I love the movie “A Christmas Story”. You know – the one with the young boy who dreams of getting a b.b. gun for Christmas. It’s got schoolyard bullies and neighbors dogs roaming through the house, and childhood dreams and memories of the way life used to be all wrapped up in one.
This year Hollywood is once again treating us to a full slate of movies that have nothing whatever to do with the real meaning of the holiday.
• “The Santa Clause 3”
• “Deck the Halls”
• “Unaccompanied Minors”
But in addition to these forgettable movies, one has opened that is worth seeing, because it actually tells the story of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. If you haven’t heard about it, it’s called “The Nativity Story” and it was produced with the same cultural and historical accuracy as “The Passion of the Christ”.
In a couple moments I’ll be showing a brief clip from the film, but before I do, I want to set the scene by reading from the 1st chapter of Luke, verses 26-40.
Luke 1:26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Luke 1:34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
Luke 1:35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Luke 1:39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
The clip I’ll show to you now has us listening in on a conversation between Mary and her Aunt Elizabeth at Elizabeth’s home.
SHOW CLIP: “Why is it me?” (0:53)
Mary asks, “Why is it me God has asked?” and that is a great question. Why did God choose Mary out of all the women in the history of the world? The movie does a great job of portraying Mary as a simple but faithful Jewish young woman. But weren’t there plenty of other young women who he could have asked? Maybe there were, but God chose HER!
The scripture gives us a few hints as to why God chose Mary, but what I’d rather talk about is a broader question: What kind of person does God look for when He needs something accomplished?
1. God looks for people of faith.
“You have found favor with God.” v30.
Although a young girl, most likely between the ages or 13-15, she had cultivated a relationship with God. Her heart was such that she found favor with God. God knew that Mary’s faith in Him was sufficient to carry her through the fear and the disgrace she would bear as she carried Jesus to term and then raised him. And it was because of this heart of faith that she found favor with God. She did not earn his favor. I don’t believe she was chosen because of anything she had done, but rather for whom she was.
This reminds me of the call of Abram in Genesis 12 – seemingly out of nowhere God calls Abram to leave his home and go to a place the Lord would show him later. He also told Abram he would use him to be the father of many nations. Why did he choose Abram? We’re told why in Galatians: because of his faith.
Gal. 3:6-9 (NIV) Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith…
APPLICATION: What are you doing to cultivate your relationship with God? Are you growing closer to him or farther away? It’s a constant challenge, isn’t it?
As for me I’m learning that faith really grows when you choose to spend time with God, reading his word, praying – even when you don’t feel like it. I’ve been feeling pretty dry lately in my relationship with God – and I’m being challenged to keep on doing the things that I know will keep me connected to God – to read His word. To get out of bed and pray. To keep serving him daily. How about you – are you demonstrating faith and cultivating a heart of faith?
2. God looks for people who trust Him.
“How will this be, since I am a virgin?” v34.
This may seem like a strange way to demonstrate a trusting heart, but if you turn back a few verses in the story you’ll see how Mary’s response contrasts greatly to the response of her Uncle Zechariah. In verses 5-17 we learn that Zechariah was a priest, married to Elizabeth, and they were advanced in years but had never had children. Then, as Zechariah was doing his priestly work in the temple one day, an angel of the Lord appeared and told him he was going to have a son who would be used by God for great things. But instead of trusting that God could do what he promised…
Luke 1:18-20 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”
Here in this one chapter we have two angelic visits to two different people. One is an old priest, supposedly mature in his faith and active in serving God. The other is a simple teenage girl. But the priest’s reaction to the message from God is to ask for a sign, demonstrating doubt that what the angel was saying was really possible. Mary’s reaction was simply to ask for clarification “How will this be?” Not – “give me a sign so I can believe”.
It may be a subtle difference, but it was not missed by the angel! He disciplines Zechariah by taking away his speech until the promised son was born to him, but when Mary asks her question, he honors her question with an explanation.
APPLICATION: Do you seek signs of confirmation before obeying God, or do you take Him at His word?
If God’s word prompts you to do something, or if the Holy Spirit directs you to do something as a representative for God – I want to encourage you to follow that prompting quickly, and not doubt God.
When Abraham was given the instruction from God to take his beloved son Isaac and sacrifice him on a mountaintop, Abraham’s reaction was to get up early the next day and begin the journey. He was sure God has said to do it – and although he had no idea why or even how he was going to obey – HE TRUSTED GOD TO MAKE A WAY EVEN THOUGH HE SAW NO WAY.
WHEN GOD LOOKS FOR PEOPLE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WORK HE LOOKS FOR PEOPLE WHO TRUST HIM IMPLICITLY.
3. God looks for people with servant attitudes.
“I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me as you have said.” V. 38
There are all sorts of responses Mary could have had when she was told of God’s plan for her to be the mother of Jesus.
When God told Moses his plan to use him, Moses response was “please find someone else”. It’s a response Mary could have had – but she didn’t. Instead of trying to convince God to change His mind or tell God she was unhappy with His plan – she simply accepted the plan and submitted to God’s leadership in her life. “I am the Lord’s servant.”
Servants do what they are commanded to do. It may be inconvenient. It may be painful. It may be the exact opposite of what they WANT to do – but they do it anyway because of their relationship to their master.
APPLICATION: Are you the Lord’s servant? Or are you still in the place of authority over your actions?
Do you view your life, with your plans and your dreams and your finances and your time as something that is YOURS, or as something that belongs to your Lord and Master?
I wonder if God would choose me. I wonder if he would choose you if he had an important task to perform here.
CONCLUSION:
God is still searching for people like Mary today.
Are you the type of person He is looking for?
If so, you can be assured that the path you’ll be led down will be challenging, just as Mary’s was. Just as Paul’s was, and Peter’s, and Jeremiah’s, and Nehemiah’s, and Daniel’s, and Noah’s, and Abraham’s and Moses’. But you can also be assured that God will be with you along the way.
2Chr. 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
God uses people to perform his work. But he needs people who have faith in him, who are trusting of Him, and who have servants’ hearts. When he finds people like that he will be able to do so much in our world. May God find you to be a person like that!
