1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:06,640 What a great song of of praise. Mary's song is recorded in Luke 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,440 chapter one. That will be our our topic for 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:14,840 this morning because we're going to look at the portrait of 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,240 praise. If you have been with us over 5 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:21,120 the last several weeks, we are on a journey called the Pathway 6 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,640 of Praise. It leads us into glory where we 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,040 spend the rest of our lives praising the King of Kings and 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,480 and Lord of Lords. And as you travel, we we've 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,600 looked at the the privilege of praise and we've looked at the 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,160 profit of praise. We've looked at the purpose and 11 00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:41,920 priority of praise. We even looked at the people of 12 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,520 praise recently. We looked at the person of 13 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:50,280 praise who it is we are to praise as we journey along this 14 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:55,440 pathway of praise. But I thought on this Christmas, 15 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,960 Sunday, we would look at the supreme portrait of praise 16 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,120 there. There's a a picture that's 17 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,440 painted for us in the Scriptures of many people who give praise 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:15,640 and honor to God, but but no one quite like Mary, the mother of 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,560 the Messiah, the model of maturity. 20 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,120 Let me read to you what she says in Luke chapter one verse #46 21 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:28,760 and following it says, and Mary said, My soul exalts the Lord, 22 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:31,680 and my spirit has rejoiced in God and my Savior. 23 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,440 For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond slave. 24 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,760 For behold, from this time on all generations will count me 25 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:46,440 blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me. 26 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,840 And holy is His name, and His mercy is a bond, generation 27 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,040 after generation, towards those who fear Him. 28 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,560 He has done mighty deeds with His arm. 29 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,560 He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their 30 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,720 heart. He has brought down rulers from 31 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,600 their Thrones and has exalted those who were humble. 32 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,600 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent away the 33 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,520 rich empty handed. He has given help to Israel, His 34 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,600 servant, in remembrance of His mercy as He spoke to our 35 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:30,320 fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever. 36 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,440 This is a remarkable song of praise. 37 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,840 It's the exaltation of the Christ. 38 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:48,200 To understand it, you must realize the context in which it 39 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,320 was said. And once you realize the 40 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:56,720 context, then you can begin to understand the components of 41 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,680 what was said. The context is crucial. 42 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,720 Mary is a very young virgin girl. 43 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,080 She's probably around 13 years of age. 44 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,800 And people always ask me, how do you know how old she was? 45 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:21,120 Well, we know that because many New Testament scholars who are 46 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:26,440 well versed in Jewish history will tell you that young Jewish 47 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:32,160 girls were betrothed between the ages of 12 and 12 1/2. 48 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:39,200 So they would be married around the age of 13 or at the later 14 49 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:45,360 years of age. Mary is betrothed to Joseph, so 50 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,840 she's a very young girl. And in those days, as as you 51 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,960 were growing up as a a young girl, you were thinking about 52 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,960 the future. You were thinking about who you 53 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:01,280 would marry, what kind of family you will have, how many boys and 54 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,200 how many girls and and where will you live? 55 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,120 Will you still live in the city you were raised in or will you 56 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,400 move to another city? All those things were unknown. 57 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,840 And then one day Mary's parents come to her and say, Mary, we 58 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,880 have betrothed you to a a young carpenter's son. 59 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:25,320 His name is Joseph. Now she knows she's going to get 60 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,720 married. Now she anticipates the number 61 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:34,520 of children she will have. Now she anticipates the future 62 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,120 of her life with her her husband. 63 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:45,680 And so she knows she's engaged to this Carpenter boy, Joseph, 64 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:53,360 but then all of a sudden things take a change, things turn. 65 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,080 Things are are not like what she imagined. 