TOMORROWS FILLED WITH PROMISE
Drysdale Uniting Church – Worship @ 9
Sunday 21 December 2014
© Lynda Smith
Lectionary:Luke 1: 26-38
2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16
When you are having a baby most young Mums are filled with the hoes and dreams of a new tomorrow and a new beginning.
This is what seems to happen to Mary.
She was a very young innocent woman/girl of 16 or17.
As we have heard in the Children’s Address, she was all alone when she was visited by an angel.
She was told she had been chosen—not as the winner of Tatts, not as Miss Universe, nor Secretary of State,but to become a mother.
It has been said of Protestant churches that after Mary was delivered of her baby, she was largely forgotten. Whereas the Catholic churches have immortalized Mary as the iconic Virgin rather than a living breathing woman who said,YES, to God.
Whether we are Protestant, Catholic or not Christian at all paintings and sculptures of Mary adorn many schools and churches world-wide today and some are powerfully printed on our minds.
Mary was told she would give birth to a baby AND she was even told his name.
It was to be that the baby born of Mary would be called Jesus, God’s chosen one,God’s Messiah. God indeed chose Mary.
Young Mary was confused. Presumably Joseph was in love with Mary. He stood by her and fathered Mary’s child, not his child not Joseph’s child but Mary’s child of God.
The messenger of God tells her she will give birth to a special boy BUT her plans, her body and her future are no longer hers.
The biblical writers remind us that….
this story or text from the book of Luke is not actually about Mary and her behavior. It is about God’s grace and the Spirit working, enabling Mary to respond to God.
Mary resists the hysterical and gullible stereotype we have of many young women. Mary sets the example of a strong assured young woman. She invites us to look upon her as a willing participant in what God was doing in and through her.
Mary was afraid however, for her own well-being.
Women who had babies at that time were to be married—it was the custom. She may have been in physical or emotional danger being young, single and pregnant. BUT Mary loved God very much and no doubt she prayed at this moment.
Maybe some Mum’s in this room have found themselves in uncertain territory like Mary and prayed to God to give them patience, strength, understanding or guidance to deal with whatever crisis we have endured.
Mary’s response to the Angel was ‘Well….if that is what God wants to do, thenthat is what will happen’. Mary accepted her plight (was it a plight,not sure?).
Mary said, ’YES!’ to God.
Where did Mary find her courage?
How might we find the courage to say,’YES!’ to God?
What can we learn from Mary?
The name Mary is revered throughout the world today.
Mary was inwardly strong and resilient.
AND she had a personal relationship with God.
Maybe her journey into Bethlehem on a donkey can tell us that we too can have a rocky path and a difficult journey but God is still there for us. We can still be useful to God.
Mary found the courage because she knew she was not alone.
Our God was with her.
We are told by biblical writers not tofocus on Mary as a chosen person, a holy person or a worthy person. We should focus on God. Mary was indeed chosen by God’s grace. She became spirit filled and thus assured of her path.
Sometimes when there is a crisis it is a good idea to consult someone way wiser and older than yourself. Mary did this when she visited Elizabeth her cousin many years older than Mary. . Elizabeth too was pregnant and would give birth to John the Baptist.
In a church family too, there is always someone willing to listen and counsel. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, maybe for support or other.
But I am tipping with two women talking for 3 months they may have sorted a few problems for each other.
Both of our readings today speak of God intervening in the lives of two seemingly insignificant people, Mary in the Luke reading and David,the young shepherd boy (who became King) in the 2nd Samuel reading. They both accepted their roles because they were devoted people of God and they knew their God walked with them.
Mary was blessed, not because she was the mother of Jesus but because she believed God’s word. She was a devoted and faithful servant to the Word of God.
God is yearning for us to be people who will say,’YES! As Mary did. A young innocent girl who despite her odd circumstance said,’YES!’
In the 2 Samuel reading we read of Nathan the prophet. David, whom Nathan was subject to, and a chosen ruler by God, and a powerful military man decided God needed to dwell somewhere, he needed a structure. A cedar dwelling maybe. Through Nathan David realized that God selected him to move away from being a little shepherd boy to become a mighty and successful ruler.
God said to David,’Iwant to live in your heart not in a cedar dwelling’.
From David, God said, many descendants would come.
BUT God reminds David that no matter how famous or exalted he would become, he always belonged to God.
God did indeed want a “house for His people” and we know that it was Solomon who would build a temple and that it was Jesus who would be the safe home for Christians world-wide.
So both Mary and David had come from humble beginnings to become God’s people.
Professor Mark Powell (N.T Ohio,US) says he thinks Mary is portrayed in Luke’s gospel as ‘The Ideal Christian’.
Mary becomes the model for Christian discipleship, the person for whom all men, women and children alike should emulate.
Mary is the most Christ-like human in the story.
‘Let it be according to Your Word’ are the words Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before his death. They are similar words to those used by Mary. Mary, like Jesus demonstrated a humble trust and obedient service. But numerous scholars have noted that the Luke story also follows the form of an Old testament ‘call narrative’.
All the elements typical to that pattern may be found herein the Luke reading:
A greeting 1: 28, a startled reaction 1: 29, an exhortation not to fear, 1: 30, a divine commission 1: 31-33, an objection 1: 34, reassurance 1: 35 and a confirming sign 1:36-37.
Mary was called to a prophetic task, that being to bear and raise Jesus.
So Mary with the plain name was in some eyes a kind of prophet and Jesus was her oracle.
As Professor Mark Powell goes on to say, Mary was not simply the mother of Jesus. She was an ideal role model for all followers of Jesus: a servant of God who embodied faith and faithfulness.
She would want us to accept that tomorrows are always filled with promise if we believe and trust in God.
God blesses each one of us with skills, talents and abilities and blesses us too with ample opportunities to become His presence on Earth.
We may not be parents of the superstars, champions , winners, or chosen ones but we can , as Mary did, say ’YES!’ to God.
AMEN.
Sources: ‘With Love to the World’
‘Jesus Christ for Us’. Ed.Nigel Watson
“A Feast for Advent’. Delia Smith
‘Professor Mark Powell,commentary, N.T.Ohio.USA