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Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW021234S
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00:16 ♪[music ends]♪♪
00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:24 She's the most famous woman in all of history, 00:28 more famous than Cleopatra, 00:30 Helen of Troy, 00:32 Mary, Queen of Scots, 00:34 Joan of Arc. 00:36 Her impact on history 00:37 is greater than virtually that of any other human being. 00:41 Oddly enough, we don't really know that much about her. 00:45 Mary the mother of Jesus appears in the Bible 00:48 only a handful of times. 00:51 The story of the birth of Jesus is found in Matthew 1 and 2, 00:54 and, of course, Mary features prominently. 00:57 The same story is repeated in Luke 1 and 2. 01:00 In Matthew 13 the question is asked, 01:02 "Is not His"--that's Jesus'-- "mother called Mary?" 01:07 In Mark 3:32, they say to Jesus, "Look, 01:09 Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You." 01:12 John 2, the wedding feast of Cana, when Mary informs Jesus 01:17 that the wedding host has run out of wine. 01:19 Mary is presented at the cross in John 19, 01:22 and it's mentioned there that she has a sister. 01:24 And then in Acts, chapter 1, 01:26 it says that "these all continued with one accord 01:30 "in prayer and supplication, 01:32 "with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, 01:35 and with His brothers." Acts 1:14. 01:37 And that's basically it. 01:39 Now, admittedly, the story of the birth and infancy of Jesus 01:42 is a good long story, but once Jesus is a boy, 01:45 Mary barely features again in the Bible. 01:48 And that's not surprising. 01:49 The New Testament is the story of Jesus, after all. 01:53 There's a good amount of myth surrounding Mary 01:55 in Christianity today, but as we continue our series, 01:58 "Great Characters of the Bible," we're going to investigate Mary. 02:03 She doesn't appear a lot in the Bible, 02:05 but she's an extremely important figure, 02:08 and she made an immense impact on all of history. 02:13 This is the story that introduces us to Mary. 02:16 We'll pick it up in Luke, chapter 1. 02:19 "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God 02:22 "to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 02:25 "to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, 02:28 "of the house of David. 02:30 "The virgin's name was Mary. 02:32 "And having come in, the angel said to her, 02:35 "'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; 02:39 blessed are you among women!'" That's Luke 1:26. 02:43 That's quite an experience for a young woman. 02:46 She was betrothed, engaged, to Joseph. 02:49 And she's approached by an angel. 02:53 We read that she was troubled by this greeting, 02:55 was trying to make sense of it. 02:56 "Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, 03:01 "'for you have found favor with God. 03:03 "'And behold, you will conceive in your womb 03:06 and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.'" 03:11 The angel goes on to say, 03:13 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; 03:17 "and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 03:21 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 03:24 and of His kingdom there will be no end." 03:27 What we can be absolutely sure of 03:30 is that Mary came from a dedicated, devout family. 03:34 She would have been familiar with the prophecies 03:36 that pointed forward to the advent of the Messiah, 03:39 and she'd have known that Isaiah had written 03:41 that "a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, 03:45 and shall call His name Immanuel." 03:47 Isaiah 7:14. 03:49 But she asked the question, 03:51 "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 03:55 She'd never slept with Joseph. How could this possibly be? 03:59 Now, she might have answered and said, 04:01 "Sure, we plan to have children after we're married." 04:04 But God's messenger had other news. 04:07 "The angel answered and said to her, 04:09 "'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, 04:11 "'and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; 04:14 "'therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called 04:20 the Son of God.'" 04:22 Luke 1:35. 04:24 "Mary, you're going to become pregnant. It will be a miracle. 04:29 This is something God will accomplish." 04:32 And as if to confirm that this was possible, 04:34 this miracle birth, the angel told her 04:37 that her cousin Elizabeth, in her advanced age, 04:41 had conceived and was also going to have a son. 04:44 Just imagine Mary's emotions at a time like this. 04:47 To find out you're pregnant is one thing, 04:49 and usually a very happy occasion. 04:53 But Mary was unmarried. 04:54 Now, there's not as much of a stigma today 04:56 in being pregnant out of wedlock, maybe none at all, 04:59 but in that day, it was scandalous. 05:03 Adultery was punishable by death. 05:06 Intimacy prior to marriage, society didn't take that well. 05:11 Mary was told that "with God nothing shall be impossible." 05:16 And I want you to notice Mary's response. 05:18 This is key and a great example for us. 05:21 Mary said, "'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! 05:25 "Let it be to me according to your word.' 05:28 And the angel departed from her." 05:30 Luke 1:38. 05:32 You wonder why Mary was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah, 05:35 and you find the reason right there. 05:39 She realized this was going to seriously impact her life. 05:43 You'd expect that she was awed by the prospect 05:45 of having to raise the Deliverer of the world. 05:49 But when God picked her for the most solemn assignment 05:52 ever committed to a human being, 05:54 Mary's response was full of faith. 05:57 "I am the maidservant of the Lord," she said. 06:00 "I'm the servant," or maybe even, 06:02 "I am the slave of the Lord." 06:04 Simeon later told Mary that 06:06 "a sword will pierce... your...soul." 06:08 Luke 2:35. 06:09 But she went into this saying, "[I'm the servant] of the Lord! 06:13 "Let it be to me according to your word." 06:16 It's pretty easy to hear someone else say those words, 06:20 but this is where the theory of Christianity 06:22 becomes the reality of Christianity. 06:24 It isn't hard to be a believer in Jesus 06:26 when everything is going well, when faith in God is popular, 06:31 when there's no cross to carry. 06:33 But when the heat gets turned up... 06:35 This is what we like about the story of Daniel 06:37 in the lions' den or the story of the three boys who didn't bow 06:40 to the statue, but instead were cast into the fiery furnace. 06:44 They were faithful. 06:45 They stood up for God even when their lives were in jeopardy. 06:48 Mary was told she was going to deliver the Messiah. 06:52 No one would have faulted her if she had said, 06:54 "I'm not worthy. The responsibility is too great. 06:57 I just want to live a simple life." 07:00 But instead, Mary said essentially what Jesus would say 07:03 more than 30 years later when He prayed to His Father, 07:06 "Not my will, but Yours, be done." 07:10 Mary said that here: "Let it be ...according to your word." 07:15 And that, my friend, is what faith is. I'll do it God's way. 07:18 I'll trust God with this, not my will but God's will. 07:23 So let me ask you, what is God asking you to do 07:27 that you're dragging your feet on, 07:29 something that you're reluctant to do? 07:33 Is there some area of your life 07:34 where you're not wanting to surrender? 07:37 God might be asking you to read the Bible more 07:39 and know Him more deeply. 07:41 He might be calling you to pray. 07:43 God might be calling you to surrender your bad attitude. 07:47 He might be asking you to move out of a living situation 07:49 you know that He doesn't approve of, 07:52 or take those bottles of alcohol in the cupboard 07:54 and pour them down the drain. 07:55 It might be God is calling you to be faithful 07:58 with your finances, 08:00 to surrender a destructive habit, 08:02 or to yield to His call to serve Him in some capacity. 08:06 Is God calling you? 08:08 When He called Mary, she said, "I'm willing to do Your will." 08:13 Can you say the same? 08:15 This is why Mary is one of the truly great characters 08:18 of the Bible, because she gives us 08:21 one of the truly great examples of faith and trust in God. 08:26 I'll be back with more in just a moment. 08:28 ♪[music swells and ends]♪♪ 08:37 >>Announcer: Motherhood is a wonderful gift from God. 08:40 There are many examples in the Bible of where a mother's love 08:43 is used to illustrate God's love for His children. 08:46 Our free offer today is "A Mother in Israel." 08:49 To receive this free DVD, 08:50 call 800-253-3000 08:53 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 08:57 Discover what the Bible teaches about the beauty of motherhood: 09:00 "A Mother in Israel." 09:01 Call 800-253-3000 09:04 or visit iiwoffer.com. 09:08 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 09:11 After discovering she was going to be pregnant 09:13 with the Son of God, Mary visited her cousin 09:16 in the hill country of Judah. 