Christmas, Mary's Point Of View

Christmas, Mary's Point of View

Background: The Luke 1:5-80 is just prior to today’s scripture. It records how Zechariah and Elizabeth had never had children. Indeed, they had grown old praying for God to send then a child. Then the angel of the LORD, Gabriel, appeared to Zechariah and told him that Elizabeth would bear a child. This child would grow and bring many Israelites back to God. Zechariah did not see how two people so old could possibly have a child but they did. He was John the Baptist, the one who would prepare the way for our Lord Jesus. That was a miracle. Now we read of an even greater miracle is to befall the Virgin Mary.

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 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. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 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.

Introduction: After weeks of cancer therapy, a radiation technologist became concerned about redness and apparent burning around a patient’s waist. He immediately sent him to an oncologist. You can imagine the patient’s mind went into crisis mode. When the doctor entered the examination room, he studied the man’ chart, and then looked at him sitting in the chair, fully clothed. He looked back and forth, from the patient to the chart a couple more times, and then produced an instant and accurate diagnosis: “Your belt is too tight.” The moral of the story, this Christmas you may experience a big crisis as you see redness or some apparent burning around your waist, as you feast, and feast and feast. So do not go rushing to the nearest doctor, I think they would enjoy a Christmas break too, maybe it is just that the waist has expanded, and your belt is too tight.

In a similar way, I think that when the angel came to Mary, she must feel a big crisis too. A virgin, Mary was likely only thirteen or fourteen; can you sense how Mary’s world was shocked? What would you do if a teenager came to you and told you “I just saw an angel.” If something like that happen to you, what would think? Maybe you would think that you had a vivid dream, or maybe a bit too much coffee and too little sleep because you watched, “How the Grinch stole Christmas” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and “A Christmas Carol” back-to-back in one night?

All of sudden due to this angelic visitation, a huge crisis hits Mary’s world, and her world changed dramatically. There were many uncertainties and concerns in the time of Mary as well. She, her family, and fellow citizens suffered through some unstable times, both politically and economically. Though the Bible mentions of these things, I am sure the same kinds of tragedy, illness, and financial worries must have been a part of their personal lives as well. For instance, the terror of the crosses hanging outside their towns reminds them each day of the brutal reign of terror of the Romans. As they looked around them, there seems to be little or no control over their future. The uncertainty had many looking for the Messiah but for a teenager to say an angle visited her; a smile and a brief chuckle is all that likely got. But, Mary knew that that this angelic visit was real.