2006-12-03 - Mary - Luke 126-38

Message: Mary                                    Newport Baptist Church

Scr: Luke 1:26-38                               Date: 2006-12-03

Intro: Wal-Mart – restored Merry Christmas to advertising

Explanation – not sure why…

Possibilities… they rediscovered the true meaning of Christmas… NAH

They realized that it is possible for tolerance to include Christians…. Nah

An advertising expert suggested they might sell more stuff?  Maybe…

Maybe they rediscovered Mary?

TS – contrasts and paradox of all we celebrate at Christmas in the birth of Christ.

Christmas cards so often portray the peace of a new mother…the disarming nature of a newborn child (so vulnerable.)

But there’s another part we must see as well… the comforting comes by way of confronting every life.

What is disarming is equally disruptive…In fact, reading through the accounts, we find everyone has their lives disrupted.

We can think of…Zechariah…told he’d have a son long after he and Elizabeth (relative) had given up…a “prophetic voice” to prepare the way (…a pretty disruptive voice at that)…as a sign…mute… In time shepherds…wise men (astrologers) from the east…King…BUT NONE MORE THAN MARY.

Here of course, we find the VERY HOPE OF CHRISTMAS…

1)       The fulfillment of God’s promise to invade this world so desperately separated from Him;

a)       a promise to confront the injustice, despair, and death and destroy their power…, to provide new hope.

b)       It was a deep seated hope then(…Roman rule.) and still today (evening news.)

2)       God’s PRESENCE with us.

a)       Story of stray dog … it was raining and he was cold, shaking, and obviously dying of hunger… but no matter how hard I coaxed he was still scared.

b)       Perhaps that’s why God is willing to join us at very depth of human experience through Christ born into human life. This promise, this peace, this presence is indeed meant for all.

BUT IF THAT’S TO BE OURS THIS CHRISTMAS, WE MUST CONSIDER HOW GOD WAS BORN TO THAT FIRST FAVORED WOMAN NAMED MARY.

WHAT WE FIND, IS THAT WHICH IS SO…COMFORTING IS ALSO CONFRONTING… THE DISARMING IS ALSO DISRUPTIVE.

The angel startles Mary emotionally with His presence and words

1)       DISRUPTS HER PRIVACY…her sense of space…of safety. (Ill – me hit by car – now I flinch when one approaches from right… me choked unconscious, now my own wife can’t touch my throat)

a)       I wonder if some of us have similar expectations towards God?

i)         We say we want God to come close to us…to be in our lives…but we expect him to never startle us,

ii)       we want to maintain our sense of privacy…space…Perhaps Mary needed to talk to God about “BOUNDARIES”…BUT SHE DIDN’T.

2)       DISRUPTS HER PLANS FOR LIFE

a)       She’s “pledged to be married” = betrothed”; would last one year and was as binding as marriage itself…in fact it required a divorce to free one from this pledge…which is just what one could expect if they were to be found pregnant with child.

b)       So here she is, enjoying the most cherished plans ones whole life…the point in her life when she’s the center of her family and friends attention. NOW SHE IS TO BE THE CENTER OF THEIR SHAME AND SCORN.

c)       ….For that matter there’s Joseph…Even if they would stay together…soon there would be a cry piercing the air in need of attention…So much for their time together…As I learned when we had our first child, nothing disrupts life more than the cry of a little baby.

d)       And all this makes me wonder…Just how sacred are my plans to God.

i)         Do I presume God will honor them?

ii)       Do I secretly expect that I can enjoy God’s presence in my life on my terms?. .without being disrupted?…

iii)      Mary learned otherwise.

…and finally.

3)       DISRUPTS HER NEUTRALITY

a)       …for this son would establish a Kingdom with no end v.32-33

i)         Thru David’s lineage, somehow God would send a ruler to restore justice and righteousness forever…

ii)       this was the Messianic Hope…an expectation so common even a young Jewish girl would have known it well….but soon she would face its implications.

b)       An earthly …local King would feel threatened…and try to find them… there will always be insecure rulers who feel threatened like King Herod.

c)       Perhaps most telling were the words spoken to her by a man named Simeon.

i)         Luke 2…”your soul too would be pierced.” – basically -  In loving this child, you will know the cost of loving this world…

ii)       I haven’t seen that scripture on a Hallmark card lately, why not?

d)       BECAUSE WE’VE MISSED THIS GREAT TRUTH…DIMENSION OF CHRISTMAS…THAT THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS BY NATURE…DISRUPTIVE…as Mary portrays so clearly….God had invaded her sense of privacy, her plans her passiveness towards life.

e)       I can’t help but wonder how Mary might have responded?

i)         This is how you treat your “highly favored? allowing my life to face hardship…misunderstanding?”

ii)       “Couldn’t you get everyone on board first?…remove the rough spots…resistance?”…

iii)      These are expectations we might all have at Christmas when we consider God’s presence in our circumstances….

f)        Mary’s response so striking…v 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”

i)         NLT “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.

ii)       NRS “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word:”…”Let it be…”  Beatles wrote “When I find myself in times of trouble…” – words of wisdom, let it be.

Conclusion – WITH THESE WORDS…MARY FOREVER JOINS THE DRAMA OF CHRISTMAS

·         MARY LET GOD DISRUPT HER LIFE

·         MARY LET GOD DISRUPT HER PLANS

·         MARY LET GOD DISRUPT HER NEUTRALITY

·         MARY PLACES HER LIFE IN GOD, AND GOD PLACES HIS LIFE IN HER

It’s about placing our life in God, so that he can place his life in us.

Frederick Buechner…”Once you’ve seen Christ in a stable…you never know where he will be”  Are you ready for God to appear, for Jesus Christ to return?

God’s people are referred to as a bride

God sent his Spirit that all who receive Christ might be filled with His Life

Perhaps you’ve never received this life…never said “yes.”

Perhaps you’ve come to this Christmas season finding you simply feel more detached from His presence…because your “yes” to God has become quiet or weak.

Maybe a part of you is emotionally guarded from God disrupting your privacy as he did Mary. Maybe a part of you isn’t too happy with your circumstances…and has closed itself off from saying “yes” to God right where you are.

We want God’s presence but haven’t realized the role of our “yes” to God.

Our “yes” to God is more than passively resigning, its actively receiving him.

Prayer –