Today an expectant mother can find out a lot about her baby before it is born. But, nearly 2,000 years ago the virgin Mary knew things about her unborn baby that all the modern scientific instruments in the world could not have told her!
She not only knew that her child would be a boy - the Son of the Most High God - she also knew that this child was to be God coming in human flesh to be her SAVIOUR; and the Saviour for all who would trust in Him. 1*.
She knew all this about the baby before she was even pregnant! 2*.
Mary was living in Nazareth. But God, who had had it recorded in the Bible that the promised Saviour was to be born in Bethlehem, had everything in His control! 3*.
In those days Caesar Augustus ordered a census of the entire Roman world. It was while Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem registering for the census that "the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son." 4*.
Here is the news flash the angels brought from Heaven that night and announced to shepherds out on the hills around Bethlehem:
"Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord... You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger... Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests." 5*.
The shepherds who received this wonderful news flash eagerly set out to find this Saviour.
Today are you as interested and as eager to find and trust the Saviour God has provided as they were?
When they found Jesus they told Mary and Joseph what the angels had said about Him. "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." She had not even been mentioned by the angels, but she was not in the least offended at Jesus getting all the attention. She was only a servant of the Lord; it was the Child Jesus who was the "wonderful, mighty God" and the Saviour of the world. 6*.
Those of us today who show genuine respect for Mary do so by taking the excellent advice she gave later on when she said, "Do whatever Jesus tells you." 7*.
It is very disrespectful to Mary when so many people today not only ignore her advice but go against all she ever said or desired. She NEVER wanted to share in the honour that is due only to the Son of God.
She would be really offended and disgusted if she knew how many want to think of her as their "most gracious advocate" and their "hope"! If they would only listen to the advice Mary gave to do whatever Jesus tells them.
Jesus made it very clear that HE is the sinners only Advocate and only Hope, 8*. and that's what Mary would want you to believe!
Read of the One whom God glorified as Saviour 9*. in Luke's Gospel chapter 2, verses 1-20, and put your trust in Him alone.Bye for now, John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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---------------oOo---------------Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke 1:31-35, 46-47. John 1:10-14.
2 Luke 1:28-38.
3 Micah 5:2.
4 Luke 2: 7.
5 Luke 2: 10-14.
6 Isaiah 9:6. John 3:16-18.
7 John 2:5.
8 John 14:6. 1st John 2:1-2. Acts 4:12.
9 Acts 5:29-32.