Visitations: Luke 1:26-38 & Graceview Presbyterian A visit that gives you purpose Philippians 4:6-8 Sunday Dec

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1 Our Advent series is entitled Visitations and it s all about the times throughout the story of Jesus birth when God shows up in person. Sometimes as an angel, sometimes in the form of another person, and ultimately as the baby born in Bethlehem. I ve shared with you before a bit about my process of putting together sermon series. This one was done in collaboration with the Janet, as she is affectionately known by our elders, the Rev. Janet Ryu-Chan, minister at Morningside High Park Presbyterian, longtime friend and colleague of mine. Janet and I enjoy planning Advent and Lent together - because these are the high holy seasons of the year, and they take some extra thought, and - not surprisingly - two heads are better than one. When Janet and I meet to plan a series like this, I do some pre-planning. Basically, I spend some time looking at sermons series ideas - usually online because I like a striking visual to go with the season and you can actually google Advent Sermon Series, hit images and come up with some really great stuff - for possible series. I make a list because if I haven t made a list beforehand, I ll arrive at the meeting with absolutely no ideas at all. I m creative, but I m also a process thinker - which means I don t do spontaneous well. So it wasn t until we sat down, chose visitations out of the list of possible ideas before us, and began planning which scriptures to look at for which week, that we really began to understand how the story of Jesus birth is all about God showing up in person. It seems obvious to me now, but as we sat together and planned, we started to get really excited about how well this idea was going to carry us through the season. And here at Graceview, I can tell you we re actually going to be carried beyond Advent, to the two Sundays after Christmas, because there are two more visitations that happen after the night that Jesus was born. Sometimes we smoosh those visitations into Christmas Eve - because we don t want to forget the magi, even though they technically were not there the night Jesus was born. 1

2 And sometimes we just kind of breeze past them - how often have you actually heard a sermon on Simeon and Anna? Or do you even know their part of the story? It s like the scene at the end of a Marvel movie. Every time I go to see the latest Marvel movie, I m astounded - stressed, even - by the people who walk out as soon as the credits roll. It s been 10 years that Marvel has been putting out movies, and every single one of them has had at least one - sometimes two - post-credit scenes. (FIRST SLIDE) Sometimes they are just silly funny things, but sometimes they really set up the next story in the catalogue. Simeon and Anna are like the post-credit scene of Jesus birth story. If you don t know to look for their story, you could miss it completely. And I m always a little sad about how left out they have been from most of the church s celebrations at this time of year. We re not leaving them out this year. You have to show up after Christmas to find out about them. This week, however, is not about Simeon and Anna - we re still in the early parts of this story. This week is about Mary being visited by the angel Gabriel. 2

3 (SECOND SLIDE) Luke writes, 26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." What is interesting is that we hear this scripture every year. If it isn t directly preached on during Advent, you can bet it s read at Christmas Eve s Carols and Lessons service. It will be read this evening during our Ecumenical Carols and Lessons (which begins at 7pm, if you wanted to come and enjoy an evening of carol singing, a couple of amazing massed choir numbers, and all sorts of other good stuff!). But I feel like we don t really take note of the first line of the reading. In the sixth month - do you know what that s about? The sixth month of.? The answer is Elizabeth s pregnancy. Sometimes we deal with the scenes of this story as if they are independent. As if they are vignette s unto themselves. But in reality, everything within the story is linked together. 3

4 (THIRD SLIDE) And Luke reminds us of Elizabeth s pregnancy because it was a miracle, and he s about to tell us of another miraculous pregnancy. It s as if he is saying to us: keep the faith. You ve already seen a miracle in the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth and there is more to come. This is a story of miracles. (FOURTH SLIDE) Luke writes, 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father 4

5 David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end. Mary is already troubled, before Gabriel begins to tell her the fine details of who her son will be. How could she not be? An angel just showed up in her room. She s a simple farm girl. Living in a small town, concerned with the mundane things of life, making food and keeping house and doing the things one must do to survive. Sometimes when God shows up, it s alarming. If you are troubled by something, perhaps that is God shaking you out of complacency. Perhaps that is God getting your attention because God has a purpose for you. God is getting Mary s attention in a big bold way, she really can t miss that this is happening - there is an Angel before her. But I think sometimes we assume that God only communicates in this way - when really, God sometimes shows up in the disquiet we might feel over a social issue or an injustice or a need in our community. For Mary, all of a sudden, here is a heavenly messenger. Telling her that she is going to bear a King - the son of the Most High. I wonder what went through her mind. (FIFTH SLIDE) Luke writes, 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 5

6 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." I find it interesting that though Mary questions the angel, his response to her is very different than when Zechariah questioned him. The scriptures don t say why the angel reacts so differently - Mary s question seems to echo Zechariah s. They both seem to be overwhelmed and grasping for understanding. But I suspect that it has to do with position. Zechariah was a priest, and therefore much was expected of him. There s a great scene in a movie called LadyHawke - in which the Bishop (who is, of course, the bad guy in the story), is talking to the captain of the guard. (SIXTH SLIDE) And the captain says, It would take a miracle. referring to an unfolding plot point in the story. And the bishop responds with, I believe in miracles it s part of my job. (I m always bothered but that because THAT is not the reason you believe in miracles!) But, there is a sense in which believing in miracles was part of Zechariah s job. How often had he read of all the wondrous things that God had done, leading the people from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land? Mary, however, is just an innocent girl. A young girl, too - the scholars say she was about 14 years old. She cannot be expected to know what all of this means, or what it will cost her in the end. And yet, she responds simply with great faith and great heart. 6

7 (SEVENTH SLIDE) Luke tells us, 38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. In that moment, she accepts responsibility for what she does not even understand. She takes on the greatest challenge of her life, and she does so with absolute humility. Just simply - I will serve God. This visit changes her entire life. A young girl from a backwater town no more. It s been more than 2000 years and we re still talking about her. Still imagining what she felt and what she thought. Still marvelling at the peaceful acceptance she displays here. Still looking at her in wonder and learning from her grace. This visit gives her a purpose she never could have imagined, and a purpose that will continue to change lives over the millennium. I said last week that throughout Advent I m going to give you a phrase each week. Something from the scriptures that you can carry with you - to be a prayer or to be a word of thanks or an encouragement for the days ahead. (EIGHTH SLIDE) 7

8 This week, the phrase you are to carry with you throughout the days to come is I am the Lord s servant. Say it especially when you are in moments you don t want to be in during this season. When someone is asking you for something you don t want to give, or when your family - blood or chosen or church - is getting on your last nerve. It happens at this time of year! Say it when good things happen, because every good and perfect gift comes from your Father in Heaven. Look for those moments that might give you purpose. Those moments that might disquiet you and call you to a purpose God has for you. Whisper this phrase and find God s peace as you humbly serve Him. Let us pray. 8