1 00:00:23,700 --> 00:00:50,533 I. Mean 2 00:00:51,133 --> 00:00:55,166 I think. It. 3 00:01:08,233 --> 00:01:12,000 May be. 4 00:01:29,233 --> 00:01:32,233 Fair. 5 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:46,033 To. Go. 6 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:00,166 That is certainly the story of Christmas. 7 00:02:00,166 --> 00:02:03,466 That God showed up and he moved into our neighborhood. 8 00:02:04,266 --> 00:02:07,966 And he knew that world was broken and getting more so. 9 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,200 He had prophesied for generations that he would come. 10 00:02:13,533 --> 00:02:16,600 And it's that advent that we celebrate at Christmas time. 11 00:02:17,666 --> 00:02:19,666 But can you imagine 12 00:02:19,666 --> 00:02:22,666 being the first one to get the news 13 00:02:22,866 --> 00:02:25,500 that God was showing up? 14 00:02:25,500 --> 00:02:27,166 Can you imagine what it must have been like 15 00:02:27,166 --> 00:02:32,766 to be the first one to hear that God was finally fulfilling 16 00:02:32,766 --> 00:02:35,766 what had been prophesied for generations? 17 00:02:36,633 --> 00:02:39,566 Can you imagine being the first one 18 00:02:39,566 --> 00:02:41,766 to hear from the angel? 19 00:02:41,766 --> 00:02:43,700 Hey, the times come. 20 00:02:43,700 --> 00:02:46,700 You imagine what it was like to be Mary. 21 00:02:47,500 --> 00:02:49,300 No precedent had been set. 22 00:02:50,533 --> 00:02:52,500 Only a hope 23 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:53,666 that was now being revealed. 24 00:02:53,666 --> 00:02:55,800 What joy! 25 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,100 What joy. 26 00:02:58,100 --> 00:03:02,066 I want to look at Mary's story, the first part of it in Luke chapter one. 27 00:03:02,066 --> 00:03:06,000 If you have a Bible or on your smart device, if you turn to Luke chapter one 28 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,000 right in the middle of the chapter, starting in verse 26. 29 00:03:10,633 --> 00:03:12,400 To look at Mary's story. 30 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,700 The angel's announcement to her and her response. 31 00:03:16,866 --> 00:03:19,666 So I think there's a lot we can learn, 32 00:03:19,666 --> 00:03:21,700 and I think it's 33 00:03:21,700 --> 00:03:24,633 wise of us to study 34 00:03:24,633 --> 00:03:27,633 this young little girl. 35 00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:31,400 And the God that spoke to her and appeared Luke one verses 36 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,233 26 to 27, in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy. 37 00:03:35,233 --> 00:03:36,600 We'll come back to that. 38 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,066 God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 39 00:03:40,066 --> 00:03:44,266 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. 40 00:03:44,266 --> 00:03:45,766 And the virgin's name was Mary. 41 00:03:47,100 --> 00:03:50,100 When the Bible says that in the sixth month 42 00:03:50,266 --> 00:03:53,266 of Elizabeth's pregnancy, 43 00:03:54,433 --> 00:03:57,433 this is her relative, and, 44 00:03:58,133 --> 00:03:59,600 she is six months pregnant. 45 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,600 When Mary gets the visitation from the angel Gabriel. 46 00:04:02,966 --> 00:04:05,833 Elizabeth was 88 years old, 47 00:04:05,833 --> 00:04:08,400 and she'd been barren her whole life. 48 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:13,400 And so Elizabeth has her own miraculous birth story. 49 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,400 And though it's miraculous, it's not miraculous like Mary's. 50 00:04:16,666 --> 00:04:17,966 Mary's is a virgin. 51 00:04:17,966 --> 00:04:19,800 Miraculous. 52 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:21,066 Elizabeth's is an old lady. 53 00:04:21,066 --> 00:04:22,866 Miraculous. 54 00:04:22,866 --> 00:04:25,866 The old enough for its still miraculous, 55 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:29,900 but not quite like Mary's. 56 00:04:30,100 --> 00:04:31,833 And the Bible says that 57 00:04:31,833 --> 00:04:35,000 this angel Gabriel went to Nazareth to meet with Mary. 58 00:04:35,033 --> 00:04:37,266 Nazareth is important 59 00:04:37,266 --> 00:04:39,333 because Nazareth 60 00:04:39,333 --> 00:04:42,933 was a little tiny dot on the map, 61 00:04:43,966 --> 00:04:46,833 probably between two bigger cities. 62 00:04:46,833 --> 00:04:49,833 It probably had about two stoplights in it, 63 00:04:50,533 --> 00:04:54,333 maybe a small little Dollar General on the main street that went through it. 64 00:04:56,766 --> 00:04:59,766 There were probably more cows than people. 65 00:05:00,866 --> 00:05:02,900 It was the little place 66 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:05,900 that people didn't mind being from. 67 00:05:06,266 --> 00:05:09,266 But you didn't go to. 68 00:05:09,366 --> 00:05:10,266 There wasn't business. 69 00:05:10,266 --> 00:05:13,266 There weren't businesses in Nazareth. 70 00:05:13,866 --> 00:05:16,100 There were businesses in the towns around Nazareth, 71 00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:18,200 but not really Nazareth so much. 72 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,766 It was one of those towns where 73 00:05:20,766 --> 00:05:23,766 the kids growing up in Nazareth couldn't wait to grow up and get out. 74 00:05:24,700 --> 00:05:28,666 Can't wait to grow up and grow up and move on to a bigger city 75 00:05:28,666 --> 00:05:31,766 where they can make a name for themselves so they can follow some of their dreams. 76 00:05:31,766 --> 00:05:34,733 Because it's probably not going to happen in Nazareth. 77 00:05:34,733 --> 00:05:37,733 Do you know a place like that? 78 00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:40,400 I love the fact 79 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,233 that God first shows up to the Nazareth 80 00:05:43,233 --> 00:05:45,900 places, 81 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:49,166 those places that seem a little bit in the shadows, a little forgotten about 82 00:05:50,866 --> 00:05:53,133 those places where 83 00:05:53,133 --> 00:05:56,733 if you're really making it and set your own agenda, it's not going to be 84 00:05:56,733 --> 00:05:58,100 here. 85 00:05:58,100 --> 00:06:02,100 And God says no, other people might not set this as their destination. 86 00:06:02,133 --> 00:06:04,700 It is my destination. 87 00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:07,700 And so he shows up to Nazareth. 88 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,200 The angel went to her. 89 00:06:13,866 --> 00:06:14,766 And these are his words. 90 00:06:14,766 --> 00:06:16,366 Greetings. You who are. 91 00:06:16,366 --> 00:06:19,533 What are those two words I highly favored? 92 00:06:19,966 --> 00:06:20,666 Mark that. 93 00:06:20,666 --> 00:06:23,666 Underline it, make a note of are going to come back to it. 94 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:26,966 The Lord is with you. 95 00:06:26,966 --> 00:06:30,133 Mary was greatly troubled at his words, no doubt, 96 00:06:31,133 --> 00:06:33,166 and wondered what kind of greeting 97 00:06:33,166 --> 00:06:36,166 this might be. 98 00:06:36,766 --> 00:06:39,766 But the angel said to her, don't be afraid, Mary. 99 00:06:40,333 --> 00:06:43,166 You found favor with God. 100 00:06:43,166 --> 00:06:46,166 Mary is certainly 101 00:06:46,833 --> 00:06:49,066 a favorite of God, right to bear 102 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:53,300 the Son of God in the flesh. 103 00:06:54,300 --> 00:06:55,633 Certainly highly favored. 104 00:06:55,633 --> 00:06:57,833 Wouldn't you agree? 105 00:06:57,833 --> 00:07:00,833 Nobody up to this point had men. 106 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:03,933 God chose her. 107 00:07:03,933 --> 00:07:05,900 And so the angel's words, you 108 00:07:05,900 --> 00:07:08,900 who are highly favored makes sense to us. 109 00:07:09,033 --> 00:07:11,600 She is highly favored. 110 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,000 The Lord is with her. 111 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,000 She has been blessed. 112 00:07:17,133 --> 00:07:18,633 I want you to understand something. 113 00:07:18,633 --> 00:07:20,066 That when these words. 114 00:07:20,066 --> 00:07:23,000 When the angel uses these words, you who are highly favored. 115 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,066 Those words have never been used of a human. 116 00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:29,100 Up to this point in all of Scripture. 117 00:07:29,466 --> 00:07:33,133 She's the first one in all of creation 118 00:07:33,733 --> 00:07:38,766 and all of humanity where God takes her and says, you are my favorite. 119 00:07:38,766 --> 00:07:40,666 That's what those words mean. 120 00:07:40,666 --> 00:07:41,433 Highly favored. 121 00:07:41,433 --> 00:07:43,733 You're my favorite. 122 00:07:43,733 --> 00:07:47,700 When we agree that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the favorite of God. 123 00:07:48,833 --> 00:07:51,833 None of you women got to do it. 124 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,266 But let me tell you something. 125 00:07:58,266 --> 00:08:01,266 As special as Mary is. 126 00:08:02,066 --> 00:08:05,066 If you are in Christ, so are you. 127 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,033 How about I prove it to you? 128 00:08:11,033 --> 00:08:12,333 In all of Scripture? 