O, MARY!

On June 1, 1965, a boat set sail from Falmouth, Massachusetts. The name of the boat was Tinkerbelle. If it completed the dangerous journey, it would be the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic. It was less than 14’ long. And its pilot was Robert Manry.

But Mr. Manry was afraid. He was afraid, not of the ocean, but of those who would certainly try and talk him out of going. He was afraid of being discouraged by others, so he only told a few relatives and his wife, Virginia, as she was his greatest encourager in all he attempted to do.

The trip was a very rough one and he had many sleepless nights. His food became tasteless and his loneliness caused him to suffer hallucinations. On top of all this, his rudder broke three times.

He encountered fierce storms and had it not been for a rope firmly tied about his waist, he would not have been able to make it back into the boat after having been swept overboard several times.

He later told how, on those occasions he was able to get a little sleep, he dreamed of how it would be when he finally got to England. He would dream that he would just dock, and then go into town and rent a hotel room. He said he looked forward to eating a big meal and getting a good night’s sleep in a real bed. And then the next morning, he would contact the press and see if anyone was interested in doing a story on what he had just accomplished.

To his amazement, as he sailed in, there were hundreds of boats with their horns blasting, celebrating his great feat. And there were over 40,000 people standing on the docks waiting to welcome him to the end of his journey. He was an overnight hero, and his story quickly went around the world.

He admitted later that he could not have done this without the support and encouragement of his wife Virginia, who flew to England and was among the 40,000 who cheered for him. He said her constant love and encouragement was what enabled him to fulfill his dream.

The world needs more love and encouragement, wouldn’t you say? But no matter where we look, we don’t seem to find anybody who can actually do that for us. Maybe it is because we have been looking in the wrong places.

In reality, there is One who not only can, but yearns to love and encourage us to be all that we can be. That is the best news we will ever hear. And we are going to be talking about Him today. Of course, we know Him by the name of Jesus. The Son of the living God; the Savior of mankind.

LUKE 2:1-7

“In those days, Caesar Augustus made a law. It required that a list be made of everyone in the whole Roman world. It was the first time a list was made of the people while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be listed.

“So Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is where Bethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family line of David. He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expecting a baby.

“While Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for the child to be born. She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger. There was no room for them in the inn.”

God reached out to us from Heaven, giving us an opportunity to draw nearer to Him. But before He could help us, He had to do something first. He had to make Himself smaller for us so that we could grow larger in Him. And so, Jesus came to this world to become one of us so that we could become like Him.

Have you ever thought about how the birth of Jesus has impacted your life? Has the birth of Jesus had any kind of impact on your spouse – or, if you aren’t married yet, will it have any effect on your spouse? Does Jesus have any influence over how you do your job; how you relate to people on a daily basis; the places you go; the things you do?

I think what we will find is that those who really do become believe in Jesus enough to become subservient to His will, will be affected by Jesus in every single area of their lives. Those who only acknowledge Him, but refuse to let Him in their hearts, will not be influenced by Him in any area of their lives.

So, let us go into the Bible and see just how this affected Mary, Jesus’ mother. For the purpose of today’s message, I am going to use the New International Reader’s Version of the Bible.

1.   THE BIRTH OF JESUS GAVE MARY MANY MEMORIES

LUKE 2:19

‘But Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over.’

Mary thought about this over and over again. And the Bible says she hid those things deeply within her heart. Memories like giving birth to a son without the help of an earthly father, or giving birth to Him in an animal’s shelter. I don’t think many women would like to give birth and have no other place to lay the baby except on some straw that was hastily put into a manger.

But whether they were the ‘warm and fuzzy’ type of memory, or the ‘cold and scratchy hay’ type of memory, Mary thought about them all many times. I would imagine that the one thought that kept coming to her the most often, would have been seeing that precious baby as He awoke for the first time.

As I mentioned last week, Jesus made Himself smaller for us, so that He could reach out to us and make us larger in Him. But to grow larger in Him, we must reach out and have a personal relationship with Him first. Have you done that? Have you experienced Jesus in your heart and in your soul and in your mind?

Do you ever go into deep thought about Jesus? Do you ever spend time with nothing on your mind but how Jesus affects your life? Do you see those memories in your heart that are about Jesus as treasures to be protected, or do you view them as routine, and sometimes fleeting, bits of thoughts that are not very special?

Let me give you a piece of advice now that is worth its weight in gold. You do not become closer to Jesus by just remembering Him; but by experiencing Him as you contemplate Him.

