Luke 1:46-56: Christmas is Coming

Presented to Swift Current Corps, 20 December 2009, 21 Dec 2014
By Captain Michael Ramsay

To read the revised 2014 version click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2014/12/luke-146-56-christmas-is-coming-2014.html

Advent, as we have said before, is a time of waiting. We are waiting for Christmas to come. Advent is when we remember the first coming of Christ and we are also awaiting the second coming of Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). One of the key elements of our wait (or of any wait for that matter) is faith (see Matthew 17:20 and Hebrews 11:6). Whenever we wait for something we have to have faith that it is worth the wait. I don’t know about you but more than once I have not gone through a drive through, not made a deposit at the bank, or not picked up that one item at the store because I didn’t want to wait in a long line; I did not have faith that the item I was getting was worth the wait in the line-up. With that in mind, as we wait for Christmas, I thought we could start off by looking at some definitions of Faith:

There is the classic definition from Hebrews of course. Hebrews 11: 1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Martin Luther says: “Faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly.”[1]

The ultimate example of faith that I found in my research was this: Faith is a belief in the seemingly impossible. Faith is a belief in what the natural man only sees to be impossible. Faith is a belief that you will come home and find that your children have cleaned their rooms or done the dishes all on their own.

Actually, they recently conducted a global fictitious survey on faith and found out that some of the people with the most faith in the whole world actually live in Canada. They are a group of people mostly found in the Toronto area – though they do live elsewhere in Canada (I have actually known one or two of these people with unfathomable faith). They are known as the Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Holding onto that thought-defying belief that they will win the cup again before Christ returns. They may have a long wait but Christmas is coming; it is Advent season now and waiting is what Advent is all about.

The Toronto definition of faith actually has something to do with the Biblical definition though: “The Greek word, which is translated as faith, is pistis (noun) and believe, is translated from pistevo (verb). The word believe (Greek verb "pistevo"), according to Strong's Greek Dictionary, means: to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust, (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ.) believe, commit, (to trust), put in trust with.”[2] It is to adhere to, to trust in, to rely on.

Prominent theologians James Dunn and Tom Wright, the Bishop of Durham, drive home the point in many articles and books that faith isn’t just a vague idea of or belief in something. Faith is an action word. Faith and faithfulness are forever intertwined.[3] One cannot say they love God and not show it by loving their neighbour (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:27, 18:18-29). If you have faith in Him, you will be faithful and even when we are unfaithful, Christ’s faithfulness makes our faith(fullness) possible (Romans 3:3,4, see also Genesis Romans 1:16-17, Romans 2:1-16, Hebrews 11). It is the faithfulness of Christ that led to humanity’s salvation. Faith is an action and the action of faith during Advent is waiting. Christmas is coming.

In our story today something very interesting is happening (Luke 1:46-56). A couple of weeks ago we read about how Zechariah found out that his wife Elisabeth (who was barren up to that point in time) is now – in her old age! – going to have a baby (Luke 1:5-25, 68-79; see also Genesis 11:30, 17:15ff and 1 Samuel 1).[4] And now Mary, a much younger relative of Elisabeth’s, has also found out that she is going to have a baby (Luke 1:26-38). It was amazing that Elisabeth is going to have a baby because Elisabeth is barren and well into her old age (Luke 1:35) but it is even more amazing that Mary is going to have a baby not because Mary is old and barren because she isn’t. She is quite young. She is actually a teenager but young Mary – who is now pregnant – young Mary has never been with a man in that way (see Luke 1:34).

Now, of course, we remember that the angel Gabriel came to visit both sets of soon to be expectant parents to tell them that they were going to each be starting a family soon and it is interesting as well that Gabriel visits Mary specifically before she is ‘overshadowed’ by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). Mary believes the angel; she consents to this. She is honoured to be considered righteous (Luke 1:38). Then the angle even gives Mary a sign that all he has told her will actually happen. Gabriel tells Mary about Elisabeth. He tells Mary that Elisabeth too will be having a child. Mary in her excitement rushes to meet her much older relative and share her good news with Elisabeth (Luke 1:39-40). Elisabeth greets her (Luke 1:41-45) and our text that we are looking at today is Mary’s reply to Elisabeth’s greeting when she does arrive.

Actually before we start getting into the heart of this passage, does anyone remember a couple of weeks ago when we looked at Zechariah’s prophecy (Luke 1:68-79)? It is called the ‘Benedictus’. Does anyone remember why it is called the Benedictus? (Because that is the first word of this passage in Latin.)[5] Does anyone know what the passage we are looking at today is called? (Magnificat) Does anyone know why it is called the Magnificat? (Because that is the first word of this passage in Latin.)

Now let’s look at the passage – it is interesting. Mary has just been greeted at the door by her older relative and this is Mary’s greeting to Elisabeth:

46And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48for He has been mindful
of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
Holy is His name.

