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Advent 4 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
December 22, 2024
Micah 5:2-5a, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-56
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When Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was pregnant with George, who knew about it? Quite possibly, most of the world. In March 2013, People Magazine had a picture of the princess on the cover, “Pregnant Princess Diaries, How Kate’s getting ready, cravings, clothes, baby names. All about the royal birth countdown. The princess is pregnant with possibly the future king and most of the world knows about it.
Mary is pregnant with the King. The King of the Universe is growing inside the womb of Mary. This news will rock the world. This is not just the king of England. This is the King of everything. This is the biggest news of all time. God is incarnate. God is in flesh. The Son is coming to be God with us; Immanuel. This is the most important birth to ever have occurred up until that time and even until today. This is huge. Who knows about it? Is this big news in Israel? Is word spreading throughout the world? Are there reporters asking Mary about her cravings, clothes and baby names? Not at all. Who knows about Mary’s miraculous pregnancy? The people in Nazareth will soon know Mary is pregnant, but not who the baby is; they will not understand the significance. Mary knows because it was revealed to her by the Angel Gabriel. Joseph knows because it was revealed to him by an angel in a dream. Mary and Joseph know, and that is it. Two people know who this baby is.
After letting the Virgin Mary know that she was going to become pregnant from the Holy Spirit, Gabriel gave Mary some evidence that what he was saying was true. Gabriel told her that her… Luke 1:36–37 (ESV) 36 … behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Mary declared to Gabriel…Luke 1:38 (ESV) 38 “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
After the angel leaves, Mary’s head must just be spinning. She said, “let it be to me according to your word,” but what does it all mean? What is going to happen now? Was the angel and his message real or did she have a hallucination. The angel said Elizabeth is pregnant. That is impossible. Elizabeth has never been able to have children and now she is an old woman. But nothing is impossible with God.
Mary leaves Nazareth to go to visit Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah. Luke 1:40 (ESV) 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” Coming for a visit, one relative greets another who is visibly pregnant; a very normal occurrence. On the surface everything is normal…well not really normal. As you zoom in on this scene you notice Elizabeth’s face is the face of an old woman -- wrinkled and sagging from years of toil and life. Her face is wrinkled, but her belly is swollen, six months pregnant. When Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting, the baby leaps in her womb. After conceiving John, Elizabeth kept herself hidden for five months and has just now come out of hiding. She is an elderly woman who is six months pregnant. What kind of sidewise looks is she getting from others? She is experiencing a miracle of God and the people are likely trying to explain it away. Elizabeth is experiencing a miracle of God and so is her relative Mary.
We do not know what Mary’s greeting was. Was it just, “Shalom Elizabeth!” or did Mary explain what was happening. Had Elizabeth already somehow heard Mary was pregnant with the Son of God, does Mary tell her, or is this revealed to her by the Holy Spirit? Through the power of the Holy Spirit, unborn John the Baptist recognizes embryonic baby Jesus, the Savior of the world. In any case, now we know that the number of people who know about Mary being pregnant with the Son of God has doubled. Luke 1:42 (ESV) 42 and [Elizabeth] exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” All of these amazing things are going on, but it is all hidden. If you were watching you would just see two women talking. The glory of God is hidden.
Elizabeth then questions Mary, Luke 1:43 (ESV) 43 … why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth declares that she is not worthy. Now, Elizabeth has a higher social standing than Mary. Elizabeth is old and respected, Mary is young and unproven. Elizabeth is married to a priest, Mary is married to a carpenter. Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant with a miracle baby who will be a prophet of God. Mary is pregnant with God and Elizabeth knows it. “Why is this granted to me?”
Elizabeth has a humble joy. She rejoices at Jesus’ presence, but she knows she does not deserve it. She knows she does not deserve to be in the presence of God and yet He is here with her, yet in such a hidden, humble way. To look at this scene you would only see a young woman and an old, pregnant woman. It is strange that an old woman is pregnant, but you would never know the Messiah is present unless someone tells you, or the Holy Spirit reveals it to you.
God comes to Elizabeth in her barren emptiness and causes her to conceive and be pregnant with John the Baptist. God comes to visit Elizabeth in the form of a divine embryo growing inside of Mary. God is present -- but God is hidden. It is such a sharp contrast. God has come to earth in human flesh, but He has come in the most humble way. And He still comes to humble people in humble places.
And this is earth shattering. This turns on its head all of what we are told about the ways of the world. Jesus comes not for the rich and powerful; the influencers, the movers and shakers of life who think they have it all together. Jesus comes to the downtrodden and desperate. Adult Jesus gets in big trouble with the religious leaders because He eats with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus comes for people who need forgiveness. Jesus comes to those who are not worthy; those who do not deserve His presence. Jesus comes into the quiet, hidden places of our lives to bring the Good News of forgiveness of sins.
Jesus’ ministry was marked by humility. He was a homeless, travelling teacher. He walked from town to town with a ragtag entourage of disciples. He did miracles, but until the raising Lazarus outside Jerusalem, He did the miracles in quiet ways without a big show. Jesus came in humble power. He is God with us, but you would not know it by looking. Jesus does much of his ministry in unexpected places with unexpected people. In Galilee He works around the edges of the Jewish land. He goes to foreigners and Samaritans. He teaches. He heals. He feeds. He brings the bread of life and living water in His words.
You can start to believe that Jesus is only for those who have life altogether, but that is a lie of the evil one. Jesus is God in flesh, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and Jesus is your humble servant who takes your sin upon Himself.
Jesus comes to you on the edges of life. When you are hurting, Jesus is there. When you are sick or injured. When you are in the hospital and the sleepless night drags on. When you are growing ever weaker and death draws near. When you are lonely…even in a room full of people. When you are confined to nursing center -- trapped by your own body’s inability. When you are in prison. When you are grieving the death of a loved one. When you are hurting because of division and discord in your family. When you are caught between being a child and an adult and you start to wonder, who am I? When you are hurting because you have again committed that same stupid sin that you promised never to do again. When you are anxious and afraid. Jesus comes to you on the edges of life when you are hurting. Jesus comes to you to bring words of hope and healing. He gives you the peace of God which surrounds you even on the edges. He brings you the forgiveness He earned on the cross. In the valley of the shadow of death, He brings you eternal life.
You can start to believe that Jesus is only for those who have life altogether, but that is a lie of the evil one. Jesus is God in flesh, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and Jesus is your humble servant who takes your sin upon Himself.
Jesus comes to you on the edges -- hidden in water – in words – in bread and wine. You cannot see Jesus in these forms, but He is there. He is hidden and still powerful. Hidden, but delivering His promises. Hidden, but still able to forgive all your sins and give to you the incomprehensible peace of God to guard your hearts and minds.
At first only two people knew about Jesus, then four, and then more and more. Now the news has travelled around the world. Sadly, many refuse to believe the Good News is for them. Jesus is not the Savior that people expect; He is not the Savior that they are looking for. They are looking for a Savior to do things their way. But God’s ways are not our ways. The Good News of Jesus’ forgiveness is still spreading, and Jesus still comes in humble, hidden ways to hurting, anxious people; that is His way. Amen.