Mary’s Treasure Chest
Luke 2:1-35; 42-52
I. The Christmas story from Scripture:
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[1] the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. 22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"[2] ), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."[3] 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss[4] your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.
If this were a telivision movie the caption on the bottom of the screen would say…
--Twelve years later—
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?" 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
This is a passage that has a lot of activity happening in it. It is easy for us to simply read Luke’s account of the first Christmas – and the boy Jesus in the temple and overlook some significant things.
II. The Response of those who had an encounter
with Jesus.
1) Encounter of the Shepherds. – astonished
Luke 2:18 “And all they that heard it wondered ( marveled / were astonished) at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”
2) Encounter with the prophets – full of wonder /
astonished
* The prophets were obviously overjoyed to see the
Baby Jesus.
Mary and Joseph’s response
Lu 2:33 And Joseph and his mother marveled (wondered /were astonished) at those things which were spoken of him.
(This word in these verses wondered, marveled, were astonished)is the Greek word
-thou-mad’-zo (phonetic spelling)
The shepherds and Jesus’ parents in theses cases marveled (or thou-mad’-zo) at what was told them.
Interestingly this word thou-mad’-zo occurs 46 times in the NT.
It is the level of amazement at which most people viewed Jesus in the NT.
Just think of all the amazing things that people around Jesus saw.
-Angels
-Wise men – from a distant country
-Incredible words from respected prophets.
As he grew they saw:
-People healed
-Heard incredibly powerful teaching
-Saw all kinds of miracles (from the cursed fig tree – to – Jesus calming the storm)
Many people were amazed and marveled at what Jesus did. – It would be impossible
3) Encounter with the people in the temple –
astonished
2:47 - “Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.”
*Amazed here means, “that they stood out of themselves as if their eyes were bulging out” - (Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament).
Mary and Joseph’s response:
Luke 2:48
“When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
Jesus’ parents astonishment went even further then that of the crowd…
-ek-place’-so (phonetic spelling)- verb meaning:
*“to be struck with amazement”
*“to cast off by a blow, to drive out. commonly, to strike one out of self-possession, to strike with panic, shock, astonish”
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In modern terms what is being said? It is like in a movie when a woman is out of their mind and unable to think rationally – Then the handsome domineering man slaps her on the cheek and says, “snap out of it.” In her shock the woman returns to normal.
-The Bible is saying here – It is like Mary and Joseph were out of their minds unable to think clearly in their pursuit to find their son – when they found Him in the temple, heard Jesus’ reply and saw the wonder of the teachers of the law and the people.
-They were slapped back to reality – Shocked at what they had just seen take place!
III. The uniqueness of Luke’s account.
1) Lukes account has a special flavor that the
other Christmas stories do not posses.
* We know from history that Luke was not one of the original disciples of Jesus. Many of his writings from the Book of Luke and Acts take the form of recorded interviews.
· It is likely that this portion of scripture is notes taken from an interview with Mary!
Why do we come to that conclusion?
-Because of two easily overlooked verses from this passage that reveal the inner feelings of a mother for a son ….
Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:51 “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.”
No one is likely to have known that this is how Mary felt about these events concerning her son except Mary herself.
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“The silence of Mary contrasts with the talkativeness of the shepherds…Only Mary could know the fact here stated; and the statement indicates that Luke got the opening parts of his Gospel from the mother of our Lord. She had much to think about. The angelic messages to Zacharias, to herself, and to the shepherds were full of significance, and her mind would search diligently to comprehend the fullness of their meaning. In her quiet thoughtfulness the beauty of the Virgin’s character shines forth .” (The Fourfold Gospel)
IV. Mary’s personal response to these things.
Notice that Mary’s response to the miraculous things surrounding the child hood of Jesus was different from that of the others.
-Yes Mary marveled – like the others
-Yes Mary was amazed / struck with amazement – like Joseph.
But the Bible also tells us that Mary… treasured up all these things
Luke 2:19 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:51 “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But
his mother treasured all these things in her heart.”
This word treasured means to:
-Keep
-Store up
-To Ponder
-To hide in her heart
Mary had a Christmas treasure Chest – in her heart.
*She had a capacity to remember the promises of God
*She had a capacity to Ponder (consider, think upon, marvel at) those
promises.
Many people heard the report of the shepherds and marveled.
-But Mary Treasured those reports.
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“She had many treasured sayings of angels, shepherds, wise men, and prophets. She now began to add to these the sayings of Christ Himself.” (The Fourfold Gospel)
The thing that made Mary’s response different was that she had a capacity to treasure up these events.
-To hide them secretly in hear heart.
-Each miraculous sign was another pearl,
diamond or jewel to be placed in the Treasure
chest of her heart.
V. Why did Mary hide these things in her heart
for a season?
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“she said nothing of (these pondered thoughts) to others, lest she should be thought an enthusiast, or a vain boaster; and therefore left things, till time should make a discovery of them in a proper way, and in the best season.” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible).
