Do you remember when you was a child, when someone asked you “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I think all parents would hope and wish their child full success. I want you to think about that statement for a moment. How much more would God want and desire for his children, no less than our parents or guardian wanting the best for us. No matter how severely beaten we are, God has our best interest in mind. Such as which two women, over two thousand years ago, carried in their womb, the hope, plan and redemption of an entire world.
In todays reading from the Gospel of Luke 1, I often think about this text as being so profound that it's mysterious roots are indwelled into Gods plan, that if overlooked, we miss a very important point. When God has a plan, he prepares a way. Can I get a Amen!
People like Christmas for a variety of reasons. The family gatherings, the heart-warming music, the decorations. For children, receiving presents plays a significant role in their fondness for Christmas. But at heart for those of us in the church, our pleasure in Christmas is rooted in our love for the Christmas story, the story of the birth of Jesus. But in todays reading, I also wanted you to think about how these two women, mary and Elizabeth couldn’t hardly contain themselves in accepting Gods plan that He prepared for them with such joy.
Listen to Mary’s response to the angel upon telling her that she was to carry in her womb, the messiah, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.” Can each of us say that very same thing when God places in our midst a circumstance, plan or adventure, not know what it will fully entain, but take it by faith?
In the story leading up to the birth of Christ, both mary and Elizabeth are with child by way of the Holy Spirit. But Elizabeth's child, whom we know as John the Baptist, was born before Christ to do something essential, that without it, the birth of Christ would have not been so significant. He came to Prepare the Way for the new Light, the messiah. An essential action in the display of power and Love. Gospel of John tells us ," John came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world."
What can we say today? Can we say we want to bear witness to the Light of Christ? I want you to think for a moment, just as John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, we too are to prepare ourselves during this season of Advent.
Now, another event we find in the Gospel of Luke, is the joining of the two new mothers in an embrace of Love and fellowship. Listen what Elizabeth said, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed Is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.”
What a joyous response. Obviously God spoke to Elizabeth’s about Mary’s purpose, and although scripture does not tell us Mary knew Elizabeth was with child, I really believe God directed Mary to visit her as it says “mary hurried to the hill country, to a city of Judah.”
So what of all this talk about preparing the way! Yes, Christmas is nearly here, yes we got my shopping done, yes we love Christmas lights and the festivals and such, and yes we know what Christmas is about. But when it comes to Preparing for Christmas, there is another side to all of Christmas I want you to focus on today. Listen again what Elizabeth said to mary, “How has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?”
Even Elizabeth, who was of older age, not able to bare children, God had a purpose and plan for. God prepared a way! The same for each of us today! We each, no matter what our circumstance, has a purpose and a Godly plan instore for us. Some of you may be thinking, you don’t know me or what I’ve been through, God knows! How could God use me for something so grand or even so small, God can!
Yours and mine purpose may not be as grand as this story we read today, but each of us has a purpose, each of us has our names written on God's hand, each of us is known by name, each of our hairs on our heads is numbered, and all because, God prepared a way for each of us to live with God, for God and God in us, period!
When we read every year about the Christmas Story of Jesus’s birth, we tend to automatically remember the memories in our lives, but I want you to understand that it wasn’t just Jesus’s birth that made history. A miracle happened to both Mary born a child as a Virgin and Elizabeth born a child in her barren age. Without a doubt, both Mary and Elizabeth was two prepared women of God to serve a living God of love.
Listen to a well known song, known to many as Marys song in the Gospel of Luke “My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. And His mercy is to generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed. He has given help to His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, Just as He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Just as Mary and Elizabeth both responded to Gods called, so we, with all faith and hope that God provides, are also to response with such a wonderous statement.
From the time of the last prophet of the Old Testament until the time of Christ, there was 400 years of silence. God used Alexander the Great and even the evil Roman Empire to prepare the way for the coming Messiah, when Israel thought God was silent. When you look at the three centuries of history and what was accomplished through these Empires and how God used them and prepared the way for His Son, we can now more fully understand what Paul meant when he spoke of “the fullness of time ” for everything was now in place for the birth and expansion of the mission of Christ and the Kingdom of God.
Friends, just as God prepared the way for our Saviour, he has prepared a way for each of us. God has prepared a way for me, say that with me, God has prepared a way for me!
Mary sang because she knew that the child she was to bear would change the world. We too, should sing and shout knowing God, in his infinite wisedom, has a purpose and plan for us. All we need to do is accept it, receive it, and deploy it according to his guidance by way of the manger of the Christ child. So let us always be prepared. Amen.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION