What Is This?
By Rev. Heidi L. Barham | December 22, 2024
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Read Luke 1:26 – 38 (NIV)
It feels like we blinked and here we are on the fourth Sunday of Advent... the day when our hearts and minds are focused on the theme of LOVE. And as I thought about that word love, particularly as it relates to this season of Advent... I was reminded of a poem that was written back in the 1800s by a woman named, Christina Georgina Rossetti, called Love Came Down at Christmas:
Love came down at Christmas,Although we traditionally recognize Christmas Day on December 25th while others from Orthodox traditions celebrate on January 7th... there is some debate among scholars and theologians as to what the actual date of Jesus’ birth really was. Many suggest that it is neither December 25th or January 7th. And while we don’t have enough time this morning to get into the specifics... I would encourage you to look into it sometime, if you have not done so in the past.
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
(Retrieved from: Love Came Down at Christmas by Christina Georgina Rossetti - Famous poems, famous poets. - All Poetry)
However, for now, we will continue with our tradition as we prepare to celebrate Christmas this coming Wednesday...
Although when you stop and think about it... because of God’s great love for us that came through the gift of our Savior... we should really be celebrating Christmas... that is... the birth of Jesus the Christ... every day.
Because if it were not for the birth of Christ... there would be no crucifixion... and if there were no crucifixion... there would be no resurrection... and if there were no resurrection... there could be no salvation for us.
So, there truly is a reason for us to celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus each and every day.
And that brings us to our New Testament lesson for this morning from the Gospel of Luke which takes us to the point in time just before that gift of love came down to earth as a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger because there was no room at the inn.
It is in this text that we are introduced to a young girl named, Mary, who was engaged to a carpenter named, Joseph. We read about her encounter with an angel named Gabriel, who appeared out of nowhere and greeted Mary... telling her that she was “highly favored” and that the Lord was with her.
We should note that according to most biblical scholars... Mary was still just a teenager when this angel came along... telling her that she was highly favored and that the Lord was with her.
But the angel did not stop there... he went on to encourage Mary not to be afraid... explaining that she was going to have a baby… and she was supposed to name the baby, Jesus.
Now, I can only imagine Mary being in a state of disbelief... asking herself the question, “WHAT IS THIS?” even as she explained to the angel that she was a virgin... which clearly meant giving birth was outside the realm of possibility.
But the angel Gabriel explained to Mary that the Holy Spirit would come upon her... and she would give birth to a child who would be called the “Son of God.” He also offered her a sign to look for as confirmation... telling Mary that her much older cousin, Elizabeth, who had been barren, was actually six months pregnant... proof positive that nothing is impossible for God.
It does all seem rather far-fetched and yet, all these centuries and generations later... here we are, poised to celebrate the birth of that very child... a child who specializes in turning the impossible into the possible.
And yet, we often find ourselves pondering that same question... WHAT IS THIS? ...particularly as we find ourselves living in a constantly changing world.
WHAT IS THIS... this lack of civility between strangers... whatever happened to common courtesy?
WHAT IS THIS... this loss of compassion for our neighbors who are in need... didn’t Jesus teach us that the greatest commandment was to love God with all of who we are and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves?
WHAT IS THIS... this pervasive idea that it should be every man, woman, boy and girl for themselves... have we forgotten that Jesus told us that whatever we do for the “least of these” (the hungry, the homeless, and the hurting) ...we are really doing for Him?
WHAT IS THIS world coming to when so many people seem to have lost sight of the fact that Jesus is the reason for the season? It is supposed to be all about celebrating the birth of Christ... not simply scrambling to put presents underneath a tree... after all, whose birthday is it anyway?
And just WHAT IS THIS often-told story about an unmarried virgin supposed to teach us all these centuries later? Let me suggest three things.
First, God can use anyone... so why not you or me?
The text tells us that Mary was “highly favored,” and the Lord was with her. But based on what we know about Mary... she would have never been voted most likely to give birth to the Son of God. After all, she was young, poor, and a female... not exactly a list of characteristics that most people in her time would have been likely to use to describe the mother of the Messiah... okay, maybe the mother part was not so farfetched.
But because of her willing and obedient spirit... God used Mary... anyhow.
And just as God used Mary... God will use us in spite of our limitations (physical, mental, or spiritual) ... in spite of our lack of experience, skills, and abilities... and in spite of our less than stellar record of achievements.
God uses who God chooses... we just have to be open to follow His will... trusting that God will show us the way to go.
It is like the old hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus... but to trust and obey” (Words by John H. Sammis and Music by Daniel B. Towner, 1887)
Proverbs 3 (5 – 6) tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Or as it reads in the Message, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.”
Mary listened to and heard God’s voice as the angel Gabriel spoke to her... and she became the mother of Jesus.
Just imagine what we can do if we, too, are willing to listen and obey the voice of God.
And that brings us to the second thing we can take from Mary’s story in today’s text, following God’s will may not always be easy but it will always be worth it.
Mary said yes to the Lord, but that did not come without a fair amount of challenges and risks.
Keep in mind, she was a young, unmarried woman who had suddenly found herself with child... something that could have resulted in Mary being divorced by her fiancé, disowned by her family, and disgraced by her community.
Simply put, there was a cost to Mary for her obedience... not the least of which would be the ultimate death of her Son on a cross at Calvary... but a death that would bring the promise of salvation for all humankind. A high price to pay for following God’s will for sure... but definitely worth it... by all accounts.
And while our own personal decisions to follow God’s will may not result in the need to go to such extreme measures... we do need to stay the course so that we do not become weary in doing good. Because we have the promise that in due time when we do what the Lord would have us to do... we will reap a harvest... and we will see the fruits of our labors... if we continue to follow God’s will (see Galatians 6:9).
And that brings us to the last thing I want to point out from this text, God makes the impossible possible.
In fact, with the insertion of a simple apostrophe, that word impossible suddenly becomes... I’m possible.
Jesus was born to die so that you and I would have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Jesus miraculous birth opened the door to salvation to all of us... turning the impossible into the possible... all because of God’s love for us.
Looking at the Message Paraphrase, we read in Romans 3 (23 – 24):
Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.Simply put, it’s impossible for us to live the glorious life that God has planned for us... but because of His wondrous love for us... we have been given the gift of salvation through Jesus.
It is during this season of Advent... particularly on this fourth Sunday... that we are reminded once again of the great lengths that God was willing to go in order to demonstrate His unconditional love for us.
As Paul reminds us, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8b). In spite of our flaws and our failures, our sins and our shortcomings... regardless of how truly unlovable we can be and have been... God loves us anyhow. Talk about a wondrous love!
Now as we reflect back on Mary’s story in our text for today... we have the assurance that because of His great love for us... God will continue to use us for His glory... just as He used Mary and just as He used Jesus.
Because God loves us... He calls us to follow His will... to follow the path that will ultimately lead to salvation. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it.
And because of God’s wondrous love for us... that gift of salvation that had previously been impossible has now become possible... all because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on that cross at Calvary.
So, let me leave you with this simple question... WHAT IS THIS that fills our hearts and spirits throughout this season of Advent and beyond?
It is the gift that keeps giving... it is the wondrous love of God that came down on that Christmas morning so many years ago... which is why I want to invite you to stand now and join in singing our Hymn of Discipleship: What Wondrous Love Is This (v. 1, 3, 4) #200.
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