Mary Trusts God
Theme: Living by Faith in Christ Alone
Theme Verse: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NIV
Readings: Luke 1:26-56
Memory Verse: "'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.' Then the angel left her." Luke 1:38 NIV
God sent angels (angel means messenger) to speak really important messages to people. Angels were not cute or romantic, they were terrifying. Usually almost the first thing they said was, "Don't be afraid." Examples: Zechariah, father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:13), Gideon, Cornelius (Acts 10:3-4), shepherds (Luke 2:10). The angel, Gabriel, reassured Mary and answered her questions after telling her God's message that she would bear a son who would be God's promised Messiah. A word received: I will always let you know when I have something for you to do.
Mary's question was a question of how, not doubt of the angel's message, as Zechariah's was. The answer is, a miracle is about to take place -- a virgin will have a child and another miracle has already taken place, her elderly relative, Elizabeth is expecting a child and she is six months along! We need to remember Gabriel's answer, "For with God, nothing will be impossible." Do we limit what God wants to do because of our unbelief?
Mary's answer was one of trust and obedience. "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." A word received: I want you to ask for that too. I want you to desire My will for you. A word received: I want you to trust Me as Mary did. Mary's willingness to accept this difficult assignment and great honor was a sign of her trust in God. She certainly recognized immediately some of the problems this would cause. Notice that she does not consult with anyone, even Joseph or her family. She doesn't say "No," or "I'll get back to you," or "Let me think/pray about this!" (If you say "No," to God you will miss out on what He has prepared for you.) Nor does Mary have false modesty, or say "Pick someone else." She accepted God's plan for her. She gives God and his angel a direct and immediate positive response. Has God ever asked you to do something with a lot of unknowns in it? How did you respond? Every Jewish girl for centuries wanted to be the mother of the Messiah but this was an unexpected package.
Now look at how God provided for Mary immediately. When we trust God and obey him he helps us and enables us to trust and obey him more step by step. God gives Mary a sign of a miraculous birth in someone she knows, someone she can talk to who will understand. Elizabeth is a gift from God to Mary -- and she goes immediately to visit her for 3 months. (She was poor but not so poor that she could not take off for a visit for 3 months.) There is also added confirmation when Elizabeth feels her unborn baby leap for joy in her womb. She is filled with the Holy Spirit and joy and has a message from God for Mary -- knowledge that "the mother of my Lord" has come to visit her. She also blesses Mary "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished." Martin Luther once commented, "If she hadn't believed, she would not have conceived." Prayer: Lord, thank you for your kindness toward Mary. Thank you that you have the same love and kindness for me. Help me to look for your plan in my life and give me the grace to accept it.
Look for a moment at Elizabeth. She was elderly and both she and her priest husband had been walking faithfully with the Lord all their lives but had no children. Being "barren" was considered a reproach, a sign of God's disfavor--and here she is, pregnant in her old age! A word received: I want you to offer the barren places in your life to Me. "For with God nothing will be impossible": that is the measure of My love for you -- nothing is impossible for Me. I want you to have hope.
Look at how the Lord protected Mary. First, God provided a relative who also had a miraculous birth, announced by an angel to encourage, strengthen, guide her and give direct, independent confirmation of what had happened. She had this for 3 months. Second, Mary was "betrothed" to Joseph. She was legally his wife although the final part of the marriage had not taken place with her being escorted to Joseph's home. This is a lot more than engagement. Our present marriage ceremony has for many centuries combined the two legal ceremonies into one. The remnants of the betrothal in the marriage ceremony are the Declaration of Consent on page 424 BCP while the actual marriage vows are on page 427. Joseph was her God-given protector and provider. He was a righteous man. God spoke to him in a dream to tell him not to divorce her because this was a miracle by the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 1:19). Joseph could have divorced her and shamed her with the possible penalty of stoning. Joseph seems to have taken her into his home soon after because he took her along with him to Bethlehem. Prayer: Thank you Lord, that you protected Mary and you will protect us as we trust and obey you.
Look at who Mary's son was to be. God chose the name Jesus (which means God saves) a form of the name Joshua. He will be called Son of the Most High. Son in Jewish tradition had several meanings besides the literal one. It represented a similar character and behavior, as in "sons of thunder". It indicated relationship as in "as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Romans 8:14), or son of David. It also indicated a relationship involving obedience. Kings of Israel were sometimes called sons of God, as was the whole nation at times. Only after Jesus' resurrection did the special, unique and eternal meaning of this term begin to be recognized. It does NOT mean, as Muslims think Christians believe, that God picked a human woman to be his wife and have sex with like the Greek gods. (See NOTE for more.) The baby would be a king of the line of David and have an everlasting kingdom. This was a common Jewish understanding of the promised messiah.
Look at Mary's song called the "Magnificat" (named after the first line in her song.) Mary responds to Elizabeth's greeting inspired by the Holy Spirit with her own song of praise inspired by the Holy Spirit. Mary give the glory to God. She has a good perspective on her own humble status and on God's great mercy as she tell of great things God has done. (Her song is similar to Hannah's song after Samuel was born.) Questions: Who does the Lord do great things for? Who does he bring down? Which side do you want to be on?
Prayer: Lord make me humble before your greatness and not think more of myself than I ought to think. Make me hungry for more of you and aware of my own poverty of spirit without you. Deliver me from thinking I have no need of you and help me to be grateful for your many blessings.
Note: Genealogy: Luke 3 traces Jesus' human ancestry through Solomon and David to "Adam, the son of God". This emphasizes the universal aspect of Jesus. It is Joseph's genealogy. Matthew also traces Joseph's genealogy through another son of David back to Abraham, emphasizing God's choice of Abraham to create a people for himself. Mary's genealogy is not given but it was very common for the Hebrew people to marry someone not very distant from their own family, often a cousin but not close enough to be forbidden. That meant that strange customs, etc. would not be introduced into the family. It is likely that Mary was also within the line of David . She did go with Joseph to pay taxes in Bethlehem. Zechariah was a priest and therefore a descendent of Levi but we don't know what his wife, Elizabeth, was. David had a lot of sons. For example, Princess Diana had 8 lines of connections to British royalty.
Note: Jesus as Son of God. After Jesus' resurrection, Jesus "opened the scriptures" to his disciples and they began to realize who he really was. Thomas said, "My Lord and My God." (John 20:28) During Jesus' ministry Jesus said things like "the Son can do nothing of his own accord but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, that the Son does likewise.(John5:19) "I seek not my own will but the will of Him who sent me." (John 5:30) Jesus also said, "I and the Father are One." (John 10:30)
Jesus' disciples came to realize that Jesus was God's WORD made flesh (John1:14). The church came to recognize that Jesus and the Father are One God with the Holy Spirit and had been from all eternity. The church has always taught that Jesus is truly God and truly man in one person and our salvation depends on this truth. Jesus in his Sonship was perfectly in relationship with the Father, perfectly like the Father in his character and behavior and perfect in his human obedience. Through our relationship to Jesus we too can become "sons" of God, not perfectly but truly as Jesus lives in us. The Creeds were written to protect these truths.
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 11
Please read the Study Guide first. Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1. God is faithful and we can trust Him.
2. God uses His people if they are willing.
3. Mary was a person who trusted God and was willing to be used by Him to be the mother of the promised Savior.
4. God wants us to be willing to be used by Him like Mary was
5. When you ask God to help you He will help you. With God all things are possible if they are according to His will.
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