 | Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
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Religion
2008-05-01 13:20:00
Virgin Mary’s role in salvation
Question: I know each of you represents a different faith. Can you tell me, in accordance with your faith, how important is the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary towards one’s salvation?
Answer: Mary holds a very special place in all of Christianity being the vessel called into service by God to carry for 9 months and give birth to His child into history. The angel Gabriel proclaimed her such when he told her of her mission to bear the child. His first statement to her was to declare her, “highly favored” (Luke 1:28) that she was being given this incredible mission in Luke 1:31-33 to give birth to “the Son of the ‘Most High.’”
Her attitude was that of gentle submission and humbleness. This of course stemmed not from her but the realization it is God’s grace bestowed upon her all her life. She heard it from Gabriel where he identifies to her the source of her mission comes from God who showed his favor (Luke 1:30). She was very aware of this when she says, “For He has regarded the humble estate of His bondslave.” (Luke 1:48)
She also is a great example of what a disciple is supposed to be like. Her everyday faith is exemplified in her handling this incredible and unbelievable situation she has been given. In the midst of the announcement of these things scripture says she is “perplexed” and “pondering” in verse 29, “fearful” in 30, and asks a practical question of Gabriel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” in verse 34. But no matter her perplexity, confusion, fears and questions she moves forward in faith because she has ultimate trust in God and His word. What an example when she commits to God’s plan no matter what that meant for her when she says, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to Your word.” She obeyed no matter what! This faith is what carried her through watching her son unjustly crucified but as the will of God.
However, Mary also holds a sacred place in history because of the virgin birth explained to her in Luke 1:35 and to Joseph in Matthew 1:20. This is history and critical to Christian doctrine that Jesus was fully divine and fully man. He was fully divine because his conception was not of man but of God and he was “born of a women,” making Him human. This was later highlighted in the early creeds of the church, (Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed), to make sure everyone was on the same page of his dual nature. These creeds were put together by the early church fathers in order to stave off the heresies of the Ebeonites (Jewish Christian sect who did not believe Jesus divine or of virgin birth in the 1st-4th centuries), Mariconites (believed Jesus was a phantom but not physical), Manichean’s (did not believe Jesus came in the flesh) and the Arians (250-356 who believed Jesus was not God but a kind of created angel). Her virgin birth counter acts all of these heretical views of Jesus that rob Him of either Divinity or humanity.
She also is a tremendous example of being a virgin even though engaged, which meant having all the rights of marriage, except sexual relations. It would not be until the final ceremony that they would consummate the relationship as it says in Matthew 1:24b-25, “and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son, and called His name Jesus.” Ironically, although pregnant out of wedlock, both her and Joseph stand as pillars of sexual purity.
Mary, also gives us insight into the most important relationship every person needs with her Son. That she, like all of us need Him to be our Savior. Listen to Mary, after she finds out she is pregnant with Jesus, she sings with joy to her cousin Elizabeth and to the Lord, “My soul exalts in the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior (Luke 1:47-48). Notice she sings personally, “my savior.” Mary needed a savior because she was a sinner. As a child of the seed of the first Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22), she realized her need for God to save her through the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45) who is Jesus Christ. It is her Son Jesus we give our hearts to in faith as the Angel said to Joseph, “She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) May God visit us with His favor and follow Mary’s example by giving God the glory!
