Mark Lowry's Mary Did You Know
Mark Lowry is my favorite comedian of all time, not just because he's a Christian, or because he's Baptist, but just because he can bring humor and truth together to make such an impacting statement.
Top if off the man can be the most inspiring writer for music, so it's all good.
In his show on Broadway a few years back before finishing with "Mary Did You Know?" he spoke on Mary raising Jesus, and because I feel it should be heard/read by all I'm sharing it here tonight... I'll have some commentary of my own at the end.
...In this great, big, ever-expanding Universe how're we going to find God? HE FOUND US! But you know what? He came from the backdoor. He came through a Virgin girl, my college professor said she was 13 years old. Now I don't know where he got that in the Bible but I learned a lot of things at Bible college that I never read the Bible.
But we do know that she was a virgin maiden, and that she was young. Now I wouldn't have come--if I was God and I was comin' to Earth that's not the way I'd have come. I'd have a big ol' golden staircase coming out of the sky, I'da had cherubims singing and seraphims swingin, and I'da had Gabriel playing a Dixieland melody on that trumpet, and I'd let em all know I was comin to Earth and when I get there I'm gonna kick some tail! Cuz I'm a Baptist!
But that's not the way God came.
You know who I feel sorry for? The people in the motel while God was being born in the barn. Just a few barnyard animals got to witness the entrance of the King, and a virgin maiden, and her espoused--her husband--Joseph. Then she got to grow up with Him, isn't that cool? I mean, she got to grow--now my dad, my dad believes Jesus knew who He was the second He was conceived. I don't. And when daddy does his concert he can say what he wants. I said, "Daddy if Jesus knew who he was then He was faking all of those diaper changes!" Cuz Mary changed God's diapers, Mary had God nursing her breasts. Mary taught God how to talk, Mary taught God how to walk. Because when our God came to Earth He set aside His omniscience, His omnipresence, and wrapped Himself in flesh and became one of us so that we could know Him!
And! I know my dad and I will agree on this by the time he was twelve we know He knew who He was, because can you imagine? Think of the bedtime stories! When Jesus would crawl up into Mary's lap and say "Momma tell me the story of when the angel came. Tell me that story again about what the wise men brought me." What great bedtime stories! My dad is one of the best bedtime storytellers that ever lived, in fact if he'd still tell me bedtime stories I'd still live at home.
But can you imagine those bedtime stories? He knew who He was by the time He was twelve, I mean, His own Momma probably told Him. Just think about that. And by the time He was twelve he was teaching at the temple, and He ditched His mom for two days. They went off and left Jesus--and Jesus wasn't with them--And can you imagine the panic in Mary's heart when she finally realized that Jesus wasn't with them. Here she's been entrusted with God's Kid and she's lost Him?!? And she hightails it back and finds him and says "Where have you been??" and Jesus said, "Don't you know? I must be about My Father's business." And she bought it! That line never worked for me. My momma'd say "I'll show you your father's business! Get in the house!" 'Cuz my Momma knew I wasn't virgin born.
But if anybody knew Jesus was virgin born Mary knew it.
And then we don't know what happened between twelve and thirty, we have no idea what happened, nobody wrote it down! Good night! God's in the house, isn't someone keeping a journal?!? We have no idea!
I want to know about those silent years, I wanna know what he was like as a teenager. I wanna know: did He have a hero? I wanna know did she make him get a haircut. I wanna know if she ever made him turn the music down? I wanna know: did she ever walk into his room and say "Good night clean up this mess were you born in a barn?" I wanna know: did He have a girlfriend? I wanna know: did He ever perform miracles around the house and if he didn't how'd you know he could?
Next time we see Him, He's thirty years of age. He knows the Messiah, Mary knows He the Messiah, He's still living at home... and Mary's ready for Him to go *Mesai*. Has your mother ever said anything and no matter what flies out of her mouth you know exaclty what she's thinking, what she's meaning? I believe we have one of those here. "They've run out of wine at the marriage supper." ... That's all she said! If my momma came up to me and said they've run out of diet coke at the party I wouldn't think she's wanting me to turn water into diet coke, I'd think she'd want me to go down to the store and get more diet coke! All Mary said was "They've run out of wine at the party." and Jesus knew what she meant because He said: "Woman."
... Let's stop right there for a second. Now, that may be respectful in Israel, but if you're from Texas like I am and you call your Momma 'Woman' you're gonna be wearing your teeth around your neck. He said "Woman, what have I to do with thee? It's not my time."
But it was. I love the fact that Jesus' first miracle wasn't raising anyone from the dead. His first miracle wasn't giving sight to the blind, His first miracle was turning water into wine. His first miracle was one just to keep the party going! And then He started doing all of those cool miracles like giving sight to the blind, he did give new ears to the deaf, he did give new mind to the demon possessed, he did raise people from the dead. Lazarus! was one of those people. I mean how'd you have liked to be Lazarus here he's already died and gotten that out of the way. He's in Paradise eatin fried chicken with Moses and Abraham talking about talk about how tough it was getting there but ohhhhh now we're in Paradise.
..."Lazarus. Come forth."
"What do you want? By now I stinketh!"
