Mary's Song: Joy to the World!

Steven Ragan, who came earlier in the year and preached during the Haggai series, has a heart for international missions. One of his essential roles at TRBA is to help connect churches to missions and missionaries, and he is truly gifted at it. But his heart is even more focused than that - he has a heart for the people of Thailand. As you hear him talk about the Thai people, one of the things he will always mention is their deep affection for Christmas. In fact, our association is preparing now to send thousands of hand made stockings to Thailand, because the missionaries there give them out as a tool to share the Gospel with the Thai people. They love everything about Christmas! They sing carols, they put up trees, they hang stockings, and yet in spite of all this, one thing is missing: Jesus. They have no idea what they are truly celebrating.

My fear is that this isn’t far from reality in the average Christian home as well. We have all the trappings of Christmas, we have all the celebrations, and yet there are so many who never truly grasp the true glory of the incarnation. For the next weeks leading up to Christmas, I want to spend some time just examining this mystery, of God becoming flesh, from the perspective of some first-hand witnesses of the birth of Jesus: Mary, Zechariah, Simeon, Anna and finally, the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. Each week, I want us to stare deeply into the incarnation so that we would have joy, true joy, this Advent season.

Getting into the text: Luke 1 is one of the longer chapters in the New Testament. By the time we get to our passage today, Mary has been visited by the angel Gabriel, who told her that she is blessed and favored by God, and that she would give birth to the Messiah. This seems like a lot of information to take in, especially when Mary couldn’t have been any older than about 16. So, Mary goes to her relative Elizabeth’s house, where she discovers that Elizabeth is pregnant! What a miracle! but more about that next week. Elizabeth’s baby leaps for joy in the womb, and Elizabeth herself praises God! Add this to the pile of wondrous things that Mary is currently experiencing! In her joy, Mary sings a song over the next 10 verses that speak volumes about the glory, holiness and worth of God.

This song also speaks to the wondrous mystery of the incarnation. In fact, this song reveals for us six attributes of God that are revealed through the incarnation that we should still be celebrating today. I believe that thinking about these mysteries helps us to truly worship and rejoice in Christ at Christmas, and not get lost in empty celebration devoid of the Saviour.

1. The Incarnation Reveals the Holiness of God

Luke 1:48-49

Luke 1:48–49 ESV

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

It is always helpful to think about what we mean when we talk about the word “holy.” Holy at its essence means “other,” or “separate.” God is holy in that He is fundamentally different from us in perfectly excellent ways. As such, his ways are different than ours as well.

Mary is first confessing the holiness of not only God, but of God’s ways as well. The way that God is bringing forth salvation for His people is not at all the way that the wise of this earth would have done it, or would do it. Look at what Mary sees God doing in His holiness:

God uses lowly people for His exalted purposes - who among us would have made the King of the World the carpenter’s son? Who would have seen the one who spoke everything into existence be born in a lowly manger? Who would have picked the common and ordinary as the means by which the most extraordinary thing in all of history happened? God would, that’s who! God, in His holiness, has used the things that are not to shame the things that are!

God uses weak people to accomplish His strong purposes - Mary recognizes that every generation forward will call her blessed, because God has seen fit to do this work for His people, and to use her for His purposes. And this is just like God, isn’t it? When you look at the testimony of the whole Bible and you will see this over and over again. Paul sums it up perfectly in 1 Cor. 1:27-29

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 ESV

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

If God had seen fit, He could have chosen for His Son to be born into earthly royalty and wealth. But then, man would have had something to boast about. Mary realizes her lowly estate, and Israel’s lowly estate, and exalts the holiness of God because He has done something that confounds Human reason: the whole fulness of God is pleased to dwell in human flesh, coming as a baby.

The song would have been amazing if it stopped there, but it keeps on going! Mary also realizes that this work of God is also showing the mercy of God.

2. The Incarnation Reveals the Mercy of God

Luke 1:50 ESV

And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

This is one of the most amazing realizations that I think Mary has, because it is one that is incredibly easy for all God’s children to miss. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal this to us, and He has revealed it through the mouth of a young teenage girl. Here is what Mary has realized: God reveals His holiness to His children through mercy. The incarnation reveals to us a merciful God. How?

Think about what we have been talking about in the book of Romans. Paul lays out for us that all of humanity was represented in Adam, and in Adam we all are sinners who stand condemned. We had a representative, and we were getting exactly what we deserved. But God has promised Himself to a people, not because they deserve it, but because He is rich in mercy. And so, the second Adam comes as a baby, to be for us the second federal head so that we could experience the richness of the promises of God. Now, raise your hand if you deserve that! Right! No one! It is only by mercy that we get this fulness!