66 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:59,880 I mean, they go way beyond her imagination. 67 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:09,000 For the Angel Gabriel appears to her while she's in Nazareth and 68 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,720 he appears to her and tells her that she's going to have a child 69 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,320 and it's going to be a miraculous birth because she 70 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,600 asked the question how can this be since I am a virgin? 71 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,640 In the Angel Gabriel tells her the Holy Spirit will come upon 72 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,920 you and the power of the Most High will over shadow you. 73 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:38,360 For that reason, the Holy Christ shall be called the Son of God. 74 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:45,360 Everything changes for Mary, and she's just so young. 75 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:52,600 But what makes this, this song of praise, so great is that it's 76 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:57,040 filled with Scripture. Scripture from the Psalms and 77 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:01,440 from Genesis, from first Samuel and from Isaiah. 78 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,440 And that would tell us that that Mary was well versed in the 79 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,800 Scriptures. But you also must realize that 80 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,760 that most young girls were illiterate. 81 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:20,280 They weren't taught to read. And if that's the case for Mary, 82 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:22,560 that wouldn't mean that she would have to pay very close 83 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:27,160 attention to what her father taught her growing up in her 84 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,640 home. That would mean that when she 85 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,920 she went to the synagogue, she'd have to listen very intently to 86 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,960 what the rabbi said, so she would know what the scriptures 87 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,520 said. So she'd have to stay awake in 88 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:50,520 the synagogue. That would be good news for all 89 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,880 of us to hear, to stay awake in church. 90 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,360 But she would have to pay very close attention to all that was 91 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,720 said to be able to know the verses of Scripture like she 92 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:09,680 did, and to be able to recite them so clearly and accurately. 93 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:16,920 But think of Mary. She she would have to begin to 94 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:22,280 to realize, as the wheels would begin to spin in her head, the 95 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:28,880 fulfillment of Scripture that in Isaiah 7 verse #14 a virgin 96 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:35,360 would conceive and bear a child. That's going to be the sign, 97 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,840 that's going to be the miraculous sign the virgin shall 98 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:43,840 conceive and bear a child. That that would tell us it was 99 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,760 the fulfillment of of Genesis chapter 3 verse #15 that the 100 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:52,480 seed of a woman was going to come and crush the serpent's 101 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,880 head. And so all of a sudden, Mary's 102 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:02,640 thoughts begin to run wild as she she understands that the 103 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:07,880 fulfillment of Scripture is being fulfilled in her at a 104 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:14,720 very, very young age. And when you think about what 105 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,320 she knows about the Bible, you got to ask yourself, what does 106 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,960 my 12 year old or 13 year old know about the Bible? 107 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:29,960 How well versed is is my teenage daughter or teenage son, my 108 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,960 junior high son or my junior high daughter? 109 00:08:33,039 --> 00:08:35,520 How well versed are they in the scriptures? 110 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:39,320 Would they be able to write a song of praise based on what 111 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:49,080 they know the Bible says? Or worse yet, as adults, would 112 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,240 we know the Scriptures well enough to be able to write a 113 00:08:53,240 --> 00:09:00,680 song of praise to our God? She would have to be thinking of 114 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:06,640 all the different verses in the Old Testament that would speak 115 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,720 of the hope of Israel. In fact, if you got your Bible, 116 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:16,440 turn back with me, if you would, to the book of Jeremiah, because 117 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,440 there's a verse in the Old Testament in the book of 118 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,320 Jeremiah that gives us the hope of Israel. 119 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,480 Remember, Jeremiah is prophesying Israel's on the 120 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:31,160 brink of going into Babylonian captivity, and they have all of 121 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,160 their hopes of their future are dashed. 122 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:43,200 And yet the Lord says in verse #17 there is hope for your 123 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:51,240 future. Don't weep, don't cry, don't be 124 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:56,880 sad, because in your future there is hope. 125 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:05,760 He describes that hope in verse #22 what he says these words of 126 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:12,680 Jeremiah chapter 31. He says, How long will you go 127 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:15,040 here and there, O faithless daughter? 