Thursday, December 19, 2019

Sermon - Midweek Advent 3 - Bathsheba and Mary


Week 3 -  Bathsheba and Mary – Mothers of the Son of David

We’ve looked at Eve and Sarah, mothers of promise, as well as Rahab and Ruth, mothers from the nations.  Tonight we consider two women who share a common distinction, but otherwise might at first seem very different – Bathsheba and Mary.  But as we look closer, we’ll see that they maybe aren’t that different at all.  Nor are we, who are also in Christ, the Son of David.


Bathsheba’s tale is a sordid story of adultery, unplanned pregnancy, conspiracy and murder, followed by a cover-up.  We didn’t hear all of the gory details this evening, but even Scripture doesn’t spell out every last detail – but leaves some to our imagination.

One debate that continues to run is what was Bathsheba’s culpability in the whole affair?  How much of a victim was she?  How much of a seductress?  Did she act out of fear before a powerful man, or did she play the game for her own ends, willingly participating in the sin (or at least, not protesting as she might have)?  Maybe one day in heaven we will know.

But one thing is for sure, she was caught up in this web of sin.  And she, like all of us, was a sinner.  Whether a #metoo victim of toxic masculinity or a woman who worked it all to her advantage (or, perhaps even some of each of these), the fact is that Bathsheba was part of a big mess of sin.

Sometimes we are responsible, directly, for the messes we find ourselves in.  Sometimes we truly are the victim, for evil also comes from the devil and the sinful world around us.

If it’s your own sin that got you into trouble, then there’s only one thing to do – repent!  We should pray to see our own sin clearly, to have the word which shows it to us (that word of law), and also that our pride would not hinder us from confession.  For yes, even we Christians can willfully participate in evil deeds of the flesh.  Sins of lust and greed and lies and even murder, if only in our hearts.  And often enough, those sins don’t seem to have consequences.  We seem to get away with it.  No harm, no foul, right?  No, for the Lord sees even the secret sins of the heart.

And then sometimes, often when you least expect it, that secret sin is laid bare.  It’s not so secret anymore.  Judging eyes can now see what a scoundrel you are.  The cat’s out of the bag.  The fig leaf didn’t do its job.  And what do you have left but excuses and equivocations, rationalizations and blame.  But none of that really works.  The only rescue is repentance, confession, forgiveness.

But then there are other times when you find yourself knee-deep in a quagmire of sin and its consequences, and none of it is yours!  You are the victim of some other sinner.  You are the target of some satanic plan.  Or perhaps you simply fall, for whatever reason, under some aspect of this broken world of chaos – and disaster, disease, or even death comes to visit.  Here, too, the Christian is not without hope!  Here too, we have good news from Christ.  For he is with us, working for the good of his people in all things – all things!  Even that which seems so ugly, and may well be. 

Whether she was complicit or not, Bathsheba knew the bitterness of sin’s consequences, when on the 7th day after birth, the child she had with David died.  Not even old enough to be baptized, just a day shy.  And while scripture records David’s grief leading up to the child’s death, we can imagine Bathsheba grieved it too, like only a mother can.

And yet, God brought them blessing.  He brought forth good from this whole mess.  For Bathsheba would bear David another son, the boy Solomon.  And Solomon would reign in superlative wisdom, and build the temple, the house of God, and be a great king in his own right.  But even more – Solomon, this first surviving Son of David would continue the line of promise that culminated with THE Son of David, even Christ our Lord.

The Christ, who by his own death would destroy death.  The Christ, who with a wisdom greater than Solomon and a faith stronger than David, would turn this sinful world order on its head, and deal with sin like only he could. Thanks be to God for the son of Bathsheba, the Son of David, Jesus Christ our Lord.


And then, Mary.  Dear Mary, the God-bearer.  Beloved and honored by Christians from the beginning, for as she herself sang, “all generations will call me blessed”.

Hard to think of any woman who stands in greater contrast to Bathsheba than Mary.  The adulteress (willing or not) versus the virgin pure and mild.  The woman who rose to a seat of power, and became mother of an of the king’s child – or the humble maiden from Nazareth.  We don’t see Mary as sinless, though many Christians wrongly make that claim.  But we do see in her a great faith that is worthy of imitation, a humility that we can aspire to.  When Mary was told the news that she would bear the Lord Jesus, she gave no objection or argument, only, “Let it be to me as you have said.  I am the servant of the Lord!”

And we sing, even tonight, the song of Mary – the Magnificat!   A joyous response of praise and thanks to the God who remembers his mercy.  The God of our fathers, who raises the lowly and brings down the mighty.  A God of tender mercy who remembers his promises.  And of course, there is no greater promise than the seed of the woman who comes to crush the serpent.  God was bringing this promise to fulfillment, and it would begin here, with faithful Mary.

But Mary wasn’t all good and Bathsheba wasn’t all bad.  Both of these sinner/saints had a role in the salvation story.  Both were mothers of the Son of David.  Bathsheba, in the most mundane and earthly way.  Mary, in the most blessed and miraculous way.  Bathsheba’s Son of David was a great man, but Mary’s Son of David was the God-man.

Son of David.  What a loaded term.  Of course David was the king of Israel’s glory days.  Even today with the modern nation of Israel, we see the “Star of David” on their flag.  David was king over a united kingdom which saw wealth and success, victory over enemies, and had the respect of the nations.  This only grew under Solomon, until his two sons tore the kingdom apart.

But God had made a promise – that the throne of David would be forever.  That a Son of David would reign forever.  And if you only looked outwardly at history, you’d have to say that promise failed when the last Davidic king of Judah was deposed in 587 BC.  But God’s promise was not for an earthly king, but for much more.

When Jesus came to Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, on that Sunday when they spread their palms – they also welcomed him with the accolade, “Son of David!  Hosanna!  Save us now!”  A shot across the bow to the established rulers, for this “Son of David” talk was the moniker of a king.

But Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world.  And yes, he would rule on David’s throne, but not some paltry earthly kingdom.  He would be enthroned on the cross, crowned with thorns, buried with the rich in death.  But then he would retake his true power and majesty, returning to the throne of heaven, where he now rules all things for us, his people.  Now, he can and truly does answer the Hosannas of all his people.  Now, and forever, the true and ultimate Son of David will save us.

But he had to be both God and man to do all this.  And so God made provision, that in the womb of the Virgin Mary, heaven and earth would meet, and a Divine Nature would become one with a lowly human nature.  So David’s son is David’s Lord.  And he is Bathsheba’s lord, and Mary’s savior, and ours.

You see the one common thread the truly connects all these women, Eve and Sarah, Rahab and Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary – is their offspring Jesus Christ.  Christ who shared his human bloodline with them, but in whose holy precious blood they and all who share Adam’s blood are saved.  Jesus the fulfillment of promise, the savior of the nations, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Thanks be to God for his long-awaited promises that informed the faith of the Old Testament saints.  Thanks be to God for bringing those promise to fruition through the fruit of Mary’s womb.  Thanks be to God for the Son of David who brings us into his everlasting kingdom.  And Thanks be to God that the Jesus who has come will come again to bring us final victory, resurrection, and a place in eternal glory.

A blessed Advent and Christmas to you all.  In Jesus Christ, Amen.

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