Messianic Women - Mary the mother of Jesus

Messianic Women - Mary

Readings:      Deuteronomy 22.13-21; Matthew 1.18-25

Introduction

In this month’s series we have looked at some interesting women – each of them showed great courage, faith and determination in obedience to God and to their family.  Finally we come to Mary – a young girl in the tribe of Judah and her special child.

The Incarnation - Accepting the cost

Matthew tells us briefly that Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married, she found out that she was going to have a baby by the Holy Spirit - but Luke tells us far more about how this came about.

Luke tells us of the Angel that appeared to young Mary with amazing news – and how she was greatly troubled and afraid at the angel’s appearance, and when the angel pronounces the sublime words about the Son of the Most High whose kingdom will never end, Mary had something far more mundane on her mind: But just a girl, still a virgin!

In our modern society, where hundreds of teenage girls are getting pregnant outside of marriage, we can easily miss the dangerous situation Mary was placed in.  In a closely knit Jewish community in the first century, the law regarded an unmarried pregnant woman as an adulteress, to be put to death by stoning.

Joseph must have felt betrayed and humiliated by the news of an expected baby.  He could have had her put to death with just a word, but he magnanimously agrees to quietly divorce Mary. God uses an angel in his dreams to silence his fears of betrayal and help him to see what this child is.

Luke tells of a tremulous Mary hur­rying off to the one person who could possibly understand what she was going through: her relative Elizabeth, who miraculously became preg­nant in old age after another angelic annunciation.

Elizabeth believes Mary and shares her joy, and yet the scene poignantly highlights the contrast between the two women: the whole countryside is talking about Elizabeth's healed womb even as Mary must face the shame of her own miracle.

In a few months, the birth of John the Baptist took place amid great fanfare, complete with midwives, doting relatives, and the tradi­tional village chorus celebrating the birth of a Jewish male. But only six months later, Jesus was born far from home, with no midwife, extended fam­ily, or village chorus present.

When the news came through of the Roman census Mary didn’t have to go along - a male head of household would have sufficed. Did Joseph drag his pregnant wife along to Bethlehem to spare her the disgrace of childbirth in her home village?

Its incredible to think of a young teenage girl, perhaps only 14, experiencing such a life shattering experience.  To be lifted out of her home and her family and faced with shame and isolation. 

And yet she responds to all these changes, all these challenges in faith with a humble spirit.  She shows a faith that come what may, she can trust in God, because He knows what He is doing.  She knows it won’t be easy, because faith is often a hard road to travel - but Mary accepted the cost of obedience to God, and allowed God to make her a blessing to those around her, even the whole world!

Maybe, if we accept the cost, the changes and challenges we face in life with the same faith, and with a humble spirit, then we make it possible for God to make us into a blessing for others too.

Accepting Jesus on His terms

I wonder how many times did Mary review the angel’s words as she felt the Son of God kicking against the walls of her uterus?  How many times did Joseph doubt his own encounter with an angel - was it just a dream? - as he endured the hot shame of living among villagers who could plainly see the changing shape of his fiancée?  I would have wondered – did God have to do things this way?  Couldn’t he have found an easier way?

It couldn’t have been easy: nine months of awkward explanations, the lingering scent of scandal - it seems that God arranged the most humiliating circumstances possible for his entrance, as if to avoid any charge of favouritism. 

I think Mary weighed all these things up as she faced the angel that strange night – would she accept this child, this Jesus, on his terms?  She heard the angel out, pondered the repercus­sions, and replied, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Often a work of God comes with two edges, great joy and great pain, and in that matter-of-fact response Mary embraced both. She was the first person to accept Jesus on his own terms, regardless of the personal cost.

If we are ever tempted to avoid the cost of following Jesus, or are unwilling to accept the pain which comes with service - we need to remember Mary. 

For each of us the challenge is can we pray: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as the Lord says."

Conclusion

And so an unwed mother, homeless, was forced to look for shelter while travelling to meet the heavy taxation demands of a colonial government.  She lived in a land recovering from civil wars and still in turmoil - very much like we might find in Egypt or Syria today.  She gave birth in Asia, and her son became a refugee in Africa, the continent where most refugees can still be found.

Thankfully Mary stayed faithful to Jesus, protecting and guiding him as He grew up and His ministry developed.  She saw him become the hope of His people Israel - sometimes she didn’t understand him, like the disciples it took time to understand her son, the Chosen One, the Messiah!

She remained faithful through the difficult transition from mother to disciple, from the manger to the cross.  During that long walk of faith Mary learned to give her son over to the will of God, just as she had given herself into God’s hands as a young girl.

And maybe as she stood at the foot of the cross, to see her own son die, and his side pierced by the spear, her own soul was pierced, just as Simeon had spoken of so long before.  How true that prophecy had been. 

Its that same walk of faith that we are all engaged in too.  Can we follow her example?

When God breaks into our lives with a costly life changing challenge, can we respond "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as the Lord says." as Mary did?

When we follow Jesus but don't know where he is leading, and we wonder whether we can trust him - can we learn to become a true disciple sitting at His feet to learn in humility and love?

And can we, like Mary, take up our cross and follow Jesus, even though our hearts may be pierced, and our lives given in sacrifice - even though the cost is so high? We too must take up our cross,  because that is where we find salvation and wholeness.  Amen.