1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Jesus wasn't really born at this time of year most likely. 2 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,920 He was probably born in the springtime. 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:18,680 But this date was adopted primarily because of the winter solstice, which was a Roman 4 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,320 pagan celebration. 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:28,960 And so the church began to produce then Christmas songs to replace the pagan songs at this particular 6 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,360 time of year. 7 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:37,680 As time passed, those songs being written in Latin fell out of favor of people because 8 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:42,640 the Byzantine period came and they spoke Greek and not Latin. 9 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:47,400 Latin was a dead language and I think everybody who studies it is dead too, don't you? 10 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:52,680 But anyway, it's another story. 11 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:59,160 So Christmas songs came out of favor for a period of time and during the Middle Ages 12 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,960 hardly anybody sang them at all. 13 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,920 That changed in about the 13th century though with Saint Francis of Assisi. 14 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:15,200 He began to produce some plays, dramas, and incorporated into that canticles or songs 15 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:21,040 that were based upon biblical themes including the Christmas story. 16 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:27,680 But those never really caught on that much in that period of time. 17 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:36,440 In the Elizabethan period of time carols kind of evolved into songs that were based on the 18 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,560 Christmas theme but not about Christmas itself. 19 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,600 How many of you have heard of the carol, I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas 20 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,080 day on Christmas day? 21 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,680 Well, that's not really a Christmas carol. 22 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:54,120 It's from the Elizabethan period and it's based upon the idea of Christmas but it incorporates 23 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,360 other ideas with it. 24 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:04,200 During the Puritan time and Oliver Cromwell and all of that stuff, Christmas was squashed. 25 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,960 The Puritans did not believe in celebrating Christmas at all and they forbid the singing 26 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,320 of Christmas carols. 27 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:19,280 However, that began to resurge, Christmas carols began to resurge during the Victorian 28 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:20,440 era. 29 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,520 And the songs that we sing today including the ones we sang this morning are primarily 30 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:30,320 from the last 150 to 200 years only of the church. 31 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:37,920 We sing Christmas carols that are European or British, English in their origin. 32 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:40,400 So the church has not always even celebrated Christmas. 33 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,240 Isn't that interesting? 34 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,120 Nor sung Christmas carols that we so very much enjoy. 35 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,000 So I was thinking about all these things this week. 36 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:54,920 I was in my heart preparing a message regarding what I call the first Christmas carol. 37 00:02:54,920 --> 00:03:00,200 The original Christmas carols I think are found in the Gospel of Luke and I invite you 38 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:06,160 to turn there with me to Luke chapter one and to what I think is the first of the Christmas 39 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:11,960 carols even though it may not have been called such in that day. 40 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:17,400 It is the song of Mary and let me just set it up for you as Steve sort of did in the 41 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:18,920 scripture reading this morning. 42 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:24,760 That is that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced to her that she was to 43 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:31,560 be with child and she accepted that responsibility of bearing this one, this holy one who would 44 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,760 be called the son of God. 45 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:42,040 Three months later she went to visit her relative Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea. 46 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:51,280 When she entered into the house her relative Elizabeth who was bearing John the Baptist 47 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:57,160 sensed that the child within her leaped and she made an exclamation regarding Mary and 48 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:05,520 Mary in turn came out with this amazing song that Luke records for us. 49 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:10,720 Now he had to have had the source of Mary herself for this. 50 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,880 Perhaps these are words that she was thinking about before this but she undoubtedly is the 51 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:24,640 one that told Luke that she first gave this Christmas carol, this song on this occasion 52 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,000 and notice what she said. 53 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:37,140 My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has been mindful 54 00:04:37,140 --> 00:04:39,840 of the humble state of his servant. 