03.01. Treasuers of the Heart- Mary
Treasures of the Heart, Mary Luke 1:26-35, Luke 2:1-19
The announcements of impending births are always exciting. One year at Christmas, when we first found out about the coming birth of Cody, we placed cards on the Christmas tree for all of my family. We then passed them out and instructed them to open them in unison. We still talk about this future birth announcement in our family.
How many wives have picked a dramatic announcement when they tell their husband they are going to a daddy? It makes for great commercials anyway. Regardless we know that the announcement of a birth is never stale and pale like other news can be. There is always an excitement. A little boy asked his mother where he came from, and also where she had come from as a baby. His mother gave him a tall tale about a beautiful white-feathered bird. The boy asked his grandmother the same question and received a variation on the bird story. Outside to his playmate he said, "You know, there hasn’t been a normal birth in our family for three generations." Howard Hendricks, quoted in Homemade, September, 1989. The Bible records many birth announcements. Abraham and Sarah received an announcement when she was 89 and he was 99 that Isaac would be born. Hannah received a birth announcement at the altar from Eli and Samuel was born. Zacharias received a birth announcement and John the Baptist was born to he and Elizabeth. All of these births had a supernatural intervention by God to bring forth the child. Sarah was old, Hannah was barren and Elizabeth was older and barren as well. And then we come to the birth we look at today. Beloved we have a birth announcement that was not a normal birth as well in our text today.
I- The Birth Announcement: Luke 1:26-35
Multiple Births- A group of expectant fathers were in a waiting room, while their wives were in the process of delivering babies. A nurse came in and announced to one man that his wife had just given birth to twins. "That’s quite a coincidence" he responded, "I play for the Minnesota Twins!" A few minutes later another nurse came in and announced to another man that he was the father of triplets. "That’s amazing," he exclaimed, "I work for the 3M company." At that point, a third man slipped off his chair and laid down on the floor. Somebody asked him if he was feeling ill. "No," he responded, "I happen to work for the 7-up company."
Luke 1:26-35 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
This is the announcement to Mary that the Christ Child would be born to her. The Angel explained how it was possible for her to have the child being a virgin.
II- The Christmas Story: Luke 2:1-19
The greatest story ever told is found recorded in Luke 2. The story of the birth. The fulfillment of the promise to Mary.
Luke 2:1-19 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
III- Treasures of the Heart:
After this long introduction let me make a few comments about Luke 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
Matthew 6:19-21 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Heart Buried in Africa- The body of David Livingstone was buried in England where he was born, but his heart was buried in the Africa he loved. At the foot of a tall tree in a small African village the natives dug a hole and placed in it the heart of this man who they loved and respected.
If your heart were to be buried in the place you loved most during life, where would it be? In your pocketbook? In an appropriate space down at the office? Where is your heart?
We can see several things that Mary certainly had to treasure in the heart.
1- Favor of God- Luke 1:28 Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee... Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
2- Blessed among women. Luke 1:28 ...blessed art thou among women.
3- The visitation of the shepherds. Luke 2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
IV- Peace on Earth: Luke 2:13
What more do men want than peace? Let me close with a couple of thought about this little thought inside these verses.
Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth? by Ron Hutchcraft
A noted correspondent said recently, "I can’t remember a time when we’ve felt such a high degree of threat to our personal security." As we count down to Christmas, people all over the world share that same feeling of vulnerability. So whatever happened to "peace on earth"? The angels announcing Jesus’ birth said that it meant "peace on earth to men on whom His favor rests." (Luke 2:14 ) So where is that peace in our dangerous world? In the hearts of men and women who know they’re ready for eternity - whenever it comes! People who’ve discovered that Jesus came here, not to start a religion, but to remove the wall between us and God - He was born to die for the sins that steal our peace and keep us out of heaven. The Bible says, "We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1 ) The wall between you and God and the war inside your heart are over when you tell Jesus, "I’m Yours from this day on." ...This is peace God gives you - and no one on earth can take it away. The Worst Part in the Christmas Story by Ron Hutchcraft
I’ve played a shepherd, a wise man, even Joseph in the Christmas Story. I’ve never played King Herod. I never want to. He was the king the wise men told about the birth of Jesus - the king who was enraged that there could possibly be a king other than him. So he missed the Son of God who was born just six miles from his palace. But Herod’s not the last person to miss Jesus because of wanting to be king. We all want to be king - of our own life. And that self-rule the Bible calls "sin" is what ultimately separates us from the God we can’t live without and keeps us out of His heaven. Jesus asked, "What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his his soul?" (Matthew 8:36 ) So as we begin our journey toward Christmas in the next few weeks is your heart filled with the treasure of Jesus as Messiah? Do you have the peace that only this knowledge can bring?