Things You Didn't Learn In Sunday School About ... Mary


This Sunday, August 6, is the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost.

       Verse of the Trinity Season:

              Psalm 18:2

       This week’s sermon is: B.C. Heroes: Joshua

       This week's readings are :

              Isaiah 55:1-5

              Psalm 136:1-9

              Rom. 9:1-5

              Matt. 14: 13-21

Things You Didn’t Learn In Sunday School About … Mary

Depending upon what denomination you grew up in, you might feel like you know a lot or only a little about the next person you probably learned about in Sunday School – Mary, the Mother of our Lord, a.k.a. The Virgin Mary.

 

She is an important person in the story of salvation! She is part of all four Gospels and the Book of Acts.

              In reality we mostly know about things she did, not so much about her.

              Parents? Joachim and St. Anne

                        Information from the Gospel of James – which has good reason to be doubted.

              How old was she when she gave birth to Jesus?

                        We don’t know.

                        Customs of the time – young to mid-teens.

              How old was she when she died?

                        We don’t know.

                        Some early church historians tell us that she died in Ephesus in the care of John.

                        John 19:26-27

 

For protestants and Lutherans (not quite the same thing) we have a sort of estranged relationship with Mary – due to the Roman Catholic cult (worship/veneration) of this amazing woman.

              Co-redemptrix

              Mediatrix

 

Four Other Beliefs

              Theotokos – Mother of God

              Perpetual Virginity – Debatable

              Immaculate Conception – of Mary, not Jesus

              Assumption into Heaven - Doubtful

 

An amazing woman of faith!

              Luke 1:38 – “I am the Lord’s handmaiden. Let it be to me as you have said.”

              Incredible courage and obedience – flowed from faith!

 

Example to us today.

              Obedience

              Pondering God’s Word and activity in her life.

              Suffered for the sake of the Gospel – “a sword with pierce your own soul, too!”

              Found at the cross

              Found in the Church – Acts

 

She bore Jesus into the world – eternal honor for this important work, giving her body and life!

We bear Jesus – Christians! – privilege and important work, too! Follow her example.

              Including her example of where to place our faith and trust – in her Son!

 

 

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