“May Your Word Be Fulfilled in Me”
Luke 1:26-38
It sometimes seems like Mary has been turned into an inkblot test.
What do I mean by that?
An inkblot test is based on the idea that the subject's mind will impose meaning on the image of the inkblot, and that what they say about the inkblot will reveal something about themselves, and that is what we do with Mary.
For example, antifeminists sometimes hold Mary up as a model of the obedient woman who embraces her “rightful” place in the family.
Feminists have, at times, championed her as a strong woman who didn’t need a man in her life.
Greek and Russian Orthodox believers refer to her as the God-bearer.
Unbelievers sometimes mock her as a symbol of the irrationality of Christian thinking.
Catholics exalt her as the Queen of heaven, while Hallmark romanticizes her and the U.S. Postal Service puts her on Christmas stamps.
Then there is us—the Protestants—who too often ignore or minimize her, making her into a porcelain figurine in a Christmas Creche that is fragile and breakable and then boxed away for most of the year.
When we do pull her out, we don’t interact with her.
Yes, she helps us feel nostalgic, but in the end, she changes nothing.
No matter what we might think of how Mary is portrayed—one thing remains clear: She plays a central part in the story of our salvation, so it’s best not to ignore her.
God did, after-all ask her to give birth to our Savior and she said, “Yes.”
And because of this, we might want to ask ourselves how God is asking us to give birth to Christ right here and right now in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
And when we intentionally take a good hard look at Mary our excuses as to why we aren’t qualified to allow ourselves to be used by God begin to fall away.
I mean, if God used Mary, then we certainly aren’t too young to be used by God.
And if God used Elizabeth then we aren’t too old.
Not coming from a privileged background doesn’t disqualify us either.
If God brought something good out of Nazareth (as Nathaniel would later question in reference to where Jesus came from) then God can bring something good out of where we are from or have been.
As a matter of fact, God has most often used the most humble of people and places to give birth to God’s Kingdom Movement.
Mary had no rights, no power and yet…
…and yet…
…Nope. Our excuses will not work here…
…not when we look at Mary.
It’s been suggested that Mary wasn’t the first person to be asked by God to bear God’s Son, but rather Mary was the first to say: “Yes!”
Have you ever wondered why more people in this world don’t say “Yes” to God?
Perhaps YOU have struggled with saying “Yes” to God.
It can be a difficult decision.
Look at what Mary faced.
She would be pregnant out of wedlock—which could lead to her being put to death.
Surely, at the very least, Joseph would not want anything more to do with her.
She would be shunned.
But she trusted God enough to say “Yes.”
And Mary’s “Yes” not only changed her life—it changed the world!
I wonder how many other women Gabriel approached before Mary said, “Yes,” to God…
…before she said “Yes” to God Who wanted to dwell within her and through her?
Gabriel might have asked a lot of people.
Just think what those who said “No” missed out on.
(Pause)
As part of my Seminary education I was required to take a course in CPE or Clinical Pastoral Education.
And the setting I was assigned to was a Hospice Unit at a Veteran’s Hospital.
I would spend several hours a week ministering too and conversing with the patients.
I got to know several of them quite well.
I listened to their stories.
I listened to them tell me about their regrets and there were many.
And the most common regret I heard was, “I wish I had given my life to Jesus when I was young instead of wasting my time” on alcohol or drugs or whatever.
“If I had done that, maybe I’d of accomplished more.”
“Maybe I would have used my time to do something good. Something to help humanity.”
“Perhaps I would now have a relationship with my children whom I haven’t seen in 30 years.”
“Maybe my wife wouldn’t have left me” (this was a Veteran’s Hospital approximately 25 years ago and almost all the people in the Hospice Unit were men).
What these guys were telling me was they wish they had said, “Yes” to God much earlier in life…not just at the end of their lives.
It’s hard to see it at the time, but we miss out on so much when we don’t do what we know, in our hearts, God is calling us to do.
God is not just with us, but can be within us, distinct yet inseparable.
This is what Mary’s “Yes” was about.
The same is true of Moses and Deborah and Elijah and Esther.
A Messenger of the Lord came and said, “You have been called by God to serve the Almighty.”
“You have been called to undertake a journey, and in the process your life will be changed forever.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ tells us that this call has not only gone out to the people we read about in the Bible—but to all of US as well!!!
Every single one of us has been called to help give birth to the Kingdom of God.
A major theologian from the past is quoted as saying: “What good is it to me if this eternal birth of the divine Son takes place unceasingly but does not take place within me?
And what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace, if I am not also full of grace?”
The truth of the Gospel is that YOU and ME and all humankind have been created to be tabernacles or containers of God.
We are called to give birth to the holy and precious and life-changing work of God in our time.
(pause)
After Gabriel’s greeting, we are told that Mary wondered “How will this be?”
Nonetheless, a powerless teenage girl said “Yes” and gave birth to a Child destined to transform all creation.
That is Mary’s story.
What about YOUR story?
How is God asking YOU to help give birth to the Kingdom of God right here and right now?
We all know there are so many needs.
We all know and we might wonder “how in the world will people be helped and problems be solved?”
What is God calling you to do to help give birth to the solution?
In Matthew Chapter 25, we are told that Jesus will say to those who say “Yes” to God’s call on their lives: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Then they will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”
He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
There are so many people in need in our community and God is in love with all of them—with all of us…
…God is in such solidarity with humans that to help another person is to help God.
Isn’t that an amazing thought?
We had food pantries at the last two churches I served.
We used to say a prayer before every food pantry distribution day.
It went like this: “God, help us to see YOU in every person we serve today.
Help us to treat them as if they were YOU.
And may they see YOU in us as well.”
God is calling every one of us.
How are you responding to God’s call this very day?
We know how Mary responded: “I am the Lord’s servant.
May your word to me be fulfilled.”
She was the first disciple.
She has led the way.
She said, “Yes.”
She followed.
Now it’s our turn.
Do we have enough courage, enough gumption to do likewise?
Will you pray this short prayer with me?
Lord, I am Your servant.
May Your word to me be fulfilled.
In Jesus’ name and for His sake I pray.
Amen.