129 00:08:12,333 --> 00:08:15,266 This is the first time those words are used. 130 00:08:15,266 --> 00:08:18,100 She is highly favored, 131 00:08:18,100 --> 00:08:21,366 and they're not used again in Scripture until one other time. 132 00:08:22,466 --> 00:08:25,466 Ephesians one six 133 00:08:25,466 --> 00:08:28,400 Mary was God's favorite. 134 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,400 And then the apostle Paul writes in Ephesians one six 135 00:08:31,466 --> 00:08:34,466 to the praise of his glorious grace, 136 00:08:34,466 --> 00:08:37,466 with which he has what 137 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:38,966 blessed us in the beloved. 138 00:08:38,966 --> 00:08:41,966 Exact same words used of Mary. 139 00:08:44,533 --> 00:08:47,533 You are the highly favored of God. 140 00:08:50,333 --> 00:08:52,100 She was blessed. 141 00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:53,033 Paul, you. 142 00:08:53,033 --> 00:08:56,800 Paul reaches back to the Mary's account, 143 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,966 and Luke one pulls out that phrase 144 00:09:00,633 --> 00:09:03,466 and puts it on every person who is in Christ, 145 00:09:04,466 --> 00:09:07,200 the highly favored of God, 146 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,366 that he has blessed us in the beloved. 147 00:09:11,966 --> 00:09:14,400 Was Mary special? 148 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,366 Absolutely. 149 00:09:16,366 --> 00:09:18,733 If you are in Christ, 150 00:09:18,733 --> 00:09:20,733 you are just as 151 00:09:20,733 --> 00:09:22,766 did you realize that 152 00:09:22,766 --> 00:09:25,466 nobody, I think, 153 00:09:25,466 --> 00:09:29,133 would question that at this point in the story and Mary's story. 154 00:09:29,166 --> 00:09:31,233 She was God's favorite. 155 00:09:31,233 --> 00:09:34,233 None of us would question that. 156 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,500 But we have to understand that if we are in Christ, 157 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:41,466 we have to understand the favor that has been given to us. 158 00:09:43,566 --> 00:09:44,800 So now, 159 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,800 if we assert that Mary was God's favorite 160 00:09:48,233 --> 00:09:51,466 because that's what it says, we have to agree. 161 00:09:51,466 --> 00:09:54,866 Then if I am in Christ, guess who else is God's favorite? 162 00:09:58,666 --> 00:09:59,300 I am. 163 00:09:59,300 --> 00:10:02,300 Did you know you're pastored by God's favorite? 164 00:10:05,966 --> 00:10:08,966 And I have a church full 165 00:10:09,166 --> 00:10:11,233 of God's favorites. 166 00:10:13,300 --> 00:10:16,300 It's the exact same phrase. 167 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,600 It's amazing to me. 168 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:23,333 You know why God goes to Nazareth? 169 00:10:23,333 --> 00:10:26,100 Places. 170 00:10:26,100 --> 00:10:29,100 Because his favorites are there. 171 00:10:29,966 --> 00:10:32,266 That you, 172 00:10:32,266 --> 00:10:33,733 the angel says the Lord is with you. 173 00:10:33,733 --> 00:10:36,000 Guess what? 174 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,300 He's also with us. 175 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:40,700 Some of the last words of Christ on this earth. 176 00:10:40,700 --> 00:10:42,566 Teach them to obey everything I've commanded you. 177 00:10:42,566 --> 00:10:44,833 And surely what 178 00:10:44,833 --> 00:10:46,133 I am with you. 179 00:10:46,133 --> 00:10:47,566 How long? 180 00:10:47,566 --> 00:10:50,566 Always the very end of the age 181 00:10:51,300 --> 00:10:52,233 was God with Mary. 182 00:10:52,233 --> 00:10:52,700 You bet. 183 00:10:52,700 --> 00:10:55,700 You with us? You bet. 184 00:10:56,066 --> 00:10:58,600 She was uniquely blessed. 185 00:10:58,600 --> 00:10:59,966 No doubt. 186 00:10:59,966 --> 00:11:02,400 Guess what? 187 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,833 Ephesians one verse three. 188 00:11:04,833 --> 00:11:07,833 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has what 189 00:11:08,233 --> 00:11:10,733 has blessed us in the heavenly realms 190 00:11:10,733 --> 00:11:13,733 with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 191 00:11:14,566 --> 00:11:16,600 Yes, Mary was special. 192 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:17,600 She was God's favorite. 193 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,133 God's with her, and she was blessed. And if you were in Christ, 194 00:11:22,066 --> 00:11:25,200 God has adopted you into that family and that position. 195 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:26,900 Can you imagine? 196 00:11:26,900 --> 00:11:29,300 Can you imagine 197 00:11:29,300 --> 00:11:31,333 some of us walking around as the dirty 198 00:11:31,333 --> 00:11:34,333 step kids of Jesus? 199 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,200 And then how good and how God does it. 200 00:11:40,833 --> 00:11:43,833 I want that to sink in. 201 00:11:44,700 --> 00:11:47,700 You are God's favorite. You. 202 00:11:49,933 --> 00:11:53,300 And that's why you are so valuable. 203 00:11:57,900 --> 00:11:59,300 He knit you together 204 00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:02,300 in your mother's womb? Yes. 205 00:12:02,766 --> 00:12:04,366 You are fearfully and wonderfully 206 00:12:04,366 --> 00:12:07,366 weighed. Why? 207 00:12:07,366 --> 00:12:10,366 Because he's chosen you to be his favorite. 208 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:14,933 Do you think God's going 209 00:12:14,933 --> 00:12:17,933 to take his favorite and discard them? 210 00:12:19,900 --> 00:12:23,233 Or ignore them? No. 211 00:12:27,366 --> 00:12:28,033 Look at the angels 212 00:12:28,033 --> 00:12:31,500 where you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will. 213 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,100 You are to call him Jesus. 214 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:38,100 He will be great and be called the son of the Most High. 215 00:12:38,366 --> 00:12:40,833 The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 216 00:12:40,833 --> 00:12:43,100 and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever. 217 00:12:43,100 --> 00:12:44,766 His kingdom will never end. 218 00:12:44,766 --> 00:12:47,066 I want you to notice the angel's words. 219 00:12:47,066 --> 00:12:48,466 You will conceive. 220 00:12:48,466 --> 00:12:52,000 We don't know exactly when the conception took place. 221 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:53,466 It may have happened right then. 222 00:12:53,466 --> 00:12:55,066 It may have been some we don't know. 223 00:12:55,066 --> 00:12:57,300 All we know is God made a promise. 224 00:12:57,300 --> 00:12:59,066 And then there was some time. 225 00:12:59,066 --> 00:13:01,800 And then there was the blessing and the deliverance. 226 00:13:03,366 --> 00:13:04,566 Please understand. 227 00:13:04,566 --> 00:13:08,133 God's promises always precede the reward. 228 00:13:09,266 --> 00:13:12,800 And sometimes when God makes a promise, there's a lag 229 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,700 and we wait. 230 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:19,700 But we wait with the expectation. 231 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,266 And in the waiting we trust. 232 00:13:23,266 --> 00:13:26,266 God has made us many promises. 233 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,000 If God has said, listen, 234 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:35,066 I know you don't understand right now, but I am working things together for good. 235 00:13:35,666 --> 00:13:37,466 You don't understand it. 236 00:13:37,466 --> 00:13:41,333 But I've made you the promise before you see the reward of it. 237 00:13:41,366 --> 00:13:42,800 There's going to be a lag. 238 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,333 Don't doubt me. 239 00:13:45,333 --> 00:13:46,266 Do you understand? 240 00:13:46,266 --> 00:13:49,266 Yes. Yes. 241 00:13:55,700 --> 00:13:58,233 Mary responds. 242 00:13:58,233 --> 00:13:59,300 Look at her response. 243 00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:00,400 How will this be? 244 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,166 Mary asked the angel, since I'm a virgin 245 00:14:03,166 --> 00:14:07,133 now, when the Bible says she was betrothed to her husband. 246 00:14:07,833 --> 00:14:09,900 There were three, 247 00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:12,266 three stages of a marriage. 248 00:14:12,266 --> 00:14:17,266 One was the basically the proposal and the minute. 249 00:14:17,366 --> 00:14:20,066 Both men and women didn't make their own proposals. 250 00:14:20,066 --> 00:14:24,000 Their families decided for each other and their families. 251 00:14:24,033 --> 00:14:27,033 Mom and dad got together like, we like that family. 252 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,366 They got a little one little girl. 253 00:14:29,366 --> 00:14:30,200 My little boy. 254 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,200 I think we're going to connect them together. 255 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,300 And so the dads would make an agreement and they would arrange their marriages. 256 00:14:36,300 --> 00:14:38,066 I think we need to go back to that. 257 00:14:40,433 --> 00:14:43,200 Marriage was too important. 258 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,733 And it was it was too vital. 259 00:14:45,733 --> 00:14:48,866 This is what they believe to leave up to the whims 260 00:14:49,133 --> 00:14:52,133 of the emotions of kids. 261 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,500 And so fathers got together 262 00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:58,933 and that was the this is this is this is who you're going to marry. 