Mary's Journey: Joy, Anxiety, and Salvation

 

Summary

On this Mother's Day weekend, we reflect on the profound journey of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as we explore the themes of a mother's joy, anxiety, and salvation. Mary's story is a testament to the unique and divine role mothers play in God's plan. Her joy began with the miraculous birth of Jesus, a moment of indescribable happiness and divine intervention. The Magnificat, her song of praise, captures her gratitude and awe at being chosen to bring the Son of God into the world. This joy is a reminder of the incredible gift of motherhood, a role that brings new life and hope into the world.

However, motherhood is not without its challenges. Mary's journey was marked by anxiety, even though she was the mother of the perfect child. From Simeon's prophecy of a sword piercing her soul to the anxiety of losing Jesus in Jerusalem, and the rejection Jesus faced in Nazareth, Mary's heart was often burdened. Yet, through these trials, she was sustained by the glory of Jesus, witnessing His miracles and understanding His divine purpose.

The pinnacle of Mary's journey is found at the cross, where she experiences a profound transformation. As Jesus speaks to her from the cross, He redefines their relationship. No longer is He just her son; He becomes her Savior. In this moment, Mary loses an irreplaceable son but gains an incomparable Savior. This exchange is a powerful reminder that the greatest gift is not the role of motherhood itself, but the salvation and eternal life offered through Jesus Christ.

This Mother's Day, we are invited to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus. Whether we are mothers or not, the question remains: Do we know the salvation that Mary discovered at the cross? The invitation is open to all, to be united with Christ, not by birth, but through faith, and to receive the eternal life He offers.

Key Takeaways:

1. A Mother's Joy: The birth of a child brings immense joy, as seen in Mary's Magnificat. This joy is a divine gift, a reminder of the miracle of life and the privilege of motherhood. It is a moment to glorify God for His mindfulness and grace. [02:26]

2. A Mother's Anxiety: Even with a perfect child, Mary experienced anxiety. From Simeon's prophecy to the challenges of Jesus' ministry, her journey was fraught with worry. Yet, her faith in Jesus' glory sustained her through these trials. [11:35]

3. A Mother's Salvation: At the cross, Mary's relationship with Jesus transforms. She loses a son but gains a Savior. This moment highlights the ultimate gift of salvation, surpassing even the joys of motherhood. [25:24]

4. The Greater Gift: While motherhood is a great gift, the greatest gift is the salvation offered through Jesus. Mary's story reminds us that our identity and hope are found in Christ, not in our roles or achievements. [26:44]

5. Invitation to Salvation: The invitation to receive eternal life through Jesus is open to all. Like Mary, we are called to embrace this gift, not by birth, but through faith and union with Christ, our Savior. [32:42]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Mother's Day Blessing
- [00:32] - Christ's Words from the Cross
- [01:51] - A Mother's Joy
- [04:08] - A Mother's Anxiety
- [06:16] - Anxiety in Jesus' Ministry
- [10:29] - Sustained by Jesus' Glory
- [12:18] - A Mother's Salvation
- [15:13] - Silence and Words from the Cross
- [18:31] - The Seamless Tunic
- [20:38] - Jesus' Words to Mary
- [23:02] - Changing Relationship
- [25:24] - Gaining a Savior
- [28:05] - Mary's Eternal Perspective
- [32:42] - Invitation to Salvation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 19:25-27
- Luke 2:34-35
- Luke 1:46-49

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Observation Questions:

