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Christmas songs
Christmas songs
We sing a lot of songs at Christmas that we don’t sing throughout the rest of the year, don’t we?
— I don’t know why, but this year, God pointed something out to me… a lot of those songs make us feel good, they get us into the “Christmas Spirit”, they may even give us some level of comfort, because they are familiar… We grew up singing them, and they bring back good memories....
— But… some of them aren’t very theologically sound, or even historically accurate!
Think about it… We sing songs like:
— “Away in a Manger” … where we talk about a baby not crying… seriously!?!
— “Silent Night” … where we seem to be saying that EVERYTHING was calm… we want to think that even the animals were in some sort of trancelike state, and didn’t make any noise out of reverence for Jesus....
I don’t think those ideas could be any further from the truth!
— Babies aren’t quiet… they cry… that’s how they communicate… and Jesus was no different!
— And if you have ever been around a farm, you know that they are often anything but quiet!
No! I don’t believe that the night of Christ’s birth was anywhere near as quiet and serene as we make it out to be!
— Angels were singing… Lights were flashing… Proclamations were being made… and a mother was giving birth!
— That’s not quiet… that’s a rock concert!
Someone said that if mothers wrote more Christmas songs, we would probably have fewer songs about silent nights and babies who don’t cry!
The truth is, we do have a song written by a mother… in fact, it was written by the mother of Jesus… and it doesn’t mention silent nights or non-crying babies… It isn’t a soft sweet lullaby either…
It is a powerfully subversive song that speaks of the power and love of God breaking into the world!!!
It speaks of strong arms… of promise… of the powerful being thrown from their thrones…
It speaks of the humble and meek… the down-trodden and lost… the broken and hurting… the outcast of the world… being lifted up!
It is a song of Love… It is about the Love of God… It is a song about the strong, steadfast way in which the Love of God has… and continues… to impact the world He created!
It is a song of a woman’s love and gratitude for God!
We sing songs at Christmas that speculate about whether Mary fully knew what God was asking her to do… whether she understood who this child was… whether she understood His purpose…
Luke makes it clear: YES!!! She did!!!!
Mary understood… in fact, she probably understood better than we do, and better then some who should have understood better than her!
— Like the Priest, her relative, Martha’s husband, Zechariah!
— Mary understood that God was moving in new ways… That He was doing something awesome… But Zechariah missed it!
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.”
19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”
— Do you see it? Zachariah had been praying for his wife to bare him a son, and yet… He didn’t get it!
I. The Priest is Silenced but the Peasant sings!
a. In Luke, the birth of Jesus seems to focus on the voices of women! (How’s that for irony?!)
Look at Zechariah’s story...
Zechariah is silence immediately upon his unbelief in what the angel is telling him.
He doesn’t believe it can happen because they are so old!
Yet, Elizabeth is pregnant… and he remains mute until the day John the Baptist is born!
The story of Mary’s interaction with the angel stands in direct contrast to Zechariah’s story.
Luke 1:26-35
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him 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 ancestor David.
33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God.
Just like Zechariah, Mary questioned the angel… yet she was not silenced!
What is the difference?
Zechariah was a priest… he was a religious leader… if anyone should have believe God’s word … If anyone was going to speak a prophetic word over Mary… it should have been Him… Especially since he was receiving an answer to his prayer!
Yet, it isn’t… Zechariah is silenced, and his wife, Elizabeth, is the one who speaks prophetic words over Mary.
Luke 1:38 - Here’s where the difference is…
38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Mary’s reaction: Luke 1:46-55
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Mary, unlike Zechariah, is just a humble peasant girl, yet she believes…
remember what “believes” means — “believe to the extent of complete trust”
Mary believed, and declared the power of God through her song!
“Let it be with me as you have said.” Why can’t that be our response when God speaks to us?!
b. The dominant voice in Luke 1 is female… this stands in stark contrast to the cultural norms of their day.
They lived in a patriarchal society
Women did not have a voice — they couldn’t testify in court, or the church
They couldn’t own property (hence the story of Ruth)
Yet… Luke puts the prophetic words of these two women front and center in the narrative here...
Something different is coming… Something different is happening here… (that reminds me of a scene in “The Chosen”…) — Jesus came to bring the Kingdom of God in a New Way!
c. Mary’s song precedes Zecheriah’s… Mary’s voice is heard over his… revealing something powerful!
— Now hear this: The Kingdom of God does not enter this world in the ways we expect!
It barges in in ways that turn our expectations upside down… and forces us to look at things differently!
They expected the Kingdom of God to be ushered in through power and prestige, but… the Messiah was coming through a humble, common, peasant girl… from a no-name town!
They expected a Messiah coming from the priesthood… or at least through the known line of David… as a Royal, Powerful, Prince, but… the Messiah was coming as a simple, lowly, meek, peasant!
How often are our expectations turned upside down?
We expect Christ to come into our lives with a bang!!! Like a Genie in a lamp… suddenly making everything perfect.
But… that’s not what He does!
that would harm us…
think about it — What happens to poverty stricken people who suddenly gain a lot of wealth?
God Loves us to much to allow that to happen!
