Poetry and the Story of Jesus
Responding to the Rescue • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Yes, but what does it all mean?
Yes, but what does it all mean?
Poetry doesn’t come naturally to Americans. We aren’t really known for our poets, nor for our appreciation of good poems. Sure, poetry has its place in our lives, perhaps in the early days of a blossoming romance, sometimes in formal ceremonies, like weddings or funerals. But it certainly isn’t our bread and butter. We’d much rather prefer a novel, thank you very much.
And that’s a problem, really, because the Bible is filled with poetry. You can’t understand the Bible without understanding poetry. Perhaps even more troubling - you can’t love the Bible without loving poetry.
One of the stickiest obstacles in the first reading of the Bible is how frequently the story is interrupted by song. It’s like a musical, honestly. All of the sudden the action stops and all of the characters burst into chorus. Meanwhile, most readers are half inclined to flip the page or shut the book altogether.
But you can’t do that, because the poetry is there on purpose. And the first thing I want to do this morning is to explain that purpose, because it has everything to do with the story of Jesus.
Saying the same thing, twice.
Saying the same thing, twice.
One of the most infuriating aspects of biblical poetry is that it rarely has something new to contribute to the story. It’s repetitive, it’s redundant. And that’s a big deal, because back then they didn’t have hardly any paper, and ink was expensive. So you might ask yourself, “Why waste my time and your time telling me, all over again, what just happened, in different words?”
And that would be an excellent question.
Let me give you an example to glance at. Turn with me to .
We don’t have to read it all, because it’s a long story, but glance at the passage while I give you a quick summary.
The people of Israel, who had been for years and years slaves of the Egyptian people, had just been freed from slavery by edict of the Pharoah, whose kingdom had just been ransacked and plundered because of the mighty work of God. And as the people of Israel, now free as a bird and filthy rich, were making their way to the promised land, Pharoah had second thoughts. So he gathered his armies and they made chase.
God isn’t worried about this at all, but the people of Israel are panicked. The people of Israel are stuck between the greatest army in the world and a huge body of water. And just then God moves miraculously - he splits the water in two, with huge walls of water on either side of a wide passage through the heart of the Red Sea. The people of Israel, awestruck by the might of God, make their way across the sea on dry land.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
Exodus 14:1-
So the people of Israel are stuck between the greatest army in the world and a huge body of water. And just then God moves miraculously - he splits the water in two, with huge walls of water on either side of a wide passage through the heart of the Red Sea. The people of Israel, awestruck by the might of God, make their way across the sea on dry land.
It gets better. Pharoah leads his armies in chase, and they make their way into the center of this dry passage just as the people of Israel cross to the other side. And at that moment God allows the raging waters to fall upon the army of Egypt, and Pharoah’s army is drowned in a moment.
It’s a great story. One of the best, really. And just at the moment when you expect the next chapter of the story, the people of Israel break out in song. And listen to a few of their words,
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
And again,
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
Exodus 15:9
Now let me ask you an important question. Do these lines give us any new information? Do these lines further the plot in any way? Do these lines teach us what happens next, at all?
No. No, this song repeats the action of . It’s there to draw our attention back to what just happened? Why? What is the purpose of ?
Look back at the song, but this time start from the beginning.
Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Skip a bit to verse 11.
Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war;
the Lord is his name.
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,
your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.
At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up;
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
You stretched out your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.
“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;
you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
The peoples have heard; they tremble;
pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed;
trembling seizes the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
Terror and dread fall upon them;
because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone,
till your people, O Lord, pass by,
till the people pass by whom you have purchased.
You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain,
the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
The Lord will reign forever and ever.”
“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
And focus your attention on the last line.
:11-
The Lord will reign forever and ever.”
Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war;
the Lord is his name.
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea,
and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.
The floods covered them;
they went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,
your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.
At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up;
the floods stood up in a heap;
the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
You stretched out your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.
“You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed;
you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.
The peoples have heard; they tremble;
pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed;
trembling seizes the leaders of Moab;
all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.
Terror and dread fall upon them;
because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone,
till your people, O Lord, pass by,
till the people pass by whom you have purchased.
You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain,
the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode,
the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established.
The Lord will reign forever and ever.”
For when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.
:
THE LORD WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER!
THE LORD!
THE LORD HAS TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY!
THE LORD HAS BECOME MY SALVATION!
THE LORD WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER!
