“Seven Scenes from the Advent-Christmas Story:
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen. The theme for our services during Advent this year is, “Seven Scenes
from the Advent-Christmas Story,” including, “John Preaching,” “Shepherds
Watching,” “Angels Singing,” “Joseph Dreaming,” “Herod Fearing,” and “Wise Men
Worshipping.” We continue this morning with today’s Gospel Reading, the
story of “Mary Praising,” and the song of Mary we call the Magnificat. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my
Savior.’” Mary begins her song of praise by turning our focus away from
herself and ourselves and to where our focus should always be, especially during
this holiday season: “My soul magnifies the Lord.” Most people don’t realize that the word “holiday” is a contraction of
“HOLY day.” The focus of this holiday season should be where Mary directs
us: “My soul magnifies the Lord.” But, the original “holy days” of this
season have mostly metamorphosized into secular “holidays.” In the process
the focus of the season has shifted, from the Lord to us, from his glorious
works and miraculous birth, to our material gratification and worldly concerns.
Follow Mary’s example and shift your focus this season, away from yourself and
back to the Lord. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.”
In case anyone should get the idea that Mary, as the Mother of God, must be
without sin, she herself makes clear that she too is a sinful human. “And
my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.” She wouldn’t need a Savior if she
wasn’t a sinner. Mary rejoices not only because the Savior she will be
blessed to bear is bringing forgiveness, life, and salvation to the whole world.
She calls him “my Savior.” So, her joy is personal, because the Savior she
will be blessed to bear is bringing forgiveness, live, and salvation not only to
the whole world but also to her. “My spirit rejoices in God, my Savior. For he has regarded the
lowliness of his handmaiden.” The Virgin Mary was an unlikely vessel for
the birth into the world of the Son of God and King of Kings. From a human
perspective, there seemed to be many young women in Israel much more qualified
than lowly Mary. Princesses from the ruling royal family; daughters of
wealthy, important, powerful people. In contrast, when Philip told Nathanael that the Messiah was from
Nazareth, Nathanael exclaimed, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”
Although it seems that Mary’s family did have royal roots, and that like Joseph
she also was “of the house and lineage of David,” from a human perspective she
was but a humble country girl, from a backward country town. The angel says to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor
with God.” Why did Mary find such favor with God that he chose her to be
the vessel by which his Son would become man? Elizabeth tells us why
Mary found favor with God: “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord
has said to her will be accomplished!” Mary was saved by faith in the coming Messiah. She found favor
with God not because she was sinless, but because she believed the promises of
the Messiah’s coming which she had learned from the Old Testament. In
Galatians, Paul says that in the Old Testament God “announced the Gospel in
advance,” and the book of Hebrews says, “For we also have had the Gospel
preached to us, just as they did.” Mary found favor with God not on the
basis of the Law, because of her own works or merit, but she found favor with
God and was saved by the Gospel, which she had learned and believed from the Old
Testament. “For behold, from this day all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things to me.” The Augsburg Confession
of the Lutheran Church states: “It is also taught among us that saints should be
kept in remembrance so that our faith may be strengthened when we see what grace
they received and how they were sustained by faith.” So, it is proper that
we remember and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. However, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession adds the caution, “We
cannot accept . . . ideas about worshipping the saints or . . . the
practice of praying to them. . . We must not believe that we are accounted
righteous by the merits of the Blessed Virgin or of the other saints. . . Such
notions are obviously of pagan origin.” So, while we properly remember and
honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God, we do not pray to her, or
worship her, or believe we are in any way saved through her. Jesus said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me,” and that also applies to his Mother, the Virgin Mary. That is
why Mary always shifts the focus away from herself and to God our Savior. “For the Mighty One has done great things to me, and holy is his name;
and his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.”
Mary proclaims the Good News that the favor and blessedness she has received is
not limited to her. All those who fear, love, and trust in God from
generation to generation receive his marvelous mercy just as she did. “And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm.” This is an idiomatic expression that
conveys what Paul says in 1st Corinthians: “For the foolishness of God is wiser
than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” God’s way of doing things often seems weak, even stupid, to the world.
Why would God have his Son be born into the world as a helpless, little baby,
with a humble girl for his Mother? Why would he be born, not in mighty
Rome, or even Jerusalem, but in the insignificant little town of Bethlehem?
Why would the Creator of the universe be wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid
in a manger? Why would there be no room in the inn for the King of Kings?
And, ultimately, why would God allow himself to be executed, to suffer and die
on a cross? But, what seems foolish to us is actually God’s eternal plan
for the salvation of the world. What seems weakness to us is actually God
showing his strength. “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the
imagination of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and
has exalted the lowly.” The proud and mighty are those who trust in
themselves for salvation, who think they’re mighty enough to save themselves.
They will instead be cast down into hell. But, all who humble themselves
before the Lord, confess their sins, and trust in him for salvation will be
exalted to heavenly glory. As Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will
be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” “He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the
lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent
empty away.” This is an image used frequently throughout the Bible.
As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” If you feel you are “rich,” that you don’t need spiritual nourishment
from the Lord, then you will be “sent empty away.” But, Jesus promises, “I
am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he
will live forever. . . I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not
hunger, and he who believes in me will not thirst.” As you come to the
Lord’s table with your spiritual hunger and thirst he fills you with good things
indeed! “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent
empty away. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.” Abraham was
the founder and father of the ancient people of Israel. The Lord promised
Abraham that the entire world would be blessed by one of his descendants:
“Through your Seed all nations on earth will be blessed.” In the
Magnificat, Mary beautifully confesses her faith that the promises given to the
forefathers, and through the prophets to ancient Israel, are now fulfilled in
her womb, by the Son of God, whom she bears. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices
in God, my Savior. “For he has regarded the lowliness of his
handmaiden. “For behold, from this day all generations will
call me blessed. “For the Mighty One has done great things to me,
and holy is his name; “And his mercy is on those who fear him from
generation to generation. “He has shown strength with his arm; he has
scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. “He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and
has exalted the lowly. “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the
rich he has sent empty away. “He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of
his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.” Amen.
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