Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

Until the time when she who is to give birth has borne

Outline

Ever tried to explain waiting time to a child?

We have a small child in our house and “when mommy will come home” is perhaps weeks away and in the permanent sense, it could be months

When will it happen?

When the doctors have done all they need to do.

They are in process . . .

but a child does not understand slow process

And what they are doing is mysterious

Those are our texts as we await the Nativity

The parameters of the event are known

It will be “from” Bethlehem-Ephrathah, the village of David near Jerusalem, of no account since the fall of the monarchy.

The last monarchal line was Levitical and the present one was, well, Idumean.

But the coming “one who is to be ruler in Israel” will be from David’s line.

Who would have guessed?

Therefore there will be no restoration until “when she who is to give birth has borne” - but when was that?

The prophet did not know.

Yet there is more to this than the birth of a king

This ruler is one whose “origin is from of old, from ancient times” - not just his line is ancient, but his origin is ancient.

While it is not as clear in Hebrew, in Greek it is “from the beginning, from the days of eternity [of the ages]” That is more than David

Therefore Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit rather than of her own knowledge, says “how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Mother of God, Thetokos, has come.

No wonder all should call her blessed.

And since the ark with the presence of God has arrived near Jerusalem, no wonder the fetal John does David’s dance - which, of course, shows that it was “of the Holy Spirit” - as the priests must have danced with David, at least those not carrying the ark

Then the enemies of the people would be defeated, but not without sacrifice

Sacrifices were offered as the ark was taken to Jerusalem by David, and more sacrifices were offered in the temple after it arrived.

But these are not the “holocausts and sin offerings” that David offered, for God has prepared a body for his king.

This is the offering of the king himself, for “we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

We have not yet reached the birth, but already the shadow of Calvary falls as it may have as Mary passed through Jerusalem on her way to Elizabeth.

We will remember that, for on the Nativity we will celebrate Christ-mass, reliving the sacrifice even as we celebrate the birth.

Sisters, we are still trying to grasp this, we are still children before a great mystery

The ancient line was revived, but not in the expected way of David

“She who was to give birth” has given birth, but she has become the one who birthed God, the God who was “from the beginning,” not just from the time of David

And the sacrifice that neither Mary nor Elizabeth could have dreamed of has been made and now spreads across space and time in a way Second Temple sacrifices never could.

No wonder John danced and Elizabeth calls out in wonder to a relative she had long known.

And no wonder Mary responds with the Magnificat.

It is a wonder beyond words housed for that time in a very ordinary small Judean village.

Come, let us adore him.

Readings

FIRST READING

Micah 5:1–4a

1 But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah

least among the clans of Judah,

From you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel;

Whose origin is from of old,

from ancient times.

2 Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time

when she who is to give birth has borne,

Then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the children of Israel.

3 He shall take his place as shepherd

by the strength of the LORD,

by the majestic name of the LORD, his God;

And they shall dwell securely, for now his greatness

shall reach to the ends of the earth:

4 he shall be peace.

If Assyria invades our country

and treads upon our land,

We shall raise against it seven shepherds,

eight of royal standing;

RESPONSE

Psalm 80:4

4 O God, restore us;

light up your face and we shall be saved.

PSALM

Psalm 80:2–3, 15–16, 18–19

2 O Shepherd of Israel, lend an ear,

you who guide Joseph like a flock!

Seated upon the cherubim, shine forth

3 upon Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.

Stir up your power, and come to save us.

15 Turn back again, God of hosts;

look down from heaven and see;

Visit this vine,

16 the stock your right hand has planted,

and the son whom you made strong for yourself.

18 May your hand be with the man on your right,

with the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

19 Then we will not withdraw from you;

revive us, and we will call on your name.

SECOND READING

Hebrews 10:5–10

5 For this reason, when he came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

6 holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in.

7 Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,

Behold, I come to do your will, O God.’ ”

8 First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.”

These are offered according to the law.

9 Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”

He takes away the first to establish the second.

10 By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Luke 1:38

38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

GOSPEL