|
|
|
If you have found these messages useful and encouraging you may want to help in maintaining this site. For more information Please contact us by clicking here Our e-mail is thedivinepage@yahoo.com
|
Mary: The missionary mother extraordinary
A. Introduction The Old Hebrew society idealized motherhood. Indeed when we read the Old Testament, almost a majority of stories appear to present stories of weak fathers and strong mothers. The father may have had influence, but it was usually the mother who offered moral fibre and spiritual integrity to her children. We read for example of the courage and ingenuity of Jochebed, a servant of Jehovah and mother of Moses (Exodus 2); of the common sense of Manoah’s wife, Samson’s mother (Judges 13:23); and of the prayers of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Indeed it is a true adage that the Jew is a Jew not because his father is Jewish but because his mother is. Jewish mothers traditionally taught their children the alphabet and how to read from the law by the time they were five years old. Mary was certainly a mother of such calibre. Today we shall look at Mary’s part in the formative years of her son. In understanding how she brought her son up as the Missionary for God, perhaps we too can learn how we can bring our children up to serve God as Jesus did. The New Testament stories record for us four important aspects of the missionary mother that was Mary. While it is true that Jesus would have been the son of God apart from Mary, but God understood that for Jesus to be truly human, He must have a human mother and that His human nature is as important as His divine nature if He was to save men. Hence Mary was not just any woman, but the woman chosen to mould Jesus into the Savior He was going to be.
Four pivotal events recorded in the Bible bring to us the importance of Mary in Jesus life. As we seek to understand these four passages may we also learn the importance of the mother in the life of missionaries, pastors and full time workers. Let us pray...
Lord in whose wisdom has placed mothers in our midst to nurture the young for you. Help us to uphold them as they do this divine task of bringing men and women as fit vessels for your work. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Four characteristics marked our Mary as the extraordinary missionary mother of Jesus. The first is in her inward characteristic as one who was given wholly and totally to obedience and submission (Luke 1:28-38). The second is in her sensitivity to the leading of God in her child’s life (Luke 2:41-52). Thirdly not only is she obedient but she actively promotes and urges obedience to the Lord of Missions Himself. This is seen in the pivotal event recorded for us in John 2:1 to 5. And fourthly she displays that rare but very essential quality of letting go. John 19:25 to 27 gives us a glimpse of her letting go of Jesus her missionary son to glory. So four characteristics, the first two passive the last two active. For ease of understanding and remembering, I have entitled them as Mary’s submission and obedience, Mary’s sensitivity to the leading of God, Mary’s salutary conduct of urging obedience to the Lord of Missions and Mary’s ultimate sacrifice of the mother-son relationship.
B. Mary’s Submission and Obedience to God (Luke 1:26-38) Let me read, ‘In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 You will be with child and give birth to a son, 31 and you are to give him the name of Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?’ 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God. 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
There are three things we note here about her. The first is in the moral uprightness of Mary right from the outset of her encounter with God. We are told that she was a virgin. And when given the shocking news that she was going to be with child, she asked the question which would show that she was indeed upright and moral. Secondly she was spiritually in tune with God. The greeting of the angel in verse 28 shows this. She is a highly favored one and that the Lord was with her. Even before the conception of Christ in her, she had a close walk with God. Thirdly she was submissive and obedient to God even if it meant that she would be put in a position of considerable disadvantage. Verse 38 gives us her reply, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Here in her reply, Mary demonstrates her submissive spirit to the Lord. She uses the word servant, which in the original language is ‘doulos‘ or female slave. In Roman times, a female slave was much subjected to physical and emotional abuse. In the hierarchy of the slave, the girl slave was at the lowest. Hence in placing herself as a girl slave, Mary was saying to God, that she was totally submissive and humble in the Lord’s hand. She has yielded her spirit and has foreclosed any right that she has. The word ‘May it be to me’ translated from the Greek word ‘genoito‘ is in the aorist tense. The aorist tense is a tense which shows that an action is simply happening without any regard to its continuance or frequency. In other words, a once and for all event that will not be repeated. Hence Mary was saying to the Lord I am ready and submit and whatever my decision, I will never look back or have any second thoughts. This gives us an idea of her obedience to the Lord. She has no second thoughts and the decision once taken, will not see a doubling back from its original.
