The Absurd Obedience of Mary
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The Absurd Obedience of Mary
Scripture
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. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 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.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:26-38
Prayer:
Re-Read Scripture
Outside of the biblical narrative….this is absurd!!
Outside of the biblical narrative, Mary is a case study in delusional behavour !
Without a larger story, full of angels and a God that interacts with his people, and by the way....it has been awhile when this happens to Mary.
To share this story could be dangerous.
Illustration:
Any delusion has four main characteristics:
The person having the belief believes it to be true, even when the existing norm and other people know it to be untrue.
The person having the belief believes it to be true, even when the existing norm and other people know it to be untrue.
The person having the delusion will not listen to any other viewpoints about the belief and will not consider change when evidence challenges the delusion.
The content of the delusion is impossible or implausible.
The delusion impacts the person’s daily life.
OK, so check check check check!!
Imagine the conversation with the doctor
So you are pregnant?
Yes?
How far along are you?
Not completely sure?
OK?
Who is the Father?
The Holy Spirit?
OK?
And have you thought of any names?
Um…Son f the Most High, or Son of God?
OK?
I’m gonna make a quick phone call?
Now Mary can save herself from all of that!
Gabriel leaves and she forgets, no muss no fuss.
What does it mean to say yes to God? And why do it?
What does it mean for us to say yes to God like Mary does here?
In a nutshell is mean that
We give in, live in and love the gospel story
We nurture the story in our lives
We give in, live in and love the story of God.
We see this in Mary...
I. GIVE IN
Our life is not our own
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Bond Servant - someone who has declared their lack of rights in light of someone elses
it is a giving up of the self and all that one thinks they own or deserve in order to serve the other.
The most clarifying statement of Mary comes at the end of this text!
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
That is a radical self sacrificing giving in to God’s story.
This is not popular. There is a negative attitude to anyone or anything that asks for our complete devotion. And there should be a healthy trepidation when we are called to give up our rights; but Mary as will see takes in the full story and says I’m in.
Dolores Hart was an actress in the 50s
Most have not heard of Dolores Hart. But maybe many of us probably would have if she lived out the life that seemed to be laid out for her. If she took the obvious road for her life.
At 19, she started her movie career as the lead across from Elvis Presley, other famous leads of her day, she filmed 10 movies in 5 years, only to leave the business with little warning at the age of 24, to join a monastery in Conneticut.
Leaving her last film with a one way ticket, convicted of the call to live in a story much larger than one any Hollywood writer could tell!
Even though she broke off her engagement to Los Angeles architect, Don Robinson (April 16, 1933 – November 29, 2011), they remained close friends: she admitted she loved him—"Of course, Don, I love you." But Robinson said, "Every love doesn't have to wind up at the altar." He never married, and visited her every year at Christmas and Easter at the abbey in Connecticut until his death.
She found true life she said when she submitted to something bigger than Hollywood
She found true life she said when she submitted to something bigger than Hollywood
In 2012 she walked the red carpet of Hollywood after 50 years for a documentary if her life titled God is Bigger than Elvis was nominated for an Oscar.
A radical self sacrificing giving in to God’s story
Absurd obedience - strange to the world
Mary had plans. A young Jewish girl with ideas of marriage. And kids, and a good husband, (and we learn later that Joseph is a good husband, concerned for Mary’s well being).
All that is challenged, if she says, “May it be done to me according to your will.”
My life is not my own Mary says., I belong to God.
(that is what holy means by the way) that is what saint means. )
To be holy does not mean perfection, it means dedication.
What Eugene Peterson called “A long obedience in the same direction”
A giving in.
But for Mary there was also an understanding that her story took place in a much larger story that she was living in.
She was giving into and living in a larger better story.
II. LIVE IN ----Knowing His story
it gave perspective to her story.
To a young girl, living in Roman occupied territory, wondering about her future and the future of her people, she found identity and purpose in God’s story,, she found clarity
Reading glasses
as I get older, I am finding it necessary to hold things further from my face.
I love it when people hand me things to read.......
I am going to start carrying a telescoping pole that I can clip things onto!!
Are you taking a selfie? Nope just trying to read!
I have reading glasses that I use for things up close, but they are useless when I try to look up and take in the bigger picture!
What is interesting is that my eyes look bigger to everyone else but, I am not seeing much!!
In order to take in the world in a larger way and get away from what is just up close, I need to use a different pair of glasses, to give my existence context.
That is what we find Mary doing here.
Now again out of context this story makes little sense.
Gabriel makes a few references too David.- and that is a clue to Mary getting clarity.
Now....We forget that without context this appearance makes no sense!
In order to gain context of a world that needs someone to take the throne of David!! we need to know why that means something David.
Notice Mary did not hear all this and then say....”Great! Who’s David?”
David was and is considered the greatest King ‘s Israel ever had, he was the earthy epitome of a priest, warrior king, praying for, fighting for his people.
His kingdom was considered the hight of the Israelite nation and God had promised that, after him would come another king, one of his descendants that would rule, not just over Israel but all nations, with a reign of peace.
Who did not simply impose rule from the outside, but who took us over from the inside; with a reign of peace and counsel.
12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.
2 Samuel 7:12–13 NLT12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.
6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!
Isaiah 9:6–7 NLT6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
NOW why do we need such a king! Why is this important?
Because all the things the prophet Isaiah mentions we are in dire need of!!!
