TRUNEWS with Rick Wiles - What Role Did Mary, the Mother of Jesus, Play in the Overall Plan of Salvation?

Episode Date: December 29, 2021

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Rick Wiles and the team at TruNews. All this week we are presenting special holiday editions of the Godcast, sharing some of the best of Rick's teachings related to the Advent Season. Also featured is the worship team of New Zion Assembly, as they share seasonal, uplifting praise to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings.

Well, welcome to a special edition of True News for Christmas week. My message for you today is about Mary, the mother of Jesus. You're going to hear some awesome things about Mary that are going to bless your soul. In this special Christmas week message, I'm going to talk about this amazing woman who was chosen by God for the greatest assignment ever given to a human being. Her assignment was to carry, give birth, nurse and nurture the son of God, the last Adam, the second man for the redemption of the human race. Now, in order for this plan to work, God needed a willing vessel to be the mother of his child. Her name was Mary. Many centuries before she was born, Isaiah the prophet prophesied of her life. Isaiah 7 14 says, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Mary was a young Galilean Jewish

woman of Nazareth. What do we know about her? Well, we know she had a sister. John 19, verse 25 says, So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister. Well, we also know that she had a relative named Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby, John the Baptist, leaped inside her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed to Mary, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is this granted to me, that the mother of our Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be

fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. Well, another relative of Mary was Joseph of Arimathea, the rich Jewish businessman who gave his burial tomb for the burial of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion. Many people today in Great Britain still hold to an ancient legend that Joseph of Arimathea and his niece Mary traveled by ship to England and planted the first church in the British Isles. And that church is believed to be the ancient ruins of Glastonbury. The Bible does not tell us about Mary's parents, but the Bible does say that Jesus is from the house of David.

The important things to know, however, are not the names of her relatives or her family lineage. The vital things to know and understand about Mary are her attributes and character, the spirituality of Mary at a very young age, and the purpose and meaning of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Mary was given great honor, but it came with great suffering. Mary was a woman of courage and character. She knew the price that she would pay for being pregnant before marriage. Her assignment was socially risky, but Mary was willing to suffer rejection, shame, humiliation, punishment, possibly death by stoning, just to be obedient to God. Mary was a willing servant

she trusted God she submitted to his will Mary was a woman of faith she believed God for the impossible she was obedient to God she responded with faith and obedience to the message from Gabriel the angel Luke 1 38 says then Mary saidhold the maidservant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word. Mary loved God. The Bible calls her a handmaiden of the Lord. A handmaiden is a servant. Luke 1 48 says, For he has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. Mary was also spiritually submitted to her betrothed husband, Joseph. She trusted that he was spiritually guided by God. As Joseph received dreams and messages from angels to flee or return home. Mary was deeply involved

in her son's life. You see Mary's presence throughout the Gospels. For example, Jesus performed his first miracle on behalf of his mother. It was for Mama that Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast. Mary was devoted to her son's life and ministry. Her ministry was motherhood to the Son of God. Mary comforted Jesus when he entered this world in Bethlehem, and she comforted her son as he left this world at Calvary. Now listen to this. Mary was the only human who was present with Jesus at birth and death. She held her son in her arms in the manger, and she beheld her son on the cross.

Mary, this wonderful woman named Mary. Through it all, Mary was there for Jesus as his mother. She devoted herself to being there for her son. Jesus knew his mother loved him and would always be there for him. From birth, childhood, adulthood, ministry, miracles, persecution, arrest, flogging, trial, crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, ascension. His beloved mother was always there for him. Mary watched her son heal the sick and cast out devils and raised the dead. And even at his worst hour, that bloody, violent crucifixion, Mary did not abandon her son. She watched, she wept, she prayed for her dear son,

and she watched him die. Apostle John was at the cross with Mary. He remained there after Jesus took his last breath. In John 19, 25 through 27, we read about a conversation Jesus had with his mother as he was on the cross. It says, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple, whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, Woman, here is your son. Then he said to his disciple, Here is your mother.

From that time, this disciple took her to his home. Jesus loved his mother. He loved John like a brother. And while hanging on the cross, Jesus was thinking about the welfare of his mother. He made sure that his mother, Mary, was cared for after his death. The Bible says John took her to his home, and we can assume that John made provisions for Mary for the rest of her life. Seeing that Jesus asked John to take care of his mother, we can assume that John assisted Mary with the necessary funeral matters after Jesus died. He certainly didn't abandon Mary as she wept at the cross. He didn't expect

a grieving mother to take her son's body down off the cross and transport the body to the place where it would be prepared for burial in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Would you like to hear some amazing spiritual revelations about Mary? This is fascinating. Mary is an antitype of Eve in the Garden of Eden. An antitype is something or somebody that is foreshadowed by a type or symbol. And often we see New Testament events or people who were prefigured in the Old Testament. So why do I say that Mary is an anti-type of Eve? I'm going to give you some examples. Eve is our natural mother. All humans trace their ancestry to one woman, Eve.

