OPENING COMMENTS
- The Fourth Sunday of Advent offers love and rejoicing as themes, along with our weekly theme of He was, He is, He will be.
- Jesus Christ was incarnated as a human being to place himself in our skin and on our side to reveal the Father and his love for creation.
- Jesus is still the incarnated human, with us now through the Holy Spirit as we navigate the challenges of being human, and he will return again to bring God’s peace and justice on earth.
- Psalm 80 provides our call to worship, asking the Shepherd of Israel to save his people.
- Micah 5:2-5a speaks of an archetypal leader who will offer safety to the people, one “who is great to the ends of the earth.”
- Our reading of Hebrews 10 reminds us that the offering of Christ’s body has sanctified us, rather than the Judaic system of sacrifices and burnt offerings.
- On this last Sunday of Advent, our sermon text from Luke 1:39-55 focuses on the responses of two women, Elizabeth and Mary, to the good news of the Incarnation, God with us. Their willingness to see and support one another demonstrates how God sees us.
OPENING SONGS
OPENING PRAYER
FIRST MESSAGE
Video Presentation: Advent — He Was, He Is, He Will Be
In the beauty of the incarnation, we witness the depth of God’s love. Jesus, born into our world, took on our humanity, placing himself in our skin and on our side to reveal divine love for all creation. He was with us in the most tangible way, sharing in our struggles, joys, and every aspect of our humanity.
But Jesus is not only a figure of the past. Through the Holy Spirit, he is with us now, walking alongside us as we navigate the complexities of life. In our moments of joy and sorrow, in our triumphs and challenges, Christ’s presence brings comfort, guidance, and love. We are never alone.
And we hold onto the hope that he will come again. Jesus will return to bring peace, justice, and the fullness of God’s kingdom. The brokenness of this world will be mended, and the old will give way to the new — just as we are invited to let go of what is behind us and welcome the transformation Christ brings.
Jesus Christ was, he is, and he will be. The incarnation is not just a historical moment — it is the heart of God’s love made manifest. By becoming human, Jesus embraced the fullness of our shared humanity, showing us that even in our fragility, we are loved and valued. His presence among us gives humanity a renewed sense of dignity and purpose..)
Now, as we await his return, we are called to let go of the old — our fears, anxieties, and doubts — and make room for the newness of life Christ offers. This is the hope of Advent: that through Christ, all things will be made new.
As we light the final candle of Advent, let it remind us of the one who was, who is, and who will be. May we celebrate the beauty of the incarnation, rejoice in Christ’s presence with us today, and live in hope for his return. In Christ, we are invited to let go of the old and embrace the new life that awaits us.
7 Restore us, God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
8 You transplanted a vine from Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it,
and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
In Christ, our past is redeemed, our present is embraced, and our future is made whole.
FIRST READING
Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[b] 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”[c] 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
SPECIAL MUSIC
SECOND READING
Luke 1:39-55 NRSVue
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
46 And Mary[b] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
SERMON (Interactive)
Luke 1:39-55 NRSVue
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
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- Why “with haste”?
- … Note Luke 1:56 … cf. Luke 1:36 … What do you notice?
- 3 months after the 6th month = the 9th month
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
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- re: Luke 1:41 … cf. Luke 1:59-66, 67
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- Luke 1:67-69 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited (after 430 years of silence) and redeemed His people, 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David …. (Barclay)
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- re: Luke 1:45 … Notice what William Barclay commented …
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- This is a kind of lyrical song on the blessedness of Mary. Nowhere can we better see the paradox of blessedness than in her life. To Mary was granted the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. Well might her heart be filled with a wondering, tremulous joy at so great a privilege. Yet that very blessedness was to be a sword to pierce her heart. It meant that some day she would see her son hanging on a cross.
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- re: Luke 1:41 … cf. Luke 1:59-66, 67
To be chosen by God so often means at one and the same time a crown of joy and cross of sorrow. The piercing truth is that God does not choose a person for ease and comfort and selfish joy but for a task that will take all that head and heart and hand can bring to it. God chooses a man in order to use him. When Joan of Arc knew that her time was short she prayed, “I shall only last a year; use me as you can.” When that is realized, the sorrows and hardships that serving God may bring are not matters for lamentation; they are our glory, for all is suffered for God.
A great modern preacher said, “Jesus Christ came not to make life easy but to make men great.”
It is the paradox of blessedness that it confers on a person at one and the same time the greatest joy and the greatest task in all the world.
46 And Mary[b] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
- From William Barclay’s commentary on Luke 1 …
Here we have a passage which has become one of the great hymns of the church — the Magnificat. It speaks of three of the revolutions of God.
(i) He scatters the proud in the plans of their hearts. That is a moral revolution. Christianity is the death of pride. Why? Because if a man sets his life beside that of Christ it tears the last vestiges of pride from him.
