LUKE 1:46-56 | MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD

“MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD”

LUKE 1:46-56

DECEMBER 20, 2015

I WAS TEXTING A COLLEAGUE OF MINE THE OTHER DAY, AND AS PART OF THE MESSAGE, I WAS TELLING HER HOW A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WITH WHOM I HAD BEEN TALKING HAD BEEN “SINGING HER PRAISES.” “SINGING HER PRAISES.”

WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS – IT MEANS THEY HAD GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT HER, AND ABOUT HER WORK.

THIS IS WHAT MARY THE SOON-TO-BE-MOTHER OF JESUS IS DOING IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING; THE MAGNIFICAT; SINGING GOD’S PRAISES.

THIS, OF COURSE, IS WHAT WE DO EVERY SUNDAY AS WE SING THE HYMNS OF OUR SERVICE.

IT IS WHAT OUR CHOIR DOES WITH THE HELP OF OUR WONDERFUL MUSICIANS AS THEY SING THE CHORAL INTROIT, ANTHEM, AND OTHER SPECIAL MUSIC IN OUR SERVICE.

IT IS WHAT OUR CHILDREN JUST DID AS THEY SANG, AND WE WITH THEM, AS THEY PRESENTED THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PLAY. WE SING PRAISES TO GOD, AND FOR GOD’S GOOD WORKS.

IT IS SOMETHING WE ESPECIALLY SEEM TO DO IN THIS SEASON OF THE YEAR AS WE SING CHRISTMAS CAROLS, AND NOT JUST IN CHURCH.

AT HOME, OUR TELEVISIONS TUNED TO THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC CHANNEL OR OUR FAVORITE SONGS PLAYING THROUGH BLUE TOOTH SPEAKERS SYNCED TO OUR SMART PHONES, AND US, SINGING WHILE DECORATING THE TREE, BAKING COOKIES, OR WRAPPING GIFTS.

IN THE CAR, OUR SATELLITE RADIOS TUNED TO ONE OF THE CHRISTMAS CHANNELS; OR WHILE STANDING IN LINE AT THE STORE – THE STORE’S MUZAC BLARING CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN THE BACKGROUND;

WE SINGING OR HUMMING BELOW OUR BREATH, OR MAYBE JUST IN OUR HEADS.

“HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING,

GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING.”

“NOEL, NOEL, NOEL, NOEL,

BORN IS THE KING OF ISRAEL.”

“JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD IS COME…”

MARY IS SINGING THE SAME SORTS OF PRAISES TO GOD FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN MAKING HER THE MOTHER OF THE CHRIST CHILD.

“MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD,

AND MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR…”

BUT MARY’S WORDS TAKE ON A DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT TONE AS SHE GETS TO THE SECOND AND THIRD VERSES.

THINK OF OUR OWN CHRISTMAS SONG: “I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY”

I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY THEIR OLD FAMILIAR CAROLS PLAY AND WILD AND SWEET THE WORDS REPEAT OF PEACE ON EARTH GOODWILL TO MEN

I THOUGHT HOW AS THE DAY HAD COME THE BELFRIES OF ALL CHRISTENDOM HAD ROLLED ALONG UNBROKEN SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH GOODWILL TO MEN

AND IN DESPAIR I BOWED MY HEAD THERE IS NO PEACE ON EARTH I SAID FOR HATE IS STRONG THAT MOCKS THE SONG OF PEACE ON EARTH GOODWILL TO MEN

THEN PEALED THE BELLS MORE LOUD AND DEEP GOD IS NOT DEAD NOR DOTH HE SLEEP THE WRONG SHALL FAIL THE RIGHT PREVAIL WITH PEACE ON EARTH GOODWILL TO MEN…

OR PERHAPS, JOHN LENNON’S, “SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS”

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ANOTHER YEAR OVER AND A NEW ONE JUST BEGUN

AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN THE NEAR AND THE DEAR ONES THE OLD AND THE YOUNG

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR LET’S HOPE IT’S A GOOD ONE WITHOUT ANY FEAR

AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS FOR WEAK AND FOR STRONG FOR RICH AND THE POOR ONES THE WORLD IS SO WRONG

AND SO HAPPY CHRISTMAS FOR BLACK AND FOR WHITE FOR YELLOW AND RED ONES LET’S STOP ALL THE FIGHT

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR LET’S HOPE IT’S A GOOD ONE WITHOUT ANY FEAR…

MARY SINGS OF GOD’S INFINITE WISDOM, GOD’S OMNIPOTENT POWER, GOD’S OVERWHELMING LOVE… BUT IN TONES AND WITH WORDS WHICH ALSO JERK US INTO REALITY.

