"Our Blessed Adoption Through The Mother Of Our Lord!" Gal. 4:4-7

St. Mary, The Mother of Our Lord.             15-August-2021

Sermon Text: Galatians 4:4-7

Sermon theme: “Our Blessed Adoption Through The Mother Of Our Lord!”

         by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. History records, “Luk 1:26-28 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (28) And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" August 15th is the day the western Church has set aside to remember St. Mary, The Mother of our Lord. Honoring the Virgin Mary isn’t reserved for Roman Catholics alone. As Lutherans in our Confessions we honor her as “the blessed Virgin” and “the Mother of God” for she bears Jesus the God-Man the world’s only Savior from sin. We believe, teach, and confess in A.C. Art. XXI “Of the Worship of Saints they teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Emperor may follow the example of David in making war to drive away the Turk from his country. For both are kings. But the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor. He is to be prayed to, and has promised that He will hear our prayer; and this worship He approves above all, to wit, that in all afflictions He be called upon, 1 John 2:1: If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, etc.”

     St. Mary is the highly favored one. Blessed among women. The blessed virgin. Why? Not because of anything in herself, or her decision for God, or her accepting Jesus into her heart and womb. She is blessed because the Lord God said she is in His Word. She is the highly favored one for the Lord God has favored her in Christ Jesus to be the human Mother of His only Begotten Son by the power of God the Holy Spirit. Saint Mary stands as sharp contrast to American Christianity’s delusion that we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives to become real Christians. The Virgin Mary rejoices in the infant Jesus growing in her womb for He is the Lord. He is God her Savior from all her sin, from death, and from the power of the devil.

      Therefore, as today calls us to pause to remember to thank God for St. Mary, the Mother of Our Lord. Let us rejoice to follow Mary’s example to be blessed by believing what the Son of Mary has spoken to us in His Word. Let us keep all the Lord’s Promises in our hearts and ponder them and gladly doing whatever Jesus tells us to do. In short today sing with Mary rejoicing in : “Our Blessed Adoption Through The Mother of Our Lord. “

     Do we choose Jesus to be our Lord and Savior? Or does Jesus choose to save us while we are still sinners? Does God the Father choose us in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the world to be His own and purely by grace predestine to save us poor miserable sinners? Are we saved by what we do, decide, and promise? Or are we saved by only by what God has promised, decided, done, and continues to do in the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus? To put it theologically - are we saved by the Law or by the Gospel? St. Paul had preached the good news to the heathen in Galatia. The good news that God fulfilled His promise to Abraham in Jesus the promised Seed. Our curse for breaking God’s Law fell solely upon Jesus - for cursed is everyone who is raised up on a tree. Holy Baptism isn’t our work for God, instead it is the Father’s gift adopting us as His children through the blood of Jesus’ sacrifice and the Holy Spirit clothing us with Jesus perfect life to make us new again.

      False teachers poisoned the mind of the newly born Galatian Christians. They whispered that the Gospel was nice, but to be “real Christians” you had to accept God’s ceremonial laws into your heart. You had to make yourself good to be a true child of God. Paul was astonished that his congregation had so quickly turned away from the gospel to trust in their own decisions, prayers, and works. He is in birth pangs for his children.

       St. Mary would be in birth pangs. (Vs.4-5) The first woman had been deceived by Satan’s lie to doubt God’s Word, love, and promise of life from His Tree. History records sin’s effect on the blessed estate of motherhood. Gen 3:16 To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." Adam, laying hold of God’s promise of Jesus - the Seed of the woman Who would deliver us from sin, death, and Satan’s tyranny - crushing his head; honored his wife with the name: “Eve” - “Mother of all Living.” Though because of Adam’s sin death entered this world and passed to us all. All of Eve’s children would die - but her name pointed forward to St. Mary. St. Mary is truly the “Mother of All Living.” Al l who cling to the Fruit of Mary’s womb - Jesus - shall not die but have passed from death to life.

