Mary: Speechless Mother

Mary: Another Scandal

Matthew’s Genealogy places Mary in line with other women in Jesus’s family tree.

A virgin birth? Really?

As Joyful as the Angel’s announcement was, it was also an occasion for fear

Mary’s Magnificat: For the Poor and Powerless

Mary places her faith in God

Mary understands the coming of the Messiah as hope for women like her, Bathsheba, Ruth, Rahab, and Tamar

B- Mary’s Magnificat: For the Poor and Powerless

First to the Shepherds

Luke further emphasizes this by including shepherds in the story

Shepherds, at this point in time, are social outcasts

God sends good news to the shepherds first, affirming Mary’s song

The True King

All of this is in contrast to the king mentioned at the beginning of the story: Augustus Caesar

Good news comes not to the royal palace from royal messengers, but from shepherds to a manger

Caesar resides in a palace while christ resides in a cave with animals

Caesar’s earthly quire vs. Christ’s choir of angels

Caesar’s “peace” vs. Christs peace on earth

In general: royal splendor contrasted with humble simplicity

Mary Speechless

The shepherds are outwardly vocal at their amazement

F-

Mary remains silent, pondering all of this in her heart.

Mary presents us with a model for proper worship

We often come to church for “us”; we have a consumer mindset with church

Worship is seen as being about the sermon: What should I do? What did I learn? How did I feel? Was worship good for me?

Mary’s silence is a recognition that God is doing something mysterious here.

Silence recognizes are inability to fully comprehend what’s happening

Silence recognizes that this moment is really more about what God is doing rather than what I do, More about God’s grace in giving rather than My satisfaction in recieving

Mary’s silence reveals what worship is really about: not understanding, not even evangelism, but the beauty of the mystery of God

So, when it comes to Christmas, what is there to say really? God became flesh, he took on human form. The Creator of the universe became one of us. How can we understand that? How can we comprehend? All we have to do is to stand silently in awe and wonder, to ponder these things in our hearts, and to appreciate the beauty of it all.