Title: Mary's Tears / Luke 1:46-56
In the world, there are many people who have lived and many who have died for the Lord. There are many believers who will give their lives and property if the Lord's will is clear. But no one gave everything for the Lord more than Mary, who was the Lord's mother more than anyone.
There are so many things that we fall short of Mary's devotion or faith at this time, but we should make further progress in our devotion life, considering Mary's devotion.
The title of this worship service, ｢Mary's Tears｣, refers to Mary's love for the Lord.
1. When it comes to Mary, above all else, she is a person who obeyed by faith.
"Mary said, "The servant of the Lord is coming, and it may be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed (Luke 1:38). is. Mary’s obedience was ‘the obedience of the servant of the Lord’. This obedience is absolute obedience, eternal obedience, and infinite obedience that cannot be counted.
Indeed it is. What happened to Mary after she expressed her heart with these words? The belly of an innocent virgin, who was about to get married who did not know a man, began to load and finally gave birth to the baby.
When the Lord was pregnant, Mary went to visit her sister. Sisters will be able to have a good time meeting and talking about what has happened in the past. However, the Bible does not treat Mary's visit to her sister as something that ordinary women can do.
I don't think there would have been any doubts about Mary's faith. However, if he were neither an angel nor a perfect person, how could he have conceived a child and had no worries or concerns, and he would have gone to see his sister because he could not discuss this with anyone.
However, God gave a wonderful assurance for this kind of Mary. John the Baptist was already conceived by her sister, the priest's wife and a person of faith, to prepare the way for the Lord, and through that John the Baptist, you relieved Mary of her worries and anxieties by clearly proving that it was the Lord who Mary was giving birth to. He gave me the courage and strength to take on the task I was assigned with with overflowing confidence and joy.
You all know that a person must obey God to receive grace and blessings. However, we often do not think deeply about the sacrifice and devotion that comes with obeying God's Word. It is loneliness, loneliness, misunderstanding, and in a way it can cost you life.
That's why the Lord said, "If you will follow me, give up everything." Like the young man who heard this word, many people today leave the Lord's side because they cannot bear the "pain of abandonment" that may exist in following the Lord.
You can make true devotion only when you are prepared for the “pain of throwing away” that you give up everything you have.
2. Mary is a person of prayer.
There is no doubt that Mary was a praying man. But how you pray is important. In the text we read today, Mary is praying praising God. Instead of a prayer of repentance, a prayer of promise, a prayer of asking, and a prayer of wish, we are praying for praise and obedience. Pray a confession of faith.
What is our glory? The very fact that we are called by God is a great honor that sinners cannot do more. The glory is so great and splendid that there is no room for even thinking about the pain or suffering that comes from doing God's will. So Mary is praying to God.
While doing church work, some people say they can't do it because they don't have the ability, while others say they want to take a break from God's work. So they pray for God to give him the ability to do God's work well, and ask Him to avoid it by listing the many painful things they experience while doing God's work. But they are all false prayers. Such prayers come from overconfidence and unbelief. Truly, there must be gratitude for being a servant of God. God did not call us because we have enough, but because He loves us. He did not call us because we deserve it, but to fulfill God's holiness and will. Sometimes he uses dry sticks, sometimes he uses donkeys, and sometimes he uses strangers who do not know God.
Maria knew this. That is why he is confessing his faith as “the servant of the Lord’s maid” about calling his ignorant self, who can do nothing, to do God’s holy work.
Don't think about anything, don't study, don't make excuses, just give thanks for being a servant of the Lord and devote yourself to the Lord's work. That's a really humble and beautiful dedication.
3. A wise mother.
“At this time Mary got up, went quickly into the mountains, and came to a town in Judea, and “Mary stayed with them about three months, and then she returned home.” (Luke 1:56) Elizabeth was the wife of Zacharias the priest, and Mary had been devoting herself to God for three months, and her spiritual fellowship with her sister, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, was the wisest and wisest course of action as the mother of Jesus. First of all, when the baby is conceived, most mothers say that they stand and read books and teach the fetus, but Mary did this in the temple of God.
4. A person who gave his children to God.
On the eighth day of Jesus' day, Mary took Jesus to the temple and performed a rite for Jesus. At that time, he met an old prophet named Simeon, who said of Jesus, "Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set up for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be slandered." and a sword will pierce your heart, so that the thoughts of the hearts of many may be revealed.” [Luke 2:35] Filial piety in the words of this prophecy. Parents will be honored because of this child. Not a single word is said. It was only a man of God who became a sacrifice to God. Let your knowledge be sacrificed to God.
5. Actually, because of Jesus, Mary did not do what we always think of, the so-called good things.
It must have always been sad and sad. Jesus, who grew up poor, Jesus who was persecuted, Jesus who died, and Jesus when he was resurrected only once, he must have rejoiced when he saw him, but at that time Jesus was already God, not the son of Mary. However, there is not even a single place where Mary's displeasure toward Jesus is revealed. It does not represent the sorrow or pain suffered because of the Lord. Only silently weeping and swallowing the tears that do not fall. While serving the Lord and his disciples for food, laundry, etc., he goes on the path of a woman who is a maid, a mother, and a devoted woman who is worried that he may interfere with the Lord's work because of her.
We hope so much as we work for the Lord. As a servant of the Lord, we should sing praises. Do small things and hope for big things, do little service and hope for many things. That is why, while doing the work of the holy God, we are put to the test, we are complaining, and we have a sense of self-evaluation and compensation. It really can't be that bizarre.
What do you want from your children?
Let your children only want to do God's work well. Children must make sacrifices for their parents, but those who have deeper grace and realize God's love should not let their children become a hindrance to God's work. I only live as the servant of the Lord.
A weak child should serve his parents well. But parents should not be a burden to their children. Mary treated Jesus like that, and while Jesus died, she prayed for her mother and prayed for her mother to John.
6. Jesus' every move was Mary's joy and sorrow.
It means that the life of Jesus and the life of Mother were one. “Mary kept all these words in her heart and pondered them” (Luke 2:19). However, it is important to have everything in mind about something.
In the life of a mother who loves her children and becomes one with her children, you are no less than Mary.
The child has been scolded by the teacher at school. The child asked him to forget about it. But my mother took revenge on it. That's not to say I didn't have that in mind. It means that we remembered the faith, love, prayers, and grace of Jesus growing before God.
Where is the joy of seeing your children, where is the sorrow? Where is the affectionate respect for children, and where are the expectations and hopes for them?
Surprisingly, many mothers are saddened by the worldly affairs of their children and set their hopes and expectations for their children's future on rotten things.
A mother who prays for her children's faith only when there is fear of seeing a child who is wrong in their religious life, and a mother who weeps and prays because of the sorrow for a child who does not love God and the church.
It's very pathetic to hear that some mothers are frustrated and sad because they can't study, aren't healthy, they aren't as good-looking as other children, and even some mothers are frustrated and saddened by not having their little one's birthday party in a first-class restaurant.
What kind of person will the mother who raised her child with that mindset, or the children who grew up with such a mother, become?
I hope that many mothers like Mary and sons like Jesus will come out of our church.