Sometimes something happens to a man which with a vivid, revealing light shames him. O. Henry has a short story about a lad who was brought up in a village. In school he used to sit beside a girl and they were fond of each other. He went to the city and fell into evil ways. He became a pickpocket and a petty thief. One day he snatched an old lady’s purse. It was clever work and he was pleased. And then he saw coming down the street the girl whom he used to know, still sweet with the radiance of innocence. Suddenly he saw himself for the cheap, vile thing he really was. Burning with shame, he leaned his head against the cool iron of a lamp standard. “God,” he said, “I wish I could die.” He saw himself.
Christ enables a man to see himself. It is the deathblow to pride. The moral revolution has begun.
(ii) He casts down the mighty — He exalts the humble. That is a social revolution. Christianity puts an end to the world’s labels and prestige.
Muretus was a wandering scholar of the middle ages. He was poor. In an Italian town he took ill and was taken to a hospital for waifs and strays. The doctors were discussing his case in Latin, never dreaming he could understand. They suggested that since he was such a worthless wanderer they might use him for medical experiments. He looked up and answered them in their own learned tongue, “Call no man worthless for whom Christ died!”
When we have realized what Christ did for all men, it is no longer possible to speak about a common man. The social grades are gone.
(iii) He has filled those who are hungry … those who are rich he has sent empty away. That is an economic revolution. A non-Christian society is an acquisitive society where each man is out to amass as much as he can get. A Christian society is a society where no man dares to have too much while others have too little, where every man must get only to give away.
There is loveliness in the Magnificat but in that loveliness there is dynamite. Christianity begets a revolution in each man and revolution in the world.
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Lectionary Notes
The Divine Gaze
Luke 1:39-55 NRSVUE
Parenting expert Dr. Shefali Tsabary, who has appeared on Oprah and authored various books, such as The Conscious Parent, says that every child desires to know the answers to these three questions:
Am I seen?
Am I worthy?
Do I matter?
Dr. Shefali (she goes by Dr. Shefali on her website) writes that “when a person feels seen, feels worthy, and feels they matter, they grow up to live an empowered life.” While this is wise parenting advice, these questions find their ultimate answer in God.
Author Richard Rohr writes in Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality about God’s gaze as the triune God looks with love at each person:
It seems that God keeps looking at what is good, what is God in me, and of course always finds it entirely loveable. God fixes the gaze intently where I refuse and where I fear to look …And one day my gaze matches God’s gaze (that is what we mean by prayer). At those times I will find God loveable and myself loveable at the same time…because it is the same gaze, but they have become symbiotic and look out at life together…We move to a deeper level of being ourselves when we genuinely receive the being and the gaze of the Self-Giving Jesus. (p. 50).
[Speakers, be sure your audience understands what is meant by “gaze.”]
Our sermon text for today tells the story of two women, Elizabeth and Mary, and the way Elizabeth saw Mary as well as the way Mary saw herself as a result of her belief in God’s favor. These examples highlight the importance of being seen by another person, being seen by God, and the outcomes for receiving the divine gaze. Let’s read Luke 1:39-55.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[e] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise
46 And Mary[f] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
The Context for Luke 1:39-55
In Luke 1:26-38, the angel, Gabriel, appears to Mary and announces the divine conception of Jesus. His greeting to her, found in v. 28, is “Greetings, favored one!” Scholars indicate that what we translate as “favored one” or “highly favored one” is more accurately translated in modern terms as “you who are as favored as you can possibly be favored” or “you supercharged one” or “you who have got it all” (Rohr, Things Hidden, p. 178). Rohr points out that “the word favor doesn’t mean anything about you. Favor says something about the one who is doing the favoring. So, it’s really not saying anything about Mary. It’s saying something about God’s election of Mary” (p. 178). Mary receives the divine gaze, that favor, and doesn’t argue that she is not worthy. Instead, she says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38, NRSVUE). God didn’t require worthiness; God only asked her to participate with his plan.
Barclay’s Commentary summarizes the Magnificat, Mary’s song found in Luke 1:46-55, as including three main revolutions of God: a moral revolution (the proud are scattered), a social revolution (the powerful are brought down), and an economic revolution (the rich are sent away empty). These revolutions or reversals of common human systems convey the way God’s vision of life on earth should be but is not yet.
We can learn from the examples of Elizabeth and Mary in our sermon text for today as we consider ourselves participants in the reciprocity of presence. Reciprocity of presence refers to the reciprocal or mutual benefit of being seen and present with one another.
Elizabeth: Our responsibility to reflect
the divine gaze toward others
In Luke 1:39-45, Mary went to see her relative Elizabeth. She had been told by the angel Gabriel that “your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God” (v. 36-37). Since Elizabeth had experienced a miracle pregnancy, Mary may have felt she would be able to talk to her about Gabriel’s visit and message.
Upon seeing Mary, the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth, and she blessed Mary. In verses 42-45, the word “blessed” appears three times. In this example, Elizabeth’s response to the Holy Spirit revealing Mary’s pregnancy was blessing.
