Joyful Expectation

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

What are you hoping for this Christmas? In your mind if you could plan it out - what would really make or break Christmas this year for you? This is often a time year of where we are filled with hope, and peace and happiness. Often times we are able to take sometime off of work, around this time of year we are able to spend an extra amount of time doing the hobbies or things that we were too busy for in our normal, everyday routines. And for many of us, this is a time of year in the few days before Christmas where experience and are looking forward to our holiday celebrations. And at the end of our celebrations, if everything goes according to plan, or according to how we want it to go, then we will looking back on the day as a success. In our text, today what seemed to be like a normal family gathering turns out to be a proclamation of joy - that the Messiah is coming!

In preparation for the Christmas season, the family was getting ready to host the Christmas celebration. They were wrapping all the presents, they were cleaning the house to have all the family come over. And in the midst of the cleaning and preparation, the phone rings. The mom picks up the phone and says very little except “Uh” “Oh really!” “You are kidding, right”? And the conversation ends abruptly. But everyone in the house was filled with the questions. Who was that on the phone? Who were you talking to? What did they say? And with a smile the mom got to deliver the most wonderful news, that Aunt Jo is coming to the Christmas party this year. Aunt Jo was someone who lived on the other side of the world, Aunt Jo was someone who isn’t able to come every single year. The kids were excited to see her, they were excited at the potential to see their Aunt again, but they also knew what her coming to the party meant. They knew that with Aunt Jo coming that meant that they were going to get some pretty awesome gifts. So they were excited! The mom spoke up and delivered the news that Aunt Jo was going to be at the Christmas party, she said, rain or shine, she will be there! Now this had different effects on the family preparing for the Christmas party, some of them were motivated to clean and prepare all the harder, some were so happy excited that they wanted to wait by the door to greet her. But the afternoon of the Christmas party, there was a pretty big snow storm, and some began to doubt that Aunt Jo would be able to make it their home. But the youngest sat there by door and said, she said was coming! A few more hours went by and the sun had gone down, more began to doubt at the arrival of Aunt Jo, but the youngest child sat there all the more and said, she told us that she was coming. The party was beginning to wind down - and some of the family began to clean up - but the youngest family member sat there - and said to all the doubters, she told us she was coming. A few minutes later the door bell, rang Aunt Jo walked in the door, and the celebration picked up again!

In our text today from Luke Chapter 1, we have a family gathering of celebration. Mary had received the news from the angel that she was going bear the Son of God - bear the Son of the Most High. And that His name shall be called Jesus. The power of Holy Spirit will come upon her and cause this to happen. But in the midst of the news, Mary was also told about her relative, Elizabeth, that Elizabeth even being advanced years that she was pregnant through the power of God working in this world. And so our text begins, with Mary going off to see her relative Elizabeth, maybe to confirm what the angel had told her about her own life, maybe she went to congratulate Elizabeth because this was such unexpected thing. But whatever reason, Mary goes to Elizabeth’s house and as she walks in the door, and when the Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice - the baby who is John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth’s womb. John who is currently in womb leaps for joy never seeing Jesus, and Elizabeth filled with Holy Spirit delivers this word of encouragement, “Blessed are you Mary, And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

What a crazy scene, Elizabeth and John both react to Mary walking the door, in praise to Jesus because of God’s promises being fulfilled! Mary, at least in our text, doesn’t reveal to Elizabeth that she is pregnant. Mary doesn’t say in our text this is happening to me. But John a baby in the womb and Elizabeth react in praise for the true King that is coming! For John and Elizabeth - faith in God’s promises give people the eyes to see what others can’t. Through the power of the Holy Spirit this great thing is revealed that promise of God being with us is about to be filled!

What about us today? Are we waiting in hope that Jesus is coming for us or do we begin to look and focus on other things? In our waiting do we have joy like John in the presence of His Savior? Do we have joy in what our Savior is bringing for you and me? In our Christmas gatherings, in this time of year, may we as God’s people joyfully celebrate, joyfully proclaim to others, and joyfully wait.

This Christmas season, I think it is so tempting, that we have heard this story of Jesus coming, being born for us, that we lose sight of what is taking place this Christmas season. Are there moments when we simply go through the motions of the Christmas celebration in church to get on with the other things on our minds this holiday season? Are there moments when we speed through the praise of Jesus’ name to get on with all the holiday themed plans that we have taking place. Or as we come to God’s house, to praise Him - do we come not feeling like lifting our voices in praise as we are dealing with hurts, pains, difficulties, that we are waiting to be taken away? This Christmas season Jesus comes to fulfill God’s promises of love for you. Jesus comes to be the tangible grace and mercy of God - where can experience a peace with God that has no end. Jesus comes to this world, and He doesn’t leave the world the same. Jesus comes to the world, and He doesn’t leave you the same. Through Him, we are made new, we are restored, we are clean. May we not just gather out of obligation, or out of tradition because that is what we always do, because Jesus doesn’t leave us the same. This season of Christmas may we joyfully celebrate.

This celebration is so great it can’t be contained to ourselves. May we joyfully celebrate, and joyfully proclaim to others. Mary is there standing in the house of Elizabeth and Elizabeth explains what is happening. She tells Mary blessed are you that are standing here in my house! Blessed are you that you get to carrying and care for the Son of God! Blessed are you Mary that you would be believe that there would be a fulfillment of God’s promises. And Elizabeth even let’s the baby in her womb proclaim to Mary. She says to Mary that John - the baby in her womb leaped for joy because the Lord was here! These are unexpected voices to proclaim to Mary to confirm the promises of God. Their joy is so great, that it can’t be contained. For us today in the midst of our celebrations, may we continue to joyfully proclaim to others the arrival of our King. It isn’t a burden, it isn’t a chore, but it is a privilege to share with others the good news of our King.

This text in Luke happens when John the Baptist is in the womb, we hear later in the Gospel that Jesus was 30 years old when He was baptized by John to begin His public ministry. That’s a long time. That’s a long time to wait for John and others anticipating the birth of Jesus - the coming King. There may be moments in our waiting for Jesus to return - that we can become discouraged, that we can begin to wonder where the visible promises of God are found and why can’t we see the results? Or wonder why Jesus is taking so long to reveal the truth of Himself. But may we continue to joyfully wait. Jesus is still coming for you! He is coming back like He is. Even as we wait for that day - faith gives us the eyes to see, what others can’t. Maybe we continue to joyfully look to Him with eyes of faith - knowing He is coming for us!

Now may the grace of God the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, may it guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.