55 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:47,080 From now on all generations will call me blessed for the mighty one has done great things for 56 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:48,760 me. 57 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,280 Holy is his name. 58 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:56,200 His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation. 59 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,520 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm. 60 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,540 He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 61 00:05:03,540 --> 00:05:09,320 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 62 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:16,200 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 63 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:21,720 He has helped his servant Israel remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants 64 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:26,520 forever as he said to our fathers. 65 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:31,040 So here we have what is termed the Magnificat. 66 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,200 That is often the title to this particular song. 67 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:40,240 It comes from the Latin Vulgate, the Latin translation of these Greek words written by 68 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:41,240 Luke. 69 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:47,600 It's the very first word in that particular translation, the word glorified or my soul 70 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,960 doth magnify the Lord, the Magnificat. 71 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,680 It means the song of worship, the song of praise. 72 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,280 So I title this Mary's Song of Worship. 73 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:11,160 You have to marvel at the depth of her understanding and the beauty of the words that she used. 74 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:17,040 It's comparable perhaps to what Hannah said in the book of 1 Samuel. 75 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:22,200 You remember that Hannah also was going to give birth to a child by the miracle of God, 76 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,320 a different kind of miracle for this is a virgin birth. 77 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:34,080 But nonetheless she also spoke an utterance by the Spirit of God and glorified the Lord. 78 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:41,080 Mary is a remarkable example to me of one who is a true worshiper because she surrendered 79 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:45,940 by faith to God's plan for her life. 80 00:06:45,940 --> 00:06:50,200 What did she say when the angel announced to her God's plan? 81 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,000 She said, I am the Lord's servant. 82 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,960 May it be done to me as you have said. 83 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:04,720 Do you see the surrender in the heart of Mary? 84 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:10,000 You see the heart of worship is surrender. 85 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,020 The heart of worship is not where you worship. 86 00:07:14,020 --> 00:07:17,620 The heart of worship is not who leads worship. 87 00:07:17,620 --> 00:07:21,200 The heart of worship is not the style of worship. 88 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:26,040 The heart of worship is not the language that is used. 89 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:33,280 The heart of worship is the heart of the worshiper. 90 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:38,200 And that is to be an attitude of surrender. 91 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:45,040 Surrender to God as Mary shows us gives you three vital perspectives. 92 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:51,440 I hope you'll pull your outline out and follow along with me as we talk about them this morning. 93 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:59,960 First of all, as you surrender in worship to God, you see yourself for who you are. 94 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:01,680 You see yourself for who you are. 95 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:08,320 I want you to notice Mary's perspective about how she saw herself. 96 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:18,080 She begins by saying that her soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God, her 97 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:19,560 Savior. 98 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:28,060 So Mary tells us that as she sees herself, she sees a sinner in need of a Savior. 99 00:08:28,060 --> 00:08:33,440 If you're not a sinner, you don't need a Savior. 100 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,480 Mary saw herself as a sinner. 101 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:41,400 Now sadly, that is not the case with all who are within Christendom these days. 102 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:49,160 In fact, the Roman Catholic Church has a dogma that Mary was born without sin. 103 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,040 Now this is not an ancient dogma. 104 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:58,480 It actually began to be adopted about 500 years ago and only in 1854 did the Pope finally 105 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:04,440 declare it was an absolute belief and dogma of the Church. 106 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:10,360 I grew up in a little town where the Church's name was, the Catholic Church was called the 107 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:15,040 Church of the Immaculate Conception. 108 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:19,520 As much as I understood that as a young man, I thought it was talking about the Immaculate 109 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:25,080 Conception, the virgin birth of Jesus. 110 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:31,920 But I came to a shock later to discover that in fact that's not what it means. 111 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,640 It's also called St. Mary's Church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception. 