IBCD Sermon Weekly

As we kick off the new year, we are going to be taking a walk through the “5 C’s” which make up the purposes of the church. But before we get there, this week we are looking at our Mission and Vision as a church.

Matthew 28:18-20 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

As we come out of the Christmas season, we are going to look at what it is God gives us and how we are to respond.

John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Today we are finishing our series on the life of Mary. At the end we are going to be looking back at the beginning, but with a little different perspective than we normally consider when looking at the birth story of Jesus the Christ.

Luke 2:19-20 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

When Jesus was on the cross, He had many concerns. But His concerns were not about His own pain and suffering; instead, He was focused on others. One of them was Mary, His mother. This reveals a lot about His character.

John 19:26–27 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Mary learned that even though she had a unique and special relationship with Jesus, her place in his kingdom was made possible in the same way it was going to be made possible for everyone else. Mary teaches us that while we might all have a uniquely defined relationship with Jesus, what he expects from all of us is the same.

Mark 3:35 35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Like most mothers, Mary undoubtedly loved her son passionately and without condition. However, as we read about Mary and her relationship with Jesus, we see that she, at times, struggled with separating the boy she raised and nurtured from the man who was her Savior.

What we see in the scripture is an unfolding of who Jesus really is, a revealing of his true nature, as Mary walked the journey of faith God had placed her on.

Luke 2:49-50 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Without Mary the depth and context of much of Jesus’ ministry, especially in relationship to the temple, is lost.

In a way, Mary does what every disciple should, she points us to Jesus and has us go on an unexpectedly deep journey with him.

A journey where, in the end, we come into the presence of our Lord.

Luke 2:48-49 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

Today we are going to be looking at what the Gospel of Matthew has to say about Mary.

Most of what we know about Joseph is from Matthew’s Gospel.

Let’s look!

Matthew 1:20 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

In Luke, Mary is portrayed as a kind of proto disciple. She displays the characteristics of someone who will be given the title of “disciple” before any of “the twelve” were ever chosen. So, what can we learn about discipleship from Mary?

Luke 2:34-35 "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Today we are looking at the life of Mary. We are only looking at what is said about her in the Bible, which is plenty. Mary is often thought of as passive but the way she is presented in the Bible is not as a passive person, but rather an obedient person. This obedience required Mary to be brave, to have faith, and be willing to walk a difficult road for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Luke 1:38 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."