“Mary’s ‘Yes!’,”
Rev Dr Robert Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts
I’d like us to focus on Mary’s response to the angelic announcement. Gabriel comes to her in the town of Nazareth and tells her that she will be mother to the Messiah. After expressing some initial confusion, vs. 34, she accepts her role in history. “I am the Lord’s servant”, Mary answers. “May it be to me as you have said.” She submits herself completely to the will of God.
One of our local Catholic Priests stopped by the church a few weeks ago and was admiring our sanctuary. He was surprised that our church has 2 stained glass windows with pictures of Mary. I gave him my assessment: Catholics give Mary too much honor, and Protestants don’t give her enough. Surprisingly, he agreed with both statements. The veneration of Mary began in the 4th Century—individuals began teaching that the way of salvation is through Mary (Alphonsus de Liguori, The Glories of Mary). While some people are guilty of Mariolatry, worshipping the mother of Jesus, others have over-reacted and have made her a non-entity. Perhaps part of the reason is that we don’t read much about Mary in the New Testament—she appears only a few times. Nonetheless, she is an important, significant person and she deserves our recognition and respect. Mary says in vs. 47, “From now on all generations will call me blessed.” That should include Protestants!
The angel Gabriel says to Mary in vs. 28, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Catholic scholars have translated these words as “Hail, Mary—full of grace.” From this passage we get some of the text of the hymn “Ave Maria”. From this some also surmise that Mary is full of gifts of grace, and appears before God and humankind as a mediator to dispense gifts. But it is clear from the context that Mary is only the recipient of God’s favor in that He had chosen her to be the mother of Jesus. The words “highly favored” (caritousqai) mean that Mary has been literally “furnished with grace”; she has received special favor, a privileged role in the plan of God. Every Jewish girl hoped to become the mother of the Messiah. Mary is blessed, but she is not our mediator; nor is she a co-redemptrix with her divine Son. Paul tells Timothy, “There is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus” (2:5, NLT). We don’t pray to Mary. If you were sick, who would you call—the doctor, or the doctor’s mother? Mary is not the “Queen of Heaven”, but she is worthy of honor, and we should not take her willingness to serve God lightly.
Scholars agree that Mary was a teenager, and more specifically thirteen, the average age girls were betrothed. It was common in Bible days for girls to marry very young, and to wed much older men. I suppose this gave couples more time to “be fruitful and multiply”; large families were the norm. Mary’s “yes” shows that young people are capable of profound devotion to God. The Apostle John was a teenager when Jesus called him to be His disciple. Solomon urges in Ecclesiastes, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (12:1). Although adolescence is a time of change and turmoil, it can also be a time of commitment to Christ. Decisions made for Christ at a young age can profoundly affect the direction of one’s life.
“May it be to me as you have said” (vs 38). To live is to make decisions. When we are very young, we depend largely on our parents to make decisions for us. When we get older, we long for the day when we will be free to make all our own decisions. That can be a great day, if we are spiritually prepared for it. Our beliefs and values will influence our decisions, which will determine our behavior and destiny. People cannot be truly free to make decisions if they are enslaved to sin. Only Christ can free us from sin’s bondage. Real freedom is living within the restraining influence of God’s will. Mary showed tremendous maturity for her young age by submitting to the will of God, in spite of her uncertainty. When we surrender to God we discover an important lesson: “The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.” Our response to the word of God (to His will) determines our inward condition.
Mary’s hesitation comes (vs. 34) because she doesn’t feel qualified. She is not doubting the angel, but she’s clearly confused. We don’t know if she was aware of Isaiah’s prophecy: “Behold, a virgin will conceive and bear a son and will call his name Emmanuel—God with us” (7:14). God uses people for His redemptive work, but He uses divine means; the Holy Spirit is the power that makes things happen. God does more than call us to serve Him; He enables us to be effective disciples. Paul said “It is not I who lives, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). What happened to Mary is a miracle; we need to understand that when God saves and transforms us, that too is a miracle. What have we accomplished that can only be explained by the power of God? Paul tells the Thessalonian church, “The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it” (I Thes 5:24). And so Mary is told that “the power of the Most High will overshadow” her (vs 35).
Backing up just a bit, Gabriel has told Mary not to fear, vs 30. Often in Scripture people appear frightened by angels; we don’t know exactly what they looked like—they were probably more awesome than the ones on Touched By An Angel. In this case, Mary was more frightened by the message than the messenger. We may believe that God has a task for us that is more than we can handle, or a burden that’s more than we can bear. That fear can cripple us, or it can drive us to prayer and acceptance of God’s plan.
God sent one of His angels to Mary. God does not always call people in such a dramatic fashion. We may not see an angel or dream a vision, we may hear no voice, yet nonetheless we may be impressed with a specific direction to take. God gives us enough light to take the next step. He burdens us with a task, a challenge, and we are compelled to obey. When the Apostle Paul was talking about his calling he said, “Woe unto me if I do not preach the Gospel.” He didn’t mean that God would punish him—Paul was saying that he felt compelled to preach. Are we being led to undertake some task for God? Is He impressing us with a particular responsibility? Is He leading us to talk to a neighbor about our faith? Does He want us to assist someone in need? Is He motivating us to volunteer and support a ministry of the church? Sometimes we hear God’s voice when the Nominating Committee calls; but at other times the only urging we may hear is an inner one, and we may need to come forward, presenting ourselves as volunteers. In other words, we shouldn’t wait to be asked if we feel God is leading us to offer ourselves in service for Him.
Our Mission Board met this past Monday evening. I am very pleased with how our church supports missionaries. We need to be open to the fact that God may call us to serve personally. It’s great to write out a check, but God may want us to go ourselves. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone from our church was led to say “yes” to God and serve as a missionary? God doesn’t call everyone to full-time Christian service, but He does call us all to be full-time Christians.
On the one hand, Mary was given the highest honor ever granted, to become the mother of the Son of God. But on the other hand, she was being placed in an extremely difficult and potentially dangerous situation. Her social position and relationship to Joseph her fiancé might be in peril with her being found pregnant prior to marriage. Betrothal was tantamount to marriage in Bible days. If Joseph had died before the wedding, Mary would have been legally regarded as his widow. Any sexual relationship during the year-long engagement period would be regarded as adultery. Joseph could have had her stoned under Jewish law. We read elsewhere that he considered giving her a divorce. Mary humbly accepts her status, along with any embarrassment, suspicion, or misunderstandings that might follow. She leaves this dilemma in God’s hands. Those who see God’s hand in everything leave everything in God’s hands. In giving her consent, Mary is also making a statement of faith. Shortly thereafter, an angel comes to Joseph in a dream and explains everything. The angel tells Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:18-25).
The ages of Messianic preparation were completed with the submission of Mary to the plan of God. Mary was able to say yes in big things—at the very crossroad of life—because she’d already been saying yes in small things. She had been obedient to the Law of God. She calls herself the “servant” of the Lord (vs. 48). God has great things to do in us. The question is never, “Can He do it?” but “Will we submit to Him?” Mary provides the model Christian response. She knew the Lord was with her. If I know I belong to the Lord, that I’m not alone and not on my own, this changes everything.
