Mary You Did Know

Luke 1:46-56

12/20/09

Albertville

Rev. Michael Trask

This is called the Magnificat, or “Mary’s Song”. Most of us have heard it again and again and again, but I wonder, really, if we ever listen to what it says. Instead we are lulled by the cadence of poetry so soft and so lovely. We envision a beautiful young Mary on her knees; a shaft of light from an unknown source highlighting the the graceful folds of her traditional blue tunic; her beautiful teenage visage glowing as she delivers her magnificent magnificat. The music swells and we are swept away into some vague happy feeling that is somehow related to Christmas but we’re not sure how and up until this point, we haven’t really cared.

Truth is however, this song of Mary is some pretty heady stuff! This tender and mild young woman from Nazareth is heralding nothing less than a revolution! A revolution that cuts deeper than anything that human society has ever seen. There is no war; no political movement; no grass roots effort; no fad; no trend; no cultural influx among men that even comes close to the magnitude of what Mary is singing about. She sings about the far reaching effects of the Lord who would enter our world through her womb. She sings about the things that the Lord has done and will do in his Son.

Let’s review. She says “He has preformed mighty deeds” as in miracles She says “He has scattered the proud” and “brought down rulers” but “lifted up the humble” Sent the “rich away empty.” but “filled the hungry”. Do see what she’s saying? She saying he’s going to turn the world upside down! He will redefine what it means to be successful, redefine what it means to important, redefine what it means to be popular, redefine what it means to be great.

Fast forward 30 years. Jesus begins his ministry. And what does he do? Exactly what Mary had prophesied he we would do. As God’s right hand he “performs mighty deeds” and heals many. As God’s incarnate word He says things like “The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” He says “everyone who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts himself will be humbled.” He says “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”. It’s exactly what Mary had prophesied.

In the last few years a Christmas song that was made popular by Clay Aiken has been sung and sung and sung. It’s called “Mary Did you know”. As it lists the things that Jesus would do it keeps asking “Mary did you know? Mary did you know? ” Assuming that she actually thought about what she was saying when she spoke the words of the magnificat and that she wasn’t in some sort of trance, we may conclude that yes, she did know. It was given to her to know. She knew much of what Jesus would do before he did it and before anybody else would have a clue. The song should be changed to “Mary you did know”. So now when I hear anyone sing, “Mary did you know?”, I stand up for her and say “YES! She most certainly did know!” “Mary did you know?” “Yes, yes, she knows already!” “How about you, do you know?”

That’s really the question isn’t it? Do YOU know the revolutionary nature of Jesus coming into the world and are you prepared for it? Has this revolution taken hold in you? Mary makes it quite clear, that preparation for his coming is way different from everything the world is constantly telling us. It’s not about having power; not about being rich; not about being successful; not about being famous. It’s not about the car you drive, the house you live in, or the clothes in your closet, or the food that you are privileged to eat. It’s not about who you know and what connections you have. It’s not about friends it’s not even about family. It’s not about all the great things that you have done in order, to as we say “make a life” for yourself, but rather it’s being prepared for Jesus’ return.

Among all the other things that Mary knew, Mary knew this. In the Magnificat she refers to her situation as a “humble state”. She was poor. She was not a pampered princess on a pedestal and yet she is chosen for this great honor. That’s much of what’s behind what she says in her song. It’s Mary’s great surprise as being given such an honor.

In a sense, Mary’s song is the song that any true Christian can sing. It was purely out of God’s grace and mercy that Mary was allowed to have Christ born in her. In a similar way it is purely out of God’s grace and mercy that we are allowed to have faith in Christ born in us and thereby be saved for all eternity. Like Mary we step back in awe and wonder and say “Why me?” “Out of all the people in the world, why me? “What did I do to deserve this honor, this eternity, this future glory?” And God will say, “Nothing. It’s my gift to you through the life and death and resurrection of my Son Jesus”

But in order for this to happen we must be humble. Mary was made humble by her circumstances. We believe that she was pretty poor and also pretty low on the social ladder. She clearly didn’t think she was entitled to anything. She was humble and therefore ready to receive God’s Grace. Some of us, have also been made humble by our circumstances of late. Going without a job has a way of helping you see how must depend on the Lord. Sometimes also an illness or injury can turn you around and help you see how things really are.

But many of us are not so poor and not so low. Many of us are blessed in ways our ancestors would marvel over. So how might we be humbled? By hearing God’s word of course. To the church in Laodicea Jesus said “You say I am rich; I have acquired wealth, and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (Rev. 3) See what they were doing? the Laodiceans were all caught up in their externals. Their houses, there food, their clothes and so on and used those things to gauge how they were doing.

The question is not and has never been how much wealth you have, but rather how are you doing with the Lord. Are there some loose ends? Some sinful behaviors or attitudes that have taken root in your life? Are you prepared to meet him as you are now? Do you need to repent? To take the sins that are on your soul and cast them before the Lords throne of grace? Remember what he has said “A broken and contrite heart I will not despise.” Jesus comes to bind what is broken. And if you’re ready to admit that you too are among the broken, Jesus is for you. And whether you are rich or poor the revolution has taken hold in you.

Mary’s Song. Not merely a pleasant poem, but the foundational document, the magna carta of the new world that Jesus is even now in the process of building. AMEN