Lead Characters in a Christmas Drama: A Willing Heart
Luke 1: 46-55
We are talking about the characters from the original Christmas Drama. Those people that God chose to play the roles. Last week we took a good look at Joseph the man who acted as the earthly father of Jesus. This week we are looking at the person chosen to play the mother of Jesus.
The casting call might have read something like this: Must be young, from an average family, willing to be misunderstood, willing to suffer pain on both ends of your sons life, willing to watch your son be born in a stable, and must be willing to watch him be tortured and die in 33 years. Oh and one other thing, you must be a virgin. Mary was chosen by God to play out a role that has left her a place in history. She accepts the role and the drama begins.
The months between the announcement of Christ’s birth and the actual moment of His arrival were months of hard decisions and anxious waiting on the part of Mary and Joseph. However, as difficult a time as it surely was, it is still fascinating to watch Mary and see how she conducted herself. In this passage, she has made the journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also expecting a very special baby, John The Baptist.
When Mary arrives at her cousins house and speaks to Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps for joy. Elizabeth responds by telling Mary that she is blessed because she has believed the Lord and that God will do all that He has said He will do to and through her life. Hearing this, Mary, even though she is young, unmarried and pregnant, begins to lift her voice in praise to God.
She reveals a heart that is in love with God and also a mind that has been saturated with Old Testament Scriptures. She teaches us that we can be thankful and full of praise to God in spite of our circumstances at the moment. She also is demonstrating that God’s grace is sufficient even in the most troubled times. Mary’s great song of praise has come to be known as the Magnificat. This is the Latin translation of the first few words which Mary speaks and it literally means, "My soul celebrates the Lord."
This is a hymn of worship to God. It reminds us today that the birth of Jesus is about far more than gifts, trees, Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, and my personal favorite, the Grinch. The Christmas season is about our relationship with God and about learning to celebrate His grace and His goodness. What did Mary have to sing about? Why was she worshipping God at this time in her life?
Mary sang about grace. Grace is the word the bible uses to describe what Jesus Christ does in our lives when we accept His great gift of salvation. What is this grace that would cause a young lady to sing? She is pregnant, and nobody really is going to believe that she is going to have a legitimate birth. Nobody believes that something didn’t happen prior to marriage that shouldn’t have. She sings anyway. She worships anyway. Here’s why:
1. Mary Celebrated Personal Grace Verses 46-49
She had been redeemed, regarded and rewarded
46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is his name. Luke 1: 46-49
This church is really made up of two major groups of people. There are those of us who have grown up in church or been around it for quite a long time. We have been taught and preached to about the God, salvation, Jesus and even all the great stories of the Bible. Many of us grew up in homes and churches where we learned the message of salvation and how it would change your life if you would just accept Christ as your Savior and follow Him.
Then there is another group. You weren’t raised around Christianity or you haven’t thought about it for a long time. You know you have done things in your life that are not right. In fact, some of you may have done some of those things this very week. You feel sometimes like you don’t belong here. You question if you will ever be able to live up to what the Bible says. You love to be here and it makes you feel good and you are even able to forget some of the discouraging things that are going on in your life for the few minutes you are here.
Personal grace is accepting the fact that Jesus Christ was born over 2000 years ago to bring you salvation. He wants to redeem you from all the sins and mistakes you have made.
Redeemed: Salvation had come to her life.
Regarded: She was singing about the fact that she was a nobody, but God had look favorably on her.
Rewarded: She was feeling rewarded because she realizes that God is using her to touch others.
Personal grace starts with you and me admitting that we are sinners and that we need a Savior.
The banner headline across the top of one Chicago Tribune read, "Guilty Plea Sets Inmate Free." The picture showed the freed man embracing his sister, and the article told how a man imprisoned for eight years cut a deal with the state’s attorney’s office in which the time served satisfied his sentence.