What history is to a nation, memory is to a person. Can you imagine just how lost and vulnerable a nation would be if it had no personal history to fall back on? Take that a little closer to home. Can you imagine how vulnerable and lost a Christian would be if they had no personal memory of Jesus to rely on?

Do we walk by a nativity scene and react just like the millions of people who look through it without realizing the most emphatic truth that ever occurred? Do we go through the motions of Christmas, without ever realizing what it means? Many Christians go through their entire lives, dong everything Christians do, but not understanding how the one simple truth of Jesus Christ can completely change their lives.

One cannot have memories of something they were not involved in. For instance, you cannot remember when I graduated, can you? To remember; to have a memory; you must experience something first. The birth of our Messiah left Mary with many memories, which she thought about constantly. So, tell me – what has His birth left in your heart?

O, Mary! You have so many memories of your Son’s birth.

2.   THOSE MEMORIES WERE TREASURED IN HER HEART

Did you know that a treasured memory is a memory that makes you smile? If you cannot smile when you remember something, it is not treasured by you. And speaking of treasured memories, you know how you feel when you revisit those warm and loving memories?

I would imagine when Mary remembered the love and support she received from Joseph, she had that kind of ‘snuggle up in the blankets’ feeling. I envision a smile on her face as she remembered how shepherds were drawn from their fields on that chilly night, just to come and look upon the baby from Heaven.

There are periods of time which the Bible gives us very little information about Jesus. For instance, from his birth until he was about twelve years of age, there is little written about Him. But it does mention an overview about Jesus giving us an overview of what His life was like as he grew.

LUKE 2:39-40

‘Joseph and Mary did everything the Law of the Lord required. Then they returned to Galilee. They went to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong. He was very wise. He was blessed by God’s grace.’

Let me explain what these two verses tell us about Jesus. First of all, by saying they had done everything the Law required, means they dedicated Jesus, as was the Israelite custom.

The Bible says Jesus grew and became strong. He was healthy, and His body must have been very fit. It says Jesus was very wise, and that He was blessed by God’s grace.

Jesus had a Godly insight that was with Him from the moment He appeared on this earth. Even as a child of just twelve years old, we see how He talked about God to teachers of the Law, and what they thought of His insight. It seems that Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they got started home, they couldn’t find Him.

LUKE 2:46

‘After three days they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting with the teachers. He was listening to them and asking them questions. All those who heard Him were surprised and wondered about His understanding and at what He said.’

Mary talked to Jesus, wanting to know why He didn’t let them know where He was.

LUKE 2:48-50

‘When His parents saw Him, they were surprised. His mother said to Him, "My Son, why have You done this to us? See! Your father and I have had much sorrow looking for You." He said to them, "Why were you looking for Me? Do you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?" They did not understand the things He said to them.’

And it says Mary kept these things in her heart. Mary may not have understood, but she knew; she knew something very special was up with her young son.

By the time Jesus began His ministry some eighteen years later, Mary would have much more to ponder and treasure. All the while, God, the Father, had been watching His Son grow strong; obeying His earthly parents, and being filled with Heavenly wisdom. God had treasured His Son, too. Following His baptism in the River of Jordan, the Father said: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ Scripture does not say, but I would imagine Mary felt the same thing in her heart.

What about you? Has the birth of Jesus, and now His life, as described in Scripture given you anything to ponder and treasure? Do you cherish Him? Spend some time this week thinking about how the birth of Jesus has impacted your life.

O, Mary! Those many treasured memories of Jesus will fill your heart and give you many treasures to ponder upon. But as you ponder them, know that …

3.   HIS BIRTH WILL GIVE YOU MUCH TO SUFFER

Let’s go back for a moment to when Jesus was dedicated in the Temple, just eight days after He was born.

There was a man there by the name of Simeon. Now there are three men by this name who are mentioned in Scripture. One is found in the book of GENESIS. He was a son of Jacob.

Another man by this name is mentioned in the 13th chapter of ACTS. He helped ordain the Apostle Paul and Barnabas for their missionary trip.

And then there is the Simeon in LUKE, chapter 2. One thing we will notice about all three of these men is that they were men of God. And God saw fit to have them mentioned in the Bible, even if ever so briefly.

The Simeon who was at the Temple when Jesus was dedicated was an old man. He was an old man who just wanted to live long enough to see the promised King of Israel come. The Holy Spirit indwelt this man, and had let Him know that he would surely see that King. Let’s see what else the Bible says about Him.

LUKE 2:25-35

In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to happen. The Holy Spirit was with him. The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required.

Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said, "Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised. My eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the sight of all people. It is a light to be given to those who aren’t Jews. It will bring glory to your people Israel."

Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, "This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him. The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too."

One of the most moving scenes in The Passion of The Christ, was when Mary was watching Jesus as he struggled beneath the weight of the cross, on His way to Golgotha to be hung. In that scene, Jesus stumbles and falls.

Immediately, in her mind, she flashes back to when Jesus was a child. In her mind’s eye, she saw Him running and falling. She runs to Him and comforts Him by taking Him in her arms. Now, she is a mother with a heart that is being ripped apart, watching as they get ready to murder her son – and unable to do anything to help Him. So all she can do is go into her box of treasured memories and see Him like He was.

The birth of Jesus did leave Mary with much to suffer. Her role in the history of salvation has been described in different ways by many different writers. Where the suffering of Mary is concerned, I think that too many have either exaggerated her role, or overlooked it to the point of discounting it.

Being comfortable in today’s warm environment, we don’t like to view or think about suffering, but the suffering at the birth of Jesus was as real as that at His death. After all, he was born by a mother who was traveling. He was born in a cooler part of the year. And He was born in a borrowed shelter for animals, lying in their hay, with nothing but strips of clothing to cover Him.

There is one scene in the story of Jesus that touches me to the core. It is found in:

JOHN 19:25-27

'Jesus’ mother stood near his cross. So did his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas) and Mary Magdalene. Jesus saw his mother there. He also saw the disciple he loved standing nearby.

Jesus said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son.” He said to the disciple, "Here is your mother.” From that time on, the disciple took her into his home.'

Jesus’ death on the cross was the worst suffering of all for Mary, the mother of Jesus, this is the point where Simeon’s prophecy became a reality to her, as the Sword of suffering did pierced her heart.

Even in His time of deepest grief, He loved His mother Mary enough to make sure she was provided for after He was gone! And just as Jesus, even in death, did not leave Mary alone in her suffering, He will never leave you alone in your suffering either. And even as He was dying on the cross, He never left Mary without hope, and He will never leave you without hope either. Because He loves you as He loved Mary.

I have asked you several times how Jesus has impacted your life. Let’s see how he impacted the disciples’ lives.

ACTS 5:41

’The apostles were full of joy as they left the Sanhedrin. They considered it an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.’

All of the original disciples were willing to be killed for their belief in Jesus, as the Christ, except for John. John was brutalized and imprisoned, but he died as an old man.

How do you think the average Christian would react today if they had to go through something like that for Christ’s sake? Many would back away and find it easier to deny Jesus than to stand up for Him and be persecuted. But we must remember what it says in –

ROMANS 8:17

‘We will share what Christ receives. But we must share in his sufferings if we want to share in his glory.’

So, once again I ask you: How has the birth of Jesus impacted you? Has it impacted you enough to help you through the suffering that will come at its anointed time? In other words, have we really counted the cost of being a real and true Christian?

If we accept the cost, we will have memories of Jesus that we treasure in our hearts. And it will be those treasured memories that help us get through the suffering each Christian must endure for His name’s sake.

I think many of us look at Christmas and see one Jesus: The baby Jesus. A Jesus who is soft and lovable. A Jesus who gives us nice and warm fuzzies when we think about Him. We look at the manger and try our best to keep Jesus in it – forever.

But Jesus had a job to do. He came from Heaven to help us find our way back to God. And just like all babies, He quickly grew out of the cradle. And as He matured, He became more and more the Jesus who would have the most life-changing ministry the world has ever known.

He was the most influential person to have ever lived on this earth. How did He accomplish this great task? He did it through the wonderful power of God. But that shows another side to Jesus that we too often do not look at. Jesus was a warrior. He fought the evil of Satan. And in so doing, He had to sacrifice His precious life so that we might be able to partake in His eternal life.

So, which Jesus do you see at Christmas? Do you see the lovable baby, or do you see the child of God, who can answer every question you have and give you more peace than you have ever known?

We must look at the end result of what Jesus had to go through and understand why He went through it. But as we do, we must also realize that He started as that little baby in the manger. Everything Jesus was, was brought about by His birth.

But you must make a decision now. Are you going to let everything Jesus came to do just wither away? Are you willing to let it not help you? Or, are you willing to look at His ministry and at His heritage and know that God is offering you that same heritage this morning?

As yourself how much Mary really knew about Jesus on that first Christmas so long ago. And then ask yourself how much you would like to start knowing about Him today.

INVITATION