Luke 1:46-55
A. INTRODUCTION
In times of adversity, some people rise to the top, while others fall in a heap.
Imagine then, Mary, a girl of probably no more than twelve or thirteen years of age—engaged to be married, with her wedding day less than twelve months away—when suddenly she is confronted by an angel (which must have been a very frightening experience in itself). And then being told that she would be having a baby and Joseph was not going to be the father.
Now, Mary’s response to the situation was remarkable. In any ordinary course of events, that would have meant a life of destitution and shame. What lay ahead of her would have been her abandonment by Joseph, public disgrace, the need to live as an outcast, and the need to resort to prostitution in order to survive.
And yet, despite that, Mary’s response did not reflect any of those concerns. As far as she was concerned this was not any ordinary course of events, this was God asking her to do something and to be someone special. So she put behind her any thoughts of what should be, and she replied to the angel: ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me according to your word.’ (Lk 1:38).
Now, that is a powerful statement. But have you ever wondered what it was that made Mary tick? What was it that made Mary rise to the occasion?
Well, I believe that we only have to look at her response to the angel to give us some clues.
B. THE SONG OF MARY
So, what made Mary tick? Well, Mary began her response on a very personal note:
1. A Personal Note
a). An Expression of Praise (46-47)
Because Mary said: ‘My soul declares the greatness of the Lord; my spirit exults in God, my saviour.’
Mary’s first reaction to the news—once she has established what was going to happen, and how—was to praise God. Mary’s first thought was not ‘woe is me’ or ‘do you realise what you’re asking me to do?’ or, ‘Do you realise the implications that would have on the rest of my life?’ No! Despite everything, Mary expressed excitement that, out of all people in the world, God had chosen her for the task in hand.
Rather than being sad and fearful of the future, Mary’s reaction was one of glorifying God. The single most important person in her life—her creator, redeemer, and guide—had asked her to do something. And she believed that no matter what he wanted, whatever he asked her to do, that God was so great that she couldn