09:18 Elizabeth greeted Mary by addressing her as 09:21 "the mother of my Lord." 09:23 God is confirming again and again 09:25 that Mary was going to give birth to the Messiah. 09:29 She would be the mother, not of God, but of Jesus, 09:33 the One who would be fully human and fully divine. 09:36 You know, there are a number of myths surrounding Mary, 09:40 and it's important that we don't trip on them. 09:42 I just mentioned one. She wasn't the mother of God. 09:46 Mother of Jesus? Mother of the Messiah? Sure. 09:50 But mother of God? No, she wasn't that. 09:53 She was the mother of Jesus, who came to this earth in the flesh, 09:56 laying aside His divinity as He did so. 10:00 Mary wasn't taken to heaven bodily without seeing death. 10:04 If there's no evidence in the Bible that something happened, 10:07 you can't appeal to tradition 10:09 or say that because the Bible doesn't say it didn't happen, 10:12 then maybe it did. 10:13 You can understand the can of worms that that would open up. 10:17 You know, there are some good traditions in the world: 10:20 white wedding dresses, Thanksgiving in North America, 10:24 baby showers, standing for the national anthem-- 10:27 all positive traditions. 10:30 But when you start bringing traditions 10:32 into your Christian experience, 10:34 traditions that are not based on the Bible, 10:37 you're not far away from entertaining traditions 10:40 that run contrary to the Bible. 10:43 Some people pray to Mary. 10:45 There's nothing in the Bible that says you should-- 10:47 and plenty that says you should not. 10:50 Paul wrote to Timothy that "there is one God 10:52 "and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 10:57 "who gave Himself a ransom for all, 10:59 to be testified in due time." 11:01 That's 1 Timothy 2:5 and 6. 11:04 Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Our Father," 11:07 and He said nothing at all about praying to His mother. 11:11 Praying to Mary, or anyone else outside the Godhead, 11:14 for that matter, is inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible. 11:19 Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour 11:22 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 11:24 That's Matthew 11:28. 11:26 He said, "Whatever you ask in my name, ...I will do [it]." 11:30 John 14:13. 11:32 John wrote in 1 John 5:13-15, 11:35 "These things I have written to you who believe in the name 11:38 "of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, 11:42 "and that you may continue 11:44 "to believe in the name of the Son of God. 11:47 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 11:49 "that if we ask anything according to His will, 11:52 "He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, 11:55 "whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions 12:00 that we have asked of Him." 12:02 I understand if, if you're used to praying to a certain person, 12:06 a saint, someone you consider special, 12:09 this could be a challenge. 12:10 But remember, Mary herself said to the angel, 12:14 "Let it be to me according to your word." 12:17 And that's Christianity: 12:20 surrendering to the will of God in order to serve God 12:24 and to receive Him more fully into your life. 12:27 We do His will because He loves us. 12:29 Obedience to God's will and not our own is a foundational tenet 12:34 of the Bible. 12:35 You don't want to deify Mary. 12:37 You don't want to insert Mary into the plan of salvation. 12:39 She has nothing to do with redemption or mediation. 12:43 But that doesn't make her any less special. 12:46 Elizabeth greeted Mary by saying, 12:48 "Blessed are you among women, 12:52 and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" 12:55 Blessed among women, Mary holds an extremely special place 13:00 among all people of all time. 13:02 But we want to keep that in perspective. 13:04 She was a special woman-- there's no question. 13:07 In some circles, 13:08 her contribution to faith might even be undervalued. 13:12 But there's nothing to suggest Mary never sinned. 13:16 It's clear that she and her husband Joseph were intimate 13:19 after they were married, 13:20 and, of course, that would be normal and natural. 13:23 And she isn't the queen of heaven. 13:25 And that picture in Revelation 12? It says, 13:28 "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; 13:30 "a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, 13:33 and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." 13:35 That's Revelation 12, verse 1. 