Gift Receiving 101
St. Luke 1:39-56
December 22, 2018 anno Domini – Redeemer
Mary and Elizabeth teach us how to receive gifts and just in time, because tomorrow night Santa Claus is coming to town.
Mary never asked to be the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel visited her she was afraid for her life. “How can this be?” she asked. There is no doubt that she prayed for the Christ to come. God’s people had been 430 years without a prophet. The expectation was that when God finally spoke again it would be to fulfill His Old Testament promises of a Savior. So Mary prayed, but not just for herself. She prayed for the little village of Nazareth where she lived. She prayed for her fiancé Joseph. She prayed for her childless cousin Elizabeth. She prayed for all of Israel.
Mary knew she didn’t deserve the gift and she didn’t become proud when God’s Son was given to her. She confesses, “for (the Lord) has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” The other day I was listening to a Roman Catholic Radio station (yes, I’m weird) and for about 10 minutes all I heard was “Hail Mary”s. Mary would be embarrassed by those prayers. Particularly if anyone thought she had some sort of power over her son, the Son of God.
Mary sacrifices because of her gift. She has to tell Joseph she’s pregnant and he’s not the father and neither is any other man. She has to mourn with all her young friends in Bethlehem when Herod kills their boys because of her boy. Mary would stand at the cross when her Son is not only killed for crimes he didn’t commit, but damned for sins that she and we committed.
So how are you at gift receiving? Are you too good for gifts? I don’t need anything. Are you too bad for gifts? You shouldn’t have. I don’t deserve this. Do you gloat over your gifts? Become proud that your children turned out better than your sister’s kids, that your body is more fit than his or her body. Are you selfish with your gifts – whether it be gifts you buy or gifts you receive – thinking as your first thought, “What can I do with this?” Do you dictate your gifts? Here are the three things I want – oh, just let me get them. You’ll never get the right (fill-in-the-blank) tool, gadget, appliance, dress, car, etc.
Mary and Elizabeth were women, one of the two (and only two) genders God created. They not only accepted that, but they rejoiced in it and received from God what went with being a woman – a womb.
Elizabeth’s womb caused her sorrow for she could not bear children with her husband Zechariah. Mary’s womb was sacred to her (even before God chose to put His Son there), that’s why she was still a Virgin even though she was betrothed to Joseph.
Elizabeth trusted in God’s mercy even when He had not given her children. After all, she didn’t deserve children, even though she wanted children. Now, she was past the child bearing years. No children. No grandchildren, but she had God’s love. She had the promise of the Messiah and the future resurrection where her body would be made new.
Mary trusted that God would protect and keep her, when He put His Son in her womb. Joseph could have killed her. Childbirth could have killed her. Herod could have killed her. Watching your son die could kill you. The gifts of the Lord aren’t always safe gifts, and happy gifts, sometimes they are deadly gifts, calling you to die to yours selfish ways.
The angel Gabriel is God’s gift deliverer to these women. He first appeared to Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, when he was on duty in the temple. Gabriel delivered little Johnny to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Six months later through Gabriel’s words the Holy Spirit delivered little Jesus to Mary. Both Zechariah and Mary asked, “How can this be?” Zechariah and Elizabeth were too old to have kids and Mary was too virgin.
That question is a good question to ask every time you receive a gift – whether that gift is a white elephant or a white Dodge Challenger R/T. How can this be? Well, it’s a gift, from God.
That’s what Mary sings for us this morning.
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
Martin Luther said that word “magnifies” is like the title of a book – it tells you what’s inside. Mary’s song “magnifies” the Lord. She sings the praises of the Lord’s name. She sings what the Lord has done, not only for her, but for Elizabeth, and for you. God has made her “the mother of God” without any worthiness or merit in her. Every generation knows who the Virgin Mary is and what God did for her.
That you might receive God’s gifts as Mary and Elizabeth did, this is how God work will work on you, according Mary’s Magnificat. He knocks you down if you’re proud – proud people aren’t good at receiving God’s gift of Jesus. God will let you feel the pain of your sin and the sting of death. For then all that you thought of yourself and all that you think you’re holding onto is gone. I’ve seen many baptized Christians die and not one of them is proud. It’s ironic that no one boasts of a dying person, but then everyone boasts how great the person is after he or she has died. God exalts the lowly – that is His chief work, His best work, the work He loves. God sent His Son into the world to save sinners. Jesus did many things, but the chief thing is His death on the cross for our sins. If you don’t have any sins you don’t need Jesus. If you’re not dying you don’t need Jesus. If you are a sinner, then rejoice that Gabriel appeared to Mary, that the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in her womb, and that the unborn John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb to confirm the Savior in Mary’s womb. Christ Jesus came into the world to take away your sin. That’s God’s gift to you. Oh, He shouldn’t have, but He did. I don’t deserve it. You’re right. That’s why it’s a gift.
The only way you’re not getting Jesus is if you say, “I don’t need Him.” Mary would not have gotten pregnant if she said to Gabriel, “I don’t believe you.” Unbelief is 100% effective in preventing the birth of Christ in your heart by faith. There’s plenty of ways to say “no” to Jesus. Neglect God’s gifts to buy your own. Skip Church. Day dream during the sermon. That would be like going to bed while everyone else is opening presents. Don’t confess your sins. Whenever God gives you a gift – marriage, children, a great job, wealth, use it all for your own purposes. Make sure you get more than you give. When the gift serves you keep it. When it doesn’t discard it. Whatever you do don’t sacrifice yourself. All of that says, “No” to Jesus.
The Lord wants you to receive His gift of Jesus. Nothing makes God our Father happier than when we say “Amen, yes, I’ve been given Jesus. My sins are forgiven.” That’s why the Lord continues to work – if you’re mighty he’ll put you down. If you’re lowly he’ll exalt you. If you’re hungry He’ll fill you. If you’re full of yourself He’ll empty you. That’s how He helped His Israel in the Old Testament. He emptied them – a 430 year famine – no prophet, no King, no Word from God. Then Gabriel spoke and Elizabeth and Mary conceived sons. Then John the Baptist spoke, “Prepare the Way of the Lord.” Then God Himself spoke in His Son on to the cross and out of the tomb. Now the Holy Spirit speaks God’s gifts to you – wherever God’s Word is preached, wherever the Sacrament are given. God purchased the gift of forgiveness, life, and the resurrection and the Holy Spirit is delivering that gift right now, to you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.