She speaks about how good the Lord has been to her. She talks about how greatly she has been blessed by the Lord who is her Saviour. She speaks about how He has been mindful of someone such as her. This is neat. This is important that Mary is here praising God.

Mary, the mother-to-be of Jesus, is a teenager in the occupied territory in Palestine at the time of this story. Mary wasn’t married when she found out she was going to be with child. Mary’s partner in today’s vernacular, her husband-to-be, had never been with her in that way: they have never consummated their relationship.[6] Mary had never been with anyone in that way.[7] Can you imagine what people in that day and age would think of Mary who was pregnant without being married? If you were her husband-to-be or if you were her parents what would you think if your teenage daughter came home and told you she was about to have a baby? In those days she could have received the death penalty for that.[8] Mary also wasn’t a wealthy woman and the children’s play that we watched last week also highlighted a very significant detail in the Christmas story – nine months from now, right when Mary is to have this baby, she and Joseph are supposed to load up a pack animal and walk all the way from Nazareth in Galilee down to Bethlehem in Judea to enroll in a census for the purpose of paying their taxes and they are to walk and/or ride on their pack animal all of this distance when Mary is very, very pregnant (Luke 2:1-7). I don’t know how many women here would like to hike from here down to Regina either by foot or on the back of a donkey when they are nine months pregnant and about to give birth?

Mary was a humble peasant girl who wasn’t yet married but was already with child in a time when she could be stoned to death for being found in this condition prior to marriage and she was anticipating a very long journey by foot or on the back of a donkey right around the time she is supposed to give birth, Luke 1:46-49, “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 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.’” Mary in this state finds herself blessed. Many friends and acquaintances of mine around town – there are quite a few of us - who have real troubles around this time of year as Christmas is coming; how blessed do we feel? The lead up to Christmas is often a very stressful time. Do we, when our life seems challenging, almost overwhelming, do we –like Mary- consider ourselves blessed?

I know that there are people in this city and this congregation who are going through some really difficult times. I have heard stories recently in our city of addiction struggles, of custody battles, of illness, and life and death battles. I have heard of direct demonic attack. There is a family that has just been broken apart that I know in town who because of restraining orders can’t even see each other when they transfer their children from one home to another – they have a tragically but aptly called ‘broken family’ and Christmas is coming. Both parents will not be spending Christmas with their children - one will have to miss out but Christmas is still coming. One of the ladies who works at our Thrift Store the other week lost her home in a fire. As far as I know she, her husband, and their two very young children lost all of their belongings in the fire. They lost everything and Christmas is coming. This is Advent and Advent is a time of waiting for Christmas. This Christmas will be a very different one than the one they were waiting for just a few weeks ago but Christmas is still coming. I wonder how blessed they feel. How about us? The lead up to Christmas is often a very stressful time. Do we, when our life seems challenging, almost overwhelming, do we –like Mary - consider ourselves blessed?

Mary continues her greeting to Elisabeth praising God in her circumstances this way. Luke 1: 50-55, of God she says:

50His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."

Mary in the midst of all that she is in the midst of, Mary speaks about God’s mercy to all who fear Him (Luke 1:50); she remembers that He performs mighty deeds with His arm (Luke 1:51). She praises God for remembering to be faithful to his covenant to Abraham that all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him (Luke 1:55, see Genesis 12:3). She praises God for remembering His covenant with Abraham and his descendants. She praises God who faithfully fulfills his covenant to Abraham and Israel even though they – even though we – were faithless over and over again (Romans 3:3,4). Mary’s life is not easy. And Christmas is coming. Her son will be born after a long walk away from home and laid in a manger, an animal’s feeding trough. Her son will grow up and eventually suffer a State execution at the hands of her country’s occupiers and at the urging or her own religious leaders – Christmas is coming.

There is another interesting part of Mary’s song of praise. There is another part of the Magnificat that I think merits attention here and that refers to either just before, just after, or at the very moment when Jesus comes back. We have spoken briefly about Christmas and waiting for the birth of the Messiah, the incarnation of Christ but we are also waiting for Jesus to come back. Mary says that at that time – when he returns the rulers of this age will be brought down (Luke 1:52). There will be no more corrupt politicians. There will be no more ‘in and out’ election fraud scandals; there will be no more bribery scandals or tampering with tapes like with the Grewal and Cadman affairs. There will be no more handing people over to be tortured. There will be no corporate or media or popularity contest control over our nation. We will not have Prime Ministers answering to accusations over things like airbus or sponsorship scandals or Presidents in our world in trouble over imaginary weapons of mass destruction or who pick up peace prizes en route to escalating wars against some of the poorest people on earth. The rulers of our age – it says in verse 52 – the rulers of our age will be brought down from their thrones. Corrupt Presidents and dishonest Prime Ministers will be replaced by the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace whose government will never stop ruling and being peaceful (Isaiah 9:6-7).

