It is no small event in its own right. It’s part of our
creeds – that Jesus was conceived by Holy Spirit… Usually celebrated by the
church on March 25th, exactly 9 months before Christmas, the
Annunciation marks the real beginning of the incarnation. Jesus’ earthly life as a human being begins,
we notice, in the womb. He didn’t come
from heaven as a man, fully matured and ready to do whatever. He didn’t even appear simply as a baby. But he undergoes the full extent of our human
experience in order to redeem all of our humanity – not just cradle to grave,
but womb to tomb.
And so, just 5 days before Christmas, we mark the conception
of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the virgin Mary.
Let’s take a closer look at this account from St. Luke, who
carefully researched all these events and likely interviewed Mary herself who
then relayed this story for us to hear.
Mary was betrothed.
That means she was already spoken for, in a sense. It’s a little more legally binding than
engaged, but still not quite married. She
and Joseph had their plans. They were
faithful and observant Jews, we can see, from how they often even traveled to
Jerusalem for the appointed festivals.
They were probably planning to have a family, and raise their children
in the fear of the Lord. Maybe they’d
already registered at Bed Bath and Beyond, or whatever the 1st
century equivalent was. And the
appearance of the angel here, and the words of the angel, and the implications
of his message – threatened all of that.
But let’s see what happens.
But she was betrothed to a man named Joseph. Luke mentions that Joseph was of the house of
David. And this is no small detail. This rather intentional reference lays the
groundwork for what is about to happen.
We know that the Messiah who was promised was to be a Son of David. And Jesus would qualify both through the
bloodline of his mother, and through membership in the household of his legal
guardian, Joseph.
And so the angel appears, and greets her. And what has always amazed me about this is
that Mary is not puzzled by the appearance of an angel, that an angel should
appear, I think, would be a most troubling, puzzling, and shocking event for
any of us. But Mary almost seems to blow
past that – and is troubled instead at the greeting. She focuses on the message, not the
messenger, even when it’s a heavenly messenger.
We do well to follow her example, too. Pastors may come and pastors may go. You may change churches or move here and
there. You may hear the word of God from
faithful parents, grandparents, teachers, and other Christians. God uses multiple and varied channels to
speak to us, his people. But in the end
what matters more than these, even more than an angel from heaven, is the word
of God itself, the message of the Gospel.
We think of how St. Paul speaks to the Galatians – if anyone, if anyone
preaches to you a message contrary to what you have heard from me – even if it’s
an angel from heaven – let them be anathema (accursed). So important is the message of the gospel. Let us ever listen to the voice of the
Shepherd, no matter who is speaking it.
And let us never be lead astray from the truth of his word, no matter how
impressive or slick or convincing the false preacher. Hold fast to the word. Believe the gospel!
And the beginning of the gospel is here – with the
incarnation of Christ. What an
appropriate way to begin it – with an annunciation – a word! As the angel speaks to Mary the word of God’s
promise, so does it become reality. Mary
conceives. And the light comes into the
world. Sure, that light is not revealed
until Mary gives birth, and our incarnate Lord remains for a time hidden in the
womb, but even there he is recognized by the unborn baby John the Baptist, who
leaps for joy as the two expectant mothers visit.
But even Mary has to admit this is all rather strange. It is, in fact, unique in all of human
history. We know the way of it – how
conception and procreation work. But the
God who designed it all breaks the usual pattern with this miracle child, this
singular incarnation of his Son. And
Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Thus no man can claim credit for bringing the Savior into the world, but
just as our salvation is accomplished by God alone, so is Christ’s
manifestation among us also a pure work of God, and of no other. It is entirely an act of grace.
But back to the greeting that troubled Mary so. “Greetings, you who are highly favored”. And the angel repeats it later, “Do not be
afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” That Greek word, charis, means favor or
grace, or a special honor. It, too,
denotes a blessing or a gift that is undeserved – but flows freely from the
grace of God.
Perhaps this greeting troubled Mary because she, like all of
us, knew her status as a sinner. Someone
unworthy of such favor. As she later
would sing, “You have regarded the lowliness of your handmaiden”. Mary knew she didn’t deserve a special place
of honor any more than the next sinner, and yet an angel appears and calls her
“highly favored”! It is a strange
message indeed.
But so also is the Gospel.
I could greet you in the same way.
Greetings, you who are highly favored!
You, like Mary, have received the grace of God. Grace, not to be the mother of the Lord, but
grace to be the brother of the Lord, and a child of the Heavenly Father. In Jesus’ incarnation you, too, are highly
favored, sinner that you are, that your race, your human family, should be so
honored to have among its ranks the eternal Son of the Father. And more.
This child now conceived and soon to be born, would grow to a man who
would preach and teach and heal and serve and finally die for the sins of the
world, and for Mary’s sins, and for yours.
There is no greater favor or grace we could hope for than that! There is no better greeting than the one that
points to God’s grace in Jesus Christ.
The angel gives a few more details to Mary – that the child
should be named Jesus. That name (Yeshua
in Hebrew) means, “God Saves”. And here
again we see that we are highly favored.
For it is not man who saves. It
is not we who save ourselves. And yet
along with Mary we now we need saving.
But so simple is the truth: God
saves. And he does it through Yeshua,
the fruit of Mary’s womb.
And there’s more. The
child will be the Son of the Most High.
He is divine. He is the eternal
Son of the Father. Before there was, he
was. He may be your son, too, Mary, but
he is also much, much more.
And he’ll even occupy the throne of his father David. He will fulfill the ancient promise that
David’s son would reign forever. Here
the angel makes it clear to Mary, and to us, that this child is the
Messiah. He is the fulfillment of God’s
promises of old. He is the seed of the
woman sent to crush the serpent. He is
the Prophet like Moses that God raises up, a new and better Joshua to lead his
people. He is the offspring of Abraham
by whom all nations are blessed. He is
the Suffering Servant of Isaiah who will bear our griefs and sorrows. He is the one to whom all the Scriptures
testify, as he himself would claim.
Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
One day Mary would stand at the foot of the cross. There she would see this child that God
granted her put to death in gruesome fashion.
There she would see the word made flesh accomplishing salvation for us
all, the truest expression of God’s favor.
And if the greeting of the angel was strange, the cross of Christ is even
stranger. That God would save his people
in such a way. But that’s just what he
does. Nothing is impossible with God.
Mary’s response to this word of God through the angel, the
strange greeting and all the other strange things that would come of it, is an
example of faith for us to follow. She
speaks this beautiful confession:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your
word.”
You and I could, and should, say the same. We are servants of the Lord. Let it be to us according to God’s word. That word which shows our sin – let it be to
me as you have said, Oh Lord. I am a
sinner, and I deserve nothing. That word
which shows God’s grace. Let it be to me
as you have said, Oh Lord. In Christ I
am highly favored, though I deserve nothing but punishment. That word of Christ himself, by which he
proclaims his mission accomplished, his sacrifice complete, and our sins atoned
for: It is finished! Let it be to me, according to your word, Oh,
Christ.
And as we prepare ourselves for Christmas, let us join with
humble Mary in receiving the word of God in faith, strange as it ever may be,
for in Jesus Christ we see that indeed, God Saves. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment