Barbara's Bakin' N bits

MARY MOTHER OF JESUS

MARY WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A GODLY WOMAN, AND THE PICTURE OF MOTHERHOOD.

SHE WAS CHOSEN OF GOD TO BE THE MOTHER OF JESUS, WE WERE CHOSEN OF GOD TO

BE MOTHERS TOO. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT MARY AS A MOTHER IN THE NEXT FEW

MINUTES, AND WE NEED TO BE ASKING OURSELVES HOW DO WE MEASURE UP IN THE

MINISTRY OF MOTHERHOOD GOD HAS CHOSEN US FOR, YES, MOTHERHOOD IS INDEED

A MINISTRY. ONE OF THE GREATEST MINISTRIES GOD COULD HAVE BESTOWED UPON

US AS WOMEN. HOW SERIOUS ARE WE ABOUT BEING MOTHERS, DO WE REALLY KNOW

THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON OUR CHILDREN, DO WE REALIZE THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY GOD HAS GIVEN US.

LETS TURN IN OUR BIBLES TO LUKE 1:26-33

NOW THIS IS AN ACCOUNT GIVEN OF THE MOTHER OF OUR LORD.

HER NAME IS MARY. GREEK FORM OF MIRIAM. THE NAME SIGNIFIES EXALTED ONE.

SHE WAS A DESCENDANT FROM THE LINEAGE OF DAVID, SO AS JOSEPH WAS, HIS

GENEALOGY ACCOUNT IS IN MATT 1:1-17 HERS IS IN LUKE 2:23-38 GOD HAD BROUGHT

THE PERFECT COUPLE TOGETHER TO BRING HIS SON INTO THE WORLD.

SHE WAS A VIRGIN, BUT ESPOUSED TO ONE OF THE SAME ROYAL STOCK LIKE HER, HOWEVER OF LOW ESTATE, NOT WEALTHY PEOPLE.

THE ADDRESS OF THE ANGEL TO HER, HE SURPRISED HER WITH THIS SALUTATION “HAIL THOU ART HIGHLY FAVORED.” THIS STATEMENT WAS INTENDED TO RAISE IN HER.

A. A VALUE FOR HERSELF, TO CREATE SELF ESTEEM

B. AN EXPECTATION OF GREAT NEWS. NOT FROM ABROAD, BUT FROM ABOVE. (HAIL) rejoice.

C. SHE IS DIGNIFIED. THOU ART HIGHLY FAVOURED.GOD HAS PUT HONOR UPON HER

D. SHE HAS THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH HER.”THE LORD IS WITH THEE. NOTHING IS TO BE DESPAIRED, NOT THE PERFORMANCE OF ANY SERVICE, NOT THE OBTAINING OF ANY FAVOURS THOUGH EVER SO GREAT, IF WE HAVE GOD WITH US.

E. SHE HAS THE BLESSING OF GOD UPON HER. BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN.”

NOW THIS A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON MARY, SHE WAS THE OBJECT OF SHEER GRACE,

SHE RECEIVED GOD’S FAVOUR. SHE WAS BLESSED AMONG ALL WOMEN. GOD CHOOSE

MARY BECAUSE HE BELIEVED IN HER. SHE WAS NOT SINLESS, BUT A WOMAN OF GOOD

CHARACTER, AND WILLING TO FOLLOW GOD IN CARRYING OUT HIS TASK. GOD USES THE ONES WHO ARE WILLING, IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO BE USED OF THE LORD, HE WILL PASS YOU BY..

SHE WAS DEDICATED TO GODS WILL

SHE WAS COMMITTED TO GODS WILL

SHE WAS WILLING TO DO GODS WILL.

EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS BEEN ENDOWED WITH ABILITIES TO SERVE GOD. THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS THE CHRISTIAN TO USE THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN THEM. SO LET ME ASK YOU, HOW ARE YOU USING YOUR GOD GIVEN TALENTS FOR THE LORD, TAKE TIME AND PONDER ON THIS QUESTION, ARE YOU USING YOUR TALENT TO UPLIFT THE NAME OF JESUS? OR ARE YOU TRYING TO UPLIFT YOURSELF? SHAME ON YOU, GOD GIVES US THE TALENT TO USE FOR HIS GLORY AND TO SERVE HIM IN ALL WAYS, USE THIS GOD GIVEN ABILITY TO ALWAYS SERVE HIM IN ANY WAY HE WANTS YOU TO.

NOW WE SEE IN VERSE 29, MARY WAS TROUBLED, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT SHE

WAS FEELING, HERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN, A DEDICATED GODLY WOMAN, A VIRGIN,

ABOUT TO MARRY THE MAN SHE LOVED. PROBABLY CAUGHT UP IN DREAMS OF HER

BELOVED, WEDDING PLANS, AS YOUNG WOMEN DO. WONDERING WHAT HER MARRIED

LIFE WOULD BE LIKE, THEN OUT OF THE BLUE, GABRIEL SPOKE TO HER. I’M SURE

HER REACTION MUST OF BEEN OF FEAR, SHOCK, AND SHEER AMAZEMENT. THEN SHE

THOUGHT, OH WHAT WILL JOSEPH THINK. WHAT WOULD THE TOWNS PEOPLE SAY.SHE

WAS A UNMARRIED PREGNANT WOMAN, BACK IN THOSE TIMES THEY STONED UNWED

PREGNANT WOMEN TO DEATH. NOW MARY BEING COMMITTED TO DO GODS WILL SIMPLY

TRUSTED THAT GOD WOULD NOT CALL HER TO A MEANINGLESS TASK OR ONE BEYOND HER ABILITY TO DO WITH HIS HELP.

THE MESSENGER OF GOD SAID, TO MARY, NOT TO BE AFRAID. MARY ACCEPTED GODS WILL FOR HER LIFE. SHE REPLIED “BEHOLD THY HANDMAID OF THE LORD” handmaid MEANS SERVANT. HER FAITH WAS PROVED BY HER OBEDIENCE. MARY BELIEVED TO

DO GOD’S WILL WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SELF PRESERVATION.

REMEMBER NOW GOD HAD COME TO JOSEPH IN A DREAM SO HE ALREADY KNEW THE

TRUTH, AND HAD NO FEARS ABOUT MARRYING HER. HE LOVED HER AND HIS FAITH IN GOD WAS COMPLETE.

SO THEY WERE MARRIED, JOSEPH KNEW HER NOT SEXUALLY UNTIL SHE HAD BROUGHT FORTH HER FIRSTBORN SON, AND THEY CALLED HIM JESUS.

HERE WE SEE MARY HAS BEEN MARRIED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH TO THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD ALMIGHTY, AND STILL GOING FORTH IN THE TASK GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR HER. I’M SURE SHE HAD BEEN SADDENED BY THE

FACT SHE HAD NEVER BEEN INTIMATE WITH HER NEW HUSBAND, AND THERE WAS PROBABLY A STRAIN UPON THIS MARRIAGE. BUT MARY WAS COMMITTED TO GOD, AND WHAT HE HAD CHOSEN FOR HER. NOW WE SEE SHE IS GOING TO TRAVEL, AT A TIME SHE WOULD

LIKE TO BE SETTLED AND SECURE, SHE HAS TO GO FROM NAZARETH TO BETHLEHEM BECAUSE JOSEPH WAS OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID HE HAD TO PAY HIS TAXES THERE.

THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HOP ON A JET, AND GET THERE IN A HURRY, THAT WOULD EVEN BE STRAINED FOR A WOMAN READY TO DELIVER, BUT THEY TRAVELED BY

DONKEY AND WALKING ABOUT SIXTY MILES, THAT WAS A THREE DAYS JOURNEY, QUITE AN ORDEAL FOR MARY.THEN WHEN SHE GETS THERE SHE STARTED LABOUR, ALL THE INNS WERE FULL, SO SHE HAD TO GO TO A STABLE TO HAVE HER FIRSTBORN CHILD SHE MUST OF BEEN SO SAD AND DISCOURAGED, THINKING HERE I AM ABOUT TO GIVE

IN LUKE 2:7 SHE HAD HER BABY AND WRAPPED HIM IN SWADDLING CLOTHES, THESE WERE NOTHING MORE THAN BANDAGES AND WRAPPINGS, THEY USED THESE FOR WRAPPING DEAD BODIES AND GETTING THEM READY FOR BURIAL. HOW SAD FOR MARY, NOT ONLY WAS HER SON BORN IN A MANGER, (THIS WAS A FEEDING PLACE FOR CATTLE), NOW HE WAS WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES. SHE HAD NO FANCY LAYETTE, NO PRETTY CRIB, OR CUTE BABY GOWN, OR PRETTY SOFT BLANKETS AS MOST OF US YOUNG MOTHERS HAD FOR OUR FIRSTBORN BABIES, AND THIS BABY WAS THE KING

OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS, ALMIGHTY GOD IN THE FLESH. HOW PITIFUL FOR THIS YOUNG MOTHER, BUT SHE NEVER COMPLAINED SHE ONLY OBEYED GOD IN EVERY WAY, YES MARY WAS A VERY COMMITTED AND FAITHFUL WOMAN, OBEDIENT TO GOD AND WHAT HE ASKED OF HER. THINK WE COULD BE SO OBEDIENT?

NOW IN MATTHEW 2:12-23 THEY ARE WARNED OF HEROD, HE WAS KILLING BOY BABIES, TO GET TO JESUS, SO THEY FLED TO EGYPT, AS GOD TOLD THEM TO DO, TO KEEP THE LORD JESUS SAFE FROM HEROD. THEN HEROD DIED, AND THEY YET AGAIN MOVED BACK TO NAZARETH. THAT THE SCRIPTURE BE FULFILLED, MARY WAS UPROOTED SO MANY TIMES FOR GODS WORK. WE NEVER SEE HER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TASK AT HAND, OR THE LIFE GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR HER AND HER FAMILY.

LUKE 2:39-52 JESUS WAS 12 YEARS OLD NOW, MARY HAD WATCHED HIM GROW, KEPT HIM SAFE, FED HIM LIKE ANY OTHER MOTHER WOULD CARE FOR THEIR CHILD. WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD THEY WENT TO JERUSALEM FOR THE PASSOVER FEAST CUSTOM, AFTER

THE FEAST WAS OVER AND THEY WERE RETURNING HOME TO FIND JESUS MISSING,

THEY RETURNED FOR HIM. I IMAGINE MARY WAS FRANTIC WONDERING WHERE HE WAS, AND IF HE WAS ALRIGHT. BEING A MOTHER SHE WORRIED ABOUT HIM JUST AS WE DO IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES WITH OUR CHILDREN. WHEN THEY FOUND HIM

THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT HE WAS TELLING THEM, MARY WAS CONFUSED, VS 49-50 BUT KEPT ALL THIS WISDOM IN HER HEAD.

JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY AND I’M SURE MARY WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED.

PROBABLY STAYING IN THE BACKGROUND, LETTING GO LITTLE BY LITTLE LIKE MOTHERS HAVE TO DO. BY NOW SHE HAD OTHER CHILDREN TO CARE FOR MATT 13:55 TELLS US JESUS HAD AT LEAST FOUR BROTHERS, AND AT LEAST THREE SISTERS,

SO MARY HAD A VERY BUSY, AND FULL LIFE, THERE IS NO FURTHER MENTION OF JOSEPH DURING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS, SOME SAY MAYBE JOSEPH HAD DIED, LEAVING MARY A WIDOW WITH AT LEAST EIGHT CHILDREN TO CARE FOR. I’M SURE MARY WAS VERY TIRED AND BOGGED DOWN WITH THE EVERYDAY CARE OF THESE

CHILDREN, BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR THEM, SUPPORTING THEM AND ENCOURAGING THEM. I THINK SHE PROBABLY STILL DID NOT UNDERSTAND TO THE FULL EXTENT THE MINISTRY OF JESUS.