Every mother who has plans for her children and family must first begin with an honest look at herself. This includes fathers too. We can never bring out seeds and treasures from within ourselves to seed the fresh field that is our families if we are bankrupt within ourselves. Only when we have these treasures can we give these treasures to our families, our children and to our friends that surround us. Mary was morally upright, spiritually in tune with God and totally humble and submissive to God. If we want good strong trees and plants to grow in the field which is our family, we must provide the right seed, the right soil and the right tender loving care. We bring out from within ourselves what we have, not what we do not have. Although God can overrule and bring something out from nothing, yet the normal avenues of his will is always worked out from the basis of that principle.
A look at the some of the most powerful and fruitful missionaries and full time Christian workers will show that the majority came from good homes and many have had the advantage of godly mothers. John Wesley is one such example. The other is Hudson Taylor. It was the mother who prayed for the son. Augustine's mother prayed for her son for many years before he came to faith. Susanna Wesley disciplined her children in the way that led all of them to faith and fruitfulness. Hudson Taylor's mother prayed over her son’s salvation. Mothers, let us be challenged by Mary’s example even as she was sought out by God to be the vessel of the birthing of Jesus the Son of God.
C. Mary’s sensitivity of the leading of God in her child’s life (Luke 2:41-52) In the following account we read of Mary’s sensitivity of the leading of God in her child’s life. This happened when Jesus went to Jerusalem in the all important event of the Bar Mitzvah. The Bar Mitzvah was an event signifying the coming of age of a boy. It signified the change from being a boy to become an adult. The Bar Mitzvah was held in Jerusalem and we find the family going down to Jerusalem for the event. Let us read Luke’s account in Chapter 2 verses 41 to 52.
“Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 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?”( Or in the Authorized version, “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? ) 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
The answer of our Lord is an interesting one. He has had a tremendous experience of confirming God’s will in His life. He was to be about His fathers business translated in the Authorized Version or as in the New International Version, in His Father’s house. The boy Jesus had come of age and God’s will over His life will take on greater and greater importance. His answer to His parents causes Mary to treasure these things in her heart.
The word ‘treasure’ is the Greek word ‘diathrei‘ meaning to treasure or to keep safe. It is in the imperfect tense meaning that this act of treasuring was a continuous event that would happen many times over. What this means that even as Jesus began understanding his life’s work, all manifested in significant events, Mary will treasure them. This shows a mother who is open, sensitive and on the lookout for such events. How can she treasure them unless she recognizes them. Treasuring shows to us, that Mary’s spiritual eyes were open for what is to come. When Mary treasured all these things in her heart, this essentially resulted in three actions. These actions are the hall mark of any mother who is spiritually sensitive to what is happening to the lives of her children.
Treasuring will firstly result in prayer. As we see and record significant spiritual events of our children in our hearts we will begin to pray to God. We will come to God for its meanings and pray for his will to be done in our children’s life. May we be challenged by Mary’s life of treasuring and prayer over Jesus.
Secondly treasuring will result in encouragement of our children. As we see certain significant events in our children's life we will begin to encourage the child in the direction at which he or she shows an aptitude for. There are a number of ways that we can respond to a significant event that gives an inkling to our children's future. We can either disregard that and continue to remake our children in the image conceived in our own hearts or mind. Sometimes these work but often times we see a backlash. The other is to allow the developments of such aptitudes. But in such a way, we are afraid that such a person will never come to anything if we allow such aptitudes to take shape. Yet, if we were to bring the Lord into the picture then this is alright. What we want to see is not more doctors or lawyers or businessmen or successful men or women. What we want to see are men and women who have given their hearts wholly to the Lord first and then only who happened to be successful. The Lord must come first. O, may we challenged by Mary’s example of treasuring and encouraging.
There are many legends about the boyhood of Jesus. One is that of his healing power over the sick even as a boy. If Mary had begun to push his son towards the healing arts and spurned his direction of doing the will of God, we will have had probably a very gifted doctor but no savior. Mary treasured and encouraged Him to go in the direction of being spiritual rather than anything else. It is no wonder that he grew in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and man. (verse 52)
Thirdly treasuring means pondering and thinking for her son. This means that Mary was very much involved in the course of her son’s life. Mary was not an absent mother who provided the minimum of time albeit quality. She was there at significant moments of His life and continued pondering and thinking for him.
