Mary's Christmas Song

Mary’s Song

Luke 1:39-55

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Blessed are those who believe in Jesus! Last sermon entitled “Go and Tell” we examined the song of Zachariah and in doing so stressed the importance of Christ’s ambassadors, i.e. us Christians, to go and tell the whole world the Good News that the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace has arrived! While we are aware of our obligation to proclaim Jesus’ name on his birthday, we often fail to do so either due to indifference, lack of courage or not knowing the “right” words to say. This sermon is going to address these issues by examining Mary’s Song from the Gospel of Luke. The first part of this sermon is going to look at Mary’s visit with Elizabeth (39-45) to help ignite our passion for the Babe lying in the manger who bought and reconciled us with a holy God. The second part (46-49) is going to strengthen our resolve to witness by reminding us that God choses the weak and lowly to shame the strong. And lastly this sermon will finish (50-56) by stating the right words to say reflect the truth that those who humbly accept Christ as their Savior will be saved while those who are too proud in their inmost thoughts will be brought down from their “self-glorifying” thrones!

Blessed are Those who Believe (39-45)

Before Mary bursts out in her song Luke tells us how the pregnancies of both Mary and Elizabeth are intertwined to tell a singular story of God’s redemption. In great faith and obedience to the sign the angel gave her in 1:36 Mary quickly (1:39) took a journey from Nazareth to an undisclosed city in Judah some seventy to one hundred miles away. When Mary arrived and greeted Elizabeth her baby leapt for joy fulfilling the prophesy that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit before birth (1:15-17) and would be a forerunner to the Messiah. Despite being socially superior to Mary (a daughter of Aaron and wife of a priest) and her elder, Elizabeth not only humbly acknowledged Mary’s superior role she “placed herself in the servants role bestowing honor on her guest whom she now recognized as the Mother of the Lord.” Elizabeth concluded by stating that Mary was blessed not only due to her being the “Mother” of He who would provide salvation to her people but also due to the fact that she wholeheartedly believed God keeps His word and is the foundation of all life.

Blessed are those who believe in Jesus on His birthday! Mary and Elizabeth were overwhelmed with joy for having been chosen to be part of God’s salvation plan for this world! Jesus emptied Himself, lived and died to atone for our sins so that we might be reconciled unto a holy God (Philippians 2:8-9; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:320). To transform these words from being mere knowledge to the bread of our lives we desperately need to go back to our first love (James 1:22-25; Revelation 2:4). The moment you became a new creation the old was gone and the new had come (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)! Remember how you used to experience the Spirit leaping for joy when you sang songs about God, read the Bible, prayed, helped others and got to witness miracles? Until we can see the cross in the tree and see those dying in their sins as an eternal death sentence, we will not have enough passion to break free from complacency and proclaim the reason why we have hope in the Lord (Romans 6:23; 1 Peter 3:15)! To keep from experiencing another commercial Christmas we ambassadors and royal priests need to ask the Potter to mold our carnal lukewarm hearts back into ones like Elizabeth and Mary who leapt for joy at the mere mention of being part of Christ’s gracious salvation plan (1 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 64:8; Revelation 3:15-16))!

Glorifying God (46-49)

Mary responded to Elizabeth’s declaration that she had been blessed through a song known as the Magnificat which translated meant “to tell out the greatness of the Lord.” Upon deep reflection and silent prayer, steeped in Old Testament language and overtones to Hannah’s song, Mary sang evangelically and with great praise that the culmination of God’s mercy and grace had fallen upon her a person of lowly social status! Mary beings her song with acknowledgement of sin, need for a Savior and utter dependence on Him! As she pondered and meditated on witnessing of the glory “attributed of the Most High” she was not concerned about the public humiliation of having a child out of wedlock but of rightly praising the Mighty One rightly for His greatness and mercy that extends from one generation to the next! Contemplating the tender mercies of God that is extended to those who fear Him caused her heart to leap for joy that despite humanity’s repeated opposition God had provided the means for His covenantal partner to be reconciled unto Him!