A Woman's Heart

a sermon by Pastor Dan Langerock

“A Woman’s Heart”
Intro
Think for a moment about some of the things God has asked of you during your lifetime? Imagine the biggest one He has asked you to do? Or perhaps, think about what God is asking you to believe Him for in the near future. Something that is so momentous you can’t see how it can be accomplished? This is the scene we see as we look at Mary’s reaction and what follows, when the angel told her about the birth of Jesus through her.
Have you ever wondered why God chose Mary to bring the Son of God into the world. Today we will be looking at some of the attitudes that Mary had that were some of the reasons why God chose her for this momentous task
Luke 1:26-38
(Luk 1:26) In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,

(Luk 1:27) to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.

(Luk 1:28) Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! [Blessed are you among women.]"

(Luk 1:29) Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

(Luk 1:30) "Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God!

(Luk 1:31) You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus.

(Luk 1:32) He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David.

(Luk 1:33) And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!"

(Luk 1:34) Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin."

(Luk 1:35) The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.

(Luk 1:36) What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's now in her sixth month.

(Luk 1:37) For nothing is impossible with God. "

(Luk 1:38) Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her.


· She had a normal human reaction to the news initially, just like any of us would have. But she didn’t let that reaction keep her from the blessing that was about to be given to her. Remember, by contrast, Moses made all kinds of excuses when he was asked by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
· She asked the angel a question, again like many of us would have done. But she didn’t let the questions she was thinking about get in the way of her blessing. Sometimes we have so many questions, we cancel out our blessings by not going forward with what God has for us.
· Mary’s faith took over at this point when the angel told her that “nothing is impossible with God”. This is when we need to remember all the times God has bailed us out of impossible circumstances. This is one lesson the Israelites never remembered when they were traveling from Egypt. Every time they ran up against a problem or an enemy they forgot what God had done for them already. So we , too, need to transfer our faith from one circumstance to another in our lives just as Mary did when the angel brought her this good news.
· Mary now ends the passage with a humble attitude before God. She is a faithful servant waiting to be assigned one of the greatest honors in history. Yet, she didn’t let it make her prideful. God knew the effect already that this news would have on her. God has many assignments for us in this life as well, some are greater than others. But we need to make sure they don’t make us prideful. Otherwise we are in danger of losing our blessing from the Lord.
Luke 2:21-51
· (Luk 2:21) Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, He was named Jesus, the name given Him by the angel even before He was conceived.
·
· (Luk 2:22) Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so His parents took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.
·
· (Luk 2:23) The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD."
·
· (Luk 2:24) So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—"either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
·
· (Luk 2:25) At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him
·
· (Luk 2:26) and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.
·
· (Luk 2:27) That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required,
·
· (Luk 2:28) Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,
·
· (Luk 2:29) "Sovereign Lord, now let Your servant die in peace, as You have promised.
·
· (Luk 2:30) I have seen Your salvation,
·
· (Luk 2:31) which You have prepared for all people.
·
· (Luk 2:32) He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and He is the glory of Your people Israel!"
·
· (Luk 2:33) Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about Him.
·
· (Luk 2:34) Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but He will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him.
·
· (Luk 2:35) As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."
·
· (Luk 2:36) Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years.
·
· (Luk 2:37) Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.
·
· (Luk 2:38) She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
·
· (Luk 2:39) When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.
·
· (Luk 2:40) There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on Him.
·
· (Luk 2:41) Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival.
·
· (Luk 2:42) When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.
·
· (Luk 2:43) After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss Him at first,
·
· (Luk 2:44) because they assumed He was among the other travelers. But when He didn't show up that evening, they started looking for Him among their relatives and friends.
·
· (Luk 2:45) When they couldn't find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for Him there.
·
· (Luk 2:46) Three days later they finally discovered Him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
·
· (Luk 2:47) All who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.
·
· (Luk 2:48) His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," His mother said to Him, "why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for You everywhere."
·
· (Luk 2:49) "But why did you need to search?" He asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in My Father's house?"
·
· (Luk 2:50) But they didn't understand what He meant.
·
· (Luk 2:51) Then He returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And His mother stored all these things in her heart.
·