263 00:14:59,033 --> 00:15:02,033 And you'll learn to love them later. But. 264 00:15:03,133 --> 00:15:04,366 And so that was stage one. 265 00:15:04,366 --> 00:15:09,500 Stage two was the was the, the what we would call the engagement. The. 266 00:15:09,900 --> 00:15:12,633 And it was a legal agreement. 267 00:15:12,633 --> 00:15:13,666 They had been married. 268 00:15:13,666 --> 00:15:15,233 It had been quite some but it was legal. 269 00:15:15,233 --> 00:15:17,100 And this was where Mary and Joseph were. 270 00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:19,266 And so the man would go away and prepare everything. 271 00:15:19,266 --> 00:15:21,966 When everything was ready, he would come back and pick up his bride, 272 00:15:21,966 --> 00:15:24,800 and then it would be consummated with a great big feast. 273 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:25,733 And so biblical. 274 00:15:27,133 --> 00:15:28,133 But during this 275 00:15:28,133 --> 00:15:31,500 betrothal time, this engagement time, it was a legal contract 276 00:15:31,500 --> 00:15:35,966 that they had agreed with each other, and to get out of that required a divorce. 277 00:15:37,100 --> 00:15:39,066 But during that time, 278 00:15:39,066 --> 00:15:42,066 the soon to be bride and groom didn't have any contact with each other. 279 00:15:42,466 --> 00:15:45,700 So for her to be pregnant in man's eyes meant 280 00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:49,166 she had to have contact with somebody that you understand. 281 00:15:50,266 --> 00:15:53,866 And so she questions, how will this be now? 282 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:58,300 Six months earlier, this same angel, Gabriel went to her 283 00:15:58,300 --> 00:16:02,400 relative Elizabeth, 88 year old barren woman, and said, hey Liz, guess what? 284 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,533 You're going to have a baby, 285 00:16:05,533 --> 00:16:08,333 angel tells her husband, Zechariah. 286 00:16:08,333 --> 00:16:11,900 And Zechariah says the exact same thing how 287 00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:16,966 he says it like this, though how she's old 288 00:16:18,233 --> 00:16:20,400 and so am I. 289 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:22,033 Now listen, husbands 290 00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:27,300 and I don't care how old she is, 291 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,200 don't admit it. 292 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:35,666 And so he says 293 00:16:35,666 --> 00:16:38,666 how she's old and I'm old too. 294 00:16:38,733 --> 00:16:44,000 And when he expresses his question, the angel strikes him with muteness. 295 00:16:44,166 --> 00:16:46,300 And tell this lady a little baby. 296 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:51,266 John, the forerunner of Christ the Baptist, is born. 297 00:16:52,100 --> 00:16:54,366 Why was he cursed with muteness? 298 00:16:54,366 --> 00:16:55,233 Same question. 299 00:16:55,233 --> 00:16:58,233 And Mary wasn't. 300 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:01,633 Because she was his favorite. 301 00:17:01,633 --> 00:17:04,633 I think there's something more going on, 302 00:17:04,866 --> 00:17:07,500 but let me tell you what I think. 303 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:08,866 Though they asked the same questions. 304 00:17:08,866 --> 00:17:11,866 They came from two different positions. 305 00:17:11,900 --> 00:17:14,466 But we gotta be very careful the position from which we come 306 00:17:14,466 --> 00:17:17,466 and we ask God questions. 307 00:17:17,633 --> 00:17:20,733 Zechariah questioned God from a position of accusation. 308 00:17:20,733 --> 00:17:23,733 Mary questions God from a position of expectation. 309 00:17:25,566 --> 00:17:28,600 Zechariah was accusation. 310 00:17:30,066 --> 00:17:33,066 God. That's not possible. 311 00:17:36,033 --> 00:17:39,000 God, that can't be. 312 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,000 She's past the age and so am I. 313 00:17:45,900 --> 00:17:49,133 God, I don't think this this is possible. 314 00:17:49,133 --> 00:17:52,133 And I don't think you can. 315 00:17:52,700 --> 00:17:55,700 It's very accusatory. 316 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,466 God, I don't think you're capable. 317 00:17:57,466 --> 00:17:59,333 And you may have over spoken. 318 00:17:59,333 --> 00:18:02,000 You may have overpromised. 319 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Mary, on the other hand. 320 00:18:07,266 --> 00:18:08,433 She says, God, 321 00:18:08,433 --> 00:18:11,233 I don't know how, but I know you can. 322 00:18:11,233 --> 00:18:13,633 How would this be? 323 00:18:13,633 --> 00:18:15,900 I don't know the details, and I don't know the future. 324 00:18:15,900 --> 00:18:20,066 And I'm excited about how you're going to bring this about. 325 00:18:20,733 --> 00:18:23,733 I can't see it right now. 326 00:18:24,466 --> 00:18:27,466 But I'm anxiously awaiting its deliverance. 327 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:30,300 We have to be very careful. 328 00:18:30,300 --> 00:18:33,300 The position from which we approach God. 329 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,366 And it can't be from a position of God. 330 00:18:36,366 --> 00:18:37,266 There's no way 331 00:18:38,366 --> 00:18:41,600 I. I know you can't or don't think you will. 332 00:18:41,633 --> 00:18:44,633 You know that whole thing. 333 00:18:44,700 --> 00:18:46,366 Rather than God, I have no idea. 334 00:18:46,366 --> 00:18:49,366 But I'm so excited to watch how it happens. 335 00:18:50,300 --> 00:18:53,300 That's a position of expectation. 336 00:18:55,833 --> 00:18:58,833 And in verses 35 and 36, 337 00:18:59,033 --> 00:19:00,500 I don't think I put this up there. 338 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:02,733 Let me just read it to you. 339 00:19:02,733 --> 00:19:06,000 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, 340 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,733 and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. 341 00:19:07,733 --> 00:19:10,733 So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 342 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,100 Even Elizabeth, your relative, is going to have a child in her old age, 343 00:19:14,166 --> 00:19:17,166 and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 344 00:19:18,566 --> 00:19:21,600 And so the angel simply tells Mary, 345 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:23,700 it's going to happen 346 00:19:24,633 --> 00:19:27,633 because it's of God. 347 00:19:27,666 --> 00:19:30,466 And then I think the thing that changed in Mary, 348 00:19:30,466 --> 00:19:34,166 the thing that changed everything for Mary, is she believed 349 00:19:34,166 --> 00:19:37,200 the very next words coming out of the mouth of Gabriel. 350 00:19:38,333 --> 00:19:41,200 She believed ahead of time 351 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,200 what Gabriel is about to say. 352 00:19:44,233 --> 00:19:48,800 And in verse 37, Gabriel says these words, I am oh, no. 353 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:52,533 Where 37 go there it is, for nothing is impossible with God. 354 00:19:53,700 --> 00:19:56,700 This is what Gabriel told her. 355 00:19:57,033 --> 00:19:59,966 Nothing is impossible with God 356 00:19:59,966 --> 00:20:02,566 and Mary. Believe those words. 357 00:20:02,566 --> 00:20:05,566 And I think it's because she believed those words that everything changed. 358 00:20:07,533 --> 00:20:10,133 Nothing is impossible. 359 00:20:10,133 --> 00:20:13,133 And I think that's what drove the question. 360 00:20:13,266 --> 00:20:16,800 God, this I I've never we've never humans 361 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,800 never experienced this before. 362 00:20:20,933 --> 00:20:22,600 But I know nothing's impossible with you. 363 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,800 Oh, I'm so excited to see how you do this. 364 00:20:29,166 --> 00:20:31,166 Can you imagine if that is our attitude 365 00:20:31,166 --> 00:20:34,166 in approaching every unknown? 366 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,000 Now look at verse 38. 367 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:46,166 This is what she says. 368 00:20:46,166 --> 00:20:47,133 I am the Lord's servant. 369 00:20:47,133 --> 00:20:50,133 Mary answered me, and be to me as you have said, 370 00:20:50,666 --> 00:20:51,966 please enter Mary. 371 00:20:51,966 --> 00:20:54,900 We don't know exactly what she is, but most people, she's somewhere 372 00:20:54,900 --> 00:20:58,500 between 14 and 17 years old, 14 373 00:20:58,500 --> 00:21:01,500 and 17, somewhere in there. 374 00:21:01,666 --> 00:21:04,666 So the young teenage girl, 375 00:21:04,666 --> 00:21:07,666 she's got this news that is. 376 00:21:08,700 --> 00:21:13,900 Is is too wonderful and marvelous and scary and frightful and unknown to 377 00:21:13,933 --> 00:21:17,666 to to to put any in any type of box you might have in her head. 378 00:21:17,833 --> 00:21:20,833 And her first response is, 379 00:21:20,833 --> 00:21:23,733 Lord, I'm your servant. 380 00:21:23,733 --> 00:21:24,900 Do with me what you want. 381 00:21:27,666 --> 00:21:30,666 Imagine. 382 00:21:31,033 --> 00:21:32,066 Now think for a moment. 383 00:21:32,066 --> 00:21:35,066 Just let's put ourselves in Mary's context 384 00:21:35,966 --> 00:21:39,833 as the Jewish little girl, part of the Hebrews. 