128 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:25,360 For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth. 129 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:32,280 There is hope in your future. For the Lord has created Bara 130 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,160 out of nothing. Something new, something 131 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:40,400 unexpected, something that you would not ever come to 132 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,600 understand in the normal train of thought. 133 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,280 But the Lord has created something new. 134 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:49,440 Here it is. Are you ready? 135 00:10:49,800 --> 00:11:00,640 A woman will encompass a man. Every rabbi before the time of 136 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:05,400 Christ interpreted that phrase as the fact that the Messiah 137 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:13,080 would be born with no earthly father that a woman will 138 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,840 encompass that would mean that she would encompass a man by 139 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,880 holding that man in her arms, or that that man would be 140 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:24,320 encompassed because that man would be implanted in her womb. 141 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:31,360 And the Bible says that this new thing that's been created in the 142 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:36,760 earth, a woman, will encompass a man, not an ordinary man. 143 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:43,640 It's the word gay bear, which is an extraordinary mighty man. 144 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:49,200 Same word translated in Deuteronomy 10 and applied to 145 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:54,280 God Himself. Same word used as Zechariah 13 146 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,320 verse #7 and applied to Christ Himself. 147 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:05,520 Also in Deuteronomy chapter 32, it's referred to as the Lord of 148 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,560 hosts. So when you look at this and you 149 00:12:09,560 --> 00:12:14,440 begin to realize, think of Mary well versed in the Old 150 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:19,440 Testament, coming to grips that the prophecy of Jeremiah chapter 151 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:23,800 31 verse #22 is being being realized in her life. 152 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:30,480 That she is now the woman that encompasses this mighty man, 153 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:35,440 this Lord of hosts, this Messiah, this Holy One of God, 154 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:42,800 this King of Israel. Absolutely amazing. 155 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:50,120 But what's even more amazing is that when God made the 156 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:59,320 announcement to Mary, He chose her and nobody else. 157 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,280 Notice that He didn't make the announcement in Jerusalem. 158 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,960 He didn't choose a virgin from Jerusalem. 159 00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:13,800 He didn't choose a virgin from Judea. 160 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:19,760 He he didn't make this announcement in the Temple, the 161 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:24,200 hub of all that happens when it comes to religious activity in 162 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:29,120 Israel. No, he decided to take a virgin 163 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,680 from a a village called Nazareth. 164 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:43,560 Nazareth was a no place, a nothing place. 165 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:49,320 It was a despicable place, a despised place. 166 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:57,200 God sent Gabriel to a despised village in Galilee. 167 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:04,680 The announcement for the Forerunner to the Messiah was to 168 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:09,680 a priest who was performing his priestly duties in the temple, 169 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:16,840 and Gabriel would go to him and tell him that his wife Elizabeth 170 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,600 was going to give birth to the forerunner to the Messiah. 171 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,920 We understand that that birth announcement, but we don't get 172 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:31,040 this birth announcement given in Nazareth. 173 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,680 So if you got your Bible, turn to Matthew chapter 2. 174 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:40,640 Let me show you something. Maybe you already know this, but 175 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:47,080 then again, maybe you don't because it's after the birth of 176 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:53,040 Jesus and the Angel comes to Joseph in a dream and tells him 177 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:58,520 you got to leave, you got to flee the land and go to Egypt. 178 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,800 Why? Because Herod is angry. 179 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:12,360 The Magi have come, the Magi have rode into Jerusalem, and 180 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:17,680 there was great fear in the city, and there was great fear 181 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,800 in Herod. Why? 182 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:29,160 It's not because 3 men with crowns came riding on the 183 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:32,120 backside of donkey donkeys. Excuse me, I'm sorry. 184 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:39,040 Camels, camels into Jerusalem. It's because you have a whole 185 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,440 pack of magic. They traveled in packs of 186 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,720 hundreds and thousands and they're they're called 187 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,760 kingmakers. Kingmakers ride into Jerusalem 188 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,480 looking for a king that's been born. 189 00:15:56,160 --> 00:16:00,440 They followed the star. So here they are looking for 190 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,960 this king. Hair, of course, is upset. 