By John Larkins
What a shock! After watching the Democrat Communist Convention speakers not even hint at the existence of God or how He was in any way associated with our nation’s founding and founding documents, it must be said John First Epistle, 2, 4 “He that sayeth, I know Him, and keep not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
In the Republican event, we heard one of the most appealing hymns ever written. There was the White House in the background, with the American flag proudly flying. I momentarily waited for the television censors to dump the shot. Clearly, the Republican convention was well underway!
Somehow, “Ave Maria” sounds so very much more holy than just “Hello, Mary.” Franz Schubert completed the song in 1825. The opening words are: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.” The hymn relates the angel Gabriel’s announcement of one of the most astounding events in God’s plan to save us from the sin of Adam and Eve.
God told us that He would send us a savior but gave us clues along the way that this Savior would be born of a woman, and God did not emphasize the fact that the Savior would save us through eternity by establishing a new religion.
In the Gospel of Luke, 1-28 and more, the angel Gabriel told the young virgin Mary that she had been chosen to be the mother of a “great” son who would be named Jesus and shall be called the Son of the Highest. Mary may have only been a teenager, but as you read Luke’s account, you will see she knows this is very mystical and requires great faith on her part. Nonetheless, she says she is ready to do as the messenger of God requests. Because she is only betrothed to Joseph and not married, and thus not having marital relations, how can she be pregnant? There are other complications, but God provides, for this is His plan. Make no mistake, this is a real human baby, who also has a Godly nature, that will become expressed as the Son of God matures.
If you read it Mary is everywhere in the Bible. She is the prototypical woman in The Book of Genesis, whose heel the Satan Serpent strikes and in turn she strikes Satan Serpent’s head. She travels to Egypt to save her God Son from Herod. She is arguably the first Christian, when, at the wedding in Cana, interacting in a reverent way with her Son, telling the servants simply “Do as He says.” That sounds like good advice for you and me! With His dying words, Jesus gives Mary to John, as his mother, at the foot of the cross. She is also, then, our mother as supporting our prayers to her Son, our Savior.
Mary is also in The Boof of Revelation near the end of the Bible, Chapter 12 but especially verse 5: “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.” Catholic theology was focused on the Mother of God for thousands of years. If Jesus the Son of Man, is God, then who is His mother? If Jesus is God, what kind of person (now use your common sense) could have been in intimate contact with Jesus the Son of God, do you suppose a sinner? That person is Mary, conceived without sin. We have no indication in scripture that she ever died. She lived with John in Ephesus but at some time was not there anymore. She appears on Earth from time to time, as for example, “Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
John Larkins’ formal education includes a BS certified for science teaching, an MBA from the University of Missouri and an MPA from Jacksonville State University in public administration and environmental management. For the past 15 years, John evangelized on the street, door-to-door, in tent revivals and in church situations. Contact him at johnlarkins@bellsouth.net.