We will no longer be subservient to brutal economic systems and corporate leadership in which one man get rich as over 25 000 children die every day and where today nearly 1 billion people have not even been taught how to read a book when the Lord has provided more than enough recourses for the whole world to be fed and clothed and otherwise taken care of many, many, many times over.[9] These systems and oppression will end. The rulers of this world will be brought low. We will no longer see a situation where people become millionaires for appearing on a screen or playing baseball while others cannot afford to clothe themselves in our world. In our world today there is pornography, which horribly is North America’s most lucrative pastime. In the United States, pornography revenue is more than all money made from professional football, baseball and basketball combined. The money made by US pornography exceeds the combined revenues of all their major TV networks (6.2 billion) Child pornography alone generates $3 billion annually.[10] (A small percentage of this will feed and clothe the world.) The rulers of our world who oversee all of this will be brought down.

This will come to an end. The rulers of this age will be brought low and so will the rich who profit from all this, it says. Whether we are wealthy from sports, pornography, or banking, or business, or…it says these rich will be sent away empty (Luke 1:53).

The greatest in this world shall become the least and the least shall become the greatest. Jesus is the great equalizer. When he comes back those in power and luxury (which may be many of us here) will experience His justice and those who are hungry and humbled here will be lifted up and be fed.

This is the second coming. As we do our bit to be like the sheep in Matthew’s parable of the sheep and the goats by giving the hungry something to eat, giving the thirsty something to drink, inviting in the stranger, clothing the naked, looking after the sick and visiting those in prison (Matthew 25:31-40); we look forward to the day when Christ returns and all of the injustice is finally set right. Jesus’ Advent 2000 years ago – that we celebrate at Christmas – was a foretaste of the justice and mercy that lies ahead when he returns and as we show mercy to our neighbours, we show that we belong to his world that is to come rather than to this present evil age – and this is important because as sure as Christmas is coming, Christ is coming back – so as bad as things may seem as we are riding our metaphorical donkeys down to Regina to pay our proverbial taxes, we must remember that just as Jesus was dwelling in Mary’s womb and they were eagerly waiting for him to come so too now we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and we are waiting for Jesus to come back; the world is certainly in its ninth month and Jesus is coming and Jesus is coming soon and then everything will be okay.

Let us pray.

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[1] Martin Luther's Definition of Faith: An excerpt from "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans," Luther's German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546 Translated by Rev. Robert E. Smith from DR. MARTIN LUTHER'S VERMISCHTE DEUTSCHE SCHRIFTEN.Johann K. Irmischer, ed. Vol. 63 (Erlangen: Heyder and Zimmer, 1854), pp.124-125. [EA 63:124-125] August 1994
[2] Irene Alexandrou, 2000 © Hellenic Communication Service, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved. (Posting date 14 September 2006). Accessed 13 December 2009. Available on-line at: http://www.helleniccomserve.com/wordstudy.html
[3] Cf. NT Wright and James Dunn. An Evening Conversation on Paul with James D.G. Dunn and N.T. Wright Available online at: http://www.thepaulpage.com/an-evening-conversation-on-paul-with-james-d-g-dunn-and-n-t-wright/
[4]Captain Michael Ramsay, 'Luke 1:68-79: Next Year in Edmonton: The Waiting Game' Presented to Swift Current Corps, 06 December 2009. Available on-line at: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/12/luke-168-79-next-year-in-edmonton.html
[5] Fred B. Craddock, Luke (Interpretation: Louisville, Kentucky: John Knox, 1990) p. 32.
[6] Now betrothal is not quite like engagements of today. In those days a man and his wife were committed to each other at the engagement ceremony. They did have a public ceremony with witnesses and the more. They did each gain a marital status, complete with rights and responsibilities and if Joseph had died after their engagement ceremony but prior to their marriage ceremony, Mary would still be considered a widow with all the responsibilities and rights (or lack thereof) of a widow. The betrothal was very different then anything we have today and even though Mary would be Joseph’s legal wife, after this engagement ceremony rather than going off to live with one’s husband, the wife usually returned to her father’s household for a period of up to a year. Cf. E. Earle Ellis, 71 and R. Alan Culpepper, 51. See also Captain Michael Ramsay, Luke 1:26-37: Do You Believe? Presented to the Nipawin Corps 14 December 2008. Available on-line at http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/12/luke-126-37-do-you-believe.html
[7] Cf. Culpepper, 51. Lenski, 69, Ellis, 75.
[8] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, Matthew 1:18-25: Do you believe? Presented to each Nipawin and Tisdale Corps, 24 December 2007 and CFOT chapel in Winnipeg, December 2006. Available on-line at http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2008/12/matthew-118-25-do-you-believe.html
[9] Global Issues: Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All. Cited December 15, 2009. Available on-line: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
[10] Christian Technology Solutions, Pornography Industry Statistics. Cited 21 November, 2009. Available on line: http://christiantechnologysolutions.com/content/view/18/24/