1. What significant event is described in John 19:25-27, and who are the key figures present at this scene? [01:11]
2. How does Mary's song, the Magnificat, in Luke 1:46-49, express her feelings about being chosen as the mother of Jesus? [02:26]
3. What prophecy does Simeon give to Mary in Luke 2:34-35, and how might this have contributed to her anxiety as a mother? [05:11]
4. In the sermon, what are some of the specific challenges and anxieties Mary faced as the mother of Jesus? [04:26]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the relationship between Jesus and Mary change at the cross, according to John 19:25-27, and what does this signify for Mary? [23:43]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the significance of Mary's transformation from seeing Jesus as her son to recognizing Him as her Savior? [25:24]
3. How does Mary's experience of joy and anxiety as a mother reflect the broader human experience of parenthood and faith? [10:29]
4. What does the sermon imply about the ultimate gift of salvation compared to the joys and challenges of motherhood? [26:44]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced both joy and anxiety in a significant role or relationship in your life. How did your faith sustain you during that time? [11:35]
2. How can Mary's transformation at the cross inspire you to deepen your relationship with Jesus, seeing Him not just as a historical figure but as your personal Savior? [25:24]
3. In what ways can you relate to Mary's experience of anxiety and pressure, and how can you seek to see the glory of Jesus in your own life challenges? [11:54]
4. The sermon invites us to reflect on our relationship with Jesus. What steps can you take this week to embrace the gift of salvation through faith, as Mary did? [32:42]
5. How can you support and encourage mothers in your community who may be experiencing the joys and anxieties of motherhood? [04:08]
6. Consider the idea that our identity and hope are found in Christ, not in our roles or achievements. How does this perspective change the way you view your own life and purpose? [26:44]
7. How can you share the message of salvation and eternal life with someone in your life who may not yet know Jesus as their Savior? [32:42]

Devotional

Day 1: The Divine Gift of Motherhood
Mary's journey as the mother of Jesus begins with an overwhelming sense of joy, encapsulated in her song of praise, the Magnificat. This joy is not merely a personal happiness but a profound acknowledgment of God's grace and favor. The birth of Jesus is a miraculous event, a divine intervention that brings hope and new life into the world. Mary's joy serves as a reminder of the incredible gift of motherhood, a role that is both a privilege and a responsibility. It is a moment to glorify God for His mindfulness and grace, recognizing the miracle of life that mothers are entrusted with. [02:26]

Luke 1:46-49 (ESV): "And Mary said, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.'"

Reflection: How can you express gratitude for the roles and responsibilities God has entrusted to you, recognizing them as divine gifts?


Day 2: The Burden of a Mother's Heart
Even with a perfect child, Mary experienced deep anxiety and worry. From Simeon's prophecy that a sword would pierce her soul to the distress of losing Jesus in Jerusalem, her journey was fraught with challenges. Despite these trials, Mary's faith in Jesus' divine purpose and glory sustained her. Her story illustrates that motherhood, while filled with joy, also involves carrying burdens and facing uncertainties. Yet, through faith and trust in God's plan, mothers can find strength and resilience. [11:35]

Luke 2:34-35 (ESV): "And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.'"

Reflection: What anxieties or burdens are you carrying today, and how can you invite God into those areas to find peace and strength?


Day 3: Transformation at the Cross
At the cross, Mary's relationship with Jesus undergoes a profound transformation. In a moment of deep sorrow, she loses her son but gains a Savior. Jesus' words from the cross redefine their relationship, highlighting the ultimate gift of salvation that surpasses even the joys of motherhood. This moment is a powerful reminder that our greatest identity and hope are found in Christ, not in our roles or achievements. It invites us to see beyond earthly relationships and embrace the eternal life offered through Jesus. [25:24]

John 19:26-27 (ESV): "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."

Reflection: How does your relationship with Jesus redefine your understanding of identity and purpose beyond your earthly roles?


Day 4: The Ultimate Gift of Salvation
While motherhood is a great gift, the greatest gift is the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Mary's story reminds us that our true identity and hope are found in Christ, not in our roles or achievements. This perspective invites us to prioritize our relationship with Jesus above all else, recognizing that eternal life and salvation are the ultimate gifts we can receive. It challenges us to shift our focus from earthly accomplishments to the spiritual inheritance we have in Christ. [26:44]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: In what ways can you prioritize your relationship with Jesus today, acknowledging it as the greatest gift in your life?