191 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,280 And so the Angel comes to Joseph in a dream and says you got to 192 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,560 flee to Egypt. So they go down to Egypt to, by 193 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,960 the way, fulfill a prophecy in Hosea 11 verse #1 That's what it 194 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:22,720 says in verse #15 This was to fulfill what has been spoken by 195 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:33,640 the Lord through the prophet singular Hosea 11 verse #1 And 196 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:38,640 of course, Herod sets that on a mission to destroy all the 197 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:45,360 children two years and under. And in this mission to destroy 198 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:54,120 all those who were two years and younger, The Lord 700 years 199 00:16:54,120 --> 00:17:02,000 before that had given a prophecy of a plan that would send his 200 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,240 son to Egypt and bring him back again. 201 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:11,079 And of course, when Herod decides to slaughter all the 202 00:17:11,079 --> 00:17:15,599 children two years and younger, it too was a fulfillment of 203 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:17,839 prophecy. According to the book of 204 00:17:17,839 --> 00:17:25,960 Jeremiah 31, verse number 15 and 16, when it says a voice was 205 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,040 heard in Rama weeping in great mourning, Rachel weeping for her 206 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:36,080 children, she refused to be comforted because they were no 207 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:40,240 more. That too was the fulfillment of 208 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,400 prophecy. And so everything about what's 209 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,480 happening surrounding the coming of the Messiah has been 210 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:53,920 prophesied. Herod dies, an Angel comes to 211 00:17:54,800 --> 00:18:01,000 Joseph again It says now you can go back to Israel, go back to 212 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:06,240 Nazareth. And so it says in verse #23 of 213 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:12,880 Matthew chapter 2 that they came and lived in a city called 214 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:19,280 Nazareth. This was to fulfil what was 215 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:26,560 spoken through the prophets. He should be called a Nazarene. 216 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:33,040 Now you might not understand the implications of that, but this 217 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,920 is huge. The key to interpretation of 218 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:41,360 scripture is the observation of scripture. 219 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:47,080 If you're not very good at observing the text, you have a 220 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:55,920 hard time interpreting the text. Notice what it says in verse #15 221 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,920 This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through 222 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:05,920 the prophet. Singular verse #17 Then what had 223 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:10,720 been spoken through the Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled. 224 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:17,360 Again, singular. But verse 23 says this was to 225 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:24,560 fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, plural. 226 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:31,040 Why is that important? Because if you go back and you 227 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:36,560 read every single prophet in the Old Testament, not one of them 228 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:41,440 says he shall be called a Nazarene. 229 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:48,320 Wait a minute. Did Matthew get it wrong? 230 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:55,600 Did he misapply Scripture? Because, you see, you can't find 231 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,000 that phrase anywhere in the Old Testament. 232 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:04,160 And yet the prophets, plural, more than one, probably more 233 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:10,520 than two, probably three or four or five of them, all gave the 234 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:12,920 prophecy that he should be called in Nazarene. 235 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:18,400 That's why he chose a virgin in Nazareth. 236 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,480 Because he shall be called a Nazarene. 237 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:29,120 So wait a minute, if it's nowhere in the Old Testament, 238 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:31,800 how can Matthew say the prophet said it? 239 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,880 Or old tradition being passed down from generation to 240 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,040 generation? The same way, by the way, listen 241 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:48,000 that Jude would say in Jude 14 and 15, the words that Enoch 242 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,760 prophesied while living on earth. 243 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,800 Although you go back to the book of Genesis and nowhere are the 244 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:02,360 words of Enoch's prophecy given except in Jude 14 and 15. 245 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,800 Because Jude under the inspiration of the Spirit of God 246 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:12,920 would record what Enoch said, even though it's not recorded in 247 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:16,760 the book of Genesis. By the way, the same way Paul 248 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:21,800 said these words in Acts 2035 when he said, remember the words 249 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:26,960 of our Lord Jesus when he said, it is more blessed to give than 250 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,160 it is to receive. And yet you can search the 251 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:34,720 Gospels high and low. And Jesus never said that. 252 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:41,280 So how can Paul say that? Because under the inspiration 253 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:47,120 scripture, he is recording what Jesus said, even though it's not 254 00:21:47,120 --> 00:21:52,120 recorded in the Gospels. So now you come to Matthew 255 00:21:52,120 --> 00:21:57,800 chapter 2 verse #23 And Matthew was writing to Jewish people, 256 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,640 Jewish people who are well versed in the Old Testament, 257 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:06,160 knowing what the prophets had said, that have been passed down 258 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,800 from generation to generation. That He shall be called a 259 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:14,480 Nazarene puts it into print under the inspiration of the 260 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:18,760 Spirit of God to let us know that that's exactly what the 261 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,920 prophet said. That's why he chose a virgin 262 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:27,360 from the village of Nazareth. Aren't you glad you came today? 263 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:37,840 That's just such great truth. Some will tell you that the word 264 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:42,920 Nazareth is from the Hebrew word netsir which means the branch or 265 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:48,680 the shoot which is a title for the Messiah in Isaiah 11 one and 266 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:53,080 two, Jeremiah 23 five and six, that that is the title of the 267 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,600 Messiah. And because Nazareth is from the 268 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:07,600 word netsir, when Jesus was crucified, and it says Jesus the 269 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:13,800 Nazarene, king of the Jews, the religious leaders were upset and 270 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,160 told Pilate to change what he had written to say. 271 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:21,400 This is what he says, and Pilate says I have written what I have 272 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,480 written, because when they would look at the cross and they would 273 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:29,560 look at the placard, they would see the Hebrew word netsir, the 274 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:35,960 branch, and it says Jesus the branch is the king of the Jews. 275 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:42,360 And that's absolutely correct. So even Pilate, A Pagan, would 276 00:23:42,360 --> 00:23:47,880 be used by God to explain to us the identity of the Christ 277 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:54,680 child. Remember the words of Nathaniel 278 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:59,320 in John chapter 1, when he was told that they had found the 279 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,640 Messiah, that he's from Nazareth, he said. 280 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,120 And Nathaniel was a man with no guile and no deceit. 281 00:24:07,120 --> 00:24:10,760 According to the words of Christ, can any good thing come 282 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,600 out of Nazareth? Why? 283 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:19,400 Because Isaiah 53 tells us that the Lord would be despised and 284 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:23,880 he would be rejected. You can read Psalm 69, Psalm 285 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:29,760 chapter 22, Psalm 49 and all speak about the scorning aspect 286 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:35,240 of the Messiah. And then of course in John 18, 287 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,480 when they go to retrieve the Christ in the Garden of 288 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:44,640 Gethsemane, Christ goes to them and he asked them a question. 289 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,880 Whom do you seek and what do they say? 290 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:53,360 Jesus the Nazarene. Why? 291 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:59,400 Because it was such a term of derision, a a term of 292 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:04,040 despicability. This man was despised. 293 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,000 And of course, what did Jesus say? 294 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:16,480 I am, and upon saying I am a go, a me, they all fell over 295 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:22,920 backwards. Who's all 600 temple police and 296 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,760 guards, along with leaders of the religious establishment who 297 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:31,960 came with them and Judas? I am and they all fell over 298 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:35,440 backwards. That's not the remarkable thing. 299 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:41,160 The remarkable thing is that they got back up and they didn't 300 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:46,320 fall down and worship him. And Christ would say, I'm sorry, 301 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:51,760 excuse me, whom did you seek? And they would say again, Jesus 302 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:58,000 the Nazarene, he was despised and rejected by men. 303 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:07,040 The context of the Song of Mary, the portrait of praise, is 304 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:11,280 absolutely crucial to your understanding of what she says, 305 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,800 to understand the context, to understand this young 13 year 306 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,960 old girl and all that's happening in her mind, in her 307 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,280 family. I mean, Joseph wanted to put her 308 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,960 away because he thought she had sinned against him. 309 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:33,320 I mean, how are you going to convince your parents that 310 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,240 you're pregnant and you've never known a man? 311 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,680 How are you going to convince your friends of this? 312 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,760 How are you going to convince anybody that Joseph didn't 313 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:48,600 believe it? The Angel Gabriel had to appear 314 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:53,160 to him and tell him the story so he would believe it. 315 00:26:55,080 --> 00:27:00,520 He wouldn't even believe Mary. You should call his name Jesus. 316 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,080 He shall save his people from their sins because what's 317 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:09,160 happened to Mary is the fulfillment of Isaiah 714. 318 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:14,640 And the Angel quotes that. So Joseph would know that 319 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,680 everything about this coming Christ child was miraculous. 