Fourth Sunday of Advent
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Light of Christ Anglican Church
The Rev. Michael Moffitt December 22nd, 2024
“When God Does What Only He Can” Luke 1: 39-56
Today is the beginning of week four of Advent and the traditional focus of this week is Mary, the mother of Jesus. The theme of the incarnation (God coming to us as a human child) and the presence of God among His people permeates our scripture readings this morning. Unlike the Catholic Church, Anglicans don’t believe it proper to call upon Mary as mediator in prayer. Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
However, we do recognize that Mary should be held in very high esteem as the mother of Jesus. In the word of God only two objects have had the presence of God indwelling them in a unique way, both Mary and the Ark of the Covenant. That should give us a clue that we should recognize her as holy (set apart) and blessed. Like Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and countless others, Mary would have seemed like the most unlikely candidate to fulfill the role that God planned for her. That should encourage us to pray that God would use us in ways that seem unlikely as well. Mary knew Jesus in a way that you and I don’t, but it didn’t mean that her life on earth was trouble free, quite the opposite. Although Mary experienced the miraculous ministry of her Son she also experienced the trouble and sorrow of being the mother of the Messiah.
Whereas our primary focus this morning will be on Luke 1:39-56, let’s at least consider how Micah 5 points us to this powerful event in the life of Mary.
Our passage from Micah 5:2-5a is a famous prophecy that the Lord will raise up a ruler from a humble, unimportant town. Bethlehem, although very small, was well known as the birthplace of King David and was the setting for most of the Book of Ruth. Today it’s a major Christian pilgrimage destination. In spite of that it never grew into a major city, but as unlikely as it would seem God chose to use that small insignificant place in a powerful way. Everything about this prophecy points us to the coming of the Messiah. It’s important to remember that God loves to leave us clues throughout His word as to what He is doing.
Bethlehem means House of Bread, and Jesus is the Bread of Life (John 6:35). The word Ephrathah, which was the ancient name of Bethlehem means 'fruitfulness,' or 'abundance.' Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” We were created to have a life full of the strength, joy, and abundance of God’s blessing and presence but we often give it up for things that rot and fade away. We see the encouragement from this passage that God can use us wherever we are no matter how insignificant we might feel.
You’ll notice that the ruler will come forth from Bethlehem, but was from “of old, from ancient days.” Jesus, the eternally existing Son of God would come to the very ones that He created. At the time of His coming Israel had been without a king from 586 B.C. to the advent of the Christ. They needed rescue and Micah’s prophecy foretold that Israel would be abandoned due to their turning from God to worship the idols of pagan nations, until the time that “she who is in labor has given birth.” But after this happened God promised, “the rest of His brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And He shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God”
In Acts 2: 41, 47 we read that at the day of Pentecost thousands of those who had not been the faithful remnant came to faith in Jesus Christ, and many were sent to bring the message of salvation and peace with God to the ends of the earth. We see all that foretold in this very small reading from Micah 5. We see God moving in ways that only He can.
Now before we turn to our gospel reading let’s set the scene. Luke 1:5-23 begins with the story of how the forerunner of Jesus will be born. The angel Gabriel goes to Zechariah, an elderly priest while he was in the temple for the burning of incense. He tells him that God has heard his prayers and his wife Elizabeth who is also elderly, and has always been barren, would give birth to a son who would be filled with the Holy Spirit within the womb and would have the Spirit and power of Elijah. His name would be John, and he would be the herald announcing the coming of the long-awaited Messiah. Sure enough his wife Elizabeth conceives and gives birth to the forerunner of the Messiah, who we know as John the Baptizer.
In verses 26-29, “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.”
Chronologically, this is the first mention of Nazareth in the Old or New Testaments. Nazareth is perhaps remarkable for its unremarkable nature; it was unmentioned in the Old Testament, in the Apocrypha, and in the writings of Josephus. Though Nazareth is in the general region of Galilee, it’s 15 miles away from the Sea of Galilee. It is six miles from the closest major road. Nazareth had no good water supply; only one fairly weak well in the center of the village. Again God comes to those of no reputation to bring His blessings. He didn’t choose to go to Jerusalem to find the mother of Jesus but Nazareth.
