I was practically born in church. I LOVE Jesus. I have a personal relationship with Him, I attend church, and I’ve heard the story of Jesus’ birth a million times. We went to the Critter Barn this past weekend and they did a live nativity that told the story of Jesus’ birth. It was just some cutie kids dressed up like shepherds. The sheep were actually brawling. Jesus was a baby doll. But for some reason it hit different this year. I think being a mom has given me a whole new perspective on the reason for the season. What God truly has done for us – sending His ONLY son to earth. To live a sinless life. And then to sacrifice His life. On the cross for our sins. Can you actually imagine?
I want to address a couple of things. First of all, the teen mom, Mary. Second, God and his ultimate sacrifice. And third, how good we have it because of one and two.
Luke 1:26-37
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since l am a virgin？”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
Mary
Although the Bible doesn’t explicitly state Mary’s age, scholars assume Mary was between 14-16 when she had Jesus. WUT. When I was 14 years old I could barely remember to wear my retainer. Can you imagine being 14 years old and suddenly having a life you are responsible for? I was 30 years old when I had Miles and I still didn’t feel like I knew what I was doing.
Mary is honestly “mom goals.” She was a virgin, betrothed to Joseph, and suddenly she’s with child – the Son of God to be exact. She probably had all of her wedding vendors booked – the venue, the cupcakes, the photographer, and now everything was ruined because she was pregnant. Only it wasn’t ruined. Because she accepted the task. With grace. With poise. With praise!! Here is a piece of her reply in Luke 1:46-48.
“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.”
She saw the big picture. I’m sure she was fully aware of the challenges this would bring to her marriage with Joseph, but she chose to trust in God’s plan. Not her earthy plans. Why is that so hard sometimes?
Mary’s Birth Story
Okay and really quick – her birth story. AHHH! The real reason for the season. I actually cannot imagine. Traveling 80 Miles to Bethlehem (for the census decreed by Caesar Augustus). On a donkey. While pregnant! No thank you. Only to find there was no place for them to stay. Except a smelly stable (Mary totally started the farmhouse trend) with actual sheep and donkeys. Okay I loved the Critter barn. But sheep do NOT smell good. And then she literally labored (on a hay bale?) and gave birth in a barn. Birth plan out the window. And let’s talk about her visitors!? (Probably smelly) shepherds she didn’t even know. But her reply in Luke 2:19 is the most convicting. “But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Okay second, the ultimate sacrifice God made for us, sinners. God had one precious son, Jesus. And He allowed Him to come to earth in the natural way people get to earth – birth of a woman. And he lived life on earth for (approximately) 33 years. Treated like a normal man – mocked, tempted, questioned. Yet he didn’t sin. And then to top it off, he was beaten, whipped, spit on, and hung on a cross. To die for our sins. God’s precious son. The thought of that happening to my own son takes my breath away. God loves us so much that he was willing to sacrifice His very own son that we may live. And He is the reason for the season.
Our Response
How do we even respond to this? No words or deeds can express enough gratitude. Can repay our debt. But here’s the best part. He knows we can never repay Him. And He did it anyway. Because that’s how much He loves us. He loves us SO much more than we can imagine. The amount we love our kids is just a sample size of the love He has for us. A teeny tiny taste. And all he wants is our hearts. Romans 10:9 – “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.”
The Reason for the Season
If you don’t know Jesus, but you want to know Him, all you have to do is tell Him! He will give your life hope and purpose and joy. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. And He made the ultimate sacrifice – sending His only son to die on the cross, just for you. He is the reason for the season! All glory and praise to Him for this Christmas Day. Please email or comment below if you have any thoughts or questions about our Savior, Jesus. Also would love to hear your thoughts on the teen mom, Mary and her wild birth story. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my thoughts, I pray a Merry Christmas to you and yours!
If you want more, Pastor Sam at Grand Rapids First did an amazing sermon on the story of Jesus’ birth here. Also, all the blog posts here!
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