320 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,480 And that's just a little bit of the context. 321 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,520 My time is leaving me as it's leaving you. 322 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:34,360 And so let me give you the components of her praise. 323 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:44,080 It begins, number one, with a confirmation of God's purposes. 324 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:50,920 She begins this way. My soul exalts the Lord. 325 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:58,680 My spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior. 326 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:05,320 This is an inward compulsion. My soul, my spirit, everything 327 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,000 on the inside of me is magnifying. 328 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,760 The name of God is making large the name of God. 329 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,840 Not that I am making God any bigger than He is, but that 330 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:17,960 everything about him is enlarged in my soul. 331 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:23,960 My soul is enlarged because of the Messiah, because of what God 332 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:27,000 has done. I rejoice in God my Savior. 333 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:31,400 It's a confirmation of God's purposes and what was God's 334 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:36,360 purpose in coming to earth. He came to earth to seek and to 335 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:40,760 save that which is lost. He's a Savior. 336 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:45,840 So she would rejoice in God, her Savior. 337 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,760 She recognized her need for a savior because she recognized 338 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:54,200 that she was a Sinner and she needed to be saved. 339 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,320 And God is a savior. All throughout the Old 340 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:04,680 Testament, God would reiterate the fact that He was Israel's 341 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:09,320 Savior. Isaiah 43 verse #3 For I am the 342 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:12,440 Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. 343 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,720 Verse #11 of Isaiah 43. I even I am the Lord, and there 344 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:25,800 is no savior besides me. Verse 14 Thus says the Lord your 345 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,720 Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am your deliverer, I'm 346 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:34,000 your Redeemer, I'm your savior. Isaiah 44 verse #6. 347 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,280 Thus says the Lord the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the 348 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:47,480 Lord of hosts. Isaiah chapter 46 verse #21 a 349 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:51,960 righteous God and the Savior. There was none except me. 350 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,520 Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth. 351 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:59,920 For I am God, and there is no other. 352 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:06,000 There's only one Savior. And so in their praise, this 353 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:10,440 portrait of praise, it's a picture that's painted for us so 354 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:12,680 we will know how to praise our God. 355 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:16,880 And in our praise there should be always a confirmation of the 356 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:21,240 purposes of God. In our praise, we are confirming 357 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,480 that God is a Savior. He's a Savior. 358 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,880 First Timothy 410 of all men, especially of those who believe 359 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,960 our Lord God is a Savior. It's His memorial name all the 360 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,400 way from Exodus chapter 3, that He is the one who delivers, who 361 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:40,920 rescues, who redeems and saves. That's how he's supposed to be 362 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,440 known from generation to generation. 363 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:48,000 And Mary confirms the purposes of God. 364 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:53,880 Not only is there a confirmation of the purposes of God, but 365 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:58,040 there is an affirmation of the preferences of God. 366 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:05,840 Listen to what she says. She says, for he has had regard 367 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,040 for the humble state of his bond slave. 368 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:13,200 For behold, from this time on all generations will count me 369 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:19,840 blessed. He has had or he has regard for 370 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:22,000 the humble state of his bond slave. 371 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:31,160 She is affirming God's preferences because God opposes 372 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:35,400 the proud. He only gives grace to the 373 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:41,960 humble, and Mary's affirming this fact that she's a bond 374 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:49,760 slave, a servant of the King, and in her humility she has been 375 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,680 blessed. When the Angel came to her, he 376 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:59,520 said Hail graced 1. Our text says Hail favored one, 377 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,800 but it really means Hail graced 1 You, you've been graced, Mary. 378 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:05,600 You're going to receive something you don't deserve. 