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- She spoke of what had been divinely revealed to her.
- She confirmed that Mary was blessed because her willingness to choose God’s will demonstrated her belief in God’s grace and favor.
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We can reflect the loving divine gaze to one another, witnessing the divine presence in other people. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the church at Corinth, says this:
And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18, NRSVUE)
As pointed out in the parenting advice from Dr. Shefali in the opening story, people need to know they are seen, they are worthy of love, and they matter to God and to us. God has called us to share that good news. God’s face is always turned toward us, but we have to learn to return the gaze of love and reflect it to others.
Mary: Our responsibility to grow into
the favor we’ve been given for the good of all
In Luke 1:46-55, we read Mary’s song or “The Magnificat.” As mentioned before, Mary is an archetype of “received salvation” because God chose her without her earning it, she chose to follow God’s will, to go forward with the immaculate conception without any offer of divine “reward,” and her ability to live in that mystery quietly and in an unassuming manner. She also was committed to Jesus through the end of his life and was there when the Holy Spirit showed up at Pentecost. Divine presence asks for reciprocity, mutuality. God allows us to choose him, he doesn’t force anyone to do anything.
Mary’s song shows us that reciprocating divine presence always leads to outgoing concern for others, particularly those who are powerless and marginalized in human-made systems. Notice that Mary returns the divine gaze with verses 46-49:
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name (Luke 1:46-49, NRSVUE)
The name Mary is Mariam in Greek as in Luke’s Gospel, but other forms include Mariai and Marias. Another form is Miriam, a popular Hebrew name because it was the name of Moses’ sister, also a singer and a prophet. It was brave Miriam who saved Moses’s life and reconnected him with their mother once Pharoah’s daughter found him. The same Miriam sang of God’s victory when Israel made it across the Red Sea and the Egyptians didn’t. In verses 50-55, Mary’s song echoes the same themes as her namesake: God’s faithful rescue of the powerless and the upheaval of the rich and proud. Mary reflects the divine gaze to others, particularly those who are lowly and hungry and in need:
Indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has come to the aid of his child Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. (Luke 1:50-55, NRSVUE)
Mary is speaking of God’s vision of peace on earth where his mercy is extended to those that were usually forgotten or mistreated. Mary’s song says to marginalized people, “I see you. You are worthy of love and care. You matter to God.” As pointed out by homiletics professor O. Wesley Allen, Jr., we often focus on our individual salvation, forgetting that it “cannot be separated from … [the] systems of power being reversed … Our salvation is part and parcel of the saving of the world.”
Again, we’re reminded of the “already” but “not yet” aspect of God’s dream for peace on earth. Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary probably had lived through a Jewish rebellion against Rome that took place around 4 BCE, when Herod the Great died. Josephus writes of a Roman army killing a great number of Jews, eventually setting fire to the porticoes of the temple. This fueled the belief among Jews that the only way to overcome the imperial power of Rome was through God’s intervention. [Speaker, you may need to define a portico and who Josephus was.]
These themes of injustice still echo today as people struggle to make ends meet, wars continue, and political dishonesty runs rampant. God cares deeply about people — both in ancient times and modern times — who suffer because of injustice. Mary’s Magnificat highlights the ongoing issues human beings face because of unjust governments and cultural systems.
The examples of Elizabeth and Mary show the power of the divine gaze that sees us, loves us, and affirms that we matter. As we grow in our belief in this unconditional love from God, we extend grace and favor to others, especially the powerless and marginalized in human-made systems. Advent offers the opportunity to rejoice, knowing that Jesus was incarnated, Jesus understands our human struggles, and Jesus will return to restore justice and God’s peace on earth. Jesus sees us, and that means the triune God sees us, too.
Call to Action: As Advent concludes, consider the divine favor you have experienced in the past. Sit in silence, rejoicing in this memory. Additionally, watch for opportunities to reflect the divine gaze to another person. Recognize the divine presence in them and offer encouragement by pointing out where you see God’s grace reflected in them.
For Reference:
Rohr, Richard. Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2008.
https://www.laparent.com/parenting/dr-shefali-workshop
https://www.drshefali.com/the-3-most-important-messages-for-your-child/
Bill Vanderbush—Year C Advent 4
December 22, 2024 — Fourth Sunday of Advent
Luke 1:39-55
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Small Group Discussion Questions
- How do you feel when considering that God gazes at you with infinite love? Do you find yourself wanting to bring up shortcomings? If so, why do you think we do that?
- Does the parenting advice from Dr. Shefali resonate with you (i.e., make a child feel seen, worthy, and important to you)? Does this parallel our relationship with God?
- The sermon suggests that “Divine presence asks for reciprocity; God will never force anyone to do anything.” What examples, either personal or biblical, can you think of that demonstrate this?
- Mary’s Magnificat reminds us that our salvation in Jesus is not just individual but communal (i.e., concern for marginalized people groups). Does this aspect of Advent promote hope in you for future peace on earth?