FROM HER HUMBLE LIPS TO GOD’S ALMIGHTY EARS:

“FOR THE MIGHTY ONE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR ME, AND HOLY IS HIS NAME.

HIS MERCY IS FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

HE HAS SHOWN STRENGTH WITH HIS ARM; HE HAS SCATTERED THE PROUD IN THE THOUGHTS OF THEIR HEARTS. HE HAS BROUGHT DOWN THE POWERFUL

FROM THEIR THRONES, AND LIFTED UP THE LOWLY; HE HAS FILLED THE EMPTY WITH GOOD THINGS, AND SENT THE RICH AWAY EMPTY HANDED.”

YOU SEE, IN GOD’S INFINITE WISDOM, GOD IS SAYING THAT THE COMING OF HIS KINGDOM, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE COMING OF HIS SON, JESUS, WHO WILL USHER IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WILL BRING EACH OF US EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE NEED, SO AS TO BE ABLE TO BELIEVE IN GOD, AND LIVE IN GOD’S KINGDOM.

FOR SOME OF US, JUST LIKE FOR SOME OF THOSE JESUS MET IN HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY, IT MEANS GETTING RID OF SOMETHING;

AND FOR OTHERS, JUST LIKE FOR SOME OF THOSE JESUS MET IN HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY, IT MEANS GETTING SOMETHING WE’VE NEVER HAD.

WITH THE RICH, YOUNG RULER, JESUS TELLS HIM THAT IN ORDER FOR HIM TO FOLLOW FAITHFULLY, HE MUST SELL ALL HE HAS, GET RID OF EVERYTHING THAT IS KEEPING HIM FROM BELIEVING IN GOD; TO STOP RELYING UPON HIMSELF AND HIS WEALTH, SO AS TO RELY UPON GOD AND JOIN GOD’S KINGDOM.

BUT TO THOSE WHO WERE HUNGRY JESUS GAVE BREAD AND FISH, JUST AS HE HAD GIVEN THEM THE BREAD OF LIFE, HIMSELF.

OF ZACCHAEUS JESUS ACCEPTED THE FACT THAT ZACCHAEUS WOULD HAVE TO GIVE AWAY HALF OF EVERYTHING HE HAD, AND REPAY ANYONE HE HAD CHEATED FOUR TIMES WHAT HE HAD TAKEN FROM THEM, IN ORDER TO CLEAR A PATHWAY FOR HIMSELF TO GOD.

BUT TO THOSE WHO WERE BLIND, DEAF, UNABLE TO WALK, UNABLE TO SPEAK, JESUS GAVE HEALING, SO THAT FREED FROM THEIR INFIRMITIES, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW HIM AND ENTER INTO GOD’S KINGDOM.

AND WITH THOSE WHO WERE BLIND TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS, DEAF TO THE CRIES OF THOSE WHO WERE HURTING, WALKING ON PATHS LEADING TO DESTRUCTION AND DEATH, SPEAKING VILE WORDS OF HATE AND PREJUDICE, JESUS REQUIRED THEM TO REPENT, TO TURN FROM ALL OF THAT IN ORDER TO FOLLOW HIM.

FOR THOSE OF WHOM JESUS KNEW “PRIDE GOETH BEFORE THE FALL” JESUS CALLED UPON THEM TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD;

AND TO THOSE WHO WERE HUMBLE, MEEK, POOR IN SPIRIT, HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, JESUS ASSURED THEM THEIRS WAS THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

TO THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY, AND THE WOMAN AT THE WELL WHO HAD HAD SEVEN HUSBANDS, BUT EVERY BIT AS MUCH WITH THE MEN ON THE HIGH COUNCIL WHO WERE “BLIND GUIDES” AND “WHITEWASHED TOMBS” JESUS TOLD THEM TO GO AND SIN NO MORE.

