Christ’s Birthday Observance: Make Praise

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Make Praise!

Hannah was giving thanks for God’s answer to her prayer

in the gift of her son Samuel,

and here Mary, too, considers herself blessed

as she stands in the presence of her kinswoman Elizabeth

who also, though beyond childbearing years,

has been granted the gift of a child.

In the vignette of this narrative, we see three feminine figures faced with impossible realities,

wrapped up inside miraculous unexplainable wonder

and flooded with praise.

Mary’s Magnificent Song

This story is traditionally known as the Magnificat, or Mary’s song,

and it is written in the style of Hannah’s song in the Hebrew canon.

Hannah’s Story

Her Situation: 1 Samuel 1:1-2, 4-5, 8

Her Supplication: 1 Samuel 1:10-11

Ms. Understood: 1 Samuel 1:14,16

Blessed and Impressed: 1 Samuel 1:17-18

No longer Distressed: 1 Samuel 1:20

Hannah’s Sacrifice

1 Samuel 1:24-28

Hannah’s Song

Hannah, long barren and bereft,

waiting for a child,

grateful that God had seen her plight and answered her prayer.

She promised to give him away

and return him to God and the tabernacle once he could eat solid food.

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Unbridled Praise: 1 Samuel 2:1-2

Unanswered Pride: 1 Samuel 2:3-4

Answered Prayer: 1 Sam 2:5

Amazing Grace: 1 Sam 2:8

Assurance of Protection: 1 Sam 2:9

Elizabeth’s Situation

Luke 1:5-7

Zechariah’s Service

Luke 1:8, 10

Zechariah’s Visitation

Luke 1:11-12

Zechariah’s Answered Prayer

Luke 1:13

God’s Plans for John

Luke 1:16-17

Unbelievable Wonder

Luke 1:18

An Answer Delivered in Person

Luke 1:19-20

A Priest Made Mute

Luke 1:22

The Promise Fulfilled

Luke 1:24-25

Well past mid-life in the ancient world,

Elizabeth was blessed with a child in her womb,

though her husband had been struck mute,

and she must have feared the travail of birth given her advanced years.

Mary is Chosen

Luke 1:26–27 ESV

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:30–33 ESV

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary, not yet wed, we think,

probably sent to visit with her family outside her village

to give some time and space and protection given her delicate condition

and yet, she, believing and trusting in God.

Mary Comes to Elizabeth

Luke 1:39–41 ESV

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

Elizabeth’s Praise

Luke 1:42–45 ESV

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

In the ancient world, the inability to conceive and birth a child,

particularly a male child,

was thought to be some sort of punishment of God upon women.

We know now that this is not the truth, but in their time,

women were dependent upon the care of husbands and fathers

and/or sons for their survival

which made their roles as wives and mothers critical to their existence.

Mary’s Song to God

However, she did not yet know how things would work out

and considered herself blessed.

Three Women, One Great God

We can see here that each of these women

has had the blessing of the need of a child answered,

and yet, also some hardship that the very same miracle will bring about.

We Need Miracles Too

We live in different times and places, but we all have needs.

Some of us are praying for children, healing,

and asking God to restore relationships

and help us find employment and stability.

What Miracles Has God Done for You?

Many of us understand what it is to be in need of a miracle,

and many of us know what it is to have been granted a miracle,

to know God is at work,

yet life is still hard.

What Miracles Are You Praying For?

There is still another complication:

one more diagnosis, another fallout,

one more phone call, and one more hardship to face.

Believe God for Miracles

This text calls us to believe in the God of miracles this Advent

and to follow these women in singing our praise.

What are the miracles you are currently praying for and praising God in expectation of?

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