Day 5: Embracing the Invitation to Salvation
The invitation to receive eternal life through Jesus is open to all, regardless of our earthly roles. Like Mary, we are called to embrace this gift, not by birth, but through faith and union with Christ. This invitation is a call to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus and to consider whether we have truly accepted the salvation He offers. It encourages us to take a step of faith, trusting in His promise of eternal life and allowing it to transform our lives. [32:42]

Romans 10:9-10 (ESV): "Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

Reflection: Have you embraced the invitation to salvation through faith in Jesus? What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with Him and live out this faith?

Quotes

"Who can describe the joy to a mother in the birth of a child this amazing miracle that God would bring a new life into the world through you and anticipating the birth of her child Mary composed one of the most beautiful songs that was ever written we know it as the Magnificat and she sang these words she said my soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior because he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant and so this is a day to thank God for this amazing gift and for the sheer joy of being a mother what an amazing gift of God that he should use you to bring new life into the world that this miracle of forming a new life this work of God should have taken place in you." [00:02:01]

"Raising a child brings great anxiety I think every mother would agree with that today now you may think about this you may have thought or maybe even said if I had a perfect child I wouldn't have anything to worry about well think about this Mary had the perfect child and yet as you read the story it is quite clear that the pressures upon her in the work of mothering must have been very great and substantial indeed let me give you just four snapshots of a mother's anxiety even with the perfect child the first is the story of Simeon that we have in Luke chapter 2 it started you know when Jesus was just eight days old they took him to the temple and this godly man Simeon to Jesus in his arms and pronounced a blessing over the Savior and then he said to Mary now this child he said is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel he's going to be spoken against and through him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed and he said a sword will pierce your soul." [00:04:03]

"Mary saw it the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ now there's something here for every mother facing anxiety and pressure today what will sustain you through the pressures through the anxieties that you face as a mother and here's what we learned surely from the story of Mary seeing Christ's glory knowing that the Savior is able to do all things and he's for you and he's with you." [00:11:25]

