Good morning.  As we continue to get closer and closer to Christmas day, I want to continue to take a look at some other Christmas songs and the meaning that can be found behind them.  And today, we will do just that as we examine a song that we hear around this time of the year.  In fact, there have been many people who have recorded this song on their Christmas CD’s.  It happens to be one of my favorite Christmas songs.  First, because I like the way that it sounds, but also because of the questions that it asks and the thought that it causes me to have regarding Jesus and His mother Mary.

Before we look at the song, let’s open with a word of prayer.

Today’s song will be, “Mary Did You Know?”  Let me first read to you a selection that I found on the internet that was titled “Story Behind the Song.”  Here is what it had to say about Mark Lowry’s song, “Mary Did You Know?”

“Mark Lowry is best known as a singer and comedian who spent more than a decade as a regular fixture of Bill Gaither's vocal band.  But years from now, when all is said and done, Lowry's most enduring legacy will probably be the beautiful little song that he wrote over 18 years ago as a meditation for a Christmas program at his church.

In 1984, the leaders at Lowry's Nashville congregation asked him if he'd be willing to write a musical for Advent.  He gladly agreed.  Inspiration came as Lowry focused his heart and mind on the wonder of Christmas.

“I tried to picture Mary holding the baby Jesus on the first Christmas morning and wondered what she was thinking about that child,” he says.  “She knew He was special—the Virgin Birth was her first clue—but could she ever imagine all the things that He would do while He was here?”

Soon, Lowry came up with a series of questions that he would like to ask Mary: “Did she know He would walk on water?  Raise the dead?  Give sight to the blind?”  Lowry decided to use the questions as a monologue to be recited between the scenes of his musical.  But the greatness of those questions lingered in his mind long after the church musical was done.

Six years later, harmonica expert Buddy Greene supplied just the right music and “Mary Did You Know?” was complete.  Since then, Lowry and Greene's tune has become a modern classic.  It has been recorded by more than 30 different artists besides Lowry, including Kenny Rogers, Kathleen Battle, and Reba McEntire.

“I hear from a lot of people who have sung it in the church choir for Christmas and Easter programs,” says Lowry.  “When I wrote it, I felt there was something special there, but I never imagined how wide-reaching it would become.””

Well, this song, “Mary Did You Know?” does ask some very interesting question.  And like Lowery, I too wander if Mary had any idea just what all great things her Son Jesus would be able to do.  Turn with me if you will to Luke chapter 1.

Here in this chapter we are going to read a selection of scripture that informs Mary that she is going to be having this Child.  It is Luke 1:26-38.  Here in Luke 1:26-38 it says,“1”

Now, after this initial encounter with this angel, I do wander if Mary knew just how big of a deal this event really was.  I mean she must have known it was going to be something special because of her still being a virgin and all, I mean that is a is pretty big deal in itself.  But I wander if she completely comprehended all that was going to happen, and all that Jesus was going to be able to do in His life and ministry here on earth.  And I wonder if she comprehended all that He would do for us, and our eternity.

Well, I guess we will never know until we maybe ask her when we get to Heaven.  But what I want to do today with this song, is take a look at the questions that Mark Lowry poses to Mary, and then take a look at some scripture to help us know more about Who Jesus really was and what all He did as we approach the celebration of His birth.  Now I am not going to simply work my way through this song, instead I am going to pair up some of the questions that seem to go together.  So let’s take a look at this great Christmas song that asks Mary all of these wonderful questions.

The song starts out by saying, “Mary did you know that your baby boy would someday walk on water?”  And some other sections of the song ask these questions: “Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?  Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?”  “The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.  The lame will leap; the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb.”

From these lyrics of the song, we see that the author is pointing out several of the miracles that Jesus preformed in His lifetime.  And you know what; I am just like this author.  I too would like to ask Mary if she knew that Jesus was going to be able to do all of those miraculous things and show off His power as greatly as He did.

Turn with me to Psalm 29:4.  Here we are in the Old Testament, but it is talking about God, and in essence, it is referring to the power that Jesus has as well.  Here in Psalm 29:4 it says, “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.”

If you think back to some of the miracles that we have looked at before, many times, all it took was for Jesus to command something.  Even His very voice had power to do things that we can only dream of.  Mark Lowry was asking if Mary knew that Jesus was going to be able to have such power, and be able to perform such miracles.  Now we could spend time looking at some of these miracles that are mentioned here, and a whole lot of others, but instead, we are going to let the song remind us of all the miracles and the power that Jesus possessed.

Let me end with one other scripture for these questions.  It is in Mark chapter 6:2.  Here in Mark 6:2 it says, “When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed.  “Where did this man get these things?” they asked.  “What’s this wisdom that has been given Him, that He even does miracles?  Isn’t this the carpenter?  Isn’t this Mary’s Son…?”

Jesus did perform many miracles in His day, and as it said, many people head and saw them and were amazed.  Mary even saw some of the miracles that Jesus performed, but is still wonder if she had any clue in the beginning, that He was going to be that powerful.  So part of this song, mentions the miracle and the power that Jesus possessed.  Let’s move on:

Some more of the questions that form the lyrics to this song are: “Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?  Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?  This Child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you.”