Now. Does this poem give us any new information? Does it further the plot in any way? No. So why is it here?
exists to teach us the meaning of . The song of the people of Israel exists to teach us the meaning of their rescue. We knew, we already knew that the people of Israel were safe on the other side, that their enemies were crushed by the waters. We knew all of this. But we didn’t know what it meant. We didn’t know that all of this was living, breathing proof that The LORD had become Israel’s salvation. We didn’t know that the rescue of the slaves of Egypt was living, breathing proof that the LORD would reign forever and ever, that he would lead his people toward steadfast love, that he would redeem them and establish them and crush their enemies forever. We knew that God saved the people of Israel, but we didn’t yet know why God saved the people of Israel.
That’s what poetry does in the Bible. Poetry answers the question, “Why?” Poetry answers the question, “Yes, but what does it all mean?”
Poetry and the Story of Jesus
Poetry and the Story of Jesus
Now, the reason I bring this up is because the story of Jesus begins with poetry. Luke’s gospel rests upon a foundation of poetry. Nearly every scene in the first few chapters is interrupted by song, and that’s on purpose. You must read them carefully. Because if you ignore these songs, you cannot understand the birth of Jesus. Because these songs answer the question, “Why?”
Christmas Music
Christmas Music
My wife and I both began following Christ as adults. Yet we were both exposed to Christmas music from a very young age. We sang songs like, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and “O Holy Night,” from youth. There’s a real irony there. Because for years I sang these words:
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
I sang these words for years, as a rebel, as a fool, as a wretched sinner.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
I sang those words every Christmas season. For years. And then, one day, the Holy Spirit ignited my heart into affection for Christ, God awoke my heart from death, and I longed for the coming Kingdom for the first time. And since that moment, whether I’m singing in chorus with the saints or wandering through a department store, my heart cries out with longing when I hear the melody of that song! Joy, of the deepest and most eternal sort, fills my heart when I hear and sing and read these words which I have known since I was a young child.
New and Immortal Meaning
New and Immortal Meaning
That rich moment - that profound moment when the words of Christmas songs have new and immortal meaning - I want the Spirit to foster that moment in your heart when you read the words of Mary, the mother of God, who sings with joy of the coming Christ. I want the Spirit to foster that moment in your heart when you read the salvation song of Zechariah, the old man priest, whose son will pave the way of the LORD. I want the Spirit to foster that moment in your heart when you read the words of the Chorus of Angels, who cry “GLORY!” to shepherds in a field. And I want the Spirit to foster that moment in your heart when you read the words of Simeon, the dying prophet, who may now depart in peace, having seen the redemption of Israel. These words you and I have likely read every Christmas for years. Yet their meaning is deep and profound, and these words will teach us the significance of our own rescue and the only right response to that rescue.
These songs teach us the why of Jesus’ birth. They teach us the significance of the manger, the profound meaning of the virgin birth. They anchor the story of Christ in ancient promises, and in the longing of the people of Israel for rescue. These poems are here for a reason, and you cannot comprehend the significance and import of the birth of Christ without them.
So let’s get to it. I want you to turn to the first chapter of Luke. Let’s read together.
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
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.”
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
So that’s the what. That’s what happened. And you already knew what happened, because you’ve heard this story countless times.
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
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.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Okay. So look, I know you’ve read these words at least thirty times. And when you revisit stories that often, your mind can play a trick on you. You actually stop reading the words, your eyes glaze over, and at best you replace the words of the story with the concepts you’ve always known. All of the sudden you find yourself remembering that email that you’d neglected to respond to on Friday. Don’t let that happen. Because something profound is happening here, right here in this text that you’ve read every Christmas. And I want to dwell on it, but to do that you’ll have to set aside that instinct and pay careful attention to the details.
So let’s very briefly review the “WHAT” and then we can move on to the "WHY.”
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
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.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Luke 1:
:
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
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.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
To understand the gravity of this moment, to understand the fo
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
THE PRIEST
THE PRIEST
An old, righteous priest is serving the LORD in the Temple. And an angel appears to him to prophecy that his wife, who was barren, would have a son. He would be special, and he would prepare God’s people for the Lord. And we don’t know exactly what that means yet, but sure enough Elizabeth becomes pregnant in her old age.
THE DAUGHTER OF DAVID
THE DAUGHTER OF DAVID
Six months pass, and the same angel visits a young virgin, Mary, who is betrothed to Joseph, a Davidic son. This isn’t anything special anymore, because the kingdom of Israel has fallen. For centuries it was merely a memory.