385 00:21:39,833 --> 00:21:42,833 You know, Old Testament 386 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,000 and Old Testament religious law says sexuality and 387 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,000 and sexual activity was all. 388 00:21:51,300 --> 00:21:52,466 It was so important. 389 00:21:52,466 --> 00:21:54,000 Sexual purity. 390 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,000 It was not to be trifled with 391 00:21:57,333 --> 00:22:00,566 and and to get pregnant out of wedlock. 392 00:22:03,033 --> 00:22:06,033 Before the wedding is is 393 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,200 religiously was punishable by death 394 00:22:10,100 --> 00:22:13,100 of the woman and the man. 395 00:22:13,300 --> 00:22:16,000 And so what she's doing, she's sitting here. 396 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,366 And what the angel has told her. You're going to be pregnant. 397 00:22:18,366 --> 00:22:19,500 That's all she said. 398 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:21,966 That's all the angel says. You're going to give birth. 399 00:22:21,966 --> 00:22:24,966 Gives no. 400 00:22:25,533 --> 00:22:27,866 Indication 401 00:22:27,866 --> 00:22:30,866 that she's going to be okay afterwards. 402 00:22:32,166 --> 00:22:35,166 And her response to this? 403 00:22:36,333 --> 00:22:38,200 She has no idea what the future it. 404 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,600 And her response is I'm the Lord's servant. 405 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:42,933 Do with me whatever you want. Can you imagine? 406 00:22:46,666 --> 00:22:49,666 When you and I. 407 00:22:49,833 --> 00:22:52,833 Get the news. 408 00:22:53,133 --> 00:22:55,700 Especially the news 409 00:22:55,700 --> 00:22:58,700 that makes your future uncertain and unsure. 410 00:22:59,366 --> 00:23:02,366 Especially the news that throws up a roadblock 411 00:23:02,366 --> 00:23:05,000 on all the rest of your plans for your life. 412 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,533 Especially the news that changes your family forever. 413 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:16,400 God. It's okay. 414 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,400 Do me whatever you want. 415 00:23:20,966 --> 00:23:23,966 Can you imagine? 416 00:23:25,333 --> 00:23:26,500 With any of us say, yeah, 417 00:23:26,500 --> 00:23:29,500 that's pretty much our response to most things. 418 00:23:35,133 --> 00:23:35,600 Hey, that 419 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,666 difficult situation you're in, please understand 420 00:23:39,366 --> 00:23:42,366 that God's already in it before you get to it. 421 00:23:43,666 --> 00:23:45,766 You understand that 422 00:23:45,766 --> 00:23:48,766 God's already in it before you get to it. 423 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,733 See, we have to learn to live according to the promise 424 00:23:54,733 --> 00:23:57,733 given not just the reality we're experiencing. 425 00:24:00,966 --> 00:24:01,933 When our reality 426 00:24:01,933 --> 00:24:05,000 we're experiencing says God has left you, we have to know 427 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,366 according to the promise, I will be with you always at the very end of the age. 428 00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:11,800 When the reality you're 429 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:15,800 experiencing says it's all done after we're this is it. 430 00:24:15,866 --> 00:24:17,000 It's destroyed. 431 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:19,833 We have to live according to the promise that somehow God's 432 00:24:19,833 --> 00:24:22,833 going to work things together. 433 00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:27,100 Someone said this. 434 00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:27,800 I really like it. 435 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:28,400 Like I say, 436 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,700 like the greater the size of your god, the smaller the size of your problems. 437 00:24:35,133 --> 00:24:37,800 If you got a God 438 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,800 for whom all things are possible. 439 00:24:42,633 --> 00:24:45,300 The problem is not quite as big 440 00:24:45,300 --> 00:24:48,300 to him. 441 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,366 I guarantee you it works this way for all of us. 442 00:24:50,366 --> 00:24:53,266 If we got a small God, we got big problems 443 00:24:53,266 --> 00:24:55,800 with. 444 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,800 What if we got a great big God? 445 00:25:04,066 --> 00:25:05,300 And so the story goes on. 446 00:25:05,300 --> 00:25:08,300 If you if you look in your Bibles and you didn't print it all, but 447 00:25:08,833 --> 00:25:11,333 verse 39, and at that time Mary got ready 448 00:25:11,333 --> 00:25:14,333 and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 449 00:25:14,466 --> 00:25:16,566 Where she entered Zechariah home to greet Elizabeth. 450 00:25:16,566 --> 00:25:18,100 So she said she wants to go see. 451 00:25:18,100 --> 00:25:21,100 She wants to go see a relative who's who's, you know, six months pregnant 452 00:25:21,700 --> 00:25:24,133 with this miraculous pregnancy of her own. 453 00:25:25,700 --> 00:25:28,966 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby lived in her womb, 454 00:25:28,966 --> 00:25:32,100 and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and a loud voice, 455 00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:36,000 she exclaimed, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you bear. 456 00:25:36,766 --> 00:25:39,700 But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 457 00:25:39,700 --> 00:25:42,766 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby 458 00:25:42,766 --> 00:25:45,766 in my womb leaped for joy. 459 00:25:45,833 --> 00:25:48,166 Blessed is she who has believed 460 00:25:48,166 --> 00:25:51,166 that what the Lord has said will be accomplished. 461 00:25:51,966 --> 00:25:53,166 We just unpack this a little bit. 462 00:25:53,166 --> 00:25:56,800 When the when Mary left to go to Elizabeth, she made the journey 463 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,800 with somewhere between 80 to 100 miles. 464 00:26:00,266 --> 00:26:01,500 It's a long journey. 465 00:26:01,500 --> 00:26:04,266 Took days and days and days to get there. 466 00:26:04,266 --> 00:26:05,833 Why did she go see Elizabeth? 467 00:26:05,833 --> 00:26:06,433 Well, one, 468 00:26:06,433 --> 00:26:08,266 because when you're going through something, 469 00:26:08,266 --> 00:26:10,800 you want to be around other people who are going through something to. 470 00:26:11,766 --> 00:26:12,633 Right? 471 00:26:12,633 --> 00:26:15,433 It's the power of community. 472 00:26:15,433 --> 00:26:18,433 It's the power of relationship. 473 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,800 And sometimes it's just comforting to know, hey, I've been there 474 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,800 and further down the road than you, you're going to be okay, right? 475 00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:27,600 Okay. 476 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:28,966 That's part of what I think is going on. 477 00:26:28,966 --> 00:26:30,833 But the other thing I think that was going on 478 00:26:30,833 --> 00:26:33,266 is that when Mary got the news that Elizabeth was pregnant, 479 00:26:33,266 --> 00:26:34,900 how far along was Mary? 480 00:26:34,900 --> 00:26:37,433 Was Elizabeth six months. 481 00:26:37,433 --> 00:26:40,433 Do you know how long Mary stayed with Elizabeth? 482 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:41,866 Read at the end of this chapter. 483 00:26:41,866 --> 00:26:43,400 I tell you, she stayed with her for three months. 484 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:46,400 Six plus three is what 485 00:26:46,500 --> 00:26:48,600 Mary stayed 486 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,600 so she could be in the middle of her own stuff 487 00:26:51,866 --> 00:26:55,400 so she could be an asset and a help to someone who was going through stuff 488 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,700 and stay till John was born. 489 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,200 What an incredible young lady 490 00:27:03,300 --> 00:27:07,466 who says, I got stuff going on in my life right now, and I don't know, 491 00:27:07,466 --> 00:27:10,466 but I'm going to set that aside so I can be with. 492 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,266 What an extraordinary young woman. 493 00:27:14,266 --> 00:27:17,266 And a great example. 494 00:27:19,233 --> 00:27:21,533 And I love verses 4445. 495 00:27:21,533 --> 00:27:23,066 I just want to come back from it. 496 00:27:23,066 --> 00:27:26,733 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb 497 00:27:26,733 --> 00:27:27,733 leaped for joy. 498 00:27:27,733 --> 00:27:28,733 Blessed is she. 499 00:27:28,733 --> 00:27:31,866 Who has believed that the Lord would fill his promises to her? 500 00:27:33,366 --> 00:27:36,266 The baby leaped. 501 00:27:36,266 --> 00:27:37,266 This baby 502 00:27:37,266 --> 00:27:40,266 in the womb, John, who would become John the Baptist. 