Missionaries who have made a mark in the world have all had mothers who were present at their significant moments. Some of the most spiritually powerful correspondences of these men and women have been with their mothers. It has been said that the mother of J. O. Fraser gathered a group of ten to pray for her son and his ministry. Some of the most poignant and deeply spiritual letters were to his mother and her praying friends.
D. Mary’s salutary conduct urging obedience to the Lord of Missions In the next pivotal event, we catch yet a third glimpse of Mary as an extraordinary Missionary mother. We read this in the accounts of John 2:1 to 5. Let me read, “On the third day a wedding took place at Canal in Galilee. Jesus mother was there. 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’ 4 Dear women, why do you involve me? Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
In this third pivotal event when Mary requests that her son work a miracle to save the situation, she demonstrates yet again another important characteristic of a mother wholly given to the missionary enterprise. In the command of Mary to the servants in verse 5, “To do whatever he tells you to do” we have a command not just for the servants but for all who would read these words, a command to do whatever Jesus tells us to do. Here Mary encourages the servant as well as those who would read these words that obedience to the Christ is the most important command for those who are serious in pleasing Him. Hence Mary’s salutary conduct of urging obedience to the Lord of Missions.
The word ‘Do’ is the Greek word ‘poisate‘ which is the word used in Genesis 41:55 where Pharaoh commands the Egyptians to do whatever Joseph commanded them to do. It is the imperious word of the King and must be obeyed. Here the word as it stands reminds us to do whatever the Christ the Son of God have us do. In calling obedience to Christ, Mary stands as a symbol for all mothers to do likewise. Just as Mary called attention to obedience to Christ so must we mothers also bring our children to that place of obedience to our Lord Jesus.
Obedience to Him stands as the first and most important foundation of eternal life. We do well to heed the mother who calls for obedience to Christ. Only when there is love, obedience and trust in Christ can there be the true establishment of all other good and true relationships. Instead of demanding obedience and love from our spouses or children to ourselves as the basis for relationships, we must start from Christ. Only when the center is established as the domain of Christ can other relationships develop properly. Relationships without Christ will in the long run be perversions and a parody of the real thing.
Mary challenges us to put all our relationships at the feet of Jesus and to make Jesus the center of all that is significant in our lives. May we have the courage to emulate Mary.
E. Mary’s ultimate sacrifice of the mother son relationship A fourth pivotal event which characterized Mary as the extraordinary mother is at the foot of the Cross. John 19:25 to 27 gives us a glimpse of the dynamics of letting go. Let me read, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 and to the disciple, Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
Here at the foot of the cross, we see the fourth most important dynamic in a missionary mother. This is the dynamic of letting go. Jesus moved her relationship to him towards John the beloved disciple. Three observations can be made here.
The first is that the transaction of letting go is made at the cross. At the foot of the cross, all the old relationships and old burdens and ways of doing things are changed. At the foot of the cross, the old relationship between Jesus and his mother will be changed to a new one. We need to come to the foot of the cross if we desire that our relationships be moved to Christ centred one.
Secondly, the transaction of letting go is accepted with grace and thanksgiving. Christ calls Mary dear women, a term of endearment and love. His disciple is also loved. The transaction of relationship change is made in an atmosphere of love and endearment. And this is possible if Christ is present. When it is time for us to change the relationship between mother and son to brother and sister in Christ, may this change be accomplished with Jesus in it. And when we have Jesus there, there will be love and endearment. Letting go is a hard thing. But it is an essential step if our children are to mature and grow in him.
Thirdly, letting go is a fact of life. The gulf separating Christ with Mary will be death which is the final arbiter for all relationships. May we learn right from the beginning that all earthly relationship is transient. Children are given to us for a purpose. They were not given to us to keep and to hold forever. They are given to us so that we can be a significant encouragement in their lives. They will make lasting relationship with the Son and in that light we too will make lasting relationships with them. Children have come to us so that we can push them on to Christ.
F. Conclusion It is only when we begin with spiritual maturity within ourselves can we begin the work laid out for us in the family. We must be sensitive to the leading of God’s spirit as He works in our children’s life. Trust that God will do a great work in their lives; 'great' not as the world would measure it but as the Lord measures it. As a mother we must continue to urge our children on to full obedience in Him. We must make every opportunity within our lives to model that obedience. And then we must verbally encourage them to go on in Him. Finally we must like Mary learn to let go. As a bow is bent and the arrow fitted, we must let go our children in the direction of heaven. |