Wonderful Counselor
FACTS ABOUT INTERNET (Practical Guide to Culture)- John Stonestreet and Ben Kunkle
Each day, 500 million tweets are sent, 4 million hours of content are uploaded to YouTube, 4.3 billion Facebook messages are posted, 6 billion Google searches are conducted, and 205 billion emails are sent.....[but] ...we shouldn’t confuse information with knowledge or knowledge with wisdom.
Now in our home we have a Google Home, where you simply demand of Google “Hey Google” to play music, look up stuff for you, let’s play trivia!
The other day someone in my house, started praying and said, and I quote....”Dear Google”
- in an age of plenty of knowledge but no wisdom where do we find counsel?
A Mighty God- in a world of little gods/pursuits that leave us high and dry and empty where is the God that truly saves us from our selves
Everlasting Father - In a world of broken relationships- where we continually seek belonging and embrace- we need an everlasting father- always present!
Prince of Peace - In a world of Chaos (inside us and outside us)- who doesn’t desire a Prince of Peace.
In a world of terrorist in French Christmas Markets or Screaming fights on University Campuses, where a myriad different world-views is circling..we could use a prince of peace.
The endless cycle of idea and action, Endless invention, endless experiment, brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness; knowledge of speech, but not of silence;
T. S. Eliot
Sound like it was written yesterday! it was written 80 years ago!
These are the promises of the Story God has written, that he invites Mary into and that He invites you an I into.
the invitation to give in and live in this story.
This is the kind of King that puts in perspective all other kings, and presidents and prime ministers.
And it is the kind of perspective that keeps us grounded when all of these let us down and cause division.
But not, only does Mary give in and live in this story....she loves this story!!
III. LOVE THE STORY
----Loving His story more than our own
Later when Mary is visiting her aunt Elizabeth, she breaks out into song!
first of all when someone breaks out into song in scripture....it is never indifferent. It is lament or it is joy!!
And here it is joy!!
What Some call the Magnificat
Mary’s Song
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
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.
And 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 mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
In other words God keeps his promises!!!
With my life, I am going to make much of God, with a Long obedience in the same direction.
Giving in, living in, and loving this story.
This story is the Gospel. The Good news that God came to dwell among us,, in order to bring us to himself.
That this child that Mary would usher into the world would be the promised redeemer, saviour, wonderful counselor, mighty God everlasting father, Prince of Peace.
This kind of story, this kind of king demands my attention and my life.
And we have seeen throughout the history of the church, that those who choose this story do so often at their own peril but for the reign of peace, justice and mercy.
People like Brian McConaghy is the founder of Ratanak International and a former Canadian forensic scientist who left the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in order to dedicate all his energies to ending child abuse and human trafficking in Cambodia.
People like Gary A. Haugen Founder, of International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world.
Mother Teressas, Martin Luther King Jr, Pastor Tomas, and a miraiade of others, and many of you who have said, in my work, in my relationships, in my marriage and in my singlness- I will give in, live in, I will love the story he has invited me into.
Gary A. Haugen (born 1963 or 1964)[1] is an American attorney who is the Founder, CEO, and former President of International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. International Justice Mission partners with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen justice systems. Haugen founded the organization in 1999.Mother Teressas, Martin Luther King Jr, Pastor Tomas, and a miraiade of others, and many of you who have said, in my work, in my relationships, in my marriage and in my singlness- I will give in, live in, I will love the story he has invited me into.
People like Mother Teressas, Martin Luther King Jr, Pastor Tomas who we work with in Mexico, and thousands of unnamed others.. , and many of you who have said, in my work, in my relationships, in my marriage and in my singleness- I will give in, live in, I will love the story he has invited me into.
It might not have been what I planned, but it comes with a wonderful counseler, a mighty God,, and everlasting father and the prince of peace.
And I will trust him with my life!!
I will give in, live in, and love the story
Conclusion
magnificat
What would it mean for you and I to say may it be done to me as you have said?
May it be done to me according to your will!
Well, it would mean yes to his story over our story, it would take knowing and loving his story over ours.
Giving in, living in and loving His story over our story.. because it is in His story that ours finds any truly clear sight.
That kind of choice is absurd to today's world!
But there is something in it because at this time of the year, many are drawn to the manger, many for reasons they cannot even articulate.
There is something in the humility of Mary, and the ultimate humility of the king of kings taking on human flash.
Of the wonderful Counselor, mighty God, Prince of peace, everlasting father deciding to be born and live in the muck
That belief means that you will have similar conversations with people at work, school, at home.
When you are inclined to get revenge, and tear down someone’s character and you are encouraged to do so by those around you....you are justified. You are in the right!
and you are asked what are you gonna do?
I’m gonna forgive them!!
When temptation comes and tells you you deserve it! Take it, pursue it, consume it!!
We say..No, that is not what I want to be a bondservant to.
I want to live a long obedience in the same direction.
I am going to give in, live in ,and love the story of Christ, because in that story I find my greatest purpose, fullest identity, and fullest humanity!
I am the bodnservant of God, may it be done too me according to your will!
Let’s pray
Bond Servant
Describe what a bond servant id
Knowing His story
Reading glasses and
David sctiptures
Loving His story more than our own
Missionaries
Hope fir freedom
magnificat
What would it mean for is to say may it be dive to me as you've said?
Well, it would mean yes to his story over our story, it would take knowing and loving his story over ours.
That kind of choice is absurd to today's world!
There is something in the humility of Mary, and the ultimate humility of the king of kings taking on human flash.
Of the wonderful Counselor, mighty God, Prince of peace, everlasting father deciding to be born and live in the Muck