And Lazarus had to die again. --Unless he's Bill Gaither!
But Jesus couldn't pass a funeral without breaking it up! Jesus was the greatest preacher who ever lived and He never preached a funeral; He raised the dead. When the dead sit up, the funeral's over! Don't you be raising no dead people at my Baptist church you'll have to raise us all. Don't you mess up a good funeral. Let 'em lay there.
Mary watched it all and pondered those things in her heart.
I heard my mother say when I was growing up, "if anyone knew Jesus was virgin born Mary knew it. Never forgot it." Because the silence of Mary at the cross is such a great testimony to the fact of who Jesus is. Here we have a Jewish mother who's first born son is dying on the cross, not for healing the sick. Listen, healing the sick back then just like today... that will get you a tv show. They crucified Jesus because He said "When you see me, you've seen the father." They didn't crucify Jesus because he claimed to be a great teacher or a great preacher, they crucified Jesus because He claimed to be God on foot. You looking for Jehovah? Ta da!
He said, "I and the Father are One." and they crucified Him. And his mother never opened her mouth! Do you realize if I was being crucified in my hometown for claiming to be God my mother would be pitching a fit?!? She'd say, "He's crazy, but don't kill him! He's a liar, but don't kill him! He's a lunatic, but don't kill him!" But the silence of Mary at the cross is such a great testimony of the fact of who Jesus is.
And it's the best option out there. This salvation we have in Christ. Cuz it's free, it don't cost you a thing.
It is so true that really we got the better end of the deal. God did nothing to deserve to sacrifice His son for us. We're ugly, horrible people, and yet He came as a babe, grew up and died for us. Some suggest this sort of talk is too morbid for the Christmas season, but the Christmas story is just the beginning. The lamb was born not to be a good person, because if he wasn't who he said he was not only a really good liar he was the WORST person on earth because so many died and continue to die for his name. If he's not God, if he's just another person, then we're very confused to think that he was a good person. He's either God, or he's pure evil. There isn't a happy medium.
Just like there isn't a happy medium with God. Before Christ's sacrifice we were all bound for Hell, unless we were God's chosen. But God didn't want just the chosen few, he wanted us all. He's a jealous God like that. He wanted to bring us all back, and the only way he could was to open that door.
So he sent his son, his pure, perfect, blameless, flawless Son, to be born. To suffer. To die.
for a horrible wretch of a person like me.
and like you.
and like everyone
From Hitler to the Mother Teresa. He died for us all.
All we have to do is believe, and trust, and follow. That's all he asks of us. It's such a small thing when you consider what He gave up for us.
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will 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.
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 the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God.
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
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
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am
Top if off the man can be the most inspiring writer for music, so it's all good.
In his show on Broadway a few years back before finishing with "Mary Did You Know?" he spoke on Mary raising Jesus, and because I feel it should be heard/read by all I'm sharing it here tonight... I'll have some commentary of my own at the end.
...In this great, big, ever-expanding Universe how're we going to find God? HE FOUND US! But you know what? He came from the backdoor. He came through a Virgin girl, my college professor said she was 13 years old. Now I don't know where he got that in the Bible but I learned a lot of things at Bible college that I never read the Bible.
But we do know that she was a virgin maiden, and that she was young. Now I wouldn't have come--if I was God and I was comin' to Earth that's not the way I'd have come. I'd have a big ol' golden staircase coming out of the sky, I'da had cherubims singing and seraphims swingin, and I'da had Gabriel playing a Dixieland melody on that trumpet, and I'd let em all know I was comin to Earth and when I get there I'm gonna kick some tail! Cuz I'm a Baptist!
But that's not the way God came.
You know who I feel sorry for? The people in the motel while God was being born in the barn. Just a few barnyard animals got to witness the entrance of the King, and a virgin maiden, and her espoused--her husband--Joseph. Then she got to grow up with Him, isn't that cool? I mean, she got to grow--now my dad, my dad believes Jesus knew who He was the second He was conceived. I don't. And when daddy does his concert he can say what he wants. I said, "Daddy if Jesus knew who he was then He was faking all of those diaper changes!" Cuz Mary changed God's diapers, Mary had God nursing her breasts. Mary taught God how to talk, Mary taught God how to walk. Because when our God came to Earth He set aside His omniscience, His omnipresence, and wrapped Himself in flesh and became one of us so that we could know Him!
And! I know my dad and I will agree on this by the time he was twelve we know He knew who He was, because can you imagine? Think of the bedtime stories! When Jesus would crawl up into Mary's lap and say "Momma tell me the story of when the angel came. Tell me that story again about what the wise men brought me." What great bedtime stories! My dad is one of the best bedtime storytellers that ever lived, in fact if he'd still tell me bedtime stories I'd still live at home.
But can you imagine those bedtime stories? He knew who He was by the time He was twelve, I mean, His own Momma probably told Him. Just think about that. And by the time He was twelve he was teaching at the temple, and He ditched His mom for two days. They went off and left Jesus--and Jesus wasn't with them--And can you imagine the panic in Mary's heart when she finally realized that Jesus wasn't with them. Here she's been entrusted with God's Kid and she's lost Him?!? And she hightails it back and finds him and says "Where have you been??" and Jesus said, "Don't you know? I must be about My Father's business." And she bought it! That line never worked for me. My momma'd say "I'll show you your father's business! Get in the house!" 'Cuz my Momma knew I wasn't virgin born.
