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SUBMISSION TO GOD’S WILL

Introduction:

We have very little information given to us in the Bible about Mary, the mother of Jesus. However, what information we do have shows us a tremendous example of submissiveness to God's will found in the life of Mary.

I want us to see today that submissiveness to God is an absolute essential for every believer.

First of all we see the angel Gabriel sent from God to Mary. This was Gabriel's second mission surrounding the birth of Jesus. If you will remember we’ve already looked at Gabriel’s first mission which was to Zacharias foretelling of the birth of the forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist, to him and his wife, Elizabeth.

Note the time is given. It was six months after Elizabeth's conception that Gabriel was sent to an obscure village, Nazareth of Galilee. Galilee bordered Gentile or heathen nations; therefore, it was sometimes called Galilee of the Gentiles.

Nazareth was a despised city, considered inferior by the rest of Israel. The people were a conquered people especially despised by the Romans. The city and its citizens were the object of deep prejudice by Jews and Romans alike. This is shown by the comments of Nathanael in John 1:46 when he asked the question, “Can any there any thing good come out of Nazareth?”.

However, God is no respecter of persons or places. He sends a message to Nazareth as readily as He does to Jerusalem, to a believer in Nazareth (Mary) as quickly as he does to a believer in Jerusalem (Zacharias).

I.         MARY WAS PURE, (i.e. SHE WAS A VIRGIN). (Vs 26-27)

            A.        Mary Had Never Been Touched By A Man Sexually.

This is unmistakably and clearly stated. She confirmed the fact herself in vs. 34.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 7:14–“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

There are some who would argue that the Hebrew word translated “virgin” means a young woman who could have a questionable character. In fact, there are perversions of the Word of God that translate it as “young woman.” However, if study this word out, you will find that it is used six times in the Bible and in each instance the context is clear that it refers to a young woman with pure character.

            B.        Mary Was Espoused To Joseph.

            Being espoused was something like an engagement, except it was more binding.

The espousal period lasted for one year.

                        Two things are important as we consider Mary's virginity:

                        1.      In The Espousal Period Sexual Contact Was Adultery And Resulted In Stoning.

                        2.      The Espousal Was So Serious A Matter That If It Was Broken A Divorce Had To Be Secured.

            C.        Mary And Joseph Were Both Godly.

They were not sinless, but they were so godly that God could choose them to be the parents of His Son.

It doesn’t make sense that God would have chosen an immoral man and woman to bear and rear His Son, not when He had the power to control the events.

There are two lessons that young people need to learn from the purity of Mary and Joseph:

                        1)     God expects both men and women to be sexually pure, untouched by a man or woman in an immoral manner until they are married.

                        2)     God is looking for pure men and women to use in the ministry of the gospel and in meeting the desperate needs of the world.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, 7–"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour....For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."

Ephesians 5:3–"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."

            MARY WAS PURE.

II.       MARY WAS FAVORED. (Vs 28)

             Three simple, yet meaningful things were said to Mary.

            A.     Mary Was Highly Favored by God.

Note that the angel did not immediately tell Mary how she was favored by God, how that she was God's choice to bear and to be the mother of the Messiah.

That came later in the conversation.

The angel had to give her time to adjust to the shock of his spectacular appearance. For right now, he simply announced that she was highly favored by God—a unique privilege.

Just think! God favors us too! He saves us, gifts us, and uses us for His glory! We are favored by the God of the universe. What an awesome privilege that is! But, what an awesome responsibility it is also!

            B.     The Lord Was With Mary.

                        The Lord was with Mary, because Mary had a relationship with God.

When you have God in your life, you do not walk through life alone.

                        God had been with her (past).

                        God was with her (present).

                        God would be with her (future).

No matter where Mary had to walk or what she had to do, God promised to be with her.

                        If you are saved here this morning, aren’t you glad the Lord is with you?

                        He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us!

                        Mary Was Highly Favored By God. . .The Lord Was With Mary. . .

            C.     Mary Was Blessed Among Women.

                        It doesn’t say that she was to be blessed above women, but among women.

                        The angel was not saying that Mary should be worshiped.

                        She was a sinner who was saved by the very Saviour that she bore in her womb!

                        (Vs 47)

                        In verse 45, Elizabeth said that Mary was blessed.

                        In verse 48, Mary said that future generations would call her blessed.

            MARY WAS PURE. . . MARY WAS FAVORED. . .

III.      MARY WAS HUMAN. (Vs 29-30)

She was both troubled and stricken with fear. Now I think that we can all understand why she was afraid. An angelic being from God stood before her. He stood in all the dazzling splendor that is necessary to reveal that he was truly from God. The fact that Mary was troubled needs to be briefly considered.

            A.     Mary was "troubled at his saying," at what the angel told her.

                        It was the message that caused her to be troubled, the fact that...

                         she was highly favored.

                         the Lord was with her.

                         she was blessed among women.

            B.     Mary was troubled because she did not understand how God could so greatly favor a person like herself.

She never expected to be greatly favored by Him. This was deep humility.

Mary was not a proud, self-centered, flighty, or frivolous young lady who was conscious of herself or felt that she merited and deserved the attention of others.

