Listen here: “Christian Imagery: Mary’s Christmas“
Micah 5:2-5; Luke 1:39-45
- Mary was engaged, but not married. Nor had she and Joseph been fooling around, which means that she had not engaged in sex. This is important!
- Mary was troubled by Gabriel’s message that she would would bear a son who would be given the throne of “his father David” (Luke 1:32).
- David was long dead, and Mary didn’t understand how David, who was long dead, would sire a son through her, especially since she was still a virgin, and engaged to Joseph. The idea troubled her.
- The traditional understanding is that the birth of Jesus Christ was a miracle. God accomplished the impossible.
- And that’s the point! We are not allowed to understand it because if we understood it, it would not be considered to be a miracle.
- We can only accept it by faith, or not.
- Most Protestant Christians believe that God chose Mary to fulfill His purpose, but that Mary was a sinner like everyone else.
- “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
- But the Roman Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, that she was free from sin which makes her like Jesus.
- Jesus is the only mediator between God and man; so Mary becomes mediatrix.
Here’s the problem with that: if Mary was free from sin then she was more like Jesus than like the rest of us. - (This is just a teaser. If you want to know more, listen to the sermon.)
- Sunday morning messages are available on the website (www.stpaulsmarietta.org/audio). Tell your friends.