112 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:42,280 And the reason is they're talking about the Immaculate or the pure or sinless conception 113 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,280 of Mary. 114 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:51,800 And they come to this point by reasoning it this way, the Son of God must be born without 115 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:52,800 sin. 116 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,000 Would you agree with that? 117 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,760 Of course. 118 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,640 God cannot join himself with sin. 119 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:09,980 Therefore, his mother, his human mother must have also been without sin. 120 00:10:09,980 --> 00:10:17,040 And so they've declared that Mary was born without a sinful nature. 121 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:22,280 Now if you think about that, it doesn't really resolve the problem. 122 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,760 It only pushes the problem back one generation. 123 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:31,400 How then was Mary born without sin? 124 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:32,640 I've never heard that answer. 125 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:37,680 One lady told me last night that she asked her priest that when she was much younger 126 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:41,240 and the priest didn't answer but just scolded her for asking the question. 127 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:46,560 It's supposed to be a matter of faith. 128 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:49,440 You see, Mary was not born without sin. 129 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,440 She would be the most shocked of all if she knew that there were people in the world who 130 00:10:53,440 --> 00:11:02,720 said she was born without sin because she saw herself as a sinner in need of a Savior. 131 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:08,760 But we ask the question, how then was it that Jesus was not a sinner too if his mother had 132 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:09,760 sin? 133 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:17,840 And of course, the answer is the virgin birth in part because you see the legal responsibility 134 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:22,720 and guilt of sin has passed through the Father's seed. 135 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:27,060 But Jesus had no earthly father. 136 00:11:27,060 --> 00:11:33,000 He was conceived without a male seed within the womb of Mary. 137 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:38,840 Ah, but we still have the practical problem and that is that Mary was a sinner. 138 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:45,680 So how could she give birth to the human body and nature of Jesus without it being tainted 139 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:47,160 by sin? 140 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:48,880 That's the other part of the story. 141 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:58,400 Certainly was there a miraculous conception but there was a miraculous protection of the 142 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:07,120 human body and nature of Jesus so that he was shielded from the sin of Mary and could 143 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:12,880 be born as the sinless Son of God. 144 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:17,960 Now Mary made this confession and the results were very happy for her. 145 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:22,960 You notice what she says, there are two results and by the way, same thing happens to us when 146 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,780 we acknowledge that we're sinners. 147 00:12:25,780 --> 00:12:29,560 She says, my soul magnifies the Lord. 148 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:30,840 It glorifies the Lord. 149 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,760 In other words, it makes God real to you. 150 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:40,000 It makes God real in your life when you acknowledge that you're a sinner. 151 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:45,000 Mary surrendered to God acknowledging she was a sinner and when she did that she was 152 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:46,040 worshiping the Lord. 153 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:52,400 You can't worship yourself and worship God at the same time. 154 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,760 You can't do that. 155 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:56,640 Mary did not worship herself. 156 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:02,280 She worshiped God, acknowledged she was a sinner and she says, therefore my soul embraces 157 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:03,280 God. 158 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:04,280 Have you seen the moon the last several nights? 159 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:09,880 Hasn't it been beautiful because of its closeness to the earth and its particular orbit right 160 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:11,320 now? 161 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:16,920 It's just magnified in its size somewhat but certainly in its light, some 30% brighter. 162 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:23,320 Friends, if you want to experience the reality of God in your life, it begins here by acknowledging 163 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:25,760 that you're a sinner. 164 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:27,880 Who needs to be saved as Mary did? 165 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,780 It also brings a joyous freedom to your life when you can come to that point. 166 00:13:32,780 --> 00:13:38,800 If you're trying to cover up and excuse your sin and pretend somehow that you're not sinning, 167 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:43,720 that you're not a sinner and need a forgiveness, it just enslaves you more. 168 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:50,600 It just buries you under all of that pretense, all of the lie about that. 169 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,540 Mary says, my spirit rejoices. 170 00:13:53,540 --> 00:13:56,040 The real word there, my spirit dances. 