and fear.  Let’s follow Mary’s example by being faithful and to trust Him!

Thank You

1 John 5:13