But if anybody knew Jesus was virgin born Mary knew it.
And then we don't know what happened between twelve and thirty, we have no idea what happened, nobody wrote it down! Good night! God's in the house, isn't someone keeping a journal?!? We have no idea!
I want to know about those silent years, I wanna know what he was like as a teenager. I wanna know: did He have a hero? I wanna know did she make him get a haircut. I wanna know if she ever made him turn the music down? I wanna know: did she ever walk into his room and say "Good night clean up this mess were you born in a barn?" I wanna know: did He have a girlfriend? I wanna know: did He ever perform miracles around the house and if he didn't how'd you know he could?
Next time we see Him, He's thirty years of age. He knows the Messiah, Mary knows He the Messiah, He's still living at home... and Mary's ready for Him to go *Mesai*. Has your mother ever said anything and no matter what flies out of her mouth you know exaclty what she's thinking, what she's meaning? I believe we have one of those here. "They've run out of wine at the marriage supper." ... That's all she said! If my momma came up to me and said they've run out of diet coke at the party I wouldn't think she's wanting me to turn water into diet coke, I'd think she'd want me to go down to the store and get more diet coke! All Mary said was "They've run out of wine at the party." and Jesus knew what she meant because He said: "Woman."
... Let's stop right there for a second. Now, that may be respectful in Israel, but if you're from Texas like I am and you call your Momma 'Woman' you're gonna be wearing your teeth around your neck. He said "Woman, what have I to do with thee? It's not my time."
But it was. I love the fact that Jesus' first miracle wasn't raising anyone from the dead. His first miracle wasn't giving sight to the blind, His first miracle was turning water into wine. His first miracle was one just to keep the party going! And then He started doing all of those cool miracles like giving sight to the blind, he did give new ears to the deaf, he did give new mind to the demon possessed, he did raise people from the dead. Lazarus! was one of those people. I mean how'd you have liked to be Lazarus here he's already died and gotten that out of the way. He's in Paradise eatin fried chicken with Moses and Abraham talking about talk about how tough it was getting there but ohhhhh now we're in Paradise.
..."Lazarus. Come forth."
"What do you want? By now I stinketh!"
And Lazarus had to die again. --Unless he's Bill Gaither!
But Jesus couldn't pass a funeral without breaking it up! Jesus was the greatest preacher who ever lived and He never preached a funeral; He raised the dead. When the dead sit up, the funeral's over! Don't you be raising no dead people at my Baptist church you'll have to raise us all. Don't you mess up a good funeral. Let 'em lay there.
Mary watched it all and pondered those things in her heart.
I heard my mother say when I was growing up, "if anyone knew Jesus was virgin born Mary knew it. Never forgot it." Because the silence of Mary at the cross is such a great testimony to the fact of who Jesus is. Here we have a Jewish mother who's first born son is dying on the cross, not for healing the sick. Listen, healing the sick back then just like today... that will get you a tv show. They crucified Jesus because He said "When you see me, you've seen the father." They didn't crucify Jesus because he claimed to be a great teacher or a great preacher, they crucified Jesus because He claimed to be God on foot. You looking for Jehovah? Ta da!
He said, "I and the Father are One." and they crucified Him. And his mother never opened her mouth! Do you realize if I was being crucified in my hometown for claiming to be God my mother would be pitching a fit?!? She'd say, "He's crazy, but don't kill him! He's a liar, but don't kill him! He's a lunatic, but don't kill him!" But the silence of Mary at the cross is such a great testimony of the fact of who Jesus is.
And it's the best option out there. This salvation we have in Christ. Cuz it's free, it don't cost you a thing.
It is so true that really we got the better end of the deal. God did nothing to deserve to sacrifice His son for us. We're ugly, horrible people, and yet He came as a babe, grew up and died for us. Some suggest this sort of talk is too morbid for the Christmas season, but the Christmas story is just the beginning. The lamb was born not to be a good person, because if he wasn't who he said he was not only a really good liar he was the WORST person on earth because so many died and continue to die for his name. If he's not God, if he's just another person, then we're very confused to think that he was a good person. He's either God, or he's pure evil. There isn't a happy medium.
Just like there isn't a happy medium with God. Before Christ's sacrifice we were all bound for Hell, unless we were God's chosen. But God didn't want just the chosen few, he wanted us all. He's a jealous God like that. He wanted to bring us all back, and the only way he could was to open that door.
So he sent his son, his pure, perfect, blameless, flawless Son, to be born. To suffer. To die.
for a horrible wretch of a person like me.
and like you.
and like everyone
From Hitler to the Mother Teresa. He died for us all.
All we have to do is believe, and trust, and follow. That's all he asks of us. It's such a small thing when you consider what He gave up for us.
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy
Would someday walk on water?
Mary did you know
That your baby boy
Will 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.
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 the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God.
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
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
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am