171 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,940 It leaps with a dance for joy. 172 00:13:59,940 --> 00:14:03,840 You see, when you acknowledge your sin it sets you free. 173 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:09,240 Have you experienced that in your life? 174 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:16,360 It begins by surrendering to God in the acknowledgement that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. 175 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:24,540 Because of Mary's realization about herself, the fact that God had set her free and become 176 00:14:24,540 --> 00:14:31,800 real in her life, there was nothing that was too great for God to ask of Mary. 177 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,680 Many years ago now I was called over to a hotel room in Cincinnati, Ohio for a very 178 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,280 brief appointment with Bill Bright. 179 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:44,040 At that time the leader had been the founder of Campus Crusade. 180 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:51,580 He was in the city organizing a particular emphasis and he wanted to meet with a number 181 00:14:51,580 --> 00:14:55,480 of pastors to convince us that we ought to be on board. 182 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,800 So it was a sales job is what it was. 183 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,640 So I think each of us were given 15 minutes with him. 184 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:05,960 So I walked into the room and he presented his thing and we were on board with it. 185 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,320 But before we left I just tried to be a little more personal. 186 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:14,160 I said, well Dr. Bright, you've sacrificed so much for Christ. 187 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:18,420 Your influence has been so great in the world. 188 00:15:18,420 --> 00:15:19,420 How do you do that? 189 00:15:19,420 --> 00:15:20,420 How do you keep going? 190 00:15:20,420 --> 00:15:21,980 I'm not a young man. 191 00:15:21,980 --> 00:15:23,920 I want to understand him a little bit. 192 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:33,120 You know what he said to me, he said, Galen, Jesus laid down his life for me. 193 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:37,480 There's nothing too great that he could ask of me for him. 194 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,100 That was Mary's attitude. 195 00:15:39,100 --> 00:15:43,600 And that brought her to the second way she saw herself and that is a servant ready for 196 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,140 service. 197 00:15:45,140 --> 00:15:47,480 She said, I'm a handmaid of the Lord. 198 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:49,120 I'm a servant. 199 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:54,880 Notice the way that she states it there in verse 48. 200 00:15:54,880 --> 00:16:02,600 He has been mindful of me, of the humble state of his servant. 201 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,320 She had an attitude of humility. 202 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:11,400 She said, God, whatever you want from me, whatever you want is yours. 203 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,000 May it be done to me according to your word. 204 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:20,200 Now, friends, if you want to be a true worshiper of God, it begins with surrender. 205 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:25,640 When you surrender, you first of all get this perspective about yourself and who you are. 206 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:31,360 You have to see yourself first as a sinner in need of a savior. 207 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:35,280 Once you understand then that God is real in your life because you've made that step 208 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:40,680 of faith and repentance, then you see yourself as a servant who's prepared to serve the Lord 209 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:44,000 in however he asks you to serve him. 210 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:49,160 We can only admire Mary as the worshiper of God. 211 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:53,840 The second perspective you get is that you see God for who he is. 212 00:16:53,840 --> 00:17:00,480 Now Mary may have been young and poor and even uneducated. 213 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,800 We don't really know, but most likely that was the case. 214 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,200 But I'll tell you one thing about Mary. 215 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:10,640 She knew God. 216 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:16,000 You don't have to question that because you see the words that she uses in this text as 217 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,800 she worships God. 218 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:20,720 Mary knew God by his name. 219 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:26,920 For example, she says, holy is his name, verse 49. 220 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:32,120 And notice the names that she uses in this song, the names for God. 221 00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:35,360 She calls him Lord. 222 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:39,980 That is the one who is supreme and ultimately in control. 223 00:17:39,980 --> 00:17:47,240 She calls the Lord Savior, the one who delivers or rescues her or protects her. 224 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,440 And she calls him the mighty one. 225 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,120 I especially want to camp on that one for a moment. 226 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:55,800 He's the one who is able, who's all powerful. 227 00:17:55,800 --> 00:18:02,360 It is the equivalent to the Old Testament Hebrew name for God, El Shaddai. 228 00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:06,320 Have you heard that one? 229 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:10,680 It's used a number of times in the Old Testament, but the first time it's used is in Genesis 230 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:20,480 17, 1, where it is used in the context of another miraculous birth. 