13:37 That's referring to the church, 13:40 to the line from which God raised up the Messiah, 13:44 to the body God had preserved 13:46 from which the Savior of the world would come, 13:49 the church of the Old and New Testaments. 13:52 Look in verse 17: 13:53 "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, 13:56 "and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, 13:59 "which keep the commandments of God, 14:01 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 14:04 Revelation 12 is a chapter that spans history, 14:07 and rather than referencing Jesus' mother, 14:10 it's referencing the church down through time. 14:13 Mary is an example of faith and devotion 14:16 and love and commitment. 14:18 As a mother, she prepared Jesus for His life on this earth. 14:24 And you'll notice Mary bore her considerable shame with dignity. 14:30 She was called by God and accepted the call, 14:34 even though she'd have to walk a rough road, literally. 14:37 The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem 14:39 while she was great with child would have been arduous, 14:42 an unmarried, pregnant woman in the Middle East 2,000 years ago. 14:48 And the people knew about the circumstances of Mary's life. 14:51 One day, as Jesus' words brought conviction to certain hearts, 14:56 they sneered at Him, and they said, 14:58 "We were not born of fornication." 15:01 You read that in John 8:41. 15:02 That was a nasty swipe at the miracle of Jesus' birth. 15:07 The people who should have welcomed Jesus 15:09 instead turned it all around and insulted Him. 15:13 And this stunned Mary. 15:15 They knew. 15:17 They knew she'd become pregnant out of marriage, 15:19 and they weren't letting her forget it, 15:21 but she carried herself with dignity. 15:25 She didn't have to worry about their petty insults 15:27 because she was living with assurance in the sight of God. 15:30 She was right with God. 15:32 She didn't have to let their nastiness drag her down. 15:35 And you can be the same. 15:37 You don't have to let the slights or criticism of others 15:40 drag you down. 15:41 If you're living with integrity in the sight of God, 15:44 that's all that matters. 15:45 The details of your past life, the mistakes you made, 15:49 the sins you committed, the things you got wrong, 15:52 you don't have to be haunted by that, 15:54 held back by that, weighed down by that. 15:57 When God forgives you and calls you, 16:00 you owe no one an apology, 16:02 not for the direction God has called you 16:04 and not for your past. 16:06 Look at 1 John 1 in verse 7: 16:08 "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, 16:11 "we have fellowship with one another, 16:13 "and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us 16:17 from all sin." 16:18 If you're standing with God, if you're following God's calling 16:22 in your life, if you have surrendered your life to Jesus, 16:26 live in peace with your past and let the barbs and attacks 16:30 and insinuations and criticisms of others roll right off you 16:35 like water off a duck's back. 16:37 Must have been difficult for Mary to be the recipient 16:40 of the malice of others, and it was malice. 16:44 But Mary lived in integrity before God. 16:46 Peter wrote, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, 16:50 "and always be ready to give a defense to everyone 16:53 "who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, 16:57 "with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, 17:01 "that when they defame you as evildoers, 17:04 "those who revile your good conduct in Christ 17:08 may be ashamed." 17:09 First Peter 3:15 and 16. 17:12 In just a moment, some of the best advice Mary ever gave. 17:18 ♪[music swells and ends]♪♪ 17:27 >>Announcer: Motherhood is a wonderful gift from God. 17:30 There are many examples in the Bible of where a mother's love 17:33 is used to illustrate God's love for His children. 17:36 Our free offer today is "A Mother in Israel." 17:39 To receive this free DVD, 17:40 call 800-253-3000 17:43 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 17:47 Discover what the Bible teaches about the beauty of motherhood: 17:50 "A Mother in Israel." 17:51 Call 800-253-3000 17:54 or visit iiwoffer.com. 17:58 ♪[soft music]♪ 18:00 >>John Bradshaw: The Bible is filled with stories of people 18:03 who took a leap of faith. 18:05 Gideon was asked by God to lead an army of just 300 18:10 against an innumerable foe. 18:13 And he did, and he was triumphant. 