379 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:13,080 This is the humble state of the mother of the Messiah, the model 380 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:19,440 of maturity, Mary. The Bible tells us these words 381 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:26,240 in the prophet Isaiah, when he says Isaiah chapter 57 verse #15 382 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:31,760 For this says the high and exalted One who lives forever, 383 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:38,640 whose name is holy, I dwell on high and holy place, and also 384 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:45,480 with the contrite and lowly in spirit, in order to revive the 385 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:50,920 spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the 386 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,360 contrite. Those are God's preferences. 387 00:32:56,240 --> 00:33:00,440 He is geared toward the humble. That's why when He comes and 388 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:03,400 preaches that great sermon in Matthews 5-6 and seven, he 389 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,920 begins this way. Blessed are the poor in spirit. 390 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,880 Blessed are those who are poverty stricken, not not 391 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:16,280 physically, but spiritually. Blessed are the bankrupt. 392 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,800 Blessed are the humble. Blessed are the broken and 393 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:26,040 crushed in spirit for theirs, and theirs only is the Kingdom 394 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:30,320 of heaven. God gives the Kingdom of heaven 395 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:36,160 not to the proud, not to the arrogant, not the ones who are 396 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:41,520 self fulfilled. He gives it to the humble, to 397 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:45,120 the broken, to those who are crushed in spirit. 398 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:54,200 That's why in Isaiah 66 verse #1 it says to this man, when I look 399 00:33:55,200 --> 00:34:00,720 to him who is broken and of a contrite spirit, and who 400 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:04,920 troubles at my word, this is the one I look towards. 401 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:09,639 This is the one I prefer. This is the one who will reign 402 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:14,040 supreme in my Kingdom. So when Jesus came and preached 403 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:17,840 to Luke chapter 4, that sermon in the synagogue, when he read 404 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:25,000 from Isaiah chapter 61, I came to proclaim the gospel to the 405 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:31,360 poor, not physically poor. Those who are spiritually poor, 406 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:34,760 those who are spiritually bankrupt, those who are are 407 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:39,440 imprisoned by Satan's bondage. I'm going to release the 408 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:42,400 captive. I'm going to save the Sinner. 409 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:49,679 I preach to the poor. So Mary, a very, very young age, 410 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:55,600 gives a song of praise. She becomes the portrait of 411 00:34:55,600 --> 00:35:01,720 praise, and in it there's a confirmation of God's purposes, 412 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:09,800 there is an affirmation of God's preferences, and then there is a 413 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:16,040 declaration of God's perfections, a declaration of 414 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:19,400 God's perfections. Every time we praise the Lord, 415 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:24,440 we are declaring the perfect attributes of God. 416 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:29,960 What does she say? She chooses. 3 The mighty One 417 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:36,320 has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his mercy 418 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:40,560 is upon generation after generation toward those who fear 419 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:41,720 you. Wow. 420 00:35:42,720 --> 00:35:48,040 He is mighty, He is holy. He is mercy to those who are 421 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:53,600 unable. He is mighty to those who are 422 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:58,400 unholy. He is holy to those who are 423 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,400 unworthy. He is mercy. 424 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:08,840 And she begins to declare the perfections of God, knowing that 425 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:13,200 He is El Gabor from Isaiah 9 verse #6 the mighty God. 426 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:16,640 He's already done mighty things in her. 427 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:21,800 She's already conceived at this point, having never known a man, 428 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:24,560 God has done mighty things already in her. 429 00:36:24,720 --> 00:36:28,120 And so she's going to praise him for his mighty works because 430 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:33,440 he's a mighty God. And the Angel had already said, 431 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:36,000 the holy child will be conceived in you. 432 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:39,880 Oh, his name is holy, holy, holy. 433 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:45,880 And that's why Psalmist would reiterate over and over again, 434 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:52,400 give thanks unto the holiness of his name and remembrance of His 435 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:53,960 Holiness. Give thanks. 436 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:56,840 Why? Because he is a holy God. 437 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,800 And amidst all of our unholiness, we need holiness. 438 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:08,840 Amidst all of our unableness, we need mightiness, we need power. 439 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:11,680 And she gives praise to God for that. 440 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:21,800 And then she says his mercy. She's unworthy, but she obtains 441 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:25,000 mercy. It's because of his mercies that 442 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:29,400 we are not consumed. Great is thy faithfulness, 443 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:36,400 Lamentations tells us. And so she declares the 444 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:42,000 perfections of God. When you praise Him, you praise 445 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,000 Him for who He is. His attributes define his 446 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,720 character. And that's what she does. 447 00:37:47,720 --> 00:37:49,480 That's why she's the portrait of praise. 