These questions are asking Mary if she knew that Jesus was the one who would bring salvation to all.  Now when Mary was informed by the angle of the Lord about Jesus in the first place, she was told that He would save all people, but I don’t know if that completely sank into Mary or not.

Turn with me to John 3:16-18.  Here is a rather familiar passage, not one that you would expect to hear at the birth of Jesus, but here is what it has to say about Jesus coming to be our savior.  John 3:16-18 says, “2”

Jesus came to save the lost and the dying.  His ultimate desire is that all will believe in Him and receive the eternal life that He and His Father are longing to give to everyone. 

Mark Lowery, in this song, reminds us that Jesus came to be the savior to all.  He even came to save His own mother from her sins and to give her the opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven with Him and God.

Yes Jesus came to help the sick and the dying and to do some miracle, but his main purpose, the reason He did those miracle, was to get people to believe in Him.  He came to be our sacrifice.  He came to bring us salvation.  Turn with me to I Timothy 1:15.  Here in this passage, we see the reason that Jesus came.  I Timothy 1:15 says, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…”

We talked last week, that from the very beginning it was known that Jesus was going to die.  Well, again this week, we find that Jesus, from the very beginning, was here to save sinners.  He came to be a sacrifice so that we wouldn’t have to die for our sins.  All He asks is that we accept Him and follow in His ways to the best of our ability.  So again this week, we see that we need to give a response to the greatest gift every given to mankind.

Jesus came to save the lost, to save all sinners.  We need to make sure that we acknowledge that and then we need to accept Him.  If you have not already done that, then I would encourage you to do that soon.

So, we have seen the miracles and the power that Jesus had, and now we have seen that He came to save the lost.  Jesus has power and is our savior.  Do you think Mary knew all about this from the very beginning?  Well, I don’t know either, but there is more.  The rest of the questions posed in this song are:

“Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?  When you’ve kissed your little baby, then you’ve kissed the face of God.”  “Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?  Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?  Did you know that your baby boy was Heaven’s perfect Lamb?”

After hearing those questions that Mark Lowry poses to Mary, we can see that he is getting to the point that this child that Mary has given birth to is in fact God.  “He has walked where angels trod, kissed the face of God, Lord of all creation, ruler of the nations, and Heaven’s perfect Lamb.”  All of these quotes describe to us God in some way.

I think that it is amazing to think that Mary, this ordinary woman here on earth, gave birth to Jesus, God in the flesh.  To me that is just so amazing to think about.  At yet, I don’t even know if at the time of His birth being told to Mary, or even when she gave birth to Him, if she realized that He was in fact God in the flesh.

Turn with me to Philippians 2:5-8.  Now here in this passage it is talking about imitating Christ.  However, I think that this verse does a great job of letting us know that Jesus was in fact God.  Let’s read those verses.  Philippians 2:5-9 says, “3”

How often to we remember that Jesus was God, yet He lowered Himself to the status of a human in order to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves.  You see, He didn’t consider the equality with God as His greatest mission.  Instead, He made Himself nothing, and was born into human flesh even as a servant.  And then the greatest thing of all happened.  He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the cruelest death of all, a death on the cross.  Why?  So that we may be forgiven and be made new in Him.

His ultimate purpose in being born was to bridge the gap between us and God, and the only way to do that was through the cross.  Because of Christ and His cross, we can be with God for all eternity if we will just enter into Christ.

In closing this morning, I like how the song ends.  Instead of asking Mary a question, Mark Lowry simply ends by making a great statement.  He says, “This sleeping child you’re holding is the “Great I Am.”

Jesus truly is the “Great I Am.”  And I think that as we approach the Christmas season, if we can keep in mind that this holiday is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, and keep our minds as far away from the commercialism of the holiday, then we can focus on the great things that Jesus came and did for us.

If we remain focused on Him, then we will realize that He truly is the “Great I Am.”  He is in fact, God in the flesh, and He deserves our adoration not only at this time of the year, but all through the year as well.

So as we get ready to sing this song, I want you to remember and meditate on the questions that are asked of Mary.  This song does a great job of reminding us of the important things about Jesus.  He came and was able to perform many miracles.  He displayed His great power in many situations.  Not only did He do that, but He came to be our savior.  The main purpose of Him coming in the first place was to extend forgiveness to us.  He truly came to save sinners.  And we need to also realize that He is God in the flesh.

Mark Lowry does a great job of bringing those thoughts to our attention in this wonderful song.  At this time, Sheila is going to come and sing that song for us.  If you know the words, I would encourage you to join right in if you would like.  If you would rather just sit back and listen to all of the great questions, then that is fine too.

Just during this song, try and realize all of the great things that Jesus came to do, and is still doing in our lives today.  Meditate upon those things and use this song as a time of drawing closer to Him and setting your minds to the right things for this Christmas season.

Let’s Pray