18:15 Noah was asked by God to build an ark, a boat, 18:19 so he and his family could ride out a storm 18:21 in a world where rain had never before fallen. 18:24 And he did, and he and his family and the world was saved. 18:29 ♪[soft music]♪ 18:30 Life can be like that. 18:32 Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith. 18:36 ♪[dramatic music]♪ 18:38 After you've received all the necessary instructions, 18:41 after the equipment has been checked, 18:44 you take a leap of faith. 18:47 Grow your faith in God and in His Word. 18:51 Don't miss "The Leap of Faith," 18:54 brought to you by It Is Written TV. 18:56 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 18:59 >>John Bradshaw: One of the most remarkable characters 19:01 in the Bible was Mary, the mother of Jesus, 19:05 the only woman in history called to do what she did. 19:08 It was a privilege, but an awesome responsibility. 19:13 She was a humble woman. She gave birth in a stable. 19:16 She endured hardship, having to flee with her husband and baby 19:19 to a foreign country in order to save their lives. 19:23 She experienced incredible grief. She lost her Child. 19:27 In fact, she witnessed His brutal execution, 19:31 standing by while He was crucified. 19:34 Mary was strong. Just how do you endure that? 19:38 And Mary was faithful. 19:41 After the death of Jesus, she didn't give up on God. 19:44 She didn't allow grief or anger to derail her. 19:47 She carried right on 19:49 and identified and associated with the disciples. 19:52 Her faith didn't falter. 19:55 And Mary, she was brave, courageous. 19:59 She didn't disassociate from the disciples 20:01 for the sake of her own safety. 20:03 She pressed forward and wouldn't allow even the authorities 20:06 to shake her from her faith. 20:07 And keep this in mind. She wasn't perfect. 20:11 Now, understand what I'm saying here. 20:12 For one thing, she was a sinner just as everyone is a sinner. 20:16 The Bible says that "all have sinned, 20:18 and come short of the glory of God" in Romans 3:23. 20:21 But beyond that, Mary wasn't above making mistakes. 20:27 They were in Jerusalem, a bustling, busy place-- 20:30 not New York City or Lagos or Tokyo, but still busy, 20:35 especially at the time of the Passover. 20:37 Afterwards, the family set out for their home in Nazareth. 20:40 Jesus was just 12 years old. 20:43 Luke 2:43 says, 20:44 "When they had finished the days, as they returned, 20:48 "the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. 20:52 "And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 20:54 "but supposing Him to have been in the company, 20:57 "they went a day's journey, 20:59 "and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 21:03 "So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, 21:07 "seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days 21:11 "they found Him in the temple, 21:13 "sitting in the midst of the teachers, 21:15 both listening to them and asking them questions." 21:18 Luke 2:43-46. 21:21 Now, I want you to think about this. 21:23 Mary and Joseph were, no doubt, responsible parents. 21:27 They set out for home and somehow managed 21:32 to leave their 12-year-old Boy behind. 21:36 They thought He was in the group, 21:37 maybe with relatives or friends. 21:39 But He wasn't. 21:41 You know, I'm not finding fault with Mary and Joseph, 21:43 I mean, not really. 21:45 But what I am saying is that even they 21:48 were not beyond making a mistake. 21:50 I haven't met too many parents who always get it right. 21:53 So if you're a parent and you've ever made a parenting mistake, 21:57 you can know that you're in good company. 22:00 But there's something Mary said one day 22:02 that I want to draw your attention to. 22:04 At the wedding feast in Cana, 22:06 the hosts ran out of refreshments, 22:09 and Mary said to Jesus her Son, 22:11 "They have no wine," 22:12 and then she said to the servants, 22:15 "Whatever He says to you, do it." 22:18 You find that in John 2, verses 3 and 5. 22:21 Now, the context doesn't make clear whether or not 22:23 Mary expected Jesus to work a miracle, 22:26 but that's not really the point. 22:28 It's what she said: "Whatever He says to you, do it." 22:33 Now, that's advice that we can take to heart today. 22:38 What's faith in God? 22:39 Faith is acting upon the Word of God 22:42 and expecting the Word of God to do what it says it will do, 22:46 so that when God speaks, our natural response is to say, 22:50 "Yes, Lord, whatever You want." 22:53 Some people get hung up on obedience 22:55 as though it's a bad thing, as though grace means 22:57 that you can disregard whatever God says. 23:00 Nothing could be further from the truth. 