In addition, think about the whole story of the Old Testament. God didn’t keep His promises to Israel because Israel did a stellar job of obedience; He kept His promises to Israel because He is merciful and faithful! It is God’s mercy that raises up a redeemer for such a faithless people, and Mary sees it.

And now, the conclusion of this point. When I say that Mary sees that God’s mercy is a revelation of God’s holiness for His children, here is why I say that: Mary says “His mercy is for those who fear Him.” Here we are again with the fear of the Lord, one of the most common themes of the Bible. The mercy of God is reserved for the people of the God, and is a manifestation of His holiness to them. But, this is not at the expense of his other attributes either.

It is a common theme to think of mercy as weakness. One of my favorite movies is The Karate Kid, and the world’s view of mercy is on full display there when John Kreese says “mercy is for the weak; the enemy deserves no mercy.” only half of that sentence is correct. The enemy doesn’t deserve mercy any more than we do. But mercy is not a display of weakness; it is one of the greatest displays of strength.

3. The Incarnation Reveals the Strength of God

Luke 1:51 ESV

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

God is not merciful at the expense of His justice. Those who do not submit themselves to God will experience the justice of God, and Mary sees this as well. She sees in the incarnation a revelation of the strength of God. Now, how on earth is this the case? How does the incarnation reveal the strength of God?

I believe that the incarnation was the single greatest miracle that the Lord ever performed on this earth. When speaking of the incarnation, Spurgeon marveled at the strength of God as he says “Infinite, and an infant—eternal, and yet born of a woman– Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast– supporting the universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms– king of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph– heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son. Wonderful art thou, O Jesus, and that shall be Thy name for ever.” He believed, and I do as well, that for all the great wonders of the Bible, no wonder is so great as the fulness of God packed into the body of an infant. Only the strength of God could accomplish this!

The incarnation was the starting point through which God would overthrow His people’s foes. Israel at the time would have seen the Roman Empire as the one the Messiah would have overthrown. It was powerless to do anything against the power of Rome. Revolt after revolt against the human government of the Romans led to greater bondage, fewer freedoms and ultimately destruction. They thought that Messiah would come and overthrow the earthly government and establish His reign on earth!

Now, we believe this as well - it will be accomplished at Christ’s second coming. But what the incarnation was for was to destroy the greatest enemies of God’s people: death, hell and the grave! The strength of God would overthrow the enemies of God forever, and this must start with the incarnation. And in coming to earth, God has demonstrated His reign over all creation. Which is the fourth thing that Mary sees through the eyes of faith

4. The Incarnation Reveals the Reign of God

Luke 1:52 ESV

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;

Mary sees Jesus for who He is, even before He has left the womb! Just like Elizabeth, who greets Mary and remarks that Mary is the “mother of my Lord.” Jesus does not become King; He is King! And His coming is a revelation of His reign.

One of the unique aspects of King Jesus that Luke truly loves to emphasize for us, and uses Mary’s voice to emphasize, is the upside down Kingdom of God. In worldly kingdoms, the strong, the wealthy, the educated and the well-born are the ones who are considered first in the kingdom. But Doctor Luke is very careful to show us that this is not so in God’s Kingdom.

Rather, those who will truly see the mercy of God in the Gospel of Luke are the poor, the oppressed, the sick, the outcast - the last, as Jesus says, will become first. What better way to demonstrate this than through the incarnation coming to a poor family in a poor town. God is no respecter of earthly kingdoms, and He is pleased to demonstrate this through the incarnation of Jesus!

In addition, one other way the incarnation shows the reign of God is through His divine providence. God has orchestrated every single event in human history to culminate in the coming of His Son. All God’s providence drives towards either Christ’s first coming, or His second coming. The Incarnation is the apex of all history to this point, the thing for which all Israel, and all creation, has been groaning for! More on that in a couple weeks, but suffice it to say we see the reign of God through the birth of Christ!