II. Mary’s Song is a Love Song, but not like we’d expect.
— When we think of love songs, we think of sappy, sentimental, “girly” songs… but Mary’s song is a powerful song.
a. Mary responds to God by Rejoicing in Him.
that is an act of Love
Mary sees God as being faithful and ever-present to her.
Do we?!
b. Mary gives God thanks for being present not just with her, but also with the world.
c. Luke 1:46-50
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
d. She glorifies God’s character, declaring God’s mercy towards humanity.
e. She speaks to the strength and power of God…
Do we do that? Is that how we pray? Why not?
Sometimes I think we don’t have the Faith and understanding of God that she did…
Sometimes we just… “miss it!”
— This song reflects the depth of Mary’s faith in and love for God… Look at it closer… she references so many songs of the Old Testament — words she would have heard growing up… words that shaped her faith in God.
Her song echoes the prayer of Hannah (1 Sam 1,2) Verse 48 references 1 Sam 1:11.
11 She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.”
Verse 53 references 1 Sam 2:5
5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Psalms are also echoed throughout the song.
1:46 - Psalm 34:2;
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
1:47 - Psalm 35:9;
9 Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his deliverance.
1:49 - Psalm 111:9;
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
1:51 - Psalm 107:9;
9 For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.
1:54 - Psalm 98:3
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
The Minor Prophets are also echoed…
1:52 - Job 12:9, 5:11;
9 Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
11 he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
1:55 - Micah 7:20
20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.
1:53 echoes Genesis 17:7,9
7 I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
— These references… this song… show Mary’s dedication to and Love for her God… But, they also paint her as a prophet.
It was common for prophets to use scripture to speak to what was happening around them....
The vast number of references Mary used to illuminate and reveal what was happening around her, to her, and within her was the work of a prophet… Her song reminds the world of God’s faithfulness and work in the past… what He is doing now… and what He will do in the future… Which is just what the prophets did!
Once again, words we would expect to come from a place of power or privilege, came from a humble young woman.
God used the voice of a woman… who wasn’t much more than a peasant… to speak a reminder of His love for and faithfulness to US!
III. Mary’s Song IS Powerful and Subversive.
a. It was subversive because of the messenger.
Mary was a humble peasant… a meek, unknown, young girl, with nothing to her name… just trying to make it through life in this world.
Thomas Cahill calls her song, “the most muscular piece of celebration poetry in all of ancient literature.” (I would say that it is the single most muscular piece of celebration in pretty much all of history!)
b. People assumed power was coming from a particular place… but that is not what happened!
Mary’s song PROVES that the Messiah was coming, not through power, war, and wealth… but through the humility and obedience of an ordinary person!
God used Mary to say, “The Kingdom of God is not for the wealthy, or the powerful, … It is for those who are oppressed… for those who are forgotten… those who are downtrodden… for those who CHOOSE to place their FAITH and LOVE in God!
c. Mary’s words declare that the Kingdom of God will be a Kingdom of Justice and Peace.
Luke 1:51-52
51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
Those who had power were going to be torn from their seats of power… They would lose their power to control others… to inflict war and cruelty… to take advantage of people… to abuse them and drive them to the breaking point…
In other words, the Proud will be humbled.
Those who have wealth… who have put their Faith in it… will be sent away empty. (Luke 1:53)
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
James 4:6 tells us…
6 But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Mary’s song is a reminder… We are to put our Faith in the One who loves us and is Faithful to us.
Luke 1:50
50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
Not everyone living in a culture of empire will understand this… not everyone will remember or follow God. The easy route is to bow to Caesar.
Standing against Caesar is a difficult thing to do… especially in a culture that is trying to dilute or drown your faith!
d. Mary’s song is a message of extreme hope and love… to people who are oppressed and desperate… “there is Hope”… to those who are likely wondering if God is listening… “He is and He loves you!”…
It is easy to feel “abandoned” by God… to feel like He doesn’t care… or is not listening as we struggle through the darkness in this world, but Mary’s message is clear… “God has not abandoned us… God continues to be faithful to His people!”
God loves us and God is going to bring about the day of the Lord — to bring about His Love in our lives — in completely unexpected ways!
IV. Conclusion
How many of you have seen the Disney movie “Frozen II”?
In the movie, Kristoff declares to Anna that his love is not fragile.
It is pretty important to the plotline of the movie, but it is an idea that we struggle with… We often miss the truth when we think, talk, or sing about love because human love is fragile…
It struggles… it fails… it is conditional…
(Let me tell you) God’s Love is not Fragile.
God’s Love is not easily broken...
It cannot be lost… It can be avoided and ignored, but not lost…
God’s Love is Powerful and Unexpected… think about it…
It entered this world, not through power and prestige, but through a simple, poor peasant girl…
This story… the story of the Kingdom of God… breaking into the world… is truly the greatest love story ever told!
Think about it....
It is the story about God leaving heaven to take on humanity… it is the story of His strength and beauty displayed… It is the story of a Love that sacrifices itself for the sake of others!
It’s a story of Humility and humanity....
It’s the story of mercy instead of judgment…
It’s the story of what love should be — strong and powerful in mercy and grace…
It’s a love story in the truest sense of the word… and it continues with us today…
We reveal the Love of God in the ways in which we live in the world… and how the world continues to see the Kingdom of God break through all around us… in us… and through us!
The story is ours to tell… and we tell it through our lives!