448 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:53,440 There's a confirmation of God's purposes. 449 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:59,200 There's an affirmation of God's preferences, and then there's a 450 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:08,800 declaration of God's perfections #4 the 4th component to her song 451 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:17,000 of praise. There is a resuscitation of 452 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:22,640 God's Providence. There is a resuscitation of 453 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:25,160 God's Providence. In other words, she begins to 454 00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:33,960 recite the providential workings of God in the past so that she 455 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:36,920 can proclaim them for the future. 456 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:43,520 Listen to what she says. She says He has done mighty 457 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:47,600 deeds with his arm. He has scattered those who are 458 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:49,600 proud in the thoughts of their heart. 459 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:52,840 He has brought down rulers from their Thrones. 460 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:55,040 He has exalted those who were humble. 461 00:38:56,200 --> 00:38:58,480 He has filled the hungry with good things. 462 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,800 He has sent away the rich empty handed. 463 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:07,440 She knows Israel's history. She knows those those who have 464 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:12,440 come against Israel, people like Belshazzar and and 465 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:16,920 Nebuchadnezzar who are proud. But God brought them low. 466 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,800 How they thought themselves exalted upon their own Thrones. 467 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:25,200 But God took them from their Thrones and humbled them. 468 00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:33,840 Because this is the God she carries in her womb that one day 469 00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:38,600 she will give birth to in His enfleshment. 470 00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:47,760 And so she is reciting all that He has already done in hopes 471 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:49,600 that this is what's going to continue. 472 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:54,360 And it will, because He is the Messiah, the God of the 473 00:39:54,360 --> 00:40:02,440 universe. So there is a confirmation of 474 00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:05,560 God's purposes. An affirmation of God's 475 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:11,720 preferences, a declaration of God's perfections, a 476 00:40:11,720 --> 00:40:15,000 resuscitation of God's Providence. 477 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:21,600 And lastly, there is a celebration of God's promises. 478 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:25,000 She says these words in 54 and 55. 479 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:29,280 He has given help to Israel, His servant, in remembrance of His 480 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:34,080 mercy as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his 481 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:39,400 descendants forever. She understands the Abrahamic 482 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,520 covenant. She understands that from 483 00:40:42,520 --> 00:40:51,960 Genesis 22 verse number #18 that an Abraham's seed singular, all 484 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:54,200 the nations of the world will be blessed. 485 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,960 And the seed that would come through the line of Abraham 486 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:01,680 would be the sign or the seed of the Messiah. 487 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:09,600 And it's because of that one coming mercy is granted from 488 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:14,160 generation to generation. For God has come to help His 489 00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:17,480 people, Israel. Finally, the Redeemer has 490 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:22,480 arrived. Finally, the anticipation of all 491 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:29,320 that we have longed for is here, and He is in me, and the 492 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:34,120 opportunity to be called blessed from generation to generation. 493 00:41:34,960 --> 00:41:40,560 In her humble state, she can't thank God enough. 494 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:50,800 Mary, the mother of the Messiah model of maturity, is our 495 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:57,080 portrait of praise. May we learn much from someone 496 00:41:57,080 --> 00:42:02,960 who is very, very young, who walks with the Lord, who serves 497 00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:06,480 the Lord and has been honored by the Lord. 498 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:11,320 Let's pray. Lord God, we thank you for this 499 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:16,080 day. We thank you for this season. 500 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:21,880 And on this Christmas Sunday, we are reminded once again of the 501 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:26,960 magnitude of your grace. We're reminded once again of the 502 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:34,680 beauty of your presence. We remind you once again of the 503 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:42,720 greatness of your character. We're reminded that the season 504 00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:49,560 is all about the Christ. It's not about Mary, Joseph, the 505 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:54,320 shepherds, the angels. It's not even about the Magi. 506 00:42:54,320 --> 00:43:02,400 It's all about the Christ. Christ has come to earth. 507 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:07,520 Heaven has come down. For that we thank you. 508 00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:12,600 For you only come down for one of three reasons. 509 00:43:13,640 --> 00:43:22,640 You come down to discipline us, to destroy us or to deliver us. 510 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:29,600 And Christmas, it's all about your deliverance, that's why you 511 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:34,200 came. And for that we give praise and 512 00:43:34,200 --> 00:43:38,440 thanks in Jesus name, Amen.