Christmas 2018 A Story of Contrasts (Mary, part 2)
Hello this is Eric again. A friend asked me, “How can I know that the Bible is true?” So, I am taking some time to answer my friends question and to do this I am looking at one of the evidences the Bible gives to answer this question, Prophecy.
(Read the previous blogs here)
How do we respond when God invites us on this Gospel Driven Disciplemaking Adventure with Him? What should we expect when we begin to follow God on this journey? The Bible has much to say about this topic, but since we are talking about Mary, let’s look at the first leg of her journey in Luke 1:39-45,
“A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.’”
OK, wow. We need to walk through the obvious here. First, if you have read this before, you need to stop and re-read it as if you didn’t know the story. Think about the blocking! Blocking is a theater term for how the actors and actresses will plan their movements on stage—look at the timing—it’s amazing.
Let me help. Mary left and traveled to go and see Elizabeth. Neither has communicated with each other—this is well before email, and texts, and messenger—but it isn’t out of God’s power! Mary says, “hello” and the Holy Spirit confirms to Elizabeth what is going on. Her response,
“God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
God does a miracle, and confirms the Gospel, affirms Mary, and one more little detail…
Read the first 4 words in this passage. What is the time referent? A few days from… The angel talking with her. Mary, is all ready pregnant. In talking with a number of women, and doing some research in the medical journals, the earliest that a woman might know she is pregnant could be 5 days after fertilization, or up to a week before menstruation—it’s only been a few days and God has all ready kept His prophecy, and miraculously affirmed this through the Holy Spirit, speaking to Elizabeth, through her miraculous son’s worship in the womb—Mary is pregnant with Jesus!
Wow! How does Mary respond to God showing up and doing what He said He would do, and finding herself in a house where everyone is walking with God—worship! Luke 1:46-55,
“Mary responded, ‘Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.’”
God, You are amazing! You keep Your promises. You are just! You are powerful! You love the humble, the poor, and you help us, and give us mercy. What an amazing God! Your word is true! Through Your prophecies we see, Your word IS true!
Mary’s life would never be the same. She would face danger, misunderstanding, pain, joy, amazement, tenderness, and all the challenges life with Jesus as her son, would bring. But, to start her journey, God blesses Mary with Mutual Community. What is this? Mutual Community is You+Me+Jesus—Together! Luke 1:56 says,
“Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.”
God knew that Mary would need a place to worship, to understand and get ready, to pray. Soon, she would have to go and tell Joseph, her parents, his parents. Her town would find out, and so would the officials. Who would believe her? Elizabeth and Zechariah. They would understand the loving miraculous normality of walking with God—and what it was like to have life change. They would understand the power of a loving God’s realignment in their lives, being disciplined by God, and watching God show up and do great big God things. Mary needed this, because soon, the next leg of her journey would begin.
‘God, thank you for your invitation to walk with You through Jesus. Thank You for Your kindness and understanding in our lives as we journey with You. Grant us the grace of Your presence, mutual community, and help us to be a place of mutual community with others. We praise You God—You are amazing!
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.’
Do you want to walk on this journey with us?
Subscribe here
(Read the previous blogs here)
How do we respond when God invites us on this Gospel Driven Disciplemaking Adventure with Him? What should we expect when we begin to follow God on this journey? The Bible has much to say about this topic, but since we are talking about Mary, let’s look at the first leg of her journey in Luke 1:39-45,
“A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.’”
OK, wow. We need to walk through the obvious here. First, if you have read this before, you need to stop and re-read it as if you didn’t know the story. Think about the blocking! Blocking is a theater term for how the actors and actresses will plan their movements on stage—look at the timing—it’s amazing.
Let me help. Mary left and traveled to go and see Elizabeth. Neither has communicated with each other—this is well before email, and texts, and messenger—but it isn’t out of God’s power! Mary says, “hello” and the Holy Spirit confirms to Elizabeth what is going on. Her response,
“God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
God does a miracle, and confirms the Gospel, affirms Mary, and one more little detail…
Read the first 4 words in this passage. What is the time referent? A few days from… The angel talking with her. Mary, is all ready pregnant. In talking with a number of women, and doing some research in the medical journals, the earliest that a woman might know she is pregnant could be 5 days after fertilization, or up to a week before menstruation—it’s only been a few days and God has all ready kept His prophecy, and miraculously affirmed this through the Holy Spirit, speaking to Elizabeth, through her miraculous son’s worship in the womb—Mary is pregnant with Jesus!
Wow! How does Mary respond to God showing up and doing what He said He would do, and finding herself in a house where everyone is walking with God—worship! Luke 1:46-55,
“Mary responded, ‘Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.’”
God, You are amazing! You keep Your promises. You are just! You are powerful! You love the humble, the poor, and you help us, and give us mercy. What an amazing God! Your word is true! Through Your prophecies we see, Your word IS true!
Mary’s life would never be the same. She would face danger, misunderstanding, pain, joy, amazement, tenderness, and all the challenges life with Jesus as her son, would bring. But, to start her journey, God blesses Mary with Mutual Community. What is this? Mutual Community is You+Me+Jesus—Together! Luke 1:56 says,
“Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.”
God knew that Mary would need a place to worship, to understand and get ready, to pray. Soon, she would have to go and tell Joseph, her parents, his parents. Her town would find out, and so would the officials. Who would believe her? Elizabeth and Zechariah. They would understand the loving miraculous normality of walking with God—and what it was like to have life change. They would understand the power of a loving God’s realignment in their lives, being disciplined by God, and watching God show up and do great big God things. Mary needed this, because soon, the next leg of her journey would begin.
‘God, thank you for your invitation to walk with You through Jesus. Thank You for Your kindness and understanding in our lives as we journey with You. Grant us the grace of Your presence, mutual community, and help us to be a place of mutual community with others. We praise You God—You are amazing!
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.’
Do you want to walk on this journey with us?
Subscribe here
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