600 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem the prophet Isaiah wrote
(Isaiah. 9:6-7).
Isaiah is a fundamental book to Jewish culture. This prophecy was well known throughout all of Israel.
*It was the hope of every Jewish virgin female – to be the mother of the deliverer of Israel.
*Perhaps parents prayed that their daughter would give birth to this leader, this man.
Probably it became – largely a mystical thing in the hearts of the Jew’s:
-They always anticipated that the messiah would come – but never knew when it would happen.
-Surely there were those who believed – and those who did not believe.
But they all seemed to overlook one fact…
The messiah would be more than a King. He would be the King of Kings! God himself in a mans body!
*This is part of what the angel Gabriel revealed to Mary, when he said, “ His name shall be called Jesus because he will deliver his people from their sin.” (insert verse)
-More than a simple king – but God himself!
Just imagine how silly Mary’s story would have sounded if she would have lacked the wisdom to keep it silent for a season:
-“I’m a virgin, but the angel said I will have a baby.”
-“The angel said He will be the Savior of the people.”
-“I Just gave birth to the deliverer who was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah 600 yrs ago”
-“the baby which is the hope of every Jewish girl”
-Shepherds worshiped Him.
-Prophets said He will be great.
-He teaches better than the old men who are experts of the Law
***People would say***
-You silly girl – are you out of your mind!?!
-What makes you so special?
-Your just a poor girl.
-Your son is a normal boy – who is just a little more intelligent than some kids.
*God didn’t pick a dummy!
-Mary knew how to treasure all of these experiences in her heart and save them for just the right time.
As Mary bent over and kissed her little son she kissed the face of God. As she watched Him grow - She treasured every supernatural moment. She was not concerned that her son amazed many people – She simply treasured all of these things in her heart.
VI. What was the value of the experiences Mary
treasured in her heart?
*Mary’s Christmas treasure chest must have been full by the time her baby reached 33yrs. old and hung on the cross!
Mary had filled her heart with a multitude of God’s promises and remembrance of His miracles - year after year. – Mary’s treasure chest must have been full of priceless memories…
-The first sight of the angel Gabriel with his
proclamation
-The report of Joseph with a similar report
-The testimony of her aunt Elizabeth
-The report of the Shepherds
-The visit of the wise men
-The amazement of Scholars when a 12yr old by taught
them
-The time Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding
-The sick, lame, deaf, mute, blind that were healed
-The wise rebukes of Jesus when opposed by evil rulers
-The miracles, work & words of Jesus!
*Many people were amazed and in wonder at these things – but
Mary treasured them!
-pondered them
-longed for their fulfillment of all God’s
promise!
*****it any wonder that Mary was there at the foot of the Cross when others had forsaken her Son!?!********
*When her own reserves were exhausted- she was able to draw out enough jewels from her Christmas treasure chest to keep her at Jesus’ feet.
-enough remembered promises
-Enough pondered thoughts
-Enough treasured testimonies
Her treasure chest was full – even though her strength was emptied!
VII. Personal application:
A) Many people have seen miraculous things happen
in Jesus name – amazed
·They wonder at the unexplainable:
-The healings that are performed in Jesus name
-The life changes that only Jesus can bring (drug addicts –free) (friends – changed by God’s power).
-God has allowed amazing (unexplainable) things to happen in many peoples lives – but they still stand in the distance. Acknowledging a miracle – but going on with life.
B) Some people have experience miraculous things in Jesus name.- struck with astonishment.
-They are so struck with astonishment – that they wake up out of their life of insanity and sin.
-But the blow wears off and the event is forgotten.
C) A Few have treasured the miraculous thing of God – his promises
-They have held fast to the promises of God.
-Secretly cherishing the words – the miracles – the experiences – that if they shared most people would call them nuts –fanatics.
*But their treasury is full – of The things God has done in the past and they will be with Jesus to the Last – because they have a full treasure chest.
Clincher –
forming a treasure chest in our hearts so we can have plenty of revenues to draw from in hard times.
-This year let us remember that the true treasures of Christmas arenot gifts that are given to one another.
-The true treasures of Christmas are God’s promises
·displayed in the person of Jesus and treasured in your hearts!
The Bible says, “All God’s promises are yes and amen.” 2cor.
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-You cannot fix the problems that may lay ahead with a new tool set.
-You cannot cook up the answers to life’s tough questions on a new kitchen appliance.
-You cannot win life’s battle on a play station 2
*But you can overcome all the dark discouragement’s of this world by creating a Christmas treasure chest of God’s faithfulness and promises in your heart!
Even though Mary’s surrounding situation was often poor…
She was so rich in God’s promises that her heart never starved in the hunger of emptiness!
May we make it our pursuit this holiday season to have our heart’s treasure chest of memories overflowing with God’s love and promises….
-because Jesus is the reason for the season!
