Note

Mary Did You Know? Message #3 of the series, “Behind the Music” 1. God chose a young woman named Mary to be the mother of Jesus. “God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!’ Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!’” -Luke 1:26-33 (NLT) Note: God chooses to use ordinary people . “God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.” -1 Corinthians 1:27-28 (NLT) Life Application: God chooses to use people who are willing and available. “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’" -Isaiah 6:8 (NIV) 2. Mary miraculously gave birth to Jesus even though she was a virgin. “Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen? I am a virgin.’ The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.’” -Luke 1:34-35 (NLT) Note: Because Mary was a virgin Jesus was holy. (Jesus never inherited a sin nature like the rest of us.) Sin nature = “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” -Romans 7:18-19 (NLT) “Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight.” -Roman 5:18-19 (NLT) Life Application: Through Jesus anyone can be made right with God. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” -Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” -2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) Note: Nothing is impossible with God! “What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” -Luke 1:36-37 (NLT) “O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” -Jeremiah 32:17 (NLT)

3. Mary surrendered herself completely to God and His plans for her life. “Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’ And then the angel left her.” - Luke 1:38 (NLT) Note: Mary didn’t know all that was involved in being the mother of Jesus but she trusted God anyway. “Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed… because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.’” - Luke 1:42,45 (NLT) “Simeon… said to Mary, the baby’s mother, ‘This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.’” -Luke 2:34-35 (NLT) “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” -Luke 2:19 (NIV) Life Application: God wants us to surrender completely to His plans for our lives and trust Him. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” -Luke 9:23-25 (NLT) “The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” -Psalm 32:8-9 (NLT) 4. Mary knew that God had noticed her, saved her, and done great things for her. “Mary responded, ‘Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things’” -Luke 1:46-51 (NLT) Life Application: We need to praise God because He noticed us, saved us, and has done great things for us. “On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.’ In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it.’ -1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NLT) John Schmidt  12-15-13  [email protected]

Connect Group Questions To prepare for this week’s meeting, take some time to focus on the following questions and write out a few brief answers. Be prepared to share them with your group. My Story 1. Looking back at your notes from this week’s message on Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there anything that particularly caught your attention, challenged or confused you? 2. What did your parents or grandparents think you would grow up to be? If you have children or grandchildren what are your dreams for them? 3. What is the most unexpected thing that has ever happened to you? How did you respond? Going Deeper 1. What do the following passages reveal to us about God choosing to accomplish His work through ordinary people? 

Mark 6:1-3

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Luke 1:46-48

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1 Corinthians 1:26-29

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Acts 4:13

2. In his message this week John shared that because Jesus was placed into Mary’s womb via the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus came into our world without a sin nature. The first man, Adam, also entered our world without a sin nature yet became sinful when he chose to rebel against God in the Garden of Eden. Adam passed his propensity to sin on to all of his descendants. Unlike Adam, Jesus never sinned even though he was tempted to do so. What do the following passages teach us about the differences between Jesus and Adam? 

Genesis 3:1-19

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Luke 4:1-14

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Hebrews 4:15

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Romans 5:14-19

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1 Corinthians 15:19-22

Life Application 1. Discuss the following prayer written by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism: “I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.” Does this prayer reflect the desires of your heart? Why? Why not? What is the most difficult part of this prayer for you to pray? What part is easiest? Spend some time praying for each other as a group. Ask God to help everyone in your group surrender fully to Him.

2.

Read the following lyrics to “Mary did you know?” by Mark Lowry as you listen to one of the renditions of this song available on You Tube or Spotify. How much did Mary know about Jesus’ future while she held him in her arms? What questions might have been going through her mind? “Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you. Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? And when your kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God. Oh, Mary did you know? The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again. The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb. Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb and this sleeping child you're holding is the great “I Am”?

3. Discuss the following quote from Mother Teresa: “I am a little pencil in God's hands. He does the thinking. He does the writing. He does everything and sometimes it is really hard because it is a broken pencil and He has to sharpen it a little more.” -Mother Teresa, The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living

4.

While discussing the meaning of Christmas over lunch one day with a couple of co-workers you are surprised to hear Bob from accounting state emphatically, “I believe that Jesus had a human father. I do not believe he was born of a virgin or conceived by the Holy Spirit. I believe the Catholic Church fabricated the whole story about the virgin birth in order to give Jesus status. In my opinion the biblical account of Mary’s miraculous conception has no historical validity whatsoever!” How do you respond?

Resources: The Case for Christmas, by Lee Strobel, © 2005 Zondervan