231 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:25,560 It is the name by which God identified himself to Abraham on that occasion when he said, 232 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:32,400 Abraham, you and Sarah are going to have a son. 233 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:37,280 And God said, I am El Shaddai, the mighty one. 234 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:43,560 And that was the name for God that Mary brought into her own expression of how she understood 235 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,800 God and how she saw him. 236 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,600 Mary also knew God by his nature. 237 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,200 And I like to think of it this way. 238 00:18:53,200 --> 00:19:03,880 All of what she knew about God met her where she was. 239 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:11,640 And may I say to you that all that you know about God will meet you also at your point 240 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:16,200 of need. 241 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:22,280 And the more you know about God and you know God, the more he'll be there able to meet 242 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:26,400 your need. 243 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,720 Mary knew that God is powerful. 244 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:31,720 He is powerful. 245 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:33,320 He has done great things for me. 246 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,800 Literally, he has done mega things for me. 247 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,680 Supersized, supernatural. 248 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:43,140 He has done great things for me. 249 00:19:43,140 --> 00:19:49,480 Perhaps she picked this idea up from what the angel had said to her, the power of the 250 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:58,560 Most High will come upon you, overshadow you in the miraculous conception of Jesus. 251 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,600 She also knew that God is holy. 252 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:03,520 That's his nature. 253 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,320 That is, God is incomparable. 254 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,520 God is free from any imperfection. 255 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:12,000 But more than that, God is entirely unique. 256 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,160 He is not like us. 257 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:19,600 We are created in his image, but he is not like us. 258 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:20,600 He is holy. 259 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,000 I've copied there in your notes a statement by R.C. 260 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,200 Sproul. 261 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:32,080 He says that he, God, is so far above and beyond us that he seems almost totally foreign 262 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:33,440 to us. 263 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:37,640 To be holy is to be other. 264 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:44,520 To be different in a special way. 265 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:51,120 The angel had said to Mary that, holy one who shall be born of you will be called the 266 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:54,560 Son of God. 267 00:20:54,560 --> 00:21:00,440 Mary knew God was holy, but also Mary knew that God is merciful. 268 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:09,960 And what she says in verse 50 is sort of a loose paraphrase of Psalm 103 verse 17, written 269 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,220 by her ancestor David. 270 00:21:13,220 --> 00:21:15,400 God is merciful. 271 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,400 That is, God is tender. 272 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,920 God is compassionate. 273 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:27,220 I was reminded of that this week in something that happened, something that our family is 274 00:21:27,220 --> 00:21:32,000 passing through right now, and a friend of mine had written to me to share their own 275 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,560 experience, a similar experience. 276 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:42,120 And he said, when I was going through this, a friend of mine, a man that I also had known, 277 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:45,320 wrote to me and he gave me a verse, Zephaniah 3, 17. 278 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:49,800 Now when was the last time you read Zephaniah? 279 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:54,600 Here's what it says, the Lord your God is with you. 280 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,980 He will take great, excuse me, He is mighty to save. 281 00:21:57,980 --> 00:22:00,720 He will take great delight in you. 282 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,280 He will quiet you with His love. 283 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:09,040 He will rejoice over you with singing. 284 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,800 And so Paul said, I ask our friend, what does that mean? 285 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,960 And here's what he said, and Paul passed this on to me. 286 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:22,520 He said, do you remember when as a child you were crying because you were hurt, something 287 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:31,280 had happened, and your mother picked you up and put you in her lap and hugged you and 288 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,720 began to sing over you? 289 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:41,800 He said, what you need to do right now is to get up in God's lap, let Him put His arms 290 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:47,280 around you and sing over you to quiet your heart. 291 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:57,680 What a beautiful picture of the mercy of God, His tender compassion for us. 292 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,480 Mary knew this about God. 293 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,760 She saw God for who He is. 294 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:11,800 She knew God by His name, she knew God by His nature, and she also knew God by His deeds. 295 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:22,400 In verses 51 through 53, she says some things that basically address oppression, issues 296 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:28,680 that we would call social justice issues. 