NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2021
This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and the theme is “LOVE.” The assigned passage from Luke 1, shares the response of Mary as she was “Preparing the Way for Real Love” to be born into her life and our world.
I’m not the first to wonder “Why was Mary the one God chose to give birth to the Christ Child? Mark Lowry sort of did so in the song, “Mary, Did You Know?” It is a litany of questions he’d like to ask Mary about this Baby she delivered. The answer to most of the questions is “NO.” Mary did know Jesus would be the son of God, Gabriel told her that much; but she could not have known what all that would mean. But there was “Something About Mary” that made her God’s choice for giving birth to the Christ Child. It has been said that miracles happen when preparation, willingness and opportunity converge together. That seems to be the case for Mary. We see it in her responses. Her response to Gabriel’s announcement was “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (v.39)
Mary’s response to Elizabeth saying, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” (v..42) was,“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for (God) has looked with favor on the lowliness of (God’s) servant.”(vs. 46-48.) Perhaps the miracle not spoken of in scripture about the birth of Jesus, is how Mary had “prepared the way for real love” to be born into her life and this world. And that’s what we need to be preparing to happen in our heart this Advent. After all, it has been said, “If you don’t have Christmas in your heart, you’ll never find it under a tree.”
Join us for worship this week, in-person, Zoom or Facebook livestream. My sermon is “Preparing the Way for Real Love” based on “Luke 1:46-55.”
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