Grace be with you all (He 13:25). Amen.
What is the best way to punctuate the phrase: “Happy Advent?” (I get it that theoretically it doesn’t need any since it doesn’t have a subject and verb. But play along with me.)
With a simple period—as if it is a good statement. In a sense, it becomes like “Happy Birthday.” It rolls off of our tongues without much thought. It is just what you say when someone turns a year older because you don’t want to state just “birthday.” The person already knows that.
With an exclamation mark—as if there is great excitement. In that manner, you express a desire. Like “Happy Birthday!” You are conveying what you want—that the big day be a big deal.
The next two days we will celebrate Jesus’ birthday on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And it will be merry. But before we do, we have one more Sunday in Advent. As we get ready for Jesus’ coming as a Baby, I am going to suggest the second—an exclamation mark. Happy Advent! Make an Advent exclamation!
Elizabeth helps us. And it has to do with more than punctuation in a sentence, but more about preparation for a Savior.
There were going to be two miracle births:
One was improbable. Elizabeth was barren. And both she and her husband were “well along in years” (Lk 1:7). Their desire to hold a baby had dried up.
One was impossible. Mary was a virgin (Lk 1:27). Cradling a baby hadn’t crossed her mind since she never had relations with a man (Lk 1:34).
But no one told God that (Lk 1:37). He can intervene marvelously in the normal course of events. Nothing is outside of his ability or capability.
He dispatched the angel Gabriel to the priest Zechariah while he was on duty in the temple in Jerusalem. The messenger affirmed: “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John” (Lk 1:13). He would be the forerunner of the Christ. And then six months later, the same one was off to Galilee to announce to Mary: “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus” (Lk 1:31). This was the long-awaited and long-anticipated Messiah—Son of God and Son of David who would rule forever (Lk 1:32,33).
But there was a dilemma. To whom could Mary turn or talk? It is not quite the same when a couple has a big reveal with family and friends. What would Mary do? Cut into a blue cake with the neighbors at a party? Send off a blue balloon to post on the internet for all to press “like” and post a comment? Perhaps she got the idea when Gabriel informed her that her relative Elizabeth was pregnant (Lk 1:36).
Mary wasted no time: “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea where she entered Zechariah’s home” (Lk 1:39,40). The two expecting ladies had plenty to chat about because of their similar circumstances.
It all began when Mary “greeted Elizabeth” (Lk 1:40). That set off a course of events and exclamations. First Luke reports it: “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb” (Lk 1:41). Later Elizabeth relates it: “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk 1:44). This was more than the normal jumping and jostling in a mother’s womb. The little one joined in the extreme happiness of looking ahead to God’s saving work in Jesus—almost as if he is saluting him with his squirming in her belly. We add our figurative joyful gymnastics to John’s as we get ready to go to the manger the next two days (Lk 6:23).
But also this: “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1:41). By special revelation, he allowed her to see clearly and shout plainly. “In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women’” (Lk 1:42).
She does point out Mary. She is blessed. God had done great things to her. Mary was the only woman given that role—to be the mother of God. She alone had that responsibility in history. Why Mary? God’s grace. That is why she was highly favored (Lk 1:28)—a recipient of God’s undeserved kindness. God chose her. His was his doing, not hers. In her song magnifying the Lord, she calls her son “my Savior” (Lk 1:47). She needed him too.
But Elizabeth also pointed to Jesus. It was all about him. “And blessed is the child you will bear!” (Lk 1:42). That was the focus of her Advent exclamation. Jesus.
We don’t overlook Mary. But we honor her child with Elizabeth. We are filled with the Holy Spirit who allows us to call Jesus “Lord” (1 Co 12:3). As we will confess soon: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord” (Apostles’ Creed). He is our Savior from sin. We heard him in that heavenly conversation between the Father and Son from the pen of the epistle to the Hebrews: “‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.’” (He 10:7). That is why Jesus came—to do what God desired. Jesus would live perfectly in our place—obeying the law. Jesus would die gladly as our Substitute, carting our sins to the cross (Is 53:5). The unknown writer mentions the result: “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (He 10:10). He sanctified us—setting us free from sin and far from it when he shed his blood. It need not be repeated. The prophet Micah stated it in a few words: “And he will be their peace” (Mi 5:5). All is right between us and God. In the words of the psalmist, we are “saints”—recipients of God’s mercy (Ps 85:8). And as he also had us sing: “You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins” (Ps 85:2). Make an Advent exclamation with Elizabeth to Mary: “Blessed is the child you will bear!” (Lk 1:42).
Elizabeth also wondered why this happened to her. “But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43). It was a distinct and definite privilege. Once more, this was her Lord that Mary was carrying. She makes another exclamation: “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Lk 1:45). Mary had placed herself at God’s disposal: “I am the Lord’s servant” (Lk 1:38). And she trusted that God would bring about what he had spoken about.
We look back to marvel at how God executed his plan to rescue us from sin and Satan. Even down to the detail of where Jesus would be born—“Bethlehem” (Mi 5:2). From there the eternal One entered our world to be born in that little town to take away our guilt. Make an Advent exclamation with Elizabeth. We believe it too like Mary because what God promises, he keeps. And after a look back, we look ahead. Jesus came once. He will come again. Just like he said.
Today is the last Sunday in Advent. With eagerness, make an Advent exclamation with Elizabeth to Mary and about her: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! … Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” (Lk 1:42,45). He is born to be our Lord and Savior (Lk 2:11). And so tomorrow, it will no longer be Christ is coming for us, but he has come for us. We believe it. Happy Advent turns into Merry Christmas. Both with exclamation marks.
We read from Luke 1:39-45:
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
May the God of peace …equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen (He 13:20,21).
December 22, 2018
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