Ordinary People Extraordinary God Part 3
Well friends this is week 3 in our Sermon Series entitled "Ordinary People, Extraordinary God" and this week we look into the amazing life of Mary, Mother of Jesus. What word or words could we possibly use to describe Mary? How about Beloved, Cherished, Precious, and Special just to name a few. What do all these words have in common? They are all synonyms for the word that the Angel Gabriel used to greet Mary in our power packed Gospel Reading from Luke's first chapter. Gabriel begins with "Greetings FAVORED one! The Lord is with you." FAVORED. That is what is amazing ordinary person was - FAVORED by God!
Interestingly enough Mary doesn't really seem to be scared of Gabriel's angelic presence at all. In fact I think it's just the opposite. I think she is far more curious and perplexed by what kind of greeting she is getting. Her response says it all "But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be." Indeed. We certainly don't know all the reasons she may have been perplexed - but - there are certainly many possibilities. From her circumstances to her socio-economic level - gender - age - life experience. The list goes on. At the same time NONE of these possibilities that may have perplexed her stood in the way of this courageous and faithful response at the end of this passage in verse 38 "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."
Faithful, fearless, gritty, tough, courageous, and humble just to name a few. This is Mary friends. An ordinary person that the Lord used in extraordinary ways. Mary is trusting the words in verse 37. "Nothing is impossible with God." Not only does Mary trust this - she is expecting that the impossible will be made possible through her! She is expecting God to use her to proclaim the good news of the kingdom - through the birth of her Son - God's one and only Son - Jesus Christ.
This is Mary - an ordinary person who allowed an Extraordinary God to plan within her the word that became flesh and dwelt among us - Jesus our Lord. Mary should inspire all of us to look for God in our lives anew. To look for God - seek God - and expect God to move in the impossible areas of our own lives - because our God - is a God of the impossible!
Our God can transform our hopelessness into hope - our pain into healing - our judgment into grace - our hate into love - our lack of patience into an abundance of mercy and presence with others. Thanks be to God for Mary - the mother of Jesus - who modeled all these things for the world to see! Thanks be to God.
In Christ,
PT
Interestingly enough Mary doesn't really seem to be scared of Gabriel's angelic presence at all. In fact I think it's just the opposite. I think she is far more curious and perplexed by what kind of greeting she is getting. Her response says it all "But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be." Indeed. We certainly don't know all the reasons she may have been perplexed - but - there are certainly many possibilities. From her circumstances to her socio-economic level - gender - age - life experience. The list goes on. At the same time NONE of these possibilities that may have perplexed her stood in the way of this courageous and faithful response at the end of this passage in verse 38 "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."
Faithful, fearless, gritty, tough, courageous, and humble just to name a few. This is Mary friends. An ordinary person that the Lord used in extraordinary ways. Mary is trusting the words in verse 37. "Nothing is impossible with God." Not only does Mary trust this - she is expecting that the impossible will be made possible through her! She is expecting God to use her to proclaim the good news of the kingdom - through the birth of her Son - God's one and only Son - Jesus Christ.
This is Mary - an ordinary person who allowed an Extraordinary God to plan within her the word that became flesh and dwelt among us - Jesus our Lord. Mary should inspire all of us to look for God in our lives anew. To look for God - seek God - and expect God to move in the impossible areas of our own lives - because our God - is a God of the impossible!
Our God can transform our hopelessness into hope - our pain into healing - our judgment into grace - our hate into love - our lack of patience into an abundance of mercy and presence with others. Thanks be to God for Mary - the mother of Jesus - who modeled all these things for the world to see! Thanks be to God.
In Christ,
PT
Posted in Wednesday Worship Rewind
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