        Millennia passed from the time God’s Promise was spoken to our first parents in Paradise lost, until the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to preach to the young virgin Mary. Mary was a woman of God’s Word - of Faith - although she was probably only about fourteen years old - she had studied and memorized God’s Word and promises. Her song which we call the “Magnificant” summarizes God’s grace and promise to the children of Israel. She clung to the Hope of Israel. The Male Seed born of a Woman alone promised to our first parents. The singular Male Seed promised to Abraham to be born of His descendants. The promise of the Male Lion of the Tribe of Judah breathed out by Israel on his death bed. God’s promise preached by the prophet to King David that the Lord would build him an everlasting House and His Son would rule forever over God’s Kingdom of Grace. St. Mary had been taught these promises by her parents at home and by her rabbi every Sabbath day in Nazareth’s synagogue. She clung to God’s Word and promise preserving her virginity as the gift to be given only to her husband after they were married.

     The fullness of time came - the right time for God’s promise to be fulfilled in flesh and blood reality. God the Father sent forth His Son. Mary heard the good news preached by Gabriel that she was to bear the Christ Child. God the Holy Spirit worked faith in her heart to cling to Christ in His Word. She is blessed with faith breathed into her by God the Holy Spirit through the Word of Christ. Hearing the promise preached by Gabriel she responds - “Let it be unto me according to your Word.” God the Holy Spirit implants the life of Christ into her womb through her ears. St. Mary is impregnated through her ears.

       St. Mary bears the cross as she carries the Christ Child in her womb. Joseph, to whom she is engaged, doesn’t buy the story of her miracle pregnancy. Mary’s family sends her away to visit cousin Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea. St. John, the Baptist, as six month old fetus - hears Mary’s voice and leaps in excitement to point to Jesus - the Fruit of Mary’s Womb - the Savior of the World - the very Lamb of God Who alone takes away the sins of the world.

        Jesus is born of a woman - God becomes Man in the womb of the Virgin Mary. We confess this mystery in the Athanasian Creed:   Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of His mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood; Who, although He be God and Man, yet He is not two, but one Christ: One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking the manhood into God; One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; “

      God sent forth His Son Jesus born of St. Mary to be our Substitute - He is born under the Law to fulfill it in the place of sinners. He actively obeys His Father’s will, even to death upon the cross, for us rebellious sinners who have broken God’s Law in our thoughts, words, deeds - by what we have done and by what we have left undone.

     Jesus is born of St. Mary to pay our price in full. He redeems us - buys us back from all sin, death, and the power of the devil - not with gold and silver, but with His own holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. He does all for our salvation that we might receive the adoption as sons - that we might be His own and live under Him in His kingdom. Listen closely to God’s Word and promise as St. Mary did - treasure these words up in your heart and ponder them - in the fruit of St. Mary’s womb - Christ Jesus we have “received the adoption as sons.” This isn’t something we choose - it is free gift - gospel-ed upon us in Holy baptism.

      St. Mary would remain with Elizabeth for three months and assist her aged relative with the delivery of St. John. Six months later, in a humble cave stable in Bethlehem she would hear the cry of God’s Son as she gave birth to Jesus. There is no greater joy to a mother in labor than to finally hear her newborn child’s cry. (Vs.6) Born from above by God the Holy Spirit through the promise of salvation in Jesus poured upon our infant heads in Holy Baptism we cry out - “Abba” ‘Our Father” Tender words by which Jesus, the fruit of St. Mary’s womb, invites us to believe that now God is our true Father and we are His True children. We can boldly and confidently ask Him for all needs as dear children as their dear Father. Here alone is the sinners prayer - “Our Father” - “Lord, have mercy upon us.”

     St. Mary was freed through the Fruit of her Womb. (Vs.7) A sword would pierce her own soul as she saw her Son, the Savior of sinners nailed to the Tree. He suffered and died for her sins, for the sins of the world. He commended her into St. John’s hands to be cared for until she died. Three days later she would rejoice to see her Son, her God and Lord physically risen from the dead. The fear of death no longer could enslave her - she was now a true Son of God - an heir of heaven - through Christ alone. You too are freed from all sin - it no longer rules over you. You are freed from fear of death - it is defeated. You are freed from Satan’s lies - like St. Mary treasure up the Word of Christ and let it occupy your mind. St. Mary’s last words recorded in the Gospel are at the wedding of Cana - “Whatever He tells you, do it!” Listen to the Mother of God - Jesus invites you this day - “Take eat! Take drink! - My Body and My Blood are given and shed for you - you are forgiven - a beloved child of God the Father!” Amen.