503 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,700 Here's the greeting that the Messiah, 504 00:27:43,700 --> 00:27:46,700 that Jesus has entered the womb, 505 00:27:47,033 --> 00:27:50,033 in the womb. 506 00:27:51,166 --> 00:27:54,100 And that caused such joy 507 00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:56,900 in this world, this baby in the womb that the baby. 508 00:27:56,900 --> 00:27:58,200 I wonder with that 509 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,500 I've never experienced what it feels like moms to have the baby kick. 510 00:28:02,033 --> 00:28:03,600 But can you imagine leaping 511 00:28:05,466 --> 00:28:08,466 like the heartburn that would cause. 512 00:28:11,633 --> 00:28:13,866 And here's what I thought. 513 00:28:13,866 --> 00:28:16,366 If a baby in the wall 514 00:28:16,366 --> 00:28:20,266 could leave for joy over Jesus in the womb showing up, 515 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,433 how much more for those of us who have a relationship 516 00:28:23,433 --> 00:28:27,366 with the living Jesus, and how much more when we get to heaven? 517 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,200 I mean. 518 00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:34,500 It's amazing how. 519 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,366 And I was, I was I studying this just this morning. 520 00:28:38,766 --> 00:28:41,566 And what struck me as verse 45, blessed is she. 521 00:28:41,566 --> 00:28:43,533 This is what Elizabeth says about Mary. 522 00:28:43,533 --> 00:28:45,900 Blessed is he who has believed 523 00:28:45,900 --> 00:28:48,900 that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. 524 00:28:50,033 --> 00:28:53,033 God pronounced Mary as blessed. 525 00:28:53,833 --> 00:28:56,566 Elizabeth says of Mary, she is blessed. 526 00:28:56,566 --> 00:28:59,566 But there are two different words 527 00:28:59,566 --> 00:29:02,700 when God pronounces Mary blessed, highly favored. 528 00:29:03,266 --> 00:29:04,466 That's one word. 529 00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:08,266 That's the word for grace. 530 00:29:08,266 --> 00:29:10,866 Correct? Oh, that's grace. 531 00:29:10,866 --> 00:29:12,300 Grace upon grace. 532 00:29:12,300 --> 00:29:16,066 But this word, blessed is she who's believe that God's Word will come true. 533 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:17,266 That's a different group word. 534 00:29:17,266 --> 00:29:20,266 That's the Greek word Makarios, which means happy. 535 00:29:21,366 --> 00:29:24,033 Happy is the one who believes 536 00:29:24,033 --> 00:29:27,033 that the words of God will come true. 537 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,000 That transcends time and generation, 538 00:29:33,966 --> 00:29:38,300 and that applies to every person who will believe the words of God 539 00:29:39,033 --> 00:29:42,033 that they will come to pass happy. 540 00:29:49,566 --> 00:29:52,500 Listen, I just in the few minutes I have, 541 00:29:52,500 --> 00:29:55,833 I want to want to go through three things that we can learn from Mary 542 00:29:55,833 --> 00:29:56,666 and her response. 543 00:29:56,666 --> 00:29:59,866 Now, just just three things. 544 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,400 And I want you to look at verses 46 and 47. 545 00:30:03,933 --> 00:30:09,166 And Mary said, my soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God. 546 00:30:09,166 --> 00:30:09,900 My what 547 00:30:11,100 --> 00:30:14,100 in? And God my Savior. Now. 548 00:30:16,533 --> 00:30:19,466 I, for my Catholic friends, 549 00:30:19,466 --> 00:30:23,500 I love you, but I just need to give you a little trigger warning, okay? 550 00:30:24,233 --> 00:30:26,833 Because I want to look at Scripture and Mary 551 00:30:26,833 --> 00:30:29,833 from the pages of Scripture, not from church tradition. 552 00:30:31,666 --> 00:30:33,900 So I just want to look at what Scripture says 553 00:30:33,900 --> 00:30:36,900 and what she says, even about herself. 554 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,000 My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. 555 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,800 She, Mary, knew her need. 556 00:30:47,533 --> 00:30:49,866 Because who needs a Savior? 557 00:30:49,866 --> 00:30:52,866 Someone who needs saving? 558 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:56,733 So, like Mary, we must recognize our need. 559 00:30:58,233 --> 00:31:01,233 Mary needed a Savior. 560 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:04,800 She was not perfect. 561 00:31:06,833 --> 00:31:09,833 You and I need a savior 562 00:31:09,900 --> 00:31:12,900 because you and I are the church. 563 00:31:13,133 --> 00:31:15,833 We might be God's favorite, 564 00:31:15,833 --> 00:31:18,833 but we're not perfect. 565 00:31:18,933 --> 00:31:20,533 And we need a savior. 566 00:31:20,533 --> 00:31:22,500 So she knew she needed saving. 567 00:31:23,700 --> 00:31:25,400 You and I both. 568 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,400 We all have problems that we can't solve ourselves, right? 569 00:31:28,566 --> 00:31:29,933 Right. 570 00:31:29,933 --> 00:31:33,200 And if we can't solve all our problems, we need a problem solver. 571 00:31:34,566 --> 00:31:37,100 And if I can't solve all my earthly needs, 572 00:31:37,100 --> 00:31:40,200 what the world will make me think I can solve all my spiritual needs. 573 00:31:41,433 --> 00:31:44,433 If you can't solve all your earthly needs, 574 00:31:44,533 --> 00:31:48,400 why in the world would you think that you could solve all your spiritual needs? 575 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:53,266 You I we need a Savior. 576 00:31:54,933 --> 00:31:57,933 Come. 577 00:31:59,833 --> 00:32:02,266 Mary goes on verses 4849. 578 00:32:02,266 --> 00:32:05,666 For he has been mindful of the humble state of his. 579 00:32:05,666 --> 00:32:08,666 What servant? 580 00:32:08,933 --> 00:32:10,800 From now on all generations will call me blessed, 581 00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:13,133 for the Mighty One has done great things for me. 582 00:32:13,133 --> 00:32:16,266 Holy is what I want. 583 00:32:16,266 --> 00:32:19,200 You understand something? Mary knew her place. 584 00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:24,833 You and I must acknowledge our place. 585 00:32:27,766 --> 00:32:28,800 What does she call herself? 586 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:31,400 I underline before you remember 587 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,400 a servant. 588 00:32:34,633 --> 00:32:35,633 I tell you what. 589 00:32:35,633 --> 00:32:37,900 If this were us and 590 00:32:37,900 --> 00:32:40,900 we got the announcement from the angel, every one of us would have thought. 591 00:32:41,833 --> 00:32:44,833 Man, there is something magnificent about me. 592 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:50,233 But right. 593 00:32:50,233 --> 00:32:53,233 Right. Yes, 594 00:32:53,300 --> 00:32:56,300 yes. Come on now, 595 00:32:56,700 --> 00:32:58,566 every one of us would think you know. 596 00:32:58,566 --> 00:33:01,566 God, I think you probably got it right. 597 00:33:03,466 --> 00:33:04,700 I heard I was your favorite. 598 00:33:04,700 --> 00:33:07,700 This proves it. 599 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,066 I'm gonna make sure. 600 00:33:09,066 --> 00:33:09,933 Where's my Instagram? 601 00:33:09,933 --> 00:33:12,933 I'm gonna put something on. 602 00:33:13,966 --> 00:33:14,800 Here's what I know. 603 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,166 We would think it was about us. 604 00:33:17,166 --> 00:33:20,166 Because when something goes wrong, 605 00:33:20,633 --> 00:33:23,633 we think, what did I do to make God 606 00:33:24,100 --> 00:33:26,100 great? 607 00:33:26,100 --> 00:33:28,766 Because we think it's about us. 608 00:33:28,766 --> 00:33:31,700 And conversely, when stuff goes really, really, really right, 609 00:33:33,233 --> 00:33:33,900 we think, well, God 610 00:33:33,900 --> 00:33:36,900 must be really happy with me right now. 611 00:33:37,666 --> 00:33:40,666 We think it's about us all the time. 612 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:42,600 When our kids do 613 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,600 really well, our chest gets really big 614 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,800 and we don't have one big problem telling people how great, 615 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:50,900 right? 616 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:53,900 Because it's a reflection on us. 617 00:33:54,566 --> 00:33:57,733 You better believe there was this in any of us. 618 00:33:57,733 --> 00:34:00,733 And maybe that's why God picked her for this. 619 00:34:01,933 --> 00:34:04,933 She wasn't, but her. 620 00:34:05,100 --> 00:34:07,300 Now let me be clear, because I do want to acknowledge 621 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:12,633 the fact that us Protestants, we I think we do Mary a disservice most times 622 00:34:13,266 --> 00:34:16,266 because we're so, so cautious about making sure. 623 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:19,400 And I think I think 624 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:22,400 Protestants do her a disservice. 625 00:34:22,466 --> 00:34:25,466 And what God did through her, she is special. 626 00:34:26,533 --> 00:34:29,300 But I need us to understand, 627 00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:34,133 especially in the context and our context, that she was special. 628 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:37,366 But Mary is not Catholic sentiment. Special. 629 00:34:42,733 --> 00:34:43,100 There's a 630 00:34:43,100 --> 00:34:46,766 lot of traditional Catholic prayers that are beautiful 631 00:34:47,100 --> 00:34:50,200 and Christ centered and biblical, 632 00:34:51,900 --> 00:34:54,900 but some verge. 