What struck me was that headline. My first reaction was, "Another criminal gets off with a plea bargain." Then I realized that was what happened to me: "Guilty Plea Sets Inmate Free." Freedom is not in a plea of innocence but in the admission of guilt. My story is different, but the headline fits perfectly. Citation: Lee Eclov; Lake Forest, Illinois; source: Chicago Tribune (8-2-00)
2. Mary Celebrated Perpetual Grace Verses 50-53
She sings of permanence, performance and promise
50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” Luke 1:50-53
Permanence: Mary knows that she isn’t the only one who has received grace from God, nor is her generation the only one that can expect the hand of God to move. His grace is to be revealed to every generation, until the return of Christ to this earth. The grace of God is operating even today! There is grace to save sinners. Grace to reclaim backsliders. Grace for battles, trials and valleys. Grace for every situation we face in life.
The apostle Paul wrote, “ 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor. 12:9. This, in and of itself, is a wonderful motivator for praise and worship before the Lord.
Performance: Mary praises the Lord because He did not come to reach out to the proud and the mighty. In fact, God chose to reveal Himself to those who were poor and humble. In one great act, God has reversed the order of society. Those who are considered great by men will be brought low, while those who trust in the Lord, though they may be poor and humble, will be exalted by their faith in the Lord.
Today, things remain the same. Only those who are willing to humble themselves before God can expect anything from God. Salvation comes to those who are willing to admit their sin. Those who are willing to admit their need, can expect to have it met. When we do, we can experience His grace in a very real way.
You know this is a very plain statement but it needs to be said. There are many who will die lost and spend eternity in Hell, simply because they were unwilling to come to the Lord, admit their sins and receive Him into their lives. I remember a couple I prayed with as they were facing death. They died at separate times in a three year period but neither of them had accepted Christ. They were up in years and has lived all of their lives for themselves. I remember visiting the husband as he lay dying in their home. From beginning to the very end we could have conversations as long as I was talking about the weather or sports or the local news. But the second I would start talking about God and asking him how things were in his heart with his relationship with God he would stop talking. His silence still haunts me to this day. It was my first church and I am sure I made mistakes, I still do, but this was beyond me and my mistakes or inexperience. He couldn’t bring himself to accept the grace that God so freely offers.
His wife, used to sit in church and stand during the closing moments of the services with the most lost look on her face. In the final moments and days of her life she somehow mustered the faith to believe. God’s grace will perform in your life if you will let it.
Promise: Mary reminds us that those who realize their lack can come to the Lord and be filled, while those who think they have need of nothing can expect exactly that from God.
The bible is full of promises and they have all been proven time after time to be true. You just have to get on board and walk the road that God has chosen for you to walk. Mary did this. She accepted the role and played it out just like God asked her to.
A young boy went to the local store with his mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed him a large jar of suckers and invited him to help himself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the boy held back. So the shop owner pulled out a handful for him.
When outside, the boy’s mother asked why he had suddenly been so shy and wouldn’t take a handful of suckers when offered.
The boy replied, "Because his hand is much bigger than mine!" Citation: Brian Harris; Mt. Roskill, Auckland, New Zealand
Sometimes I think we spend a whole lot of wasted time trying to work everything out on our own when all we need to do is trust God with our lives. His hands are bigger than our hands. His power is more powerful than our power.
3. Mary Celebrated Performing Grace Verses 54-55
She remembers His passion for His people.
54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." Luke 1:54-55
I cannot describe for you today how much God loves you. He is passionate about those who need Him. Christmas is not accurately appreciated unless you look at the whole picture of Jesus life. The manger should always have a cross in the background. You and I should not be able to think about the manger and the birth of Christ without seeing the shadow of a cross. That shadow fell across everything that Jesus did when He was on this earth. He came to die. He came on a mission and that was to save His people from their sins.
Mary could not help herself because even in her limited knowledge she knew that she was carrying a Savior, the Savior of the world.
Have you ever taken the time to read the words of Handel’s Messiah? This classic work of art should become a part of all of our lives. The culture alone would do some of us a world of good! In fact, I want you to be acquainted with these words so much that I am going to include them in their entirety at the end of the sermon manuscript so that you can read them online. Here is just a sampling.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Tenor)
Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:-Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
AIR (Tenor)
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.
CHORUS
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
RECITATIVE. (Alto)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us.
AIR (Alto)
and CHORUS O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain: O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold you God! Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
AIR (Bass)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
CHORUS
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
There is an old story that Abraham Lincoln went down to the slave block to buy a slave girl. As she looked at the white man bidding on her, she figured he was another white man going to buy her and then abuse her. He won the bid, and as he was walking away with his property, he said, "Young lady, you are free."
