“Looking Beyond the Immediate”  2013

Luke 1:38, 46-55

 Luke 1:38, 46-55

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

 

A young man, who is just starting out as an insurance salesman,

            sent me a very excited text message this week,

                        that he had just had his best day of sales ever.

 

His success was not because he suddenly got lucky,

            or that he has stumbled onto the perfect sales pitch.

It was because he did not let a dry spell define his whole career

    lose focus and quit going out to make his sales calls every day.

*             He endured by focusing on a longer and larger perspective.

 

For Christians, the ability

            to see beyond our immediate struggles and circumstances

                 and to take a longer and larger view of things,

                                    is a sign of faith and spiritual maturity,

                                       that has nothing to do with our chronological age.

 

     It is a characteristic of Christian hope, courage and trust,

            exemplified in the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus…

                        … who was a very young woman, probably 13-16 years old

                                    when the events described in this text take place.

 

It’s a familiar story that we’ve heard many times.

                        An angel appears to Mary who tells her,

                                    don’t be afraid for you have found favor with God.

 

Of course we know and believe that God’s favor is a good thing,

            but generally, it is not an easy or comfortable path,

                        because it also means the Lord is up to something new.

    When we are called to do a specific task by God,

            it almost certainly comes at a cost that will change our life.

 

In Mary’s case,

            though she is a virgin, she’s going to have a baby,

                        which will most definitely change her life and plans,

                              and make things a lot more difficult and complicated.

 

Suppose God sent and angel who said to you,                    

            “Greetings favored one, God has a plan and job for you to do

                  that will make your life way more difficult & complicated,

                        and you will mean enduring  some really tough times.”

*        How eagerly would you or I want to jump on that deal?

 

But according to vs. 38

           Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

 

Notice that Mary’s reaction is not fearful or passive resignation

                but rather, it’s all   willingness to trust and embrace

                        whatever it is that God wants her to do;

- whatever the cost, Here am I, let it be with me according to your word.

 

Think about that, for Mary’s reaction is extraordinary.

            When our plans don’t go our way or our life gets tangled up,

                        or when something we’ve arranged blows up in our face ---

--- Here am I, let it be with me according to your word ---

                                       ---    Is that really how you or I would respond?

 

With Mary, there’s no backing out, no griping or complaining,

            just let it be to me according to God’s will and purpose.

 

I believe that Mary has a spiritual maturity and faith-ability

    that sees beyond her life’s immediate circumstances,

                        and that above all else, she longs for and desires most

                             to live within God’s will, God’s intent and purpose,

                                                regardless of the difficulty or cost to her.

 

Mary has been given a difficult, life-altering & costly calling,

            which she willingly, even eagerly accepts and embraces,                                                                 but then it goes even further and deeper. vs. 46-48

            And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.”

 

It isn’t that Mary is unaware of the difficulties she faces,

            but in humility, she is amazed that God has chosen her,

                        and overwhelmed to be a part of God’s plan and purpose.

 

* Unlike Moses,

            she doesn’t try to back out or explain why we can’t do it.

* Unlike the prophet Jeremiah,

            even though it’s difficult,   no complaining or objections.

**                            In contrast, Mary responds,

                                                “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices.”

 

To magnify, as in a magnifying glass

            is to make something more clear and visible.

Mary recognizes that through her and her faithful obedience,

            the glory, grace, love, justice and compassion of God

                        will be made more visible and revealed to the world…

 

            … and she feels blessed that through her

                        God will fulfill his promises and gracious purpose…

… and that whatever the cost may be, that she is part of something

            far more wonderful and amazing than even she can imagine.

 

In Mary and her response to God’s call   we see willing acceptance,

            and absolute surrender to the will, purpose and plan of God.

    Whatever is of God,

            she places way above her own interests, plans and desires,

                            and she is  truly  a most remarkable

                                    person of Christian faith, trust and obedience.

 

Mary  had her whole life, her dreams and plans set before her.

           She was engaged to marry Joseph to make their life together,

                 but when God came in with another plan and purpose for her,

                          she chose to submit, accept God's will over her own…

… and not every bride is that willing to change her wedding plans!

 

I am overwhelmed

     by the humility, trust, faithfulness and obedience of Mary,

                        for she is a model of ideal Christian discipleship,

                             a life-example   well-worthy    of our emulation.

 

Mary took God at His word,

            accepted, trusted, embraced and obeyed God’s word,

                        despite the uncertainty of  her rearranged future,

                             and despite the fear  that young woman must have felt.

 

Quite literally, in accepting God's call to become a mother,

            in mystery   God’s Presence lived and grew within her,

                        as through Mary, God's Word physically became flesh.

 

            Just like the Holy of Holies  of the tabernacle and Temple,

                        Mary became  the physical dwelling place of the Lord,

                                    where over the nine months,

                                                God’s Spirit became human flesh,

                                                            revealed to the world when Jesus was born.

                                   

In a physical way,           in the flesh,

            Mary represents the spiritual, the life of a Christianà

                        when by faith   we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior,

                             and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and salvation.

 

And through the indwelling  of the Holy Spirit living within us,

        our faith grows and develops, we are changed and transformed,

                                    and called by God to reveal and reflect God’s love,

                                                and magnify the Lord back out into the world;

                which is to reflect God’s gracious mercy and compassion

                        as light shining into the darkness of this world.

 

This theology of the incarnation   and word of God becoming flesh

            is a mystery that can become a bit heavy and confusing,

                                       but Mary helps us keep it real and practical,

                                                with clear application to our Christian lives.

 

Mary demonstrates what it means

            to focus on God beyond the personal and immediate,

                        and to see beyond our struggles, difficulties and trials

                                    by trusting that God is up to something for good,

                   something wonderful, mysteriously hidden and amazing.

 

Mary is also an extraordinary model of faithful discipleship.

            Though she is certainly aware that God’s purpose and plan

                will complicate her life and be costly and difficult,

                                    yet she responds in humility, gratitude and joy,

                                        that God has noticed and chosen her,

                                                and considered her worthy and able

                                                                        to accomplish whatever God intends.

 

            I wish I could live my life with an attitude like Mary’s

                          as she follows in faith,  and eagerly participates

                                    in the will, the plan and saving purpose of God.

 

          Our call is to follow the faithful example of Mary

                   who offered her whole self and even her body,

                                      her all in magnifying God’s love and mercy,

                                           by bringing Jesus Christ into the world…

                   … all in response to the love, grace and promises of God.

 

As we journey through Advent, what better example than Mary

     to illustrate what the Apostle Paul urges in  Romans 12:1 (TNLT)

                        'And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept.   When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?'