297 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:35,000 She says, He's performed mighty deeds, He's scattered those who are proud, He's brought 298 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:41,160 down rulers from their thrones, lifted up the humble, He's filled the hungry, He sent 299 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:44,080 the rich away empty. 300 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:48,280 You see, she lived at a time when there was tremendous oppression of the Jewish people 301 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,880 by the state of Rome. 302 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:56,000 She uses language here that says, God is on our side. 303 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:03,480 The point that she's making in this poetic language is that God can do what seems impossible. 304 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:08,400 God can do what seems impossible even when you are oppressed and you're humble and you're 305 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,240 hungry and you're poor. 306 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:14,420 God's on your side. 307 00:24:14,420 --> 00:24:15,660 God will be with you. 308 00:24:15,660 --> 00:24:20,880 God is known by Mary by His deeds. 309 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,100 She saw God for who He is. 310 00:24:23,100 --> 00:24:31,700 One who's able to do just exactly what He's promised, including a virgin birth. 311 00:24:31,700 --> 00:24:34,280 How many times did that happen before? 312 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:35,960 Zilch. 313 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,680 But she knew God was able to do that. 314 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:41,480 She knew Him by His deeds. 315 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:46,820 Well, question, how do you see God? 316 00:24:46,820 --> 00:24:49,800 How do you see God? 317 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:57,320 It's only those who see God for who He is who will worship Him and surrender to Him. 318 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:58,320 Mary did. 319 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:02,780 I want to be that kind of a worshiper, don't you? 320 00:25:02,780 --> 00:25:07,560 Who really knows God? 321 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,800 Well there's a third perspective that Mary had and it's this. 322 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:13,600 Same perspective we need. 323 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:20,160 When you surrender to God in worship, you see your place for what it is. 324 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:28,600 Mary saw the work of God in her generation and beyond that she saw now her place in it. 325 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,960 But Mary, there are two things that you and I need to believe. 326 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:38,960 Number one, God is executing His plan and I am part of it. 327 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,360 Do you believe that about yourself? 328 00:25:42,360 --> 00:25:49,320 That God is working His plan in the world, in your family, in this church, in your Bible 329 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:54,280 study, in your group? 330 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:59,040 That God is at work there and you have some divine part in that? 331 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:00,320 Mary believed that. 332 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,480 Notice her words here. 333 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:08,360 God has helped His servant Israel remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants 334 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:12,000 forever even as He said to our fathers. 335 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:13,720 She's got the big picture in view. 336 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:15,880 God's doing something. 337 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:24,600 This whole song is also saying, and I have a part in this. 338 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:30,000 Do you see your place for what it is? 339 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:38,680 How vital, how important, how strategic it is as far as God is concerned? 340 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:43,880 Second thing that we need to believe as Mary did, God is keeping His promises and I have 341 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,520 a part in them. 342 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:50,920 She says God is remembering. 343 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:55,320 God is doing even as He said to our fathers. 344 00:26:55,320 --> 00:27:00,960 She saw the events of her lifetime as the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham and 345 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:02,760 the fathers of the Jewish nation. 346 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,840 These were Messianic promises. 347 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:11,440 She said God is doing something special in my time and I am a part of the promises of 348 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:12,440 God. 349 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,240 Dear friend, God never forgets His promises. 350 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,320 He always remembers them. 351 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,200 Mary knew this. 352 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:26,880 She understood her part in it and that caused her to surrender to God in worship and to 353 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:34,280 be able to say, Lord, may it be done to me according to Your word. 354 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:39,040 That is what worship is about. 355 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:45,020 What we learn from Mary's Christmas carol is this, only those who surrender to God can 356 00:27:45,020 --> 00:27:51,960 worship Him from the heart because the heart of worship is surrender. 357 00:27:51,960 --> 00:28:00,360 You see, Mary made a critical choice and that was to surrender by faith to God's plan for 358 00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:03,200 her life. 359 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:08,440 When she did that, she gave up and surrendered to God her reputation. 