She was a young lady who loved God and had determined to live a pure and responsible life.

From her response throughout this passage, we can sense that she had a sweet spirit that was full of softness, warmth, and tenderness, and was responsive and willing, subjective and giving, thoughtful and kind.

Mary, however, didn’t see herself was anyone special. So, when she heard that God had favored her and would use her in a very special way, she was troubled. How could she, just an ordinary and humble maiden, do anything special for God?

IV.        MARY WAS TO BEAR THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD. (Vs 30-33)

            Mary was told three things about the Son she would bear:

            A.     His Name.

                        Mary was told that she was to name the Messiah Jesus

            B.     His Great Personage.

                        1.      He was to be called the Son of the Highest.

The Highest, of course, is God. Therefore, Jesus is the Son of God, that is, of the very nature of God. He is God in the flesh.

                                    As Paul says in Romans 9:5–He is "over all, God blessed for ever. Amen"

                        2.      He was to receive the throne of David.

Humanly speaking Jesus was of the house and lineage of David.

This indicates that Mary was a descendant of David; therefore, Christ Himself would become a descendant of David .

                        3.      His kingdom was to be eternal.

John 18:36–“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

His kingdom was to be spiritual, by which it would also be eternal

V.       MARY WAS CONFRONTED WITH THE UNBELIEVABLE.

            A.        She Was Expected To Believe The Miraculous. (Vs 34-35)

We see that she was puzzled but she was not doubting or distrusting the message. She was not asking for some sign or proof like Zacharias.

She was simply asking for more information. She was single and had never known a man sexually. How could she possibly bear a child without knowing a man?

                        Note exactly what is said about her conception.

                        1.      "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee."

                                    This was going to transpire without coming into contact with man.

                                    God's Spirit simply speaks and it is done, whatever is to be done.

This was not speaking about a crude mating between the Holy Spirit and Mary. God's Spirit simply spoke and it was done.

                        2.      "The power of the Highest [God] shall overshadow thee."

                                    God Himself was going to look after the whole matter.

The child's conception and growth during pregnancy and His birth and life were under the shadow and wing of Almighty God. It was God's power that saw to the whole operation, not the presence or power of an angel or of a man or of any other creature.

                        3.      The child born of Mary would be holy, "the Son of God."

                                    Who is this "Son of God"?

                                    1.      He is "the holy One" born by the power and the Word and the will of God through the virgin Mary.

                                    2.      He is "the holy One" whom according to Galatians 4:4, "God sent forth...made of a woman" by His power, His Word, and His will.

                                    3.         He is the great “I AM,” the Alpha and Omega from eternity past.

                        Mary was expected to believe that which seemed unbelievable.

Psalm 37:5–"Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

Proverbs 3:5–"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

            B.        Mary Was Encouraged To Believe That “With God Nothing Is Impossible.”

                        God encouraged Mary with two facts.

                        1.      The news that her cousin Elizabeth, who was beyond child-bearing age, had conceived a son in her old age and was now six months pregnant.

The fact that God could take her cousin in her old age and cause her to conceive demonstrated God's power.

                                    Visiting Elizabeth would encourage Mary.

                        2.      With God nothing shall be impossible.

                                    To say that all things are possible with men is far from the truth.

When Mary heard and meditated upon the simple statement,

                                    "With God nothing shall be impossible," she was bound to be encouraged.

That statement is simple and striking, yet it can be easily remembered and understood.

God expects us to believe Him and His power, regardless of circumstances and our feelings of insignificance.

VI.      MARY WAS SUBMISSIVE TO GOD’S WILL FOR HER LIFE. (Vs 38)

            A.        Her response was immediate and brief, only one short sentence, yet it was striking and meaningful.

                        1.      The word "handmaid" means slave-girl.

Mary was saying that she was a bond-slave, willing to sell herself out completely to God. She was saying that she would give herself completely to God.

                        2.      God's Word was her will.

She surrendered totally to obey God. She gave herself to serve as God willed, being completely obedient and fulfilling His purpose entirely.

                                    She would act "according to Thy Word."

            B.        Her response showed the enormous depth of her trust and dedication to God.

                        1.      Mary was going to live in society with the stigma of being an unwed mother.

                                    Who of her day would ever believe Mary's story?

                                    Nevertheless she was willing be available to God regardless of the price.

                        2.      Then there was Joseph's discovery of her pregnancy (Matthew 1:19).

The shock of broken trust and of personal embarrassment were more than a person could be expected to bear (Matthew 1:20).

                                    Required was a willingness on Joseph's part to forget self completely.

                        3.      There was the threat of being condemned to death because of adultery (Deut. 22:23f). She had to face the possibility of being stoned because she would appear to be immoral (cp. John 8:5).

            But she surrendered totally and completely to the will of God for her life.

Conclusion

What a wonderful example of submission and surrender to the will of God we see in Mary!

Surrender to God is an absolute essential both for salvation and service.

Is your life such that God can and would use you?

            Are you saved?

            Are you absolutely surrendered to His will?

            Are you submissive to his will?

Home Page   Contact Us    Service Times   Sermons   Are You Going To Heaven?

NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!