"Now friends what is Jesus saying here how could John possibly replace Jesus I mean it is the kindness of Christ and this point is often made it is the kindness of Jesus to provide for the care of his mother yes John can care for Mary and John tells us that he did but but John can never take the place of Jesus so why does Jesus say here is your son some of you have experienced the irreplaceable loss of a child to say to a mother who loses a child while there are other children or there can be other children completely fails to grasp the unique bond between a mother and the child to whom she has given birth in the birth of mayor of Jesus Mary has discovered indescribable joy now in his suffering and his imminent death she feels and experiences an irreplaceable loss John can never take the place of Jesus everyone knows that so there is something more that is going on here then Jesus providing for the future care of his mother there's more than that here dear woman here is your son and to the disciple here is your mother think about this with me it is so important the relationship between Jesus and Mary is changing right here for 33 years Jesus has been the son of Mary according to the flesh but as you know he was also the son of God he assumed human flesh which he took from his mother so that he could become our Redeemer this is why he came into the world and this is why he is now hanging on the cross now on the cross the blood is draining from his body the life is ebbing away from his flesh the old order is minute by minute and hour by hour passing away the relationship between Mary and Jesus is changing and as she stands at the foot of the cross in her grief and in her sorrow she must have been thinking to herself oh my son my son my son my son my son and Jesus says no no woman behold your son indicating John you are no longer to think of me as your son behold your son John is to take that place regard him as your son well then how is she to regard Jesus answer as her Savior and as her Lord you see when the angel told Mary about this child to be born what was her first reaction she said my spirit rejoices in God my Savior she had always looked to God to be her Savior so how was God going to save her answer Jesus goes to the cross and he lays down this life in the flesh that he has drawn from Mary his body is broken and his blood is poured out Mary's son dies and in his death he becomes her Savior so I want you to understand what was happening here it is beautiful when you see it there at the cross Mary loses an irreplaceable son and she gains an incomparable Savior that is what is happening at the heart of this third world in the cross and friends when you see that you will immediately realize that her gain was far greater than her loss she lost the love of a son who was taken from her in death but she gained the love of a savior who death could never take from her if she lost the joys of a son who brought her great happiness on earth but she gained the joys of a savior and whose right hand in heaven there are pleasures forevermore she gave life to him in the flesh for a time but now he gives life to her in the spirit for all eternity at the cross she loses an irreplaceable son but at the cross through his death she gains an incomparable savior and I see therefore her gain was greater by far than los friends being a mother is a great gift but it is not the greatest gift having a godly mother is a wonderful gift but it is not the greatest gift here at the cross something beautiful wonderful and glorious is exchanged for something of infinitely higher value my great question for you today is not simply or your mother but what do you know about a mother's salvation well you know a mother's joy you know a mother's anxiety but what do you know about what mary entered into here as their Savior dies and is her Savior that's the question for us today that's the issue that really matters what is ultimately defining is not whether you are a mother not whether you are anxious in the work that you are doing but whether you have entered into what Mary discovers here you see role the story of history forward a couple of thousand years to catch up to where we are here today and what's been happening in the intervening period mary has been in heaven now for nearly 2,000 years and if she could come here and speak to us today I am absolutely convinced she would say something like this she would say the life that he gave to me is greater by far than the life I gave to him I think she might quote the scripture she might say flash gives birth to flesh but spirit the Spirit gives birth to spirit by the flash Mary's life was in Jesus but by the Spirit Jesus life was in her Jesus said on one occasion the flesh counts for nothing and Mary's joy lies not in the life she gave to Jesus but in the life that Jesus gave to her you know that life Mary would say to us I am sure I was so privileged to have this unique relationship with him in the flesh but that changed at the cross right there in his agony he made it quite clear that John was taking his place as far as that was concerned the flesh passes away and I entered into heaven not because Jesus is my son but because Jesus is my Savior not because he is mine by birth but because I am his by faith friends to see the glory of this because for all the uniqueness of Mary this relationship that was defining for her is open to you you know a mother's joy you know our mother's anxiety but what do you know about a mother's salvation one illustration then we're through you may have heard about a certain wedding that took place in a very small country about four thousand miles just over a week ago what a marvelous occasion that was as Prince William was joined in marriage to Kate Middleton on the day of the wedding the London Times led with a piece on the front page entitled to marry her prince and they described in that article how and I quote this private tale of love has captured the imagination of people from Delhi to Dallas and it goes on in that vein let me quote to you a few words one couple one moment and the whole world watching William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor of Wales that is a most to get through isn't it I mean that is a lot to remember for taking a vow he will marry Catherine Elizabeth Middleton at 11:00 this morning in the presence of his grandmother Her Majesty the Queen one of them was born to take his place in the history books the other a girl who was destined to lead a life of peaceful anonymity until fate and he stepped in and then this she wakes up today in a London hotel Kate Middleton gadelle about town she goes to sleep tonight in Buckingham Palace a princess of the realm that's beautiful here is a girl born a commoner but by union with a prince she becomes part of our royal household no wonder that captures the imagination of people from Dallas to Delhi she did not get there by birth she got there through union with a prince Luther says faith unites the soul to Jesus Christ as a bride is united with her bridegroom faith unites you to Jesus Christ so that you share his life and the reason that he took our flesh born of the Virgin Mary is so that you should share his life for all eternity and you won't get there by anything that is in you by birth you will only get there by union with this Prince this King the Savior and so Mary got there not by the flesh but by Union through the spirit not invitation to be one with him is his invitation to you he says this the son gives life to who ever he is pleased to give it and I tell you whoever you are by birth or by nature Jesus Christ invites you to come to him today and on this Mother's Day weekend he is pleased to give that life to you let us pray together shall we father we marvel that life eternal that a place in the royal household of eternity should be offered to us commoners sinners through Jesus Christ at his infinite cost and for our infinite good and blessing we thank you that our eternity is not defined by what we are through birth so much of life in many ways is shaped by that but we thank you for a savior who cuts through all of that and with love says come to me and is ready to embrace us as we come to him or Jesus may there be many mothers who knowing the joy and the anxiety of motherhood find a mother's salvation today in Jesus Christ through faith and those who are not yet mothers and those who never will be mothers and all of us men father in Christ let us find life eternal and these things we ask in the Savior's name." [00:21:20]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?