Sermons from Good News: Learning from Mary

Note before sharing the sermon: One praiseworthy thing from this most recent Sunday (yes, Sunday) service is that the attendance count was higher than (I think) any of the previous 4 years' meetings when we were meeting in a rented makeshift space in Des Plaines. December 1st was the first service at the new (and current) location, and understandably a lot more people showed because it was the grand opening. The real test of membership begins the second week, once the attention around the grand opening dies down. People are coming. Praise God!

Church 12/8/2024


Offertory scripture:


God is good all the time.


Philippians 4:19 NLT

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Do what God calls you to do, and do your best.


Proverbs 3:9 NKJV (this will be the translation for the remaining passages)

Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

The payoff:


Proverbs 3:10

So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Consider the story of Joseph in the Old Testament.


Philippians 4:19 does apply to finances, but it also applies to other areas as well. But you need to trust God.


Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Sermon message:


The Christmas story. Story of hope and faith.


“Where there is no hope or faith, there is no power or peace.”


Thesis: Learning from Mary


The focus passage
Luke 1:26-38

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Point #1: God rewards good character.


Characteristics of good character:

Be faithful.

Hebrews 3:2

who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.

Psalm 101:6

My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,

That they may dwell with me;

He who walks in a perfect way,

He shall serve me.

Matthew 25:21

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

Be humble.

Matthew 23:12

And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 18:14

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Consider the story of Peter.
Consider the story of Zaccheus.
Consider the story of the prodigal son.


Point #2: God answers honest questions.


Matthew 7:7

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

The only ones God won’t answer are dishonest and arrogant questions.


Point #3: God makes the impossible possible.


Luke 1:37

For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Point #4: Commitment releases God’s power.


Luke 1:38

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Point #5: God blesses those who believe Him.


Luke 1:45

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Note after sharing the sermon: It's interesting - last year's Advent/Christmas season also focused on Mary's role in the birth of Christ, whereas previous years didn't seem to highlight this as much. (Then again, it has really only been one week, so I cannot yet say where God will lead this year's Christmas preparation focus.) Certain churches overplay her role in overall Biblical history to the point of exalting her far above her status as an obedient child and servant of God, but it's important to also not overlook her step of faith. As a teenager who was engaged but not yet married, she willingly let herself become pregnant (by the Holy Spirit), which she knew would be considered taboo. After having given birth to Jesus, she and her husband (they had married by that time) fled to Egypt and then moved back to the land of Judea two years later. Of course, then being the mother of a child who would be crucified on a Roman crucifix 30-some years later, that came with its own trials and challenges. Her simple "yes" to Gabriel at the beginning wasn't limited to a "yes" to one thing - it was a repeated "yes" to many different challenges that arose afterward.

Below is the same passage from Luke (1:26-38) in the New Living Translation:

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

I want to draw attention to Luke 1:37 in this translation: "For the word of God will never fail." The version most are used to hearing is "Nothing will be impossible with God." This is one of those times I advocate for sharing multiple translations of the same verse, especially if it is one we are super familiar with, because some translations (i.e. those with which we may not be as familiar) might speak louder than others. For me, it's "For the word of God will never fail." Because I need to hear it. I need to read it. I need to think upon it. Praise God that His word doesn't fail! We need more of this.