Without Eve, we would not exist today. We would have never been born. Mary, however, is our spiritual mother. All Christians trace their ancestry to Mary. Without Mary, we would not exist today as saved Christians. We could not have been born again if a Savior had not been born to a virgin. Therefore, as Eve is the natural mother of all humans, Mary is the spiritual mother of all born-again Christians. Romans 8, 29 says, For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn

among many brethren. Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. We have been adopted into God's family. Jesus calls us his brethren. If Jesus is our brother, then his mother, Mary, is our spiritual mother. When you were adopted into God's family, Mary became your adopted mother. If you're struggling with this concept that Mary is your spiritual mother, then you haven't yet settled in your mind your identity in Christ. The Holy Spirit impregnated Mary.

When you were born again, Jesus became your elder brother. God the Father became your daddy. If God is your daddy and Jesus is your brother, then Mary is your mother. Welcome to the family of God. After we're all resurrected, Jesus will introduce you and me to our mama. He's going to say, here is your mother. Get to know her, love her, enjoy her presence. Now, here's another anti-type. Eve was disobedient to God. Mary was obedient to God.

Eve believed the serpent. Mary believed the angel. Eve was defiled and doubted God's word. She believed and conceived the serpent's word. And she brought forth the curse of physical and spiritual death. Now Mary, on the other hand, was undefiled. Mary believed and conceived God's word, the logos. She brought forth from her womb the antidote to the snake bite. It was a way to reverse the curse. She conceived and gave birth to the Son of God who delivers mankind from spiritual death by being born again and from physical death through the resurrection when Jesus Christ returns to earth. Here's another example.

Eve was unhappily misled by the serpent, but Mary, she happily and cheerfully was led by the angel. In disobedience, Eve was made the cause of death for herself, for Adam, for her children and grandchildren, and the entire human race that came from the first couple. But for Mary, in obedience, Mary became the cause of salvation for fallen humanity. Eve's knot of disobedience was loosed by Mary's obedience. Eve bound humanity by unbelief and disobedience, but Mary loosed mankind by belief and obedience and brought forth the Savior of the world. Through Eve, the human race was consigned to Hades. But through Mary, the human race was rescued from Hades through the birth of the Son of God, the Savior, the Messiah. As Eve's sin brought about mankind's death and bondage. Mary's obedience brought about mankind's

life and freedom from sin through the birth of the Messiah. Now, the next anotype example is exciting to comprehend. Listen to this. Mary's womb was the Ark of the New Covenant. Now, this was commonly believed and taught in the early church. There are amazing parallels in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant that prove that Mary's womb was the Ark of the New Covenant. I'm going to give you some examples. In 2 Samuel 6, verse 2, the Bible tells the story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. It says, David and all of the people who were with him arose and went from Baal of Judah to bring up the Ark of God, so named for the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned among the cherubim that are upon it. Now, let's compare 2 Samuel 6-2 in the Old

Testament to Luke 1 verses 39 and 40 in the New Testament. It says, in those days Mary arose and quickly went into the hill country to a city of Judah and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. So here's the spiritual parallel. In the Old Testament, David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Judah. In the New Testament, Mary arose and went to a city of Judah. Here's another example that shows that Mary's womb was the Ark of the New Covenant, 2 Samuel 6, 12. When it was reported to King David, the Lord has blessed Obed-Edom and everything that belongs to him for the sake of the Ark of God.

David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with rejoicing. Now compare 2 Samuel 6, verse 12 to Luke 1, verses 41 and 42. It says, When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she spoke out with a loud voice, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Now, here's the parallel. David was told the Lord blessed the

house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God. In the New Testament, Elizabeth told Mary, blessed are you among women women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Now I'm going to give you two more examples that show that Mary's womb was the Ark of the New Covenant. 2 Samuel, verses 47 through 55. The scripture says, And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the lowest state of his servant. Surely from now on, all generations will call me blessed for he who is mighty has done great things for me.

And holy is his name. His mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. Now, let me show you the parallel. David danced and shouted before the Lord as the ark was escorted. In the New Testament, Elizabeth rejoiced and sang to God when she heard Mary's salutation.