WITH THOSE WHO DISPLAYED FAITH, FAITH ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM WELL, AND TO THOSE WHO SHOWED COMPASSION, LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITAN, OR THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON, JESUS TOLD US TO BE LIKE THEM: LOVING GOD, AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.

THIS IS WHY MARY SINGS OF THE UPSIDE DOWN NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD – THAT WHATEVER IT IS – TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE THAT KEEPS US FROM BELIEVING IN GOD AND FOLLOWING CHRIST;

WHATEVER IT IS – TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH – WE NEED TO MAKE IT RIGHT, WE NEED TO ALLOW GOD TO MAKE US RIGHT, IN ORDER TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

THIS IS MARY’S SONG – A DUET; A DANCE; THAT WE HAVE A PARTNER IN ALL OF THIS, AND THAT OUR PARTNER IS GOD ALMIGHTY.

THIS IS WHY IN THOSE ANTHEMS OUR CHOIR HAS BEEN SINGING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, OUR CHOIR DIRECTOR HAS HAD MEN SINGING THE PART OF THE ANGELS, AS OUR WOMEN HAVE SUNG THE PART OF MARY.

IN THIS DIVINE SONG WE ARE ALL SINGING, IN THIS DIVINE DANCE WE ARE ALL DANCING, GOD SINGS THE LEAD; GOD LEADS THE DANCE; BUT IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO US WHETHER OR NOT WE FOLLOW.

AND SO IT WAS WITH THOSE JESUS ENCOUNTERED IN HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY;

SOME HEARD WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF THEM, WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP, WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE UP, AND THEY DID, AND THEY FOLLOWED.

SADLY, OTHERS HEARD WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF THEM, AND IT WAS SIMPLY TOO MUCH, AND THEY COULD NOT GIVE IT UP, THEY COULD NOT TAKE IT UP, AND THE SONG ENDED, AND THE DANCING CEASED.

MARY SINGS NOT IN THE FUTURE TENSE, BUT IN PAST TENSE, FOR WHAT GOD DID, GOD IS STILL DOING, AND WILL DO, BUT IT IS UP TO US WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL JOIN THE CHORUS; OR PUNCH GOD’S DANCE CARD.

GOD ACTS; THEN IT IS OUR TURN. GOD RESPONDS TO US. THEN IT IS OUR TURN AGAIN; OR NOT; IT IS UP TO US.

THE ONLY THING ABSOLUTELY SURE IN THIS SCENARIO IS THAT WE HAVE A PARTNER WHO IS WITH US AND FOR US AND WHO WANTS US TO HAVE LIFE.

MARY’S TRUST IN THAT FACT IS REALLY ALL SHE HAS.

SHE HAS NO SONOGRAM PROVING THAT HER CHILD IS GOD’S CHILD;

NO AFFIDAVIT FROM THE ANGEL GABRIEL TESTIFYING THAT HE VISITED HER;

SHE DOESN’T EVEN REALLY HAVE A HUSBAND TO VERIFY HER STORY.

ALL SHE HAS IS GOD’S WORD, AND FAITH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IT.

IF THERE ARE ANY BIG CHANGES GOING ON INSIDE OF YOU, IN YOUR LIFE, IF SOMETHING IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN’T PREDICT THE END OF, THEN YOU MIGHT FOLLOW MARY’S LEAD AND TRUST GOD.

WHO KNOWS, WHATEVER IT IS, IT MAY BE A GOD THING; A “PREGNANT” PROSPECT; AN EXPECTANT FUTURE; THE MOTHER-OF-ALL-OPPORTUNITIES;

BUT EVEN IF IT’S NOT, EVEN IF IT IS SOMETHING SAD AND SCARY AND CHALLENGING AND TEMPORARILY DEFEATING, TRUST AND BELIEVE THAT GOD IS YOUR PARTNER IN IT.

FOR WHILE IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE SOME DETAILS, SOME SENSE OF HOW IT WILL ALL TURN OUT, IT ISN’T REALLY NECESSARY. IT WILL BE WHAT IT IS.

BUT WE KNOW HOW GOD HAS ACTED IN THE PAST, AND WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE SAY “YES” TO GOD.

“HERE AM I, A SERVANT OF THE LORD, LET IT BE WITH ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD…”

MAY OUR SOULS MAGNIFY THE LORD, AND OUR SPIRITS REJOICE IN GOD OUR SAVIOR.