Mary the Mother of Jesus

“Behold the maidservant of the Lord!

May it be to me according to your
word!” Luke 1:38
Mary struggled with
confusion, but we see
her combat that
confusion with peace
in three areas of her
life: her selection, her
submission, and her
salvation.
 Mary’s Selection
• Every Jewish woman since Eve wanted to
give birth to the Messiah.
• Genesis 3:15 promises Satan, “I will put
enmity between you and the woman,
between your seed and her Seed. He
shall bruise your head and you shall
bruise his heel.”
• Luke 1:26-38
• There was nothing about Mary that
attracted anyone’s attention
• John MacAuthur writes, “Mary’s young
life may well have been filled with bitter
hardships. Her hometown was a forlorn
community in a poor district of Galilee.”
• As Elizabeth George puts it, “Clearly, no
one would choose Mary to be the
mother of God’s Son… except God!”
• Just as God chose Mary to bear the
Savoir of the world, He has chosen you for
a specific purpose.
• Ephesians 2:10 describes Mary and you.
“For we are His workmanship, created in
Jesus Christ for good works, which God
prepared beforehand so that we would
walk in them.”
• Psalm 16:11 says, “You will show me the
path of life; In Your presence is fullness of
joy; At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore.”
• The best way to know this path is to get to
know God.
Prayer and Bible study are the best ways
to get to know God. He has chosen to
reveal Himself on each page of Scripture.
There is something new to learn each time
you open the Word. And prayer is your
heart’s link to Him.
 Mary’s Submission
• Although Hebrew women prayed for
generations to give birth to the promise
Messiah, Mary must have known this would not
be an easy assignment.
• Her first obstacle would be to tell Joseph she
was pregnant. Legally, he could divorce her
which would bring shame to her.
• She would also have to deal with her family,
community, and people she didn’t even know
talking about her situation.
• However, there is no mention in
Scripture of her list of pros and cons.
• She simply said, “Behold the
maidservant of the Lord! May it be to
me according to your word!” Luke 1:38.

• This instant submission is an example

to us.
• We don’t know what happened when she
told Joseph, we just see them together in
chapter 2.
• We do know Mary went to stay with her
relative Elizabeth, who was miraculously
pregnant with John the Baptist.
• Luke 1:39-46- Elizabeth calls Mary
blessed.
• Mary sings her praise to God in Luke 1:46-
55.
As Elizabeth George says, “Beloved,
when you love God enough to pay the
high price of obedience, then you, too, will
be highly favored by Him. Just imagine-
and pray about-how He might use you.”
 Mary’s Salvation
• When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to
the temple to make their sacrifices they
met Simeon. He had a word of praise to
God, and a word of warning for Mary.
“Behold, this Child is destined for the fall
and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign
which will be spoken against (yes, a sword
will pierce through your own soul also),
that the thoughts of many hearts may be
revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).
• Mary was present at Jesus’ first miracle at the
wedding in Cana.
• She becomes a faithful follower of His.
• Even though Mary was Jesus’ mother, His first
loyalty was to His Heavenly Father.
• He makes this point when He does not allow
His family to distract Him from doing God’s will
in Mark 3:31-35.
•At the cross Jesus’ thoughts are of
Mary.
•He charges John with the responsibility
of caring for her.
• After His resurrection, Jesus met with His
followers. However, there is no description
of His reunion with Mary.
• We see her after Jesus’ resurrection and
ascension in Acts 1:14, praying with her
sons, the other women who followed
Jesus, and the disciples.
• She recognized Jesus as not only her Son
but also her Savior.
• From the immaculate conception, to the
torment of the crucifixion, and finally to the
joy of the resurrection, Mary was there.
• She supported her Son in spite of her
grief.
• Mary’s weapon against confusion is also
your weapon- peace. This peace comes
from God alone.
• You can also find peace in your
– Selection
– Submission
– Salvation