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The Fourth Sunday in Advent – December 22^nd, 2024 Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Block, Kansas Rev. Joshua Woelmer Text: Luke 1:39–56 “Mary Praises God” Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Gospel text for today always blow me away. It’s remarkable on a number of different levels. I love it because there are four people, three praises, two miracles of conception, and one song. Now, there’s no way that I could expand this into the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and count down twelve items in our text—although I am sure that my children would love it if I rewrote the song to do just that. Let’s first look at the four people. First, there is Elizabeth. I mentioned her two weeks ago as we looked at her husband Zechariah in the temple. But the focus was more on him and his unbelief in Gabriel’s word than it was on her and her belief in the Messiah. It’s clear that she has put a lot of the pieces together. One piece was that a man named Simeon was in the temple saying that God told him he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. No doubt Zechariah had heard this man share his message—though I wonder how many believed him. Second, Zechariah’s muteness and the knowledge that they would conceive miraculously in their old age would have shocked her. Furthermore, Zechariah must have written down on a clay tablet that this child was not the messiah but would prepare for the way of the messiah. Second, there is Mary. She was the cousin of Elizabeth. We don’t know how close. It is possible they were first cousins, but they could also have been second or third cousins with some generational removal thrown in there. (First cousin once removed…) We’ll get to her miracle aspect of her pregnancy later, but at this point, she has traveled from Nazareth to a town in Judah, perhaps close to Jerusalem, for Zechariah to be close to the temple to do his duties. It is likely she made this trip very soon after hearing the angel’s message. The other two people in this story are even more amazing. Elizabeth is six months along with John, and Mary has newly conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. This passage is wonderfully clear about two things: the value of the person in the womb, and the faith of the infant. First, Christianity is clearly pro-life, from conception to natural death, from womb to tomb. Jesus could only have been such a small size, but Elizabeth recognizes that this fruit of Mary’s womb is a blessed one. We should too. Jesus did not gain personhood only when he was born, but he was special from his conception. We too are valuable from our conception onwards. It is joyful that another baby recognized all of this. John, while in his mother’s womb, leaped for joy. It is always a joy for parents and siblings to feel the tiny kicks and punches and rolls that the baby does in the mother’s womb. This must have been something much different—much larger. This also shows John’s faith. Faith is not merely an intellectual exercise—it is trust. Did John, even in the womb, trust in God and in Jesus? Yes! Even if we cannot fathom it, even babies can have faith. This leads me to my next category: three words of praise. John’s leaping counts as words of praise. He is acknowledging his Savior and telling his mom, as best he could, who Jesus is. Elizabeth realizes everything in an instant: Mary is the one carrying the child whom John will prepare the way for. Her cousin, her relative! She gives these praises for both Mary and Jesus: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (42, 45). We as Lutherans should not be shy about calling the Virgin Mary the most blessed woman of all. She is certainly that, for she carried and bore our Lord and Savior. Elizabeth recognizes this and is effusive in praise. Third, Mary, too praises God with these simple words: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (46–49). Mary recognizes that she will be called blessed from now on. So she is, not because of her own virtue or power, but because of the gift that had been given to her. Elizabeth’s miracle is surprising, but nothing new when it comes to the Bible. God opened the wombs of several women. I talked about this two weeks ago when I preached about Zechariah. He should have known that God could do this to Elizabeth as He had done it for Sarah at the age of 90. But it is a miracle nonetheless, that Elizabeth could conceive in her old age. The greater miracle, of course, is Mary’s. It’s remarkable that you have two miracles here at the same place and time. One conceives in her old age and another conceives without the help of a man. Both of these children’s lives will be intertwined. Both came into this world through miraculous means. Both would do great things and die at the hands of evil men. But here are the words that describe the conception of Jesus: “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, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (30–33). And, later: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (35). Finally, in response to all this, there is one song of Mary. Believe it or not, but it is very close to Hannah’s song when she conceived Samuel. Mary borrowed from the Great Reversal themes of Hannah as she composed her own song, the Magnificat. Imagine a teenager taking a song composed by someone else and adapting it to her own life. This is what Mary did, and it’s wonderful. The Great Reversal themes are true for Mary, and they are true for you. God has shown strength with his arm to save you, and he scatters the proud. He brings down the mighty from their thrones and exalts you of humble estate. He fills the hungry with good things—come, seek the food that God has for you. Those who are rich and full in themselves will go away empty. He helps you, the true Israel, in remembrance of his mercy. From four people, three praises, two miracles of conception, and one song, God shows us in this text what He has done and is doing for you. God reverses the fortunes of many, and he reverses your spiritual fortunes as well. Christmas is about the spiritual gifts that we receive from this little baby, conceived in Mary’s womb and born on Christmas Day and laid in a manger. For God has looked upon you, had mercy on you, and loves you. Now may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen. Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

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The Fourth Sunday in Advent – December 22^nd, 2024

Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Block, Kansas

Rev. Joshua Woelmer

Text: Luke 1:39–56

“Mary Praises God”

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Gospel text for today always blow me away. It’s remarkable on a number of different levels. I love it because there are four people, three praises, two miracles of conception, and one song. Now, there’s no way that I could expand this into the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and count down twelve items in our text—although I am sure that my children would love it if I rewrote the song to do just that. Let’s first look at the four people.