This angel tells Mary that she’ll have a son miraculously, not naturally, and that he’ll be called “The Son of God,” and that he’ll inherit the throne of David, and that his kingdom would never end. And all of the sudden we understand what Gabriel meant when he said that Zechariah’s son would “prepare God’s people for the Lord.” Jesus, the Son of God, would inherit the throne of David are rule over God’s people forever.
As soon as Mary hears, she believes, and then sh
When Elizabeth and Mary meet, the Spirit falls, the baby leaps for joy, and Mary sings.
Yes, but what does it all mean? Why would God choose a righteous old priest to father the forerunner of Christ? And why send an angel to announce his birth? And why would God choose a young virgin step-grandaughter of David to give birth to the son of God?
And if you step back, there are so many more whys. Why send a son in the first place? Why rescue the people of Israel at all? Why restore the throne of David? Why choose a young lady of social inconsequence when God could have sent his Son to a royal household?
So many questions, and we’re given a startlingly simple answer.
Read Mary’s words with me.
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.”
Let’s take it line by line.
Mary’s first words are pure joy, pure exhilaration, unrestrained rejoicing - because she knows the significance of this event, and she can hardly wrap her mind around the LORD’s decision to choose her.
But what is the significance of this event? Why does she shout for joy? Why will every generation call her blessed?
And here Mary begins to answer all the questions we’ve asked.
First, she says that God’s choice to send a son teaches us that he is mighty. God is mighty. He is mighty to do what? He is mighty to scatter the proud, to bring down the mighty from their thrones, and to exalt the humble. God is mighty to rescue the humble, those who fear him, those who are hungry and weak and look to him for rescue. That’s how God is mighty. He is mighty to save the faithful, his people, and to cast down the proud and the strong who trust in their own strength.
All of the sudden a lot of the “WHY”s are answered. Why choose an old man priest and his barren wife? Why choose a virgin of social inconsequence? Why send an angel who stand before the throne of the Holy God to the least of these? Because by sending his son God is demonstrating his might to save the least of these, the helpless and hungry and hopeless.
But Mary doesn’t stop there. Dwell for a moment on those final lines.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
He has helped Israel. He has remembered his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers. To Abraham and his offspring forever.
Okay. Okay. I think this is the most important line in the song, and I think it’s echoed about twenty times in the book of Luke. Mary’s words here have gravity, because she’s just connected the birth of Christ to God’s promises of mercy to Abraham, and to all of Abraham’s offspring after him.
And I don’t want to pass over that, because I think that is the ultimate answer to our question, “WHY?”
The Prophet, The Priest, The King
The Prophet, The Priest, The King
To fully understand what Mary means here, we’ve got to take a few steps back. Because the book of Luke is masterful storytelling, and by placing Mary’s song here, just at the beginning of the story of Jesus, and by including these final lines, Luke is forcing us to see something HUGE and GROUNDBREAKING.
To see it, we’ve got to focus a bit of our time on Abraham.
Abraham’s story unfolds at the very beginning of the Bible. For the first few chapters we read about God’s brilliant work to create a perfect world. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, enjoyed perfect provision, perfect communion, perfect harmony with creation. No kidding, they lived in paradise and walked every day with God in the afternoon breeze.
Yet we’re hardly given a moment to dwell longingly on that perfect scenario before we learn that Adam and Eve threw it all away because they didn’t trust God. They broke the world, sin broke the world, and all has been cursed since that moment. Every thought and intention of the heart of man was violent, and generation after generation died hopeless and helpless, apart from God.
Until Abraham. Abraham was just a guy until God chose him, until God spoke to him and until he spoke back to God. Abraham was just a guy until he was a prophet, and God chose Abraham, and he promised to Abraham a people, a nation, a promised land, and an offspring through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. It was a promise, an unconditional promise made to Abraham - not because he was righteous but because God was faithful.
In the line of Abraham the faithful, in the line of Abraham the prophet, God would one day provide a son who would bless the world. It was a promise, and every faithful generation of his sons remembered that promise and looked to the horizon for the coming son of Abraham, the true and ultimate prophet of God.
And generations passed away, longing for the fulfillment of that promise.
