Gluten Free Jesus Freak: Got Love? Advent Sermon 3

Luke 1:39-45

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Think back through your whole life. What was it?

One of the best gifts I ever received was four Christmases ago. Daryl and I were newly married and living in an east coast apartment building that has since been condemned, it was so full of pests and mold. We were far away from our families, and our seminary classes didn’t end until the day before Christmas. We had NO money. We ate a lot of peanut butter on toast. We had no money for Christmas decorations. It was dark and cold and as I studied, my heart was heavy.

Daryl left the house for groceries one night—more peanut butter. A few minutes later, he knocked on the front door and called out, “Hey, can you help me?”

I opened the door to the hallway, where he stood with an enormous, beautiful, green Christmas tree. “This is for you,” he said. “Because it’s Christmas and because I love you.”

There’s something incredible about such generosity. Think of that feeling—of receiving something so thoughtful, so perfect for you, that it took your breath away. These are the kind of gifts God gives. Every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, I say, “The gifts of God for the people of God.” The gifts of God. What are these gifts?

Mary is the recipients of God’s most incredible gift. Jesus Christ, Son of God, living within her. She would be his mother. He would be her son. But the really incredible thing, and the thing Mary celebrates in her song in this morning’s passage, is that God’s gift to Mary is one that we can all receive ourselves.

The great Christian theologian John Wesley once said of Mary that "she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in Christ, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than [rejoicing] in being his mother in the flesh, which was an honor peculiar to her."

Salvation. True life. Everlasting freedom. Hope. Peace. Love. THIS is what was offered to Mary, and this is what is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Our greatest gift is the person of Jesus.

Christian author Max Lucado compares the God’s gifts with a gift the famous musician Billy Joel once gave his daughter. On her 12th birthday she was in New York City, and the musician was in Los Angeles. He phoned her that morning, apologizing for his absence, but told her to expect the delivery of a large package before the end of the day. The daughter answered the doorbell that evening to find a seven-foot-tall, brightly wrapped box. She tore it open, and out stepped her father, fresh off the plane from the West Coast. Can you imagine her surprise?

Perhaps you can. Our greatest gift came in the flesh too. Jesus Christ, born as a baby so long ago. The greatest gift of all. A savior. A king.

When we begin to realize the greatness of this gift, we fall in love with God. This is what happened to Mary. Her response to God’s graciousness is found in our text this morning. It’s in the form of a song called the “Magnificat,” which is Latin for “My Soul Magnifies.”

Her song has been set to music throughout the world. It is popular among the poor because of its themes of God’s justice to those who seek him. Peasants in Nicaragua commonly recite the Magnificat as a prayer. The Roman Catholic church commonly uses it for Vespers, or evening prayer.

This song is a song of praise, a song of love. Mary has received God’s gift, and in response she pours out her praise to him. And this praise is not just, “God I love you.” It’s full of great wisdom and insight and content and life.

In this season of Advent—of hope and peace and love—God has a message for you today. Rather than expound upon the Magnificat for the close of the sermon today, we’re going to practice an exercise together called “Sacred Reading,” or, if you want to get fancy and use Latin, “Lectio Divinia.”

In this exercise, we are going to read the Magnificat twice more. As you listen, let the words of Scripture wash over you. Listen for a word or phrase that stands out, and let that word or phrase ruminate in your heart.

What is God’s gift to you today? What does Jesus have for you?

46 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 

47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 

48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, 

and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 

49 For the Mighty One is holy, 

and he has done great things for me. 

50 He shows mercy from generation to generation 

to all who fear him. 

51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! 

He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 

52 He has brought down princes from their thrones 

and exalted the humble. 

53 He has filled the hungry with good things 

and sent the rich away with empty hands. 

54 He has helped his servant Israel 

and remembered to be merciful. 

55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, 

to Abraham and his children forever.”

Now let’s listen to it again, more slowly this time.