633 00:34:55,833 --> 00:34:58,833 On the ground of heresy. 634 00:35:00,533 --> 00:35:01,666 One of them goes like this. 635 00:35:01,666 --> 00:35:03,700 Remember almost Grace's Virgin Mary. 636 00:35:03,700 --> 00:35:06,833 That never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection 637 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,866 implored your help or sought your intercession. 638 00:35:09,866 --> 00:35:12,866 The Bible says The Holy Spirit is our intercessor, 639 00:35:13,366 --> 00:35:16,366 nobody and nothing else. 640 00:35:16,766 --> 00:35:18,433 That's the name reserved for the Holy Spirit, 641 00:35:18,433 --> 00:35:21,433 not for Mary. 642 00:35:23,133 --> 00:35:23,933 That prayer goes on. 643 00:35:23,933 --> 00:35:25,933 I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins. 644 00:35:25,933 --> 00:35:27,766 My mother 645 00:35:27,766 --> 00:35:29,733 to you do I come before you. 646 00:35:29,733 --> 00:35:31,500 I stand sinful and sorrowful. 647 00:35:31,500 --> 00:35:34,800 I stand before one and one only in my sin, 648 00:35:35,966 --> 00:35:38,866 and is not the Virgin Mary, 649 00:35:38,866 --> 00:35:41,866 which is Jesus the Christ. 650 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,000 The Hail Mary, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. 651 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:51,500 Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. 652 00:35:51,833 --> 00:35:53,400 Holy Mary, Mother of God, 653 00:35:54,966 --> 00:35:56,933 Mary was the mother 654 00:35:56,933 --> 00:35:59,133 of the Christ in his humanity. 655 00:35:59,133 --> 00:36:02,133 Mary was not the Mother of God. 656 00:36:05,233 --> 00:36:06,000 That goes on. 657 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,000 Pray for us sinners now. 658 00:36:09,733 --> 00:36:11,400 There's nowhere in Scripture 659 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:14,400 where the dead prays for the living, 660 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,500 and the only ones who intercede before the father 661 00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:19,600 for us are Christ and His whole. 662 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:21,900 And the Holy Spirit. 663 00:36:21,900 --> 00:36:24,900 That is it. 664 00:36:25,900 --> 00:36:27,566 Hail, Holy Queen, 665 00:36:27,566 --> 00:36:31,600 Mother of mercy, hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. 666 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,900 Mary is not my hope. 667 00:36:33,900 --> 00:36:36,866 Titus 213 668 00:36:36,866 --> 00:36:39,866 Jesus and his return is my hope. 669 00:36:41,633 --> 00:36:42,033 Turn, 670 00:36:42,033 --> 00:36:45,833 then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us. 671 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:46,533 Again. 672 00:36:46,533 --> 00:36:49,533 Jesus is our advocate 673 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:53,000 was a very special you bet. 674 00:36:55,233 --> 00:36:58,233 Is she venerated? No. 675 00:36:58,966 --> 00:37:01,966 Nor is she the greatest. 676 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:05,200 We must understand it biblically 677 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,300 and understand the same faith that was poured out on her 678 00:37:09,333 --> 00:37:10,733 has been poured out on us. 679 00:37:10,733 --> 00:37:14,433 So we don't need an intercessor other than Christ and the Holy Spirit himself. 680 00:37:16,666 --> 00:37:19,666 My clear. 681 00:37:21,533 --> 00:37:23,066 And Mary wraps up 682 00:37:23,066 --> 00:37:26,633 that portion and says, Holy is whose name 683 00:37:28,366 --> 00:37:30,000 his name. 684 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,966 She doesn't say, Holy is my name, 685 00:37:32,966 --> 00:37:34,500 Holy is his name. 686 00:37:34,500 --> 00:37:39,133 And if you were to go further in Luke chapter 11, verses 27 and 28, 687 00:37:39,133 --> 00:37:41,400 right around there, Jesus is talking to the multitudes 688 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,833 and someone cries out, says Jesus, blessed is the mother who bore you. 689 00:37:44,833 --> 00:37:46,800 And you said, no, no, no, no, no. 690 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:50,566 Blessed are rather those who hear and obey the Word of God. 691 00:37:51,366 --> 00:37:54,733 And if Jesus wanted to venerate his mother, he would have done it. 692 00:37:54,733 --> 00:37:57,733 Then. 693 00:37:59,300 --> 00:38:01,933 She special? 694 00:38:01,933 --> 00:38:04,333 Very much so. 695 00:38:04,333 --> 00:38:06,666 And then God has taken that favor and placed it on 696 00:38:06,666 --> 00:38:09,666 all of us who would believe in Christ. 697 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:15,666 If you read in Luke chapter one, verses 698 00:38:15,666 --> 00:38:19,566 46 through 55, you read of this song that Mary sings, 699 00:38:20,100 --> 00:38:25,166 and it is beautiful and powerful, and I'm not going to read it all out. 700 00:38:25,166 --> 00:38:27,266 I'm going to leave it to you to read. 701 00:38:27,266 --> 00:38:29,700 But Mary knew her need. 702 00:38:29,700 --> 00:38:32,566 She knew her place and she knew her. 703 00:38:32,566 --> 00:38:35,900 God, you and I must acknowledge our need. 704 00:38:35,900 --> 00:38:39,100 We must acknowledge our place, and we must know God. 705 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:42,300 Mary's response to this incredible news 706 00:38:43,266 --> 00:38:45,800 was to go right back to Scripture. 707 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:47,066 She immediately 708 00:38:47,066 --> 00:38:50,866 went back to what she knew, and the scripture says she had memorized. 709 00:38:50,866 --> 00:38:53,500 And she took the word of God and she put it in her heart. 710 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:55,433 She took the Word of God and she put it in her. 711 00:38:55,433 --> 00:38:57,266 She searched the Word of God, and she put it in our 712 00:38:57,266 --> 00:39:00,933 so that when the time came, she could withdraw it from her mind, so 713 00:39:02,266 --> 00:39:05,266 that her words in the song that she repeated 714 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:09,966 are so identical to the words recorded in the first Samuel chapter two. 715 00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:15,633 When Hannah prayed this prayer of thanksgiving as she dedicated her son 716 00:39:15,633 --> 00:39:20,266 Samuel back to God, it's oh, it is so similar to Hannah's prayers. 717 00:39:20,266 --> 00:39:25,500 Why couldn't Mary sing a song that Hannah had sang generations ago? 718 00:39:25,500 --> 00:39:28,766 Because she had studied the Word of God, and she had hid it in her heart 719 00:39:29,233 --> 00:39:32,233 and her prayer 45 through 55 720 00:39:32,700 --> 00:39:36,700 is is is one recitation after another of Hannah's prayer 721 00:39:36,700 --> 00:39:39,700 from the Old Testament and Psalm after psalm after Psalm. 722 00:39:39,700 --> 00:39:43,933 Here was a little girl, 14 to 17 years old, who spent so much time 723 00:39:43,933 --> 00:39:47,900 in the Word of God that when she got bumped, Bible came out. 724 00:39:50,700 --> 00:39:53,700 Amazing young lady. 725 00:39:54,833 --> 00:39:57,033 There are some 15 quotes 726 00:39:57,033 --> 00:40:00,366 and allusions to the Old Testament and Psalms in her song. 727 00:40:00,533 --> 00:40:03,533 Let me ask you this when you and I 728 00:40:03,566 --> 00:40:06,566 respond to something in this world 729 00:40:06,633 --> 00:40:09,633 are the first things that come out of our mouths. 730 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:13,400 Scripture. 731 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:18,400 It was for her. 732 00:40:19,166 --> 00:40:21,600 She agreed and submitted to God's plan 733 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:24,866 with no guarantee that that plan was going to go good for her. 734 00:40:29,900 --> 00:40:31,866 Listen, 735 00:40:31,866 --> 00:40:33,300 I you 736 00:40:33,300 --> 00:40:36,333 we must remind ourselves of what I know of God. 737 00:40:36,333 --> 00:40:39,333 When I don't know my future. 738 00:40:40,900 --> 00:40:43,133 Some of you, some of us are looking right now 739 00:40:43,133 --> 00:40:46,133 at a future, and we don't know how it's going to go. 740 00:40:48,433 --> 00:40:49,433 And we're not allowed 741 00:40:49,433 --> 00:40:52,433 control of it completely. 742 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:55,233 And in those times when the future is unknown, 743 00:40:55,233 --> 00:40:57,900 we have to remind ourselves of what we do know about God. 744 00:41:02,033 --> 00:41:03,333 I think if we were honest, 745 00:41:03,333 --> 00:41:06,333 some of us would admit to being control freaks. 746 00:41:08,700 --> 00:41:11,700 Right. 747 00:41:11,900 --> 00:41:15,833 And the thing about control is, is if I can know what's going on 748 00:41:15,833 --> 00:41:18,833 and how it's going to go down, then I can control it, 749 00:41:19,066 --> 00:41:20,766 right? 750 00:41:20,766 --> 00:41:22,000 Right. 751 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:25,000 And that's why we have such a hard time with God. 752 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:29,000 Because God doesn't tell us all the details. 753 00:41:30,333 --> 00:41:31,666 He gives us indication 754 00:41:31,666 --> 00:41:34,666 of the end result, but not the details of the middle. 755 00:41:35,333 --> 00:41:36,733 And so we don't know. 756 00:41:36,733 --> 00:41:39,633 And if I don't know, I can't control. 