And it came to pass that all of Abraham’s great, great, great, great, great grandchildren were slaves to a wicked people. So God sent Moses, son of Abraham, who spoke the mighty words of God and demonstrated the mighty power of God. God freed the people of Israel by the word and work of Moses, and he give to his people the priesthood. These lost souls couldn’t stand before a Holy God, so Moses by the word of God established the priesthood. And though he knew it was merely a stopgap, Moses looked to the great high priest who would one day come to offer a final sacrifice. And he told the people that the blood of bulls wasn’t enough to bridge the gap between a broken people and a holy God. But God would send a man like Moses, who would rescue his people forever.
And generations passed away, longing for the fulfillment of that promise.
After decades in the wilderness, a faithful generation crossed over the Jordan into the promised land, and for generations the spiraled into sin. Until the day that God sent his King. King David, son of Abraham, rescued the people from their enemies, and he ruled in justice and equity, and he provided for his people in splendor and generosity. And the people looked the King David with joy. Yet David was merely a man, and he too faltered. But God promised to David that one day a son would be born in his line, and he would take up the crown and sit on the throne, and of his kingdom there would be no end. The coming Son of David would rescue them from their enemies and provide for them from his bounty. The coming Son of David would bring peace, forever peace to the people of God. And from the day of David’s death the faithful people of God scanned the horizon for this promised son.
And generations passed away, longing for the fulfillment of that promise. And generations were beaten, and broken, and enslaved, and exiled. And the remnant, the faithful sons of Abraham scanned the horizon for the Promised Prophet of God. The faithful sons of Abraham scanned the horizon for the Promised Great High Priest of God. And the faithful sons of Abraham scanned the horizon for the Promised Son of David, King of Israel.
Until the day that Gabriel was sent to announce the birth of a forerunner.
I want you to see something that I think is amazing.
Since the very early church fathers, the first three songs in the book of Luke have been famous. And the very early Christians believed them to be so important to the story of Jesus that they gave them names.
Mary’s song was called the Magnificat.
Zechariah song was called the Benedictus.
And the prophet Simeon’s song was called the Nunc Dimmitis.
Three hymns around which all of Christ’s birth story revolves, treasured by the Church since the very beginning.
Do you think it was an accident that these three songs came to God’s people through a priest, a prophet, and a daughter of David?
Three songs, right at the outset of Jesus’ story.
1. The song of a prophet, who looked forward in hope to the true Prophet.
2. The song of a priest, who looked forward in hope to the Great High Priest.
3. The song of a daughter of David, who looked forward in hope to the Son of David.
Remember the last lines of Mary’s song?
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
He has remembered his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers! The promises to Abraham, and to Moses, and to David - God has remembered these promises and is on the move to rescue his people! God is doing it! All of the promises of God are realized in this child!
That’s our answer. That’s the answer to the question, “Why?”
What does it all mean? The priest, the prophet, the virgin, the angel? What does it all mean?
It means that God is faithful, and he is mighty, and he is merciful. And it means that all of his promises to rescue his people and restore the world are fulfilled in this child.
This child is God’s promises, God’s faithfulness, God’s might, God’s mercy, God’s love, God’s power, God’s word embodied. This child is the ancient promised prophet. This child is the great high priest. This child is the King of Israel. And this child is a reminder that God is faithful to fulfill his promises, always.
So sing!
So sing!
And as soon as you get that, as soon as you realize what Mary realized when she saw the angel and heard the good news. As soon as you realize that God has finally, forever fulfilled his promises. As soon as you get that this baby, this son of God, was the answer to all of their pleas for deliverance, as generation after generation of God’s people cried out under the burden of this broken world. As soon as you understand that Jesus is the promised Messiah who will one day, finally and forever, make right all that is wrong and wipe away every tear from your eye - at that moment the only appropriate response is to sing of the faithfulness of God!
At that moment you must respond to the rescue of God just like Mary did. At that moment the only appropriate response to the dramatic rescue of God’s people is to shout praises to the God who did it, the God who sent, the God who was faithful to redeem his people by the blood of his perfect son, the God who will establish his throne forever and ever and make peace for his people forever and ever. Sing, church! Sing of the mercies of God, the promises fulfilled, the hope of final deliverance! Sing of the Kingdom coming, the Kingdom secured by the blood of our great and mighty and perfect King! Sing of the baby Jesus, who came in humility to save his helpless people!
Let’s sing together, alongside Mary, and Zechariah, and Simeon, and the chorus of angels. Let’s sing together with all the generations of the faithful, who scanned the horizon for the birth of Jesus, the Christ, and who together with us look forward to his Kingdom.