Text: Luke 1:46-56, Title: Christmas Worship, Date/Place: NRBC, 12/20/09, AM
A. Opening illustration: There is a splendid moment in the movie Jurassic Park, when world-class paleontologist Allen Grant, who has devoted his life to the study of dinosaurs, suddenly comes face-to-face with real, live prehistoric creatures. He falls to the ground, dumbstruck. The reason is obvious. It is one thing to piece together an informed but nonetheless imperfect image of dinosaurs by picking through fossils and bones. But to encounter an actual dinosaur—well, there can be no comparison. For many people, spirituality amounts to picking through the artifacts of faith that survive from long ago and far away. In that bygone era, humans saw God, heard His voice, and experienced his awesome, at times terrible, power. But that was then. Today, those kinds of gripping encounters with God—with a God who wasn’t an illusion, but Someone who was real, Someone you could see, and touch, and feel—well, there could be no comparison.
B. Background to passage: This passage is known as the “Magnificat,” so named by the Roman Catholic Church because of the Latin translation of the word for “magnifies,” which in the Greek means to make much of or declare the greatness of a person or being. It is her song of worship and praise following her trip to meet with Elizabeth, following the angelic announcement of what would happen to Mary. Remember this trip was to confirm as the angel spoke, giving a sign of God’s involvement, and confirming Mary’s prophecy. It gives us a model, not only for worship at Christmas, but for worship everyday all year.
C. Main thought: we will see four truths about worshipping our Rock
A. Daily Interactive Pursuit (v. 46-47)
1. This worship was not that of an inexperienced worshipper. Nor was it the off the cuff ramblings of someone who was just really excited. Mary was a 14-year old girl who probably didn’t have access to a copy of the scriptures, nor could she even read. “A virtual collage of biblical texts.” But her spontaneous worship demonstrates a serious knowledge of and memorization of the scripture. It also reveals a rich theological knowledge of God’s dealings with Israel, and the covenants in place. This was someone who spent lots of time in the synagogue listening to the teachers teach. And this was also someone who spent lots of time in worship daily before God in personal worship. She did not go to the service, sleep through and endure another set of songs and a sermon. She sang and worshipped and passionately praised the Lord. And she did it regularly as the purposeful present tense verb implies. She said, “I continually celebrate the Lord.” The word for “rejoice” means to express extreme joy.
2. 1 Sam 1:11, 2:1-10, Ps 34:2-3, 35:9, 126:3, 99:3, Hab 3:18, Isa 29:13, 43:11, 45:21, Gen 30:13,
3. Illustration: “Without the heart, it is not worship; it is a stage play; an acting a part without being that person that is really acted by us: a hypocrite, in the notion of the word is a stage player…We may be truly said to worship God, though we lack perfection; but we cannot be said to worship him, if we lack sincerity.” -17th Cent Puritan Stephen Charnock, –Brother Lawrence in Practicing the Presence of God, 1641 see below, Arthur Pink wrote about how some people do not worship: They bring their bodies to the house of prayer but not their souls. They worship with their mouths but not in spirit and in truth. They are sticklers for early morning communion with God but they take no thought about keeping their hearts with all diligence. They boast of their orthodoxy but disregard the precepts of Christ, Les and I listening to the Fair Haven Primitive Baptist Church sing before they had their baptism,
4. Good “pray-ers” pray consistently and regularly, and good worshippers worship consistently and regularly. Worship is not a once a week thing. This event that we are in the midst of is the overflow of your constant daily interaction with and worship of God. It is a precious thing because, God is present in our midst in a special way. He is here, right now, hallelujah! This is not something to take lightly. And worship is not a passive thing, it is interactive. We were not designed to watch others worship, but to engage the God of Glory; to be ravished by His presence; and overflow with spontaneous praise. And we are not designed to have no feeling, nor to have no mental endeavor in worship, but to engage our hearts and minds upon His beauty and glory and value as the greatest and most satisfying treasure in the universe. And this doesn’t mean that we all have to jump up, shout, run around and praise, but it does mean that there should be some expression in our worship.
