Our Beliefs : Sermons : Sermon Archive - 2005 : December 11, 2005

Theme: Christ Is Coming -- so Marvel at the Life He Gives

Church year occasion: Advent 3

In December of 1903, the Wright brothers finally got their "flying machine" off the ground, after many failed attempts. They were elated, so they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." Katherine ran to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the amazing news her brothers had sent that would change the world. He looked at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He missed the important message -- man could fly!

With all the parties to go to and gifts to buy and wrapping to be done and decorations to be hung, it’s easy for us to miss the important message of Christmas, isn't it? That message is well-known to us, but every time we hear it, we should be lost in wonder and amazement at the words of the angel: "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

This morning we look at the reaction that a teenager had to the words of the same angel sent by God -- only about nine months earlier. The teenager was Mary; the message that Gabriel brought was that she would be the mother of the Savior -- she would be the mother of God. Just as Mary marveled at the angel's words, let us do the same: Christ Is Coming -- so Let Us Marvel at the Life He Gives.

Not much is known about Mary. She was from the famous family of David, the king who lived about 900 years before she did. But those connections were not helping her pay the bills at this time. It is speculated that both her parents were dead at this time, so Mary was probably a homeless orphan. She was engaged to a man named Joseph. Since it was the custom for young ladies to become engaged around the age of 14 or 15, it is supposed that Mary was about that age at this time. 14-15 years old, probably orphaned, probably homeless, probably poor, since she referred to her humble state. The only bright spot was her engagement. But even that bright spot would become a source of pain to her when the angel Gabriel appeared and told her she was going to be pregnant before she was married. She needed Gabriel to tell her how that was possible since she had never been intimate with any man before, including Joseph. But after that news had sunk in and after her amazement over being the mother of the promised Messiah had sunk in, she must have had one major concern: I sure hope somebody explains this to Joseph. Having a baby out of wedlock these days is actually not very unusual. In fact, in 2004 36% of all births in the U.S. were to unwed mothers. Today, it's become normal. But at Mary's time, she would have been an outcast of society and looked on as a prostitute. It was such a problem that when Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, he was going to break off their engagement quietly. But how quiet could that be in the small town of Nazareth when the rumor mill ran overtime? Humanly speaking, things were not really going that well for Mary. Humanly speaking, Mary's life was a big mess.

That's why it is so amazing to hear her reaction to Gabriel's words in verses 46-49.

Mary said, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is his name."

The birth of this baby would make a difficult life even more difficult for Mary. But did she focus on herself and how this would make her life even more difficult? No. The spotlight was not on her. It was on her Savior God. She was delighted and honored that God would choose her of all the young ladies in Israel he could have chosen. She admitted that the mighty One had done great things for her. Her child was the long-awaited Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the whole human race, including her. She referred to her child as "God my Savior." Mary realized that she needed the forgiveness her child would bring just as much as any other sinner. Her thoughts were on God, not herself.

What is our reaction to this birth? Although Mary may not have known just how difficult her life would be because of her holy Son who was born to die, we know how our lives are more difficult. Mary lived in disgrace because she followed God's will. The same should be true of us. Our unbelieving friends and co-workers won't understand why you want to save sex for your marriage, why you worship so often at this time of year -- midweek Advent services, regular Sunday worship, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both, and maybe even a midnight Christmas Eve service. When you tell them that you don't appreciate their foul four-letter-words or their gossiping or their excessive drinking, they'll look at you like you just got off the Good Ship Lollipop. If fact, because of the birth of this child, you will most likely lose friends -- if you're living the life God wants you to live.

That reminds us that the season of Advent is a time for repentance. We need to make our hearts ready for the coming of this holy Child. Is my heart ready to receive him? Does he see hearts that are always willing to carry our cross and live the life God wants us to live? Does he see us as being different from this world, set apart from this world so that people can readily see that we are Christians, or are we afraid to admit that we are Christians, and even more afraid at times to live as a Christian? When Gabriel appeared to Mary, do you know what her reaction was? She was "greatly troubled." Who wouldn't be! Here was a holy angel of God, sent by God himself, and she was a sinful human being! When the prophet Isaiah saw a vision of the holy God and the holy angels in the temple, he said that the angels were calling to each other: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty." And what was his reaction? "Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips...and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." (Isaiah 6:3,5)

The same is true for us. The words that come out of our lips are not clean all the time. The things we do don't always give glory to God. And our words and actions flow from hearts that are corrupted with sin. We also are ruined in the presence of the holy God. But miracle of miracles -- that is why this baby was born: to take away our sin, to atone for our unrighteousness, to give us peace between us and God, and to assure us that based on the work Jesus came to do, heaven has been opened to us and through faith we receive all these blessings.

Is it any wonder that Mary said this:

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.

Mary didn't focus on the problems of her life, some even caused by the birth of this child. She focused on the amazing mercy of God.

Do you suppose that knowing what this baby had come to do -- give his life as a ransom for your sins and mine -- would help us to focus our attention at Christmas not on what we have to do, but what God has done? Would it help if we concentrated not so much on the gifts we have to search for, buy, wrap, send and give, but on the gift God gave and what it cost him?

This Christmas, like many others, may not be all that calm and bright and beautiful. Our nation is at war. Over 2100 of our servicemen and women have died in a war that is becoming increasingly unpopular. But wars in our marriage and the struggle we have as we lose a loved one might be weighing on us even more. We might not be happy in our lives because of all kinds of problems. But God sent us what we really need -- a Savior. "He has lifted up the humble and filled the hungry with good things."

If we can look at Christmas with that faith, then we truly will marvel at this life -- the tiny baby who was and is God Almighty, our Savior -- that was given to Mary and to us. Then we will also marvel at the life of peace and forgiveness he has given to Mary and to us. Amen.