Then Gabriel states the reason for his coming to Mary in Luke 1: 30-33, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will have no end.”
I have the mental picture of there being a very long pause and Mary simply saying, “What did you say? But she does ask, “How can that be, since I am a virgin” Then Gabriel explains to her. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy one to be born will be called, “the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
I think it important that we consider that Luke is writing this account approximately 30-35 years after the Ascension of Jesus back to the Father. It’s believed that Luke interviewed Mary, whom he likely was well acquainted with. We are being told what we need to know within the story, but I can’t help but wonder what it was like for Mary to suddenly have the angel Gabriel standing before her. There are only two angels in the Scriptures where we are given their names. Gabriel is one and Michael is the other. That they stand in God’s presence should be reason enough to believe their words but also the reason that they usually begin with, “Do not be afraid”
I have always been amazed at how quickly Mary agreed to what the angel told her. She is likely around 12-13 years old and yet she submitted willingly to the plan of God for her life. I love the simplicity of her faith. The reference to the “Son of God” wouldn’t have a great impact on our culture today but in Mary’s would have understood that this would be referring to God himself. Jesus did not become the Son of God at His birth but has eternally been the Son of God. I have no doubt that Mary had many questions later on as she pondered the angels words. However, with such an amazing promise, Gabriel also brought evidence, explaining that her relative Elizabeth was pregnant. If God could do that, He could do what He promised for Mary.
Now let’s consider today’s passage from Luke 1: 39-40, “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
I suspect that Mary probably left shortly after meeting with the angel Gabriel to go to her relative Elizabeth. Think about her predicament for just a moment. She knew exactly what the angel said but she had to know that no one was going to believe her story. Everyone would assume that either she and Joseph the man she was betrothed to had already consummated their marriage outside of the Jewish marriage custom, or even worse that she had been unfaithful with someone else. This would likely bring about life-long ridicule for Mary. She was old enough to know this and yet her response to the angel was, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Unlike Eve, who heard the voice of God in the Garden and disobeyed, Mary will hear the voice of God through the angel Gabriel and choose to obey.
The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about Mary’s family but it’s likely that going to Elizabeth was her only recourse at that time. But of course we know that it was God moving her along to the one person who would completely understand and encourage her.
I can only imagine the scene when Mary enters the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth. As soon as Mary spoke the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary didn’t even need to explain to Elizabeth why she had come to her home. The Holy Spirit within her revealed the situation and the presence of the Lord within Mary. She cries out,
“Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my 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 a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
There were two greetings that day, the first was the acknowledgement of the child within Elizabeth that salvation had finally come. Even in the womb the one who later would be called John the Baptist, leaps for joy at the presence of the Christ child within Mary. The introduction of the forerunner and the Savior begin before either of them were born. The second was the greeting of Elizabeth to Mary but it also was a response of the Spirit of God within each of them.
I think it important to note that neither of these women had done anything to warrant God choosing them. Nothing is said of them being especially pious or having extraordinary virtue. After John was born we don’t hear about his parents again and as mentioned before, we know nothing about Mary’s parents. Once again we see that God loves to raise up the unlikely in such a way that it is clear that He is on the move. So God chose an elderly, barren woman and a child who was still a virgin to begin the fulfillment of the promise made in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:15.
Both of these children would grow up to bring the good news that God himself would bring redemption to those who were in bondage to sin and death. One would be the forerunner announcing the coming of the King and the other would-be God’s own Son, the seed of woman who would crush the head of the serpent. Their lives and the lives of all involved with them would be brought into the ongoing battle between Light and darkness.
The Holy Spirit within Elizabeth revealed the reason for Mary’s visit, and she was able to speak through the witness of the Spirit who opened her eyes and her heart to what God was doing through her and through Mary. Then the Spirit of God responds through Mary who is given a fuller explanation to what is happening within her and to her.
