Magnificat – Sermon 21 December, 2014

The Magnificat
Luke 1: 46-55
The birth of Jesus is, no doubt, the most joyous and celebrated of all holidays in our culture. Families get together, gifts are exchanged, and a good time is usually had by all. Even people who know or believe little or nothing about Jesus celebrate his birth. Most people think of Christmas as a singular event.
Jesus’ coming has deep roots in the religious and cultural tradition. He had been expected for a long time. As a nation the Jews had been hoping and praying for his appearance for hundreds of years. The expectation was always there, but crises came and went and no messiah. We should also note that false messiahs came and went and still will come.
There were many widely divergent concepts of what the Messiah would be like when he came. For the most part their hopes and dreams tended toward a political and religious “strong man,” a warrior-like messiah who would destroy the enemies of Israel, over through the ruling empires and restore Israel to the power and splendour of the reign of David. Only the prophet Isaiah came close with his “suffering servant” who would be a light to all nations (Isaiah 53).
As we read today in the scriptures that an angel appeared to a teenage girl named Mary and informed her that she would bear a son, who was to be called “Jesus.” The same angel informed Mary of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, her kin. So, in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Mary went to visit Elizabeth. When Mary greeted Elizabeth the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. The unborn baby was prophetically aware of the unborn Messiah. The future mother of the forerunner then recognized the future mother of the Messiah and said to Mary: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This was a joyous occasion and a time to glorify God. These two women shared a secret that the world has waited long to know. As they celebrated in what they have come to know, Mary spoke a song of praise that has more to do with her unborn son than herself.
It is Mary’s song. We call it “The Magnificat”, from its Latin name. The song thanks and praises God for including her in this unfolding divine drama. As Mary sings of the power of God, we can read what she says to be the power to be exercised by her unborn son. It is the statement of liberation theology in the Bible:
He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant; he has done great things for her; shown mercy; he has done mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, he has lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things; he has sent the rich away empty, and has helped his servant in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to their ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
All these He has done and now declares that He is doing more for the salvation of His people. He is coming to them as promised, through the Son, the Christ, and the Saviour.

Krikro Youmshajekian