757 00:41:39,633 --> 00:41:42,733 And when, when you and I are in those situations when we don't know 758 00:41:42,833 --> 00:41:46,066 and we can't control, we have to remind ourselves about what 759 00:41:46,066 --> 00:41:49,066 we do know about God. 760 00:41:50,766 --> 00:41:53,733 And what Mary knew about God 761 00:41:53,733 --> 00:41:57,500 was not from her own experiences, because she spent time in the Word of God. 762 00:41:59,866 --> 00:42:02,866 There are very few like her. 763 00:42:03,033 --> 00:42:05,600 Very few, especially teenage 764 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:08,700 young men and women that are so tuned in spiritually, 765 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:12,800 so attuned to the Spirit of God. 766 00:42:13,666 --> 00:42:17,666 So in dwelt with His Word and His Spirit, 767 00:42:18,866 --> 00:42:21,866 whose passion is is God's Word, 768 00:42:22,233 --> 00:42:24,666 who study it, then, who rely on it. 769 00:42:24,666 --> 00:42:27,666 So few are young people like her. 770 00:42:31,500 --> 00:42:34,500 So few are old people like her. 771 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:39,400 And parents. 772 00:42:39,433 --> 00:42:40,966 Let me just talk to people. 773 00:42:40,966 --> 00:42:44,133 This ought to be our greatest prayer for our children. 774 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:49,200 Not their happiness, but their holiness 775 00:42:50,066 --> 00:42:53,100 that they would so desire with every fiber of their being, 776 00:42:54,300 --> 00:42:57,500 to know and to seek and to pursue 777 00:42:57,500 --> 00:43:00,500 God and His Word. 778 00:43:01,366 --> 00:43:04,500 Not only ought that be every parent's greatest prayer, 779 00:43:04,500 --> 00:43:08,400 it ought to be their greatest example to their children. Yes. 780 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:09,066 Yeah, 781 00:43:10,533 --> 00:43:13,333 you can pray all you want, 782 00:43:13,333 --> 00:43:15,833 but if they don't see it, 783 00:43:15,833 --> 00:43:18,833 they're not going to catch it. 784 00:43:25,233 --> 00:43:25,533 Mirror 785 00:43:25,533 --> 00:43:29,166 is a beautiful example of the goal and the pursuit 786 00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:33,200 and the submission and the trust 787 00:43:33,333 --> 00:43:36,333 in God. 788 00:43:37,200 --> 00:43:38,400 I hinted to this early. 789 00:43:38,400 --> 00:43:41,100 I just want to end with this. This is. This is what. 790 00:43:41,100 --> 00:43:44,500 This is what I see in Mary in her life 791 00:43:45,500 --> 00:43:48,500 was absolutely overturned. 792 00:43:49,466 --> 00:43:52,566 And what came out of her was a trust and a submission. 793 00:43:53,500 --> 00:43:57,066 What came out of her was, is is the anchor of the Word of God. 794 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:01,666 And so I thought about like this 795 00:44:01,666 --> 00:44:03,766 when you bump a bucket, what comes out 796 00:44:03,766 --> 00:44:06,766 is what's already in you. 797 00:44:06,900 --> 00:44:09,900 You understand that? 798 00:44:10,866 --> 00:44:13,866 What comes out of you when you're bumped? 799 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:17,400 You're. 800 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:18,733 When you're bumped by people. 801 00:44:20,533 --> 00:44:23,533 When you're bumped by life 802 00:44:24,133 --> 00:44:24,366 near. 803 00:44:24,366 --> 00:44:26,700 Bumped by tragedy. 804 00:44:26,700 --> 00:44:28,300 When you're bound by difficulty. 805 00:44:28,300 --> 00:44:30,066 When you're bumped by your dreams. 806 00:44:30,066 --> 00:44:31,733 Crashing down around you. 807 00:44:31,733 --> 00:44:34,733 When you're bumped. 808 00:44:36,166 --> 00:44:37,400 Excuses. 809 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:40,400 Anger. Disappointment. Grief. 810 00:44:40,600 --> 00:44:41,466 Sadness. 811 00:44:41,466 --> 00:44:44,466 Disillusionment. 812 00:44:45,033 --> 00:44:48,033 Or I'm the Lord servant. 813 00:44:48,033 --> 00:44:50,966 Do with me what you will. 814 00:44:50,966 --> 00:44:53,700 What I know of Scripture 815 00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:56,700 and what I know of my God's heart. 816 00:44:57,633 --> 00:44:58,666 I will not worry. 817 00:44:58,666 --> 00:44:59,700 I will not be dismayed. 818 00:44:59,700 --> 00:45:02,700 For the Lord my God is with. 819 00:45:05,966 --> 00:45:07,900 Well she's special. 820 00:45:07,900 --> 00:45:10,233 Yeah. 821 00:45:10,233 --> 00:45:11,700 Only because the God she followed 822 00:45:11,700 --> 00:45:14,700 was special. 823 00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:18,300 The Christmas story 824 00:45:18,300 --> 00:45:19,500 certainly produces joy. 825 00:45:19,500 --> 00:45:21,533 And it should. 826 00:45:21,533 --> 00:45:24,533 But it also ought to call us to something deeper. 827 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:28,800 So for a moment, let's think past Mary, 828 00:45:29,466 --> 00:45:32,466 and let's think to Jesus. 829 00:45:33,066 --> 00:45:36,066 Jesus was bumped by my sin. 830 00:45:38,233 --> 00:45:40,600 And rather than condemnation coming out, 831 00:45:42,533 --> 00:45:45,533 love came out. 832 00:45:45,566 --> 00:45:47,233 My place 833 00:45:47,233 --> 00:45:50,233 on the cross. 834 00:45:51,833 --> 00:45:55,633 He traded his righteousness for my sin and my sin for his righteousness. 835 00:45:55,633 --> 00:45:58,633 He traded his life for my life and 836 00:46:00,566 --> 00:46:01,766 you know what's interesting? 837 00:46:01,766 --> 00:46:04,766 Jesus never asked us to remember his birth. 838 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:08,500 He never said, 839 00:46:08,500 --> 00:46:10,333 man disciples. 840 00:46:10,333 --> 00:46:13,500 This thing 33 years ago 841 00:46:14,666 --> 00:46:17,400 that was miraculous. 842 00:46:17,400 --> 00:46:20,400 If you if I just want you to remember 843 00:46:22,100 --> 00:46:23,933 the announcement, 844 00:46:23,933 --> 00:46:26,700 the little trough and late in. 845 00:46:26,700 --> 00:46:28,300 I want you to remember the shepherds. 846 00:46:28,300 --> 00:46:31,100 Boy, they were stinky. I want 847 00:46:31,100 --> 00:46:31,866 I want you to remember. 848 00:46:31,866 --> 00:46:34,866 The innkeeper said he had no room. 849 00:46:35,166 --> 00:46:38,033 I want you to remember my birth. 850 00:46:38,033 --> 00:46:41,033 He never said that. 851 00:46:41,033 --> 00:46:43,333 What did he ask his church down through 852 00:46:43,333 --> 00:46:46,333 the eons to remember? 853 00:46:49,900 --> 00:46:51,533 His death. 854 00:46:51,533 --> 00:46:52,033 His death. 855 00:46:52,033 --> 00:46:54,066 The cross, 856 00:46:54,066 --> 00:46:57,733 the resurrection, the assurance of his coming again. 857 00:46:58,033 --> 00:47:00,466 And that's why he gave us these elements. 858 00:47:03,633 --> 00:47:05,633 At Christmas, we remember his birth. 859 00:47:05,633 --> 00:47:07,966 And we should, 860 00:47:07,966 --> 00:47:10,933 because his birth meant that salvation 861 00:47:10,933 --> 00:47:13,866 was at the doorstep. 862 00:47:13,866 --> 00:47:16,800 But he asked us to remember 863 00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:19,800 the crucifixion and the cross. 864 00:47:20,866 --> 00:47:22,266 And he gave us two elements 865 00:47:22,266 --> 00:47:25,266 to remember his body and his blood. 866 00:47:26,033 --> 00:47:27,900 And that's what we remember every Sunday, 867 00:47:27,900 --> 00:47:30,900 because it's important. 868 00:47:31,733 --> 00:47:33,300 And so I want you to join me 869 00:47:33,300 --> 00:47:37,666 as we take the birth narrative and set it aside for just a moment, 870 00:47:38,733 --> 00:47:40,700 and we draw our attention to the memory 871 00:47:40,700 --> 00:47:43,700 of what it led to. 872 00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:46,800 And we do this with this caveat. 873 00:47:47,866 --> 00:47:49,066 That if you don't yet 874 00:47:49,066 --> 00:47:52,066 have a relationship with Jesus, 875 00:47:52,766 --> 00:47:54,333 a right relationship with the father 876 00:47:54,333 --> 00:47:57,333 through faith in his Son. 877 00:47:58,666 --> 00:48:01,666 Though Jesus has made the way, 878 00:48:02,266 --> 00:48:05,266 that is not your experience. 879 00:48:06,100 --> 00:48:07,166 And the only way 880 00:48:07,166 --> 00:48:10,266 that eternal life and salvation is your experiences. 881 00:48:10,266 --> 00:48:13,166 If you come to the father through faith in the son, 882 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:16,900 in agreement with His Word that says, 883 00:48:16,900 --> 00:48:20,566 we all, like sinners, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way. 884 00:48:20,933 --> 00:48:22,700 All of us. 885 00:48:22,700 --> 00:48:24,333 And there is none that is worthy. 886 00:48:24,333 --> 00:48:27,333 No, not one. 887 00:48:27,900 --> 00:48:30,900 And that the name of Jesus is the only name given 888 00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:34,200 to men under heaven by which we must be saved. 889 00:48:36,433 --> 00:48:37,100 And I invite you 890 00:48:37,100 --> 00:48:40,100 to acknowledge that and accept that 891 00:48:40,500 --> 00:48:43,500 not to worry about this. 892 00:48:44,933 --> 00:48:45,866 To agree with God. 893 00:48:45,866 --> 00:48:48,400 God, I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. 894 00:48:48,400 --> 00:48:51,400 And I accept it by what your son did for me on the cross. 895 00:48:54,300 --> 00:48:56,366 I'd like to invite you 896 00:48:56,366 --> 00:48:59,366 to jump into this family. 897 00:49:01,466 --> 00:49:04,066 If you have done that, 898 00:49:04,066 --> 00:49:06,000 then we all we're doing is exactly what 899 00:49:06,000 --> 00:49:09,300 Jesus asked us to do 2000 years ago and remember it. 900 00:49:11,166 --> 00:49:14,166 And so those of us who believe 901 00:49:14,900 --> 00:49:19,200 we remember Jesus's words as he took the bread and lifted up to heaven and gave 902 00:49:19,233 --> 00:49:20,266 thanks and broken, said, 903 00:49:20,266 --> 00:49:23,366 this is my body, which I'm giving for you of my own accord. 904 00:49:24,433 --> 00:49:27,433 Do this as often as you eat it, and remember me. 905 00:49:35,600 --> 00:49:38,333 Very similar way 906 00:49:38,333 --> 00:49:41,333 we remember him. 907 00:49:42,000 --> 00:49:43,100 Not just his birth, 908 00:49:43,100 --> 00:49:46,133 but what his birth led to the cross and the shedding of his blood. 909 00:49:47,466 --> 00:49:48,633 I want you to understand something. 910 00:49:48,633 --> 00:49:51,533 Jesus wasn't murdered 911 00:49:51,533 --> 00:49:53,566 because murder has to do with someone 912 00:49:53,566 --> 00:49:56,566 having power over your life. 913 00:49:57,566 --> 00:49:59,500 Jesus said, I lay my life down, 914 00:49:59,500 --> 00:50:02,500 and if I lay it down, I can pick it up. 915 00:50:04,400 --> 00:50:05,600 His blood wasn't spilled. 916 00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:08,300 There was no accident behind it. 917 00:50:08,300 --> 00:50:09,766 It was poured out and shed 918 00:50:11,100 --> 00:50:13,500 on purpose 919 00:50:13,500 --> 00:50:15,000 so our sin could be forgiven. 920 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:18,000 It's important that we understand these distinctions. 921 00:50:18,866 --> 00:50:22,500 And because Jesus was about to pour out his blood on the cross 922 00:50:22,500 --> 00:50:23,666 for our forgiveness, 923 00:50:23,666 --> 00:50:27,300 he said this is the sign of the new covenant in my blood 924 00:50:27,300 --> 00:50:30,033 shed for you, for the forgiveness and remission of your sin. 925 00:50:30,033 --> 00:50:33,033 Every time you drink this, remember me. 926 00:50:39,800 --> 00:50:42,800 So we're joyful this Christmas season, 927 00:50:43,166 --> 00:50:46,166 and we're called to something deeper. 928 00:50:47,200 --> 00:50:48,200 I'm the Lord's servant. 929 00:50:48,200 --> 00:50:51,200 May it be to me, as you have said. 930 00:50:52,133 --> 00:50:54,433 Father, thank you for this day. 931 00:50:54,433 --> 00:50:56,433 Thank you for your word. 932 00:50:56,433 --> 00:50:58,333 Thank you that you love me. 933 00:50:58,333 --> 00:51:00,200 You love us. 934 00:51:00,200 --> 00:51:03,333 Thank you that because of your son, we are your favorites. 935 00:51:04,366 --> 00:51:08,100 And we sit here before you this morning as your favorites. 936 00:51:09,633 --> 00:51:12,233 Knowing 937 00:51:12,233 --> 00:51:14,600 that you are good, knowing 938 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:18,233 that you love us, knowing that you work things together 939 00:51:18,233 --> 00:51:21,233 for your good. 940 00:51:24,833 --> 00:51:27,833 Sit here this morning, 941 00:51:27,900 --> 00:51:30,900 willing to submit. 942 00:51:31,500 --> 00:51:33,200 And willing to say, as Mary did, 943 00:51:33,200 --> 00:51:36,200 I am the Lord's servant. 944 00:51:37,266 --> 00:51:40,266 May it be to me, God, as you have said, 945 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:44,000 do with me what you will. 946 00:51:46,166 --> 00:51:49,466 God, that takes so much trust to say, wow. 947 00:51:53,766 --> 00:51:56,766 Okay. 948 00:51:57,566 --> 00:51:58,933 God, I pray with you to hear those hearts. 949 00:51:58,933 --> 00:52:01,933 I would say that right now. Yes. 950 00:52:04,533 --> 00:52:07,533 I'm the Lord's servant. 951 00:52:09,000 --> 00:52:12,000 Father, do with me what you will. 952 00:52:15,733 --> 00:52:18,566 Father, you said that those who put their trust in you will never be put to shame. 953 00:52:18,566 --> 00:52:21,566 We just put our trust in you. 954 00:52:21,633 --> 00:52:23,833 Every one of us who said, do with me what you will. 955 00:52:23,833 --> 00:52:24,666 Put our trust in you. 956 00:52:28,800 --> 00:52:29,733 And we're going to live. 957 00:52:29,733 --> 00:52:31,266 I'm going to. I'm on behalf of us. 958 00:52:31,266 --> 00:52:34,633 I'm going to speak it over us, that we're going to live with that promise 959 00:52:34,633 --> 00:52:37,633 that we will not be put to shame 960 00:52:37,833 --> 00:52:40,833 because we put our trust in you. 961 00:52:41,366 --> 00:52:44,366 Even if the lag time is long, we know. 962 00:52:44,966 --> 00:52:46,700 We know that we will not be put to shame. 963 00:52:46,700 --> 00:52:49,400 We trust you to 964 00:52:49,400 --> 00:52:52,400 do with us what you will. 965 00:52:52,866 --> 00:52:53,566 In your name I pray. 966 00:52:53,566 --> 00:52:56,100 Amen. 967 00:52:56,100 --> 00:52:57,600 Listen, 968 00:52:57,600 --> 00:52:59,900 we have two more. 969 00:52:59,900 --> 00:53:01,433 Two more messages in this series. 970 00:53:01,433 --> 00:53:02,100 This Christmas series. 971 00:53:02,100 --> 00:53:06,466 One next Sunday we're going to look at, Luke chapter two 972 00:53:06,966 --> 00:53:10,566 and the announcement to the shepherds and them showing up and the birth. 973 00:53:11,533 --> 00:53:15,433 And then two days later on Christmas Eve, we're going to look at, 974 00:53:15,833 --> 00:53:19,400 Matthew chapter two, when the Wise men actually show up. 975 00:53:20,533 --> 00:53:20,866 And it's 976 00:53:20,866 --> 00:53:23,866 interesting, with the wise men, they bring gifts. 977 00:53:24,233 --> 00:53:26,433 And so in preparation, read Luke two 978 00:53:26,433 --> 00:53:29,500 and Matthew two, and we'll unpack it together. 979 00:53:29,700 --> 00:53:34,566 But in preparation of Christmas Eve, as the wise men did, so will we. 980 00:53:34,566 --> 00:53:37,733 And there's two gifts I'm going to, I'm going to ask you to pray 981 00:53:37,733 --> 00:53:40,900 about your presentation to the to Jesus. 982 00:53:41,566 --> 00:53:44,566 One is your life. 983 00:53:45,966 --> 00:53:46,700 Where you say, God, 984 00:53:46,700 --> 00:53:49,700 the best gift I have to bring is my life 985 00:53:50,533 --> 00:53:51,300 off of your body. 986 00:53:51,300 --> 00:53:54,200 Is this living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God, 987 00:53:54,200 --> 00:53:56,600 which is pleasing to God, for this is your spiritual act of worship. 988 00:53:56,600 --> 00:53:59,600 The Bible says. 989 00:53:59,733 --> 00:54:02,733 The second gift is this 990 00:54:02,900 --> 00:54:04,800 Jesus came 991 00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:08,000 to establish the kingdom of God on the earth. 992 00:54:09,000 --> 00:54:11,400 That happens through the church. 993 00:54:12,566 --> 00:54:15,433 And so I'm going to ask you to consider 994 00:54:15,433 --> 00:54:18,966 giving to our church planting work around the world. 995 00:54:20,066 --> 00:54:21,300 One take, one big offering. 996 00:54:21,300 --> 00:54:25,566 And I would love for you to participate with us in planting churches. 997 00:54:25,933 --> 00:54:27,833 The offering is not going to go to us. 998 00:54:27,833 --> 00:54:30,833 It's going to go to planting churches around the world because that is 999 00:54:30,833 --> 00:54:31,466 God's plan. 1000 00:54:31,466 --> 00:54:34,466 A there is no plan B, 1001 00:54:35,400 --> 00:54:38,400 it's not to build our little kingdom and our little castle. 1002 00:54:38,966 --> 00:54:41,100 It's to build churches 1003 00:54:41,100 --> 00:54:41,900 towards that. 1004 00:54:41,900 --> 00:54:44,900 And I'll tell you this, I don't sure I was going to say anything. 1005 00:54:45,933 --> 00:54:48,100 Oh well, 1006 00:54:48,100 --> 00:54:51,100 you know, the war that's going on in Ukraine 1007 00:54:51,566 --> 00:54:54,500 and right now God is 1008 00:54:54,500 --> 00:54:57,400 people are turning to Christ in the Ukraine like never before. 1009 00:54:57,400 --> 00:55:01,433 It's a huge revival going on, a huge revival 1010 00:55:02,033 --> 00:55:05,666 in evil always prompts revival. 1011 00:55:07,333 --> 00:55:09,233 And that's what's happening. 1012 00:55:09,233 --> 00:55:12,233 And we have pastors there, 1013 00:55:12,333 --> 00:55:13,800 some that are in prison still. 1014 00:55:13,800 --> 00:55:16,933 Some have been killed, some are still doing it. 1015 00:55:19,333 --> 00:55:21,466 And if we had the pastors and the funding, 1016 00:55:21,466 --> 00:55:24,466 we could start 400 churches right now in Ukraine 1017 00:55:26,100 --> 00:55:28,766 and a war torn country. 1018 00:55:28,766 --> 00:55:31,466 And so in the middle of May, 1019 00:55:31,466 --> 00:55:33,633 I am headed there 1020 00:55:33,633 --> 00:55:38,366 to carry out our training program for church pastor, for church planters. 1021 00:55:38,366 --> 00:55:40,866 There. 1022 00:55:40,866 --> 00:55:43,533 And I will run the the event there, 1023 00:55:43,533 --> 00:55:46,533 and we will train a bunch of pastors to plant churches. 1024 00:55:48,200 --> 00:55:51,200 And I am so excited. 1025 00:55:52,700 --> 00:55:55,700 This is what we're about. 1026 00:55:55,800 --> 00:55:58,766 Do you understand this? 1027 00:55:58,766 --> 00:56:01,366 This is what we're about. 1028 00:56:01,366 --> 00:56:03,400 Do with me what you will. 1029 00:56:03,400 --> 00:56:06,400 We are the Lord's servant. 1030 00:56:07,333 --> 00:56:09,600 God, you're a good God. 1031 00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:11,033 We love the opportunity. 1032 00:56:11,033 --> 00:56:13,800 We get to be together with you and with each other. 1033 00:56:13,800 --> 00:56:16,566 Continue doing what only you can do. 1034 00:56:17,566 --> 00:56:20,333 And thank you that we get to be a part of it. 1035 00:56:20,333 --> 00:56:21,200 And your name I pray. Amen.