Fellow-Redeemed,
The announcement of an impending birth
generally introduces a time for joy. Children are a heritage from the Lord.
When he grants this blessing to husband and wife, the Lord fulfills one of his
purposes for marriage. It is also true that for his own reasons, God can create
life even when the sin of sex apart from marriage has taken place.
Bearing a child out of wedlock used to carry
social stigma and disgrace. This was true in our culture. It was true in the
culture of Mary and Joseph. This young man and virgin were
promised to one another but had not yet come together as husband and wife. Mary’s pregnancy brought her the stares,
gossip, and condemnation of all who did not know the real story.
This leads us to ask why Mary would praise
her Lord and rejoice in God. The answer lies in the fact that she, and later
Joseph, knew the real story. Both were willing to bear the shame and the
hurtful rumors others would spread.
Upon hearing the news that she was going to
bear God’s Son, and living with the world’s lack of understanding, Mary went to
We know Mary’s song of joy as the Magnificat. The church has used this beautiful song as
liturgy for centuries. It is part of our Evening Prayer service. Mary’s words
are part of the sacred inspired text. This virgin mother praised her Lord with
these words for his undeserved love to her.
God chose Mary to receive an honor he would
give to no other woman. The Holy Spirit had come upon her just as Gabriel had
told her he would. The child in her was the Son of God. After Mary and Joseph
began living together as husband and wife following a public ceremony, they did
not have marital relations until after Jesus was born. This brief addition to
Scripture adds to our assurance of Jesus’ virgin birth.
Mary knew she did not deserve such an honor.
Gabriel’s words troubled her. Mary made no claim to any Immaculate Conception
by which she herself had been conceived and born without
original sin. Nor do we believe or confess this
lie others now spread about the mother of God.
Mary was going to have a baby without that
baby having a human father. This is the Virgin Birth. Orthodox Christian faith
requires acceptance of this teaching.
The Virgin Birth proves that Jesus is true man, born of the Virgin Mary,
and true God, conceived by the Holy Spirit. It proves Jesus is my Lord.
Nothing is impossible with God even the
Virgin Birth. Mary told Gabriel she was willing to do whatever the Lord asked
of her. Rather than take any credit herself, Mary sang, “My soul glorifies (or, magnifies, magnificat
in Latin) the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior.”
Mary magnifies the Lord as she confesses that
her child is not her Savior only, but the Savior of the world. “His mercy extends to those who fear him
from generation to generation.” Mary remembered the mighty deeds the Lord
God used to preserve his people. These mighty deeds “he performed with his arm” now would bring about salvation for
all.
The Mighty One would do all these things in
order to fulfill his promises.
From Abraham to
all generations to come, God’s promises remain true. Mary sings her song by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Through her voice God himself lays claim to the
mighty deeds, “he has scattered the proud
in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has
lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but he has sent
the rich away empty.” This is God’s
mercy that the repentant sinner enjoys and the sorrowful outcome for those who
reject God’s grace.
Mary’s song reminds us that she holds a place
of high regard in our theology. Mary does not possess power that belongs only
to our Savior, Jesus. We do not hold in any way that Mary cooperates with Jesus
in our redemption. We do not believe she has holiness that can help me so I
should go the Son through his mother.
Sadly, there are many lies about Mary out
there today just as there were before she bore Jesus in
We confess that Mary is the mother of God by
grace alone. We can understand the words of the Magnificat
no other way than that Mary thanks God for his undeserved love toward her and
the lost world.
We praise the Lord for this undeserved love
for us each time we repeat Mary’s song. The Lord has done mighty and great
things for us. He has remembered to be merciful as we
continue to be sinful. God has been mindful of our lowly estate and in his
grace has helped us.
We can only imagine what Mary’s thoughts
were about herself at this point. We know she was willing to serve her Lord
from her statement, “I am the Lord’s
servant. May it be to me as you have said.” I will
suggest that like any expectant mother Mary was looking ahead to the challenges
of a growing baby inside her, and looking forward to the
day when she delivered a healthy baby. The certainty of having the child was a
blessing in itself amid the uncertainties and dangers of carrying and bearing
children.
We do know what Mary’s thoughts were about
her Lord. In spite of the ridicule and shame, in spite of the physical
challenges and pain of childbirth, Mary praise her Lord for his underserved
love that she would be the mother of his eternal Son born in the flesh. This
child would also be her Savior from sin and our Savior from sin. We look
forward to the day of his birth also, since we are Mary’s relatives in the
family of faith.
When you sing the Magnificat,
sing it as Mary did in order to magnify the Lord greatly. Amen. <SDG>