360 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:11,480 You understand that? 361 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:20,960 Nazareth was a small town in Galilee, a few hundred people at this time. 362 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:24,920 They would know when she was pregnant. 363 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:30,560 She surrendered her reputation when she said, may it be done to me according to what you 364 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:32,560 say. 365 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,480 She surrendered a relationship with Joseph. 366 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,200 She didn't know how he was going to respond. 367 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,340 She was engaged to this man. 368 00:28:43,340 --> 00:28:50,900 She said, God, I surrender this relationship to You when she said, may it be done to me 369 00:28:50,900 --> 00:28:54,740 according to what you say. 370 00:28:54,740 --> 00:28:59,800 She also surrendered the right to her own body. 371 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:06,480 She said, God, I'm willing from my body to be the vessel to bring that Holy One, to be 372 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:12,480 called the Son of God, into the world. 373 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:16,100 Surrender. 374 00:29:16,100 --> 00:29:20,200 Because she did surrender, Mary has indeed been blessed by all generations since her 375 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:21,200 time. 376 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:27,760 It started with Elizabeth who said to her, you're blessed. 377 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:33,160 And it is she who has believed what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. 378 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:35,980 And since that day, she has been called blessed. 379 00:29:35,980 --> 00:29:38,640 That is supernaturally favored by God. 380 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:43,520 We might say that Mary has been graced by God. 381 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:45,480 But it's not just Mary who can know this. 382 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:54,640 It's all of us who will worship Him by surrendering to His plan for our lives. 383 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:58,080 What is God calling you to surrender? 384 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:04,600 Is it the right to your opinion? 385 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:14,320 Is it the right to live in a house instead of an apartment? 386 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:17,160 Is it the right to live here in the valley? 387 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:21,660 Is it the right to that job that you want? 388 00:30:21,660 --> 00:30:25,600 Is it your reputation? 389 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,040 Is it a relationship? 390 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,840 There is no worship without surrendering to God. 391 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:41,680 When we come together like we do on the Lord's Day, unless we come with a heart of surrender, 392 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:46,200 it makes no difference what happens on this platform or who's talking or anything else. 393 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:51,080 We have not worshiped. 394 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:57,440 Because the heart of worship is the surrender of our hearts. 395 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:01,600 God has planned for only one Mary, only one in all of history. 396 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:02,920 But you know what? 397 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:07,680 He's also planned for only one me and one you. 398 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,040 We're special to God. 399 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:17,420 And we can get in on the same grace and the same favor that Mary knew if we also in our 400 00:31:17,420 --> 00:31:24,680 generation will surrender ourselves to God. 401 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:28,520 So I call upon you to surrender to God's plan for your life. 402 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,320 And to do that is an act of faith. 403 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:38,540 Why don't you look up here for just a moment. 404 00:31:38,540 --> 00:31:46,520 When you and I grasp things and hold onto them, we cannot worship God. 405 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:50,720 God can't pour His grace into our lives. 406 00:31:50,720 --> 00:32:00,000 When we are willing to release them and give them to God, then we worship. 407 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,180 Then we know God. 408 00:32:03,180 --> 00:32:09,120 Then we understand what our part is in God's work in the world. 409 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:16,520 Because this is the posture of worship. 410 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:22,120 May it also express the attitude of my heart and your heart this morning. 411 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,440 Let's pray. 412 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:27,600 Lord, thank you for Mary. 413 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:36,660 We acknowledge to you that because there are some who wrongly even worship her, we evangelical 414 00:32:36,660 --> 00:32:42,920 Protestants tend to neglect her. 415 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:50,400 We thank you for the wonderful example of a godly young woman that Mary was. 416 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:56,080 And for what she teaches us about worship in this song. 417 00:32:56,080 --> 00:33:04,720 And we thank you Father that she bore and brought into the world that one who also surrendered 418 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:14,400 his rights to be glorified as God and took upon himself our humanity. 419 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:20,920 Who left his throne of glory and came into this world that he might be our Savior. 420 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:26,760 Father, how can we do any less than surrender ourselves? 421 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:28,640 Amen. 422 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:34,560 Amen.