THE WEDDING IN CANA JOHN 2:1-3 MARY KNEW JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD, SHE SEEN A DIFFERENCE IN HIM COMPARED TO HER OTHER CHILDREN, SHE ALSO HAD MUCH FAITH IN HIM, I’M SURE SHE WAS VERY PROUD OF HIM AND WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THIS MAN WAS HER SON, SHE SAID IN VS 3, JESUS THEY HAVE NO

WINE, HINTING COME ON NOW YOU CAN TURN THIS WATER INTO WINE FOR THEM.

BUT HIS REPLY WAS, “WOMAN WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH THEE, MINE HOUR IS NOT YET COME”, I THINK HE WAS TELLING HER MOM, NOT YOUR WILL BUT THE FATHERS WILL HAS TO BE DONE, AND THIS IS NOT HIS TIME.. I’M SURE MARY WAS A BIT HURT TO BE REPRIMANDED BY HER SON IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, BUT

IN HER HEART SHE TOO KNEW IT HAD TO BE GODS WILL NOT HERS. MARY STILL CONFIDENT IN JESUS AND HIS POWER AND WISDOM TOLD THE SERVANTS TO DO WHATEVER JESUS TOLD THEM TO DO. VS 4&5.

LATER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST, MARY AND HIS BROTHERS CAME TO TAKE JESUS HOME, MARK 3:20-32, SHE WAS ALWAYS BY HIS SIDE SHE NEVER TRIED TO DISCOURAGE HIM, OR MOCK HIM, FOR DOING WHAT SHE KNEW GOD HAD CALLED HIM TO DO, NO SHE ALWAYS WAS SUPPORTIVE OF HIM. SHE WAS THERE AT THE TIME

OF HIS DEATH SHOWING DEEP MOTHERLY LOVE AND ADORATION FOR HIM. HOW SHE MUST OF BEEN HURTING INSIDE, HER HEART BREAKING FOR HER FIRSTBORN SON.

JESUS LOVED HIS MOTHER DEARLY, AS WE SEE THROUGH OUT THE SCRIPTURES, AND AT THE CRUCIFIXION HE TOOK SPECIAL CARE TO TELL THE APOSTLE JOHN TO TAKE CARE OF HIS MOTHER. WHO WOULD OF EVER THOUGHT SUCH A SPECIAL CALLING AS HERS WOULD INCLUDE SUCH A TIME OF HEARTBREAKING AGONY.

NOW WE SEE MARY APPEARS LAST IN SCRIPTURE WITH THE DISCIPLES IN THE UPPER ROOM, AFTER THE ASCENSION OF JESUS ACTS 1:14.

BY JOINING THE APOSTLES IN PRAYER AS THEY WAITED FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT. MARY SHOWED HER BELIEF IN CHRIST, HIS RESURRECTION HAD PROVEN BEYOND A DOUBT WHAT HE HAD SAID WAS TRUE. MARYS ROLE WOULD AGAIN BE JOYOUS AS SHE, ALONG WITH THE FAST GROWING CHURCH, PROCLAIMED THE RESURRECTION OF HER SON. MARY SHOWS US THAT EVEN GODS MOST GLORIOUS TASKS COME WITH HARDSHIPS AND PAIN. NOW IN CLOSING WE SEE A GREAT GODLY, FAITHFUL, OBEDIENT, COMMITTED, TENTATIVE, SUPPORTIVE WOMAN. IS IT ANY WONDER GOD CHOSE THIS MARY WE HAVE SEEN TO CARRY HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. WILL WE BE MARYS, WE WILL USE HER AS OUR EXAMPLES, AND TRY TO BE THE MOTHER GOD HAS CHOSEN US TO BE.