B. Proper Humility (v. 48)
1. Mary’s own estimation of herself is that she is of low status, insignificant, or weak. This is self-abasement in the highest, a word used where one lament’s their own guilt. This word could even be translated as “vile.” In fact, she calls herself a bondservant, which means a slave who is absolutely dependent on her master for everything. This slave was one that had little freedom, and was absolutely bound to the will of her master, however the service or slavehood was in some sense voluntary.
2. 1 Tim 1:15, Job 42:6, Ezek 36:31-32,
3. Illustration: “Humility is the natural product of reflection about who God is. In the ancient world, relationship with God was not a casual affair, as if God were a friendly neighbor. Rather, it was seen as an honor, and it called for a deep sense of respect, much like a person might respond to hosting a famous dignitary. After all, he is the Creator, who is responsible for our being a part of His creation. So much awe was reserved for God in Judaism that they discussed in detail how He should be approached in worship at the temple, even giving the precise route the priests should take in approaching Him.” –Bock, read the blog about changing the offensive parts of old hymns to make them more palpable,
4. By and large we see ourselves as pretty good people. We have changed the word “wretch” in Amazing Grace, “worm” in At the Cross. We know we’re not that bad now, and think that we never were. We have a mindset that says everything has to be fair. We think that if we are “good Christians” God will make life fair or good. And if bad things happen then something must be wrong, and somehow God owes us a good life. Let me fill you in, God owes you nothing. He is not indebted to anyone. He does not operate on the basis of your good deeds, or goodness—and you should be grateful for that. Even if we say that, do we really think that? Or do we just say it because we know that it is theological and practically correct? Genuine worship begins with a sense of our own unworthiness in His presence.
C. Based on What He’s Done (v. 49-54)
1. All through this song, Mary is celebrating the movement of God in her life and among her people. Look at the list beginning in v. 51 of the things that He has done. Again, most of these phrases had OT foundations related to God’s dealings with and on behalf of His covenant people. The cumulative effect of this list is to underscore the decisive work of God, especially on behalf of the poor, lowly, and undeserving. What a mighty God we serve.
2. Ps 145:1-7, 107:21-22, 78:4-7, 44:1-8, Josh 4:22-24, Eph 3:20-21
3. Illustration: “Believers must take God as His word and be amazed at His involvement with the details of their lives. God owes us nothing; we who have trusted Christ owe Him everything. As the child leaped in Elizabeth’s womb, so should our hearts leap within our breasts when we consider the many blessings of God that we experience!” O Worship the King! With 1000 Tongues…Let Him Assist you to Proclaim!
4. Especially, now during this season of the year, as we wind down 2009, reflect on the blessings and things that God has done for you this year. Better yet, think about the things that He has done for you this week. And let that propel you to worship with passion. You have a God that is actively involved in your life everyday! And if you can’t think of anything that God has done for you, think on His mighty deeds among His people at New River. Or if that doesn’t do it for you, think about what it must have been like to watch the Red Sea part, or to see the pillar of fire and night or the quail rain down from the sky or the 185,000 of Sennecharib’s army slain the morning, or the fire consume the sacrifice, the water, and the dirt and rocks, or the walls of Jericho falling flat, or the sky turning black and the temple veil ripped from top to bottom, or the winds and seas calm at the Master’s voice. And remember the greatest, most God-honoring, Christ-exalting thing ever done on your behalf was that Christ dying on a cruel rugged cross bearing your sin and the wrath of God that should have been toward you. If your life is a total wreck, at least this is worth rejoicing over! And if you have never resigned your existence away to Him, fall at His feet now, embrace the cross, repent from your God-ignoring existence, and swear allegiance to Him forever, and be born again!
D. Based on Who He Is (v. 49-55)
1. Finally, I want you to see how Mary rejoices and celebrates as she reflects upon the character of this God who has invaded her life and His world in a new and fresh way. She knows that Yahweh, and this child that she is carrying, is the Savior of the world, but the first character trait she mentions is holiness. This is the trait that undergirds all the rest. She also speaks of God’s mercy toward the undeserving, that’s something to drive us to worship. And God’s faithfulness, His power, His compassion, His aid and self-revealing qualities.