Elizabeth's child, the future John the Baptist, leaped inside her womb at the sound of Mary's voice, just as David leaped in the Old Testament. Now here's one more parallel. 2 Samuel 6, verse 11 says, The ark of the Lord remained at the house of Obed-Edom for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and his entire household. Compare 2 Samuel 6, 11 to Luke 1, verse 56. And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her house. Yes, Mary's virgin womb was the Ark of the New

Covenant, and God visited earth to end the old covenant and to offer to mankind peace and reconciliation through faith in his Son. Without Mary, there would be no Christmas. Because of his incomprehensible love for mankind, Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, the Logos, the Word of God, humbled himself and allowed himself to enter the womb of this young woman, Mary, a young virgin that Jesus had formed in Mary's mother's womb and gave her a soul and breath.

It's an amazing thing to comprehend. The invincible God wrapped himself in human flesh in the womb of a woman that he had made, the pure God, the creator of the universe. He opened Mary's undefiled virgin womb with the birth of the Christ child so that the dead souls of spiritually lost men and women could be born again, thus made acceptable to God as undefiled. The first Adam failed. God needed another Adam to save mankind. The first Adam sinned when his wife Eve was beguiled by the serpent. Death came to all humans through Eve's sin and disobedience. First Corinthians 15 verse 22 says, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The cunning's of the serpent in the Garden of Eden were conquered by the gentleness of the dove on the cross at Calvary. First Corinthians 15 verse 45 says, So it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a living soul. The last, Adam, was made a life-giving spirit. When Adam and Eve sinned, they surrendered their God-given dominion to Satan. God needed a legal way to come back, to re-enter this world and redeem mankind. He had to come to earth as a human. That meant finding a holy, godly, undefiled virgin who loved him, believed him, and would happily cooperate with his divine plan. And he chose Mary. God the Son was spiritually begotten by God the Father. Jesus was a spiritual body in heaven, and he required a

physical body on earth to save us. Therefore, God came to earth in human flesh to save mankind by draping himself in human flesh inside the virgin womb of a young woman that he had formed and had given a soul. You and I were physically born alive, but we were spiritually born dead. We have to be born again. We were born again when we believed on the name of Jesus and we were baptized in water. The last Adam, the second man, saved us by making our dead soul come alive when we came up out of the baptism water. As we celebrate Christmas, think upon the marvelous work of grace that God did for us. Without Christmas, there would not have been a resurrection.

There won't be a resurrection. Without the resurrection, there would be no hope for us. We would be destined to spend eternity apart from God in the lake of fire. Jesus was sacrificed on the cross as the Lamb of God, yet He is our shepherd. We are His sheep, yet He is the Lamb, our Shepherd. He came to serve, yet still possesses His royal Sonship. The invisible Word became the visible Savior. The incomprehensible God became the comprehensible Messiah. The unreachable God became the reachable miracle worker. The untouchable

God became the touchable healer. All of this happened because one young woman, Mary, believed the angel and she was obedient to God. As you celebrate Christmas, tell Jesus that you love and honor his mother Mary and that you are eager to meet her in the resurrection. She is indeed blessed among all women and blessed is the fruit of her womb. What about you? Have you entered God's family? God the Father desires to be your Papa. Jesus the Messiah desires to be your brother. The Holy Spirit desires to be your closest friend. There's not a better time, there's not a better day to be saved than today. Make the decision now and for the rest of your life on earth. You'll remember getting saved during Christmas week. Make this day the day that you confess Jesus Christ

as your Lord and Savior. Make this day the day that you ask God to lead you to a church in your city where the pastor will baptize you in water in the name of the Trinity. And then welcome to the family of God. As we end today's special edition of True News, in water in the name of the Trinity. And then welcome to the family of God. As we end today's special edition of True News, we'll close with this Christmas carol

sung by the Flowing Streams Praise Team. Thanks for watching True News Today. piano plays softly Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might Heaven and earth are filled with your glory holy holy holy Lord God of power and might Heaven and earth are filled with your glory Your glory Hosanna Hosanna In the highest Holy, holy, holy Lord

God of power and might Heaven and earth are filled with your glory oh was In the highest To Him who sits on the throne and unto the Lamb Be blessing and glory And honor and power forever Be blessing and glory and honor and power forever

To Him who sits on the throne and none to the Lamb To Him who sits on the throne and none to the Lamb Be blessing and glory and honor and power forever Be blessing and glory and honor and power forever. Be blessing and glory and honor and power forever. Forever Hosanna Hosanna In the highest Hosanna Hosanna in the highest To Him who sits on the throne

And unto the Lamb To Him who sits on the throne and unto the Lamb. To Him who sits on the throne and unto the Lamb To Him who sits on the throne And unto the Lamb Hosanna Hosanna In the highest Hosanna

Hosanna in the highest