First, there is Elizabeth. I mentioned her two weeks ago as we looked at her husband Zechariah in the temple. But the focus was more on him and his unbelief in Gabriel’s word than it was on her and her belief in the Messiah. It’s clear that she has put a lot of the pieces together. One piece was that a man named Simeon was in the temple saying that God told him he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. No doubt Zechariah had heard this man share his message—though I wonder how many believed him.

Second, Zechariah’s muteness and the knowledge that they would conceive miraculously in their old age would have shocked her. Furthermore, Zechariah must have written down on a clay tablet that this child was not the messiah but would prepare for the way of the messiah.

Second, there is Mary. She was the cousin of Elizabeth. We don’t know how close. It is possible they were first cousins, but they could also have been second or third cousins with some generational removal thrown in there. (First cousin once removed…) We’ll get to her miracle aspect of her pregnancy later, but at this point, she has traveled from Nazareth to a town in Judah, perhaps close to Jerusalem, for Zechariah to be close to the temple to do his duties. It is likely she made this trip very soon after hearing the angel’s message.

The other two people in this story are even more amazing. Elizabeth is six months along with John, and Mary has newly conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. This passage is wonderfully clear about two things: the value of the person in the womb, and the faith of the infant. First, Christianity is clearly pro-life, from conception to natural death, from womb to tomb. Jesus could only have been such a small size, but Elizabeth recognizes that this fruit of Mary’s womb is a blessed one. We should too. Jesus did not gain personhood only when he was born, but he was special from his conception. We too are valuable from our conception onwards. It is joyful that another baby recognized all of this.

John, while in his mother’s womb, leaped for joy. It is always a joy for parents and siblings to feel the tiny kicks and punches and rolls that the baby does in the mother’s womb. This must have been something much different—much larger. This also shows John’s faith. Faith is not merely an intellectual exercise—it is trust. Did John, even in the womb, trust in God and in Jesus? Yes! Even if we cannot fathom it, even babies can have faith.

This leads me to my next category: three words of praise. John’s leaping counts as words of praise. He is acknowledging his Savior and telling his mom, as best he could, who Jesus is.

Elizabeth realizes everything in an instant: Mary is the one carrying the child whom John will prepare the way for. Her cousin, her relative! She gives these praises for both Mary and Jesus: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (42, 45). We as Lutherans should not be shy about calling the Virgin Mary the most blessed woman of all. She is certainly that, for she carried and bore our Lord and Savior. Elizabeth recognizes this and is effusive in praise.

Third, Mary, too praises God with these simple words: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (46–49). Mary recognizes that she will be called blessed from now on. So she is, not because of her own virtue or power, but because of the gift that had been given to her.

Elizabeth’s miracle is surprising, but nothing new when it comes to the Bible. God opened the wombs of several women. I talked about this two weeks ago when I preached about Zechariah. He should have known that God could do this to Elizabeth as He had done it for Sarah at the age of 90. But it is a miracle nonetheless, that Elizabeth could conceive in her old age.

The greater miracle, of course, is Mary’s. It’s remarkable that you have two miracles here at the same place and time. One conceives in her old age and another conceives without the help of a man. Both of these children’s lives will be intertwined. Both came into this world through miraculous means. Both would do great things and die at the hands of evil men. But here are the words that describe the conception of Jesus: “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, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (30–33). And, later: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (35).

Finally, in response to all this, there is one song of Mary. Believe it or not, but it is very close to Hannah’s song when she conceived Samuel. Mary borrowed from the Great Reversal themes of Hannah as she composed her own song, the Magnificat. Imagine a teenager taking a song composed by someone else and adapting it to her own life. This is what Mary did, and it’s wonderful.

The Great Reversal themes are true for Mary, and they are true for you. God has shown strength with his arm to save you, and he scatters the proud. He brings down the mighty from their thrones and exalts you of humble estate. He fills the hungry with good things—come, seek the food that God has for you. Those who are rich and full in themselves will go away empty. He helps you, the true Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.

From four people, three praises, two miracles of conception, and one song, God shows us in this text what He has done and is doing for you. God reverses the fortunes of many, and he reverses your spiritual fortunes as well. Christmas is about the spiritual gifts that we receive from this little baby, conceived in Mary’s womb and born on Christmas Day and laid in a manger. For God has looked upon you, had mercy on you, and loves you.

Now may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

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