It’s called the “Magnificat” after the Latin translation of the first few words, “My soul magnifies the Lord” and it strongly resembles Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Hannah and Mary’s song both begin with praise and jubilation over the Lord’s deliverance. Both of them extol and honor the Lord’s uniqueness and holiness while condemning boasting. Both rejoice in God’s mercy and care for the downtrodden and poor. Both praise the Lord as the one who sends poverty and wealth, and the one who remembers His promises and sees into the hearts of all. They both reflect on God’s salvation, that He exalts the lowly and the poor and that those who were hungry, and empty are now full and satisfied. Both are the perfect example of what God will do in and through us if we will be obedient to His calling in our lives.
So what should we glean from this word today?
1. Certainly it is a reminder that God followed through on His promise to provide a way for sinners to be restored to the relationship with God that man was originally designed for. As we unpack the story of today’s gospel reading we are reminded that in this story like others in the Word of God we see Him moving in extraordinary ways to accomplish His purposes. We are the ones who sin and fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23) but he is the one who made it possible for us to be restored to former glory. In our Epistle reading from Hebrews 10:4-7 we get a glimpse into the plan of God’s unfolding purposes for Jesus coming to us.
“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
The Old Testament sacrificial system was inadequate to take away sins but was a reminder of the seriousness of sin. The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40: 6-8 and applies it to Jesus who willingly came to replace the Old Testament sacrificial system once and for all. The child in Mary’s womb was the body prepared for sacrifice and shows Jesus’ willingness to come as a sacrifice for our sins.
2. In every story from the holy Scriptures, whether it be about Noah, Abraham, David, all the prophets, the Disciples, and certainly Mary they all have one thing in common. Their commitment to God would change everything in their lives, nothing was ever the same. When you decide to follow God it is not a part-time affair. You’re not joining a club or trying out for a team.
Once we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ it must be understood that it is an all or nothing relationship. It means that you enter into a spiritual battleground that has been going on since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. It doesn’t let up and won’t until Jesus returns again. There is something else that you will notice when reading the stories within Scripture. Those who decide to genuinely follow after the Lord and enter into a relationship with Him don’t turn back. I’m not speaking about those who were following hoping to get what they wanted from God but those who came to Him because of who He is and found Him more than enough.
3. Those who decide to follow Jesus Christ no matter what comes their way can expect that God will take them to heights of glory they have never known and use them in ways that seem completely impossible. Yet, at times God will put them in situations where they realize that all they have is Him. Mary’s life reflected that, but she lived a life of God’s glory being manifest in her and this young unimportant girl (in the world’s eyes) is being talked about and celebrated all over the world today.
When we read such stories like that of Mary, the mother of Jesus it’s vital that we understand that all the stories in the Bible are interconnected, where events and teachings relate to one another within the whole counsel of God.
The Bible begins with the problem of sin and food in the Garden of Eden and ends in the Book of Revelation chapter 22 with an invitation to drink from the river of life that flows from the throne of God and to eat from the Tree of Life where all of God’s life-giving blessings are to be found. Originally, if Adam and Eve had chosen obedience to God’s command this water and the Tree of Life would have been theirs to enjoy. Of course they disobeyed and were banished from the Garden of Eden. That didn’t end what God intended to do and we read Matthew 22: 1-14 of the redemptive heavenly banquet where sin has been dealt with and we experience a type of that meal that is foreshadowed in the Eucharist. In Christ things are made right again, and its God making a way, not us.
In Genesis, the serpent deceives Eve before she “knew Adam” and gives birth to Cain and Abel. So in the narrative of the Fall, she is considered to be a young virgin. Eve had heard the voice of God and had chosen not to obey by eating the forbidden fruit. While ultimately the guilt is weighed heavily on Adam “as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin” (Romans 5:12) and Jesus, in a redemptive parallel brought hope, Eve is party to the offence along with Adam. If a young virgin hears the voice of God and disobeys, setting the course of history in a downward trajectory, then in today’s story a young virgin who hears the voice of God and obeys will set the course of redemption. In this Mary and Eve are the tale of two virgins that teach us that not only is Biblical history related, or that actions have consequences but that our obedience can be redemptive. As Paul concludes; “he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life”. (Galatians 6:8)
This is the season where once again we are reminded that its God who made the way for sinners to be united to Him by faith in the child who was born, the Son who was given. Will you follow Him?
