Mary's Song Series

Two years ago (2016), Russell Moore walked into a local bookstore where he overheard a man talk about why he hated Christmas music. Moore started to feel like he might be in the presence of the Grinch, but then the man explained why he found the music so bad… It was boring. “Christmas is boring because there's no narrative tension,” he said. “It's like reading a book with no conflict.”

That was the year when there were two gut-wrenching shooting incidents: one in Orlando where 49 people died; and one in Dallas where five policemen were killed. For the man in the bookstore, the tranquil lyrics of our Christmas songs couldn't encompass such terror.

Russell Moore says, “In a time when we seem to learn of a new tragedy each day, the unbearable lightness of Christmas seems absurd to the watching world. But, even in the best of times, we all know that we live in a groaning universe, a world of divorce courts and cancer cells and concentration camps.” (Russell Moore, “The Problem with Our Holly, Jolly Christmas Songs,” Russell Moore blog, 11-29-16; www.PreachingToday. com)

So is there a Christmas song that encompasses such groaning, but then points the way to genuine joy in the midst of that groaning. Yes, there is! It was actually one of the first Christmas carols – The song that Mary sang when she was carrying our Lord inside her womb. Russell Moore calls it “a war hymn”, which talks about God bringing down the mighty.

If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Luke 1, Luke 1, where we have Mary’s Song, a song sung by a poor peasant woman, who found herself pregnant and unmarried in a society which shamed such women.

Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… (ESV)

Now, wait a minute! How can Mary rejoice when the powerful Roman army occupies her land and her neighbors will scorn her as soon as they find out she’s pregnant? It’s because of her faith. In the previous verse, Luke 1:45, Elizabeth says of her, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary believes God in the midst of her predicament, and it brings her joy! She looks beyond the Roman occupiers. She looks beyond the scorn that was soon to come, and she sees the God who would save her from her humiliation.

Luke 1:48-49 …for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. (ESV)

Mary trusts her Mighty God to save her from her “humble estate.” He has told her she will give birth to the Son of God. So, even though her immediate neighbors might curse her for a few short years, every generation throughout all time will call her “blessed”.

God is holy. God is unique, who delights in doing unusual things for those who trust Him. In Mary’s case, He takes the most unlikely person, the poorest of the poor, and uses her to bring His Son into the world! That’s why Mary is so full of joy! She believes God!

And that’s what you must do if you want to experience genuine joy in your predicament, no matter what it is. Believe God! Depend on the Lord to deliver you from your humiliation.

TRUST GOD WHO SAVES YOU just like Mary did.

Paul Richardson, from Half Moon Bay, California, talks about the second Christmas of his married life. He and his wife Lisa had found “the best tree in the lot.” So with newlywed-like impulse, they decided to forego the two-foot high plastic tree that graced their coffee table the year before. They had found the perfect tree! It was wide at the base and came to a perfect point on top. With blissful Christmas cheer, they paid the $25, maneuvered it into their '77 Chevy Citation, and drove to their apartment.

Paul cleared a spot next to the couch and set it up in the corner. At least he tried to set it up in the corner. Their perfect tree immediately fell, turning their tree stand into green and red scrap metal. Another tree stand and multiple attempts only brought about the same problem: the tree wouldn't stand up.

When Paul probed into the forest of green needles, he discovered their perfect tree had a huge flaw. The base of the tree began straight and centered, but the middle of the trunk contorted in pretzel-like twists, bending this way and that, but coming out straight at the top.

It was perfect on the outside but hopelessly flawed within. It could never stand on its own.