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This is a sermon about Mary the mother of Jesus. It attempts to describe the qualities of the woman God chose as the mother of the Messiah.
Written Excerpts:
Introduction:
There was a little boy standing in front of his mother
ready to give a report of some incident he had recently been involved with. He
began with these words, “Before I tell you what happened, Mom, remember… the
Lord will never give you more than you can handle.” I’m sure that most of us would agree that the calling
of motherhood often involves dealing with circumstances that seem to be more
than what one can handle. Motherhood is a high calling, and it is often a
difficult challenge.
About 1 ½ years ago, we had a guest speaker here for
Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. His name was Brian Beal from Pro-Life of Mercer
County. While he was here he mentioned the important connection between the
incarnation of Jesus Christ and the sacredness of human life in the womb.
Many years earlier I too had considered the
significance of God choosing to bring His Son into this world through the means
of normal childbirth. When God the Father decided to send His only Son into
our world, He did not send Him as a grown man to be a king, a ruler, etc. but
He sent Him as a baby. When God chose to enter human history He chose childbirth
and Motherhood as the vehicle for that world-changing event. In thinking about
this fact, I began to ponder the qualities of the woman God chose to be the
mother of the Messiah.
Today, as we recite some of the implications in
Scripture that describe the qualities of the Mother of Jesus, I hope that not
only the mothers (and prospective mothers) in the audience, but every one of us
will also seek to possess and develop these same qualities in our lives.
I am not presenting these qualities in any particular
order, but simply listing several traits about Mary that I find in these
verses.
I. She was morally pure. (v. 27, 34)
A. The
virgin birth was necessary for redemption.
Many theologians have emphasized the point that the
Messiah could not be the son of Joseph or He would have inherited the sin
nature that all humanity inherited from Adam. (Romans 5:12)
However, we still believe that it is important to
remember that…
B. God puts
a high premium on moral purity.
Much is said in the Scriptures about purity, virtue,
and moral character.
We know that God, in His marvelous grace, at various
times throughout biblical history, chose to override the sinfulness of mankind
and use people who had not always been morally pure. However, whenever we read direct commands and
instructions from God to man, we find that God always expects virtue and moral
purity in His people.
When God looked for a young woman to be the mother of
the Messiah, God chose a woman that was morally pure. God still seeks people who will exemplify His
character by living a life that is virtuous, morally pure and full of integrity.
II. She was
filled with humility. (Lk. 1:48,
51b-52)
The Bible makes it pretty clear that God did not choose
a woman of public importance and prestige. He did not choose a woman that “had
everything going for her.”
Mary’s attitude as expressed in her song of praise in
Luke 1 indicates that she was a very humble person and as such, was grateful
for God’s grace and favor. She never gave any indication that she thought she
deserved the privilege and favor she had been shown.
The Lord is still looking for people who are humble
enough for Him to use them and pour His grace and favor upon them.
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the
humble.” James 4:6.
III. She was committed to the sacredness of life.
I don’t recall anything in Scripture or in secular
accounts that would indicate that abortion was common back in this time in Jewish
history. In fact, with the exception of the periods of the Kings in the OT when
many kings forsook the ways of God, the people of Israel
I realize that there are many young women today who
have not compromised their conviction concerning the sanctity of human
life. But, I can’t help but think about
how strong the pressure would be on a young woman to have an abortion if the
incarnation were to have taken place in our society.
I believe that the woman God chose had a high regard
for the sanctity of life, and so should we.
IV. She was a woman who feared the Lord. (Lk. 1:50)
A. A woman who fears the Lord (awe, reverence,
respect) readily submits to the will of God.
Luke
1:38 (NKJV) Then Mary said,
"Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your
word."
God
is still seeking people who fear Him and are submissive to His will for their
lives.
B. A woman who fears the Lord is committed to
the task given her by God. See Lk. 2: 40-41
These
verses simply state that “the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled
with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
41 His parents went to Jerusalem
God
gives grace and blesses those who are committed to serving Him in whatever
responsibilities He may give them.
C. A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Prov. 31:30
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the Lord shall
be praised.”
In Mary’s song of praise recorded in Luke 1:46ff, she
mentions the fact that “all generations will call me blessed.” It certainly seems evident that God chose a woman that
feared Him and because of that, she obeyed, submitted and faithfully carried
out her assignment. Now, she is an example of the Proverb, she is praised for
her example.
Let each of us fear the Lord and walk with Him in
submission and obedience.
Conclusion:
In closing, I just want to encourage mothers to make
sure you keep these qualities in the highest priority in your life. They are things that I believe were important
to God when He chose Motherhood.
I also would challenge the rest of us to make sure
that we obey the instructions of God’s Word and “praise the woman who fears the
Lord.”
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