Sermon - Jeff Raines - A Mother Following Jesus [Acts 1:14]

What’s your impression of Mary in the Bible?  She has a major role in Jesus’ life for sure but is not mentioned by name in the Gospel of Mark or John, any of Paul’s letters or in the rest of the New Testament after the Book of Acts.  

Today, we’re looking at the example of Mary, Jesus’ mother- a mother and a disciple.  She’s a trailblazer for us in following Jesus.  

• When Gabriel appears to Mary, the angel tells her that she has found favor with God.  She had already displayed a life of faith.  She shows us that the way to be prepared for God to work in our life is to have a daily foundation of faith.  Her response to the angel is a faith masterclass:  “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled.”  She starts with trust.
• The Biblical story mostly skips forward three decades to Jesus’ ministry.  Jesus has an interaction with Mary at the wedding in Cana and there seems to be a distancing in the relationship.  In Mark chapter three as he had begun a ministry, he says to the crowd:  ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (verses 33-35) Jesus is transitioning from being the Son of Mary to being the Son of Man.  Surely this was difficult for Mary.  
• Mary was then at the foot of the cross as Jesus suffered and died.  In his dying moments, Jesus’ thoughts were with her.  John 19:26-27 records the interaction:  “So when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, He said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” In her pain in that moment, did her heart cry out to God?  
• In Acts chapter one, we see Mary with the other disciples waiting, devoted to prayer.  

What does it mean to carry grief and pain without giving up hope?  What does it mean to worship God who didn’t stop the suffering?  Mary shows us.