2. Ps 92:2,
3. Illustration: “God’s attributes are meant not only to be understood and worshipped, but they are to be experienced…” read the words to How He Loves by David Crowder, John Piper gives a list of dozens of qualities of the supremacy of Christ in comparison to the best our world has to offer, noting that none of them compare, then says, “…and time would fail to speak of the supremacy of His severity, and invincibility, and dignity, and simplicity, and complexity, and resoluteness, and calmness, and depth, and courage. If there is anything admirable, if there is anything worthy of praise anywhere in the universe, it is summed up supremely in Jesus Christ,”
4. God’s chesed is loving-kindness and tender mercies that are limitless, and that we could never exhaust. His forgiveness and compassion on the hurting and sinful could never be plumbed by the worse of sinners. Remember that God never, NEVER fails! His Word is always, always true! His promises and covenants and callings are irrevocable! He can never be thwarted, slowed down, held back, stopped, overthrown, distracted, or put to sleep! His power and authority are absolute so that none could question Him, nor inquire as to why He has acted in a particular way, as if there were a better way. He is exceedingly glorious and beautiful and worthy. His excellencies and perfections defy comprehension. His resources are boundless, and constantly lavished upon His people by a passionate God who is intent on glorifying Himself, and making His fame known among the nations! Oh won’t you worship Him? Won’t you bow the knee in gracious submission to this beautiful King begging His mercy? Won’t you lift your hands in thankfulness by your Christmas tree as our hearts and minds begin to be satisfied with trinkets and gadgets that will in a few years be nothing? All of these things pale in comparison to true beauty, worth, and glory! I stand it awe that a God like this would want our idolatrous hearts to worship Him… but He IS jealous for us, His purchased possession to reflect His glory and rejoice in all that He is, and be satisfied in Him and Him alone!
A. Closing illustration: Lowell Ogden tells the story of a little boy who lived out in the country around the turn of the century. He had never seen a traveling circus, and one was coming to his town on Saturday. When he asked his father for permission to go, his dad said he could providing his chores were done early. Saturday morning came. Chores finished, the little boy asked his father for some money to go to the circus. His dad reached down in his overalls and pulled out a dollar bill, the most money the boy had ever seen at one time. Off the little wide-eyed fellow went. As he approached the town, he saw people lining the streets. Peering through the line at one point, he got his first glimpse of the parade. There were animals in cages and marching bands. Finally, a clown was seen bringing up the rear of the parade. The little boy was so excited that when the clown passed, he reached in his pocket and handed him the precious dollar bill. Thinking he had seen the circus when he had only seen the parade, the little boy turned around and went home. Isn’t it sad that some people come to church like this little boy who went to the circus? They may come with the intent to worship God, but all they see is the parade – the parade of liturgy, hymn singings, prayers, and preaching. They peer through their pews at all the activity and then turn to go home at 12:00 noon; thinking they have been to God’s house, but yet they missed the main event – a personal encounter with Jesus Christ!
B. “Why did God make you?” Worship is the reason for which you were made! If you do lots of great things in your life, and you have 36 years of SS pins, and memorize the whole KJV of the bible, but fail to engage the God of the universe in genuine, authentic, passionate worship, you have failed at life.
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• "It is not necessary to have great things to do. I turn my little omelette in the pan for the love of God; when it is finished, if I have nothing to do, I prostrate myself on the ground and adore my God, who gave me the grace to make it, after which I arise, more content than a king. When I cannot do anything else, it is enough for me to have lifted a straw from the earth for the love of God. People seek for methods of learning to love God. They hope to arrive at it by I know not how many different practices; they take much trouble to remain in the presence of God in a quantity of ways. Is it not much shorter and more direct to do everything for the love of God, to make use of all the labors of one’s state in life to show Him that love, and to maintain His presence within us by this communion of our hearts with His? There is no finesse about it; one has only to do it generously and simply." –Brother Lawerence in Practicing the Presence of God, 1641
• Continuous