23:02 Obedience isn't only a good thing; 23:04 it's an inevitability as you grow in your relationship 23:08 with God and surrender to Him more and more. 23:11 Jesus said in John 15, 23:12 "Abide in me, and I in you. 23:15 "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 23:17 "unless it abides in the vine, 23:20 "neither can you, unless you abide in me. 23:23 "I am the vine, you are the branches. 23:27 "He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; 23:32 for without me you can do nothing." 23:35 When Jesus lives in the life of a believer, 23:39 that person bears much fruit. 23:41 When you're surrendered to Jesus, 23:43 you're living for the glory, for the honor of God. 23:47 When you're just living for yourself, 23:49 you're pleasing yourself, 23:50 and your intent isn't the honor of God. 23:54 Mary gave wise counsel: "Whatever He says, do it." 23:59 Read the Bible, and you'll find God providing 24:01 guidance and instruction. 24:03 He says, "Have faith." So we do. 24:05 He says, "Keep my commandments," 24:07 and so we do, because it was His idea. 24:10 When He says, "Give me your heart; trust me," 24:13 that's what we do. 24:14 "Whatever He says, do it." Very good advice. 24:18 And how is that accomplished? 24:20 As Paul wrote, "It is God who works in you 24:23 both to will and to do for His good pleasure." 24:26 Philippians 2:13. 24:28 Truly surrender your heart to Jesus, 24:31 and He'll do His will in your life. 24:34 That's what it is to live a life of faith. 24:38 Although she gave birth to the Messiah, 24:40 Mary lived a life of faith, 24:43 a life that was at times challenging, at times wonderful, 24:48 at other times, brutally difficult. 24:51 But Mary was constant. 24:54 Honored by God in a way no other person has been 24:57 or will be honored, 24:59 she was faithful, looking to God. 25:03 You can do that, too. Are you willing today? 25:06 If you'll open your heart to Jesus, 25:09 He'll abide in you, and you'll abide in Him...for all eternity. 25:17 ♪[soft piano music]♪ 25:18 [mug clinks on table] 25:22 >>Man 1: What does the Bible say about astrology? 25:29 >>Man 2: Why do bad things happen to good people? 25:34 [rattle of crayons] 25:37 >>Girl: What color is Jesus? 25:40 >>John Bradshaw: If you have a question, 25:41 we'd love to find an answer for you from the Bible. 25:43 Line Upon Line 25:45 from It Is Written TV. 25:47 >>John: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 25:49 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 25:53 To support this international life-changing ministry, 25:56 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 26:00 You can send your tax-deductible gift 26:02 to the address on your screen, 26:03 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:07 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 26:10 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 26:14 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:18 >>John: Let's pray together now. 26:20 Our Father in heaven, we thank You today 26:22 for the example of Mary, who gave birth to our Savior Jesus. 26:28 She brought the Messiah into the world. 26:30 It was a miracle. 26:33 And we thank You for the miracle of her life, 26:36 of her example of faithfulness and humility. 26:40 We thank You that in Mary we see qualities worth emulating. 26:44 And we thank You that Mary's life pointed people to Jesus. 26:48 Direct us to Him now, Lord. 26:51 Friend, as we think of Jesus, the Savior of this world, 26:54 I wonder where you are in relation to Him. 26:56 Have you surrendered your heart to Him? 26:58 If you have not, that's why we have this moment together now. 27:02 Would you do so? 27:04 Would you pray the prayer that says, "Jesus, take my heart. 27:07 "Father, make my life Yours. 27:08 Holy Spirit, fill me"-- can you pray that prayer? 27:11 Let's do it now. 27:12 Father, take our hand; guide us; 27:14 our hearts, live in us; 27:17 our lives, make them Yours. 27:19 Friend, are you reaching out to Jesus now? 27:23 When Jesus returns, we want to be ready to meet Him 27:26 and be with You, Lord, in eternity. 27:28 Let it be so, we pray. 27:31 And we thank You in Jesus' name, 27:33 amen. 27:34 Thanks so much for joining me. 27:35 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:37 Until then, remember: 27:39 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:43 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:47 ♪[dramatic theme music]♪ 28:24 ♪[music ends]♪♪ |
Revised 2021-05-04