She said, "What does that mean?"
"It means you are free."
"Does that mean," she said, "that I can say whatever I want to say?"
Lincoln said, "Yes, my dear, you can say whatever you want to say."
"Does that mean," she said, "that I can be whatever I want to be?"
Lincoln said, "Yes, you can be whatever you want to be."
"Does that mean I can go wherever I want to go?"
He said, "Yes, you can go wherever you want to go."
The girl, with tears streaming down her face, said, "Then I will go with you."
Citation: Steve Brown, Preaching Today, #58
Conclusion: We are indebted to Mary this morning. Not to the extent that we fall before her, or her stature and worship her. Not that we should pray to her. Not that we should hold her higher than anyone else who has ever lived, but we owe her a debt of gratitude for reminding us that whether it is for personal grace, favors for others, or for those times when God proves Himself faithful in the lives of His children, we have a God who is worthy of faith, love, praise and worship.
With that in mind, I ask you this morning, are you filled with praise. Are you in a personal relationship with God today? Are you in such a position in your walk with the Lord that you can truly celebrate Him this Christmas? Is there a need for you to come to Him and meet Him on a personal basis? Is there a need for you to come to Him and make some things right with Him today? Is there a need in your heart to just come and bow before Him and worship Him today? Whatever your need may be, please come to Him and let Him have His way in your life.
“I’ve never been surprised by God’s judgment, but I’m still stunned by his grace.” —Max Lucado
Will you just take some moments today to be stunned by His grace to you? That’s what Mary was doing when she broke out into song. She couldn’t help herself. She worshipped on this day with a prayer and song of praise.
Use Handel’s Messiah for devotions sometime during Christmas:
Handel’s Messiah
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Tenor)
Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:-Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
AIR (Tenor)
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.
CHORUS<> bAnd the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together;for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Bass)
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts:-Yet once a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come. The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.
AIR (Bass)
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refinerÕs fire.
CHORUS
And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
RECITATIVE. (Alto)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us.
AIR (Alto)
and CHORUS O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain: O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold you God! Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Bass)
For Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee, and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
AIR (Bass)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
CHORUS
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
PASTORAL SYMPHONY
RECITATIVE. (Soprano)
There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Soprano) And lo! the angel of the Lord cam upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
RECITATIVE. (Soprano)
And the angel said unto the, Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Soprano)
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:-
CHORUS
Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill towards men.
AIR. (Soprano)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.
RECITATIVE. (Alto)
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.
AIR (Alto)
He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
AIR (Alto)
Come unto Him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
CHORUS
His yoke is easy and His burthen is light.
*PART II*
CHORUS
Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
AIR (Alto)
He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: He hid not His face from shame and spitting.
CHORUS
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows! He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And with His stripes we are healed.
CHORUS
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. And the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Tenor)
Thy rebuke hath broken His heart; He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him.
AIR. (Tenor)
Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Soprano)
He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of Thy people was He stricken.
AIR (Soprano)
But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption.
CHORUS
Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.
RECITATIVE. (Tenor)
Unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?
CHORUS
Let all the angels of God worship Him.
AIR. (Bass)
Thou art gone up on high; Thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, even for Thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
CHORUS
The Lord gave the word, great was the company of the preachers.
AIR. (Soprano)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.
CHORUS
Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world.
AIR (Bass)
Why do the nations so furiously rage together, and who do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed.
CHORUS
Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us.
RECITATIVE (Tenor)
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.
AIR (Tenor)
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
CHORUS
Hallelujah: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!
*Part III*
AIR (Soprano)
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body yet, in my flesh shall I see God. For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.
CHORUS
Since by man came death,
CHORUS
By man came also the resurrection of the dead.
CHORUS
For as in Adam all die,
CHORUS
Even so in Christ shall all be made alive
RECITATIVE. (Accompanied - Bass)
Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all sleep; but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
AIR. (Bass)
The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
RECITATIVE (Alto)
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written; Beats is swallowed up in victory!
DUET (Alto and Tenor)
O death, where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
CHORUS
But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
AIR (Soprano)
If God be for us, who can be against us? who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.
CHORUS
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.
__ Amen.
