The Three Faces of Mary: Pt. 1 - Faith

This is part one of a three-part sermon about Mary. Please consider with me what I will call the Three Faces of Mary.  Scripture Reference: Luke 1-2. There is a 1957 movie titled “The Three Faces of Eve”, where the leading character shows three different faces that work against one another and wreak havoc on those with whom she comes into contact. Her traits and storyline are not to be confused in any way with the three faces of Mary that will be highlighted in this sermon.  Actually, our Mary’s faces worked together to help make the woman whole.

Which Mary, you ask?  There are so many Marys in the Bible. For example, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary the Mother of Mark, and Mary the sister of Lazarus and Martha.  Each Mary has her unique characteristics.  Each Mary has her own to play in the shaping of Christian history.  While unique, each surely embodied some of the same faces as those I bring to you today. 

Okay, this minor suspense is over.  You probably are no longer wondering.  However, just in case you are, let me tell you that we are going to take a look at Mary, the Mother of Jesus. 

Now, Mary is generally revered as a mother.  She is said to be the epitome of motherhood.  It is believed that she is an excellent example of what we should strive to be as parents. You have the right to hold off on agreeing to that point until after we ponder her three faces.  So, let’s turn our focus to the three faces of Mary – Mary the woman.  When it is all said and done, perhaps we will acknowledge that one, two, or even three of her faces also dwell in us.

In the Bible, she is referred to as Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Today, do many of us refer to Mary as Joseph the carpenter’s wife?  Quick now, can somebody tell me her last name?  Actually, there are not too many words dedicated to her story.  She didn’t even get an entire book in the Bible.  It’s quite a marvel that a woman who stood for so much needed so little to be said about her to create a memory that has lasted through the ages.

Mary must have had deep-seated faith.  Hebrews chapter 11 teaches us about faith, and Hebrews 11:1 defines it this way:  Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  We can look at the example of Mary’s faith when considering the importance of faith in our lives.  If we truly want to obey God’s command to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), it can begin with the kind of faith Mary possessed.

The first face of Mary is one of deep-seated faith.  In the book of Luke, Mary learns that she is blessed among women.  Much of Mary’s blessing is due to the Holy Child that she will bear.  First, in Luke 1:28, the angel Gabriel is sent to tell her that she is blessed and that God is with her.  Surely, young Mary did not understand what all this would mean.  Nevertheless, to the angel Gabriel’s proclamation, Mary replied that it should be as God commanded.  Deeped-seated faith is what we a talking about.

Then Luke 1:42, her cousin Elizabeth greets her, exclaiming that Mary is blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Still without knowing all the ins and outs of what would happen to her, Mary decided to do God’s will.  Mary decided to allow her faith in God and the great things He has done to give her courage to move forward.  It was her faith that allowed her to declare to Gabriel that she was God’s servant, and it should be done unto her as God had commanded (Luke 1:38). 

This is the type of faith we should want. This is the type of faith I want when I’m pushed up against a wall, having to decide. When I have to move forward, although I can’t see clearly what lies ahead.  It is that deep-seated faith that tells us that no matter what we go through, God has promised to be there.  This is supposed to be true for every one of us.  If God said it, I believe it.  I am going to trust and do.  That is it.  That is deep-seated faith Full stop!

Let’s consider this type of faith a little further.  It’s not unusual today to know about your baby before birth.  With sonograms, ultrasounds, and blood tests, you can be told whether it will be a single birth or a multiple birth.  Modern medicine can tell you the baby’s sex.  You can even know whether the baby will be healthy.  Then you can make an informed decision whether or not to have that child.

Let’s go all the way to the day Mary was told about a baby.  This just was not so in Mary’s day.  Women conceived and babies were born by what we might consider blind faith.  Under natural circumstances, this would have been the case for Mary. However, Mary’s faith was not blind.  Mary’s birth was supernatural.  Mary placed her faith in God’s hands.  That is surely better and more accurately dependable than modern medicine.

Mary knew her child would be special.  Just thinking about it now.  I’m not sure how she could have completely understood what Gabriel was telling her.  Picture this… After Gabriel, startles her half to death by just showing up, Mary is told she’s going to get pregnant, give birth to Jesus.  Yes, the name was already picked out.  Now Jesus will be the Son of God.  He will be given the throne of David (her dead ancestor), and He will forever be king of Jacob’s people (another long-gone, dead relative).  Based on the history of kings and such, trouble would be on the horizon for (at this point) 1) not the child she carries. 2) not the child she gave birth to…  It is her unconceived baby.  This child will not just deal with chicken pox or measles.  He’s related to David!  The whole world was going to be placed on her child’s shoulders.  The child that is not even born yet. And to top it all, when asked how all this was going to happen, she is told that the Holy Spirit will come, and the power of the Lord will overshadow her. Really? Oh, and by the way, young Mary, don’t be afraid.

We are talking about Mary’s faith.  In the face of these mind-blowing, life-changing, seemingly impossible predictions, Mary’s faith said Thy will be done. 

Can we even begin to harness that type of faith?  Well, perhaps we should try.

And to think that all we are asked to do is have the faith of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).

Mary’s first face was one of faith.