5. The Incarnation Reveals the Provision of God

Luke 1:53 ESV

he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

Now Mary is shifting gears a little, and getting back to some of the mercy of God. Those who are hungry have been filled, and those who are filled with the things of this earth will be empty. The coming of the messiah demonstrates the provision of God. Think about what has been provided already:

The fulfilled promises of the Old Testament

The blessing of the very angels, the messengers of God

God’s greatest gift given to the lowliest of people

and there is one gift that Mary has received by grace that I think is worth mentioning as well: the gift of humility. Humans are not naturally good at humility. We are gifted at thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, and at demonstrating that arrogance in our lives. But Mary is demonstrating a God-given humility. Wouldn’t it be tempting to think that you were something special because you were the one chosen to give birth to the Messiah? And yet, Mary doesn’t think this way at all; in fact, she is humbled by it all. Humility is a gracious provision of a gracious Savior to His people. True humility begins not with thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of God more. When we truly think of who God is, and what He has done, we are humbled.

Mary sees the hungry filled. Those who come to Jesus hungry for righteousness will be filled. but we all must first come humbly. And when we do, we see the final thing that Mary sees in the incarnation: grace.

6. The Incarnation Reveals the Grace of God

Luke 1:54–55 ESV

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Mary sees that God has kept all His promises. And this is all a work of grace! The incarnation is sheer grace to us! Who among us would deserve for God to take on flesh so that we could be with Him? Think for a minute about the great grace of God with me, seen in the incarnation:

In grace, God has come to help helpless Israel. They could do nothing to earn favor with God, they could do nothing to change their status with God. They had done nothing to earn the coming Messiah; in fact, it was quite the opposite.

In grace, God has kept all His promises. Faithless Israel broke the covenant, and yet God was faithful, just as He said He would be. Why? Grace. Sheer grace and mercy.

In grace, God’s plan will be fulfilled. God’s promises were to Abraham and his offspring forever. And the only way the forever promises could be fulfilled was through the coming of the forever King. And so, in grace, Jesus has come.

And Mary, through the eyes of faith, sees all this, and then sings it. She declares God’s richness, and the splendor of the incarnation, and if we were to summarize it, we could summarize it in one quick line: Joy to the World, the Lord is Come! Let earth receive her king!

What is Luke 1:46-55 telling me to do?

Live out Advent as though it is about the incarnation of Christ! How?

Luke 1:46 ESV

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

Use all the trappings of Christmas to magnify the Lord!

It’s no mystery that I enjoy celebrating Christmas in pretty well every way imaginable. As an advocate for Christmas cheer, I get lots of questions that somewhere go along the lines of “how do I know which things at Christmas I can celebrate, and which ones I cannot?” I have heard it about almost everything, from Christmas trees to presents to the lights in my yard to nativity scenes. So, what can Christians enjoy in good conscience?

I always avoid laying down hard and fast “do thats” and “don’t do this’s” in places where the Bible doesn’t, so I’m not intending to do that. I want to generally leave matters of conscience to that: your conscience. But I will say this - in everything we do at Christmas, we should be applying 1 Cor. 10:31

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Everything we do and take part of during Christmas should be done in this spirit. This means that there is one question that we should be asking as we think about the different aspects of Christmas, and it isn’t so much what we should do as it is why we do it: we should ask ourselves

Who gets glory from this? In other words, am I taking part in this Christmas celebration, or this aspect of Christmas, with a spirit of glorifying the Lord and drawing attention to the wonder of the incarnation? If so, go for it. If not, the real key may not be so much refraining from an event so much as reframing your heart! Just as Mary says “my soul magnifies the Lord” as she thinks of the wonder of God taking on flesh, so we should say the same thing, with everything we do in our lives, the big and the small, the seasonal and the perpetual. So, focus on God’s glory, and do what you will!

2. Use all your occasions at Christmas to rejoice in salvation!

Luke 1:47 ESV

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

The second is much like it. Christmas isn’t always seen as a joyful time. Not everyone enjoys this time of year, or what it represents. Some have hard and painful memories at Christmas. So hear me, friends: I will never ask you to rejoice in Christmas. The Bible, however, will command all of us to rejoice in Christ! In spite of the painful memories and the difficult circumstances, can you see the joy in God becoming flesh and dwelling among us? Can you rejoice in the glory of the Lord? That’s all Christmas asks of you. Our joy isn’t in the season, or the celebration of the season. The source of Mary’s joy was not simply that she was pregnant; it was in what the Lord was doing! So, this year, may our joy be rooted firmly in Christ, so that we can sing, just like Mary, Joy to the World

non-Christian: what is this time to you? What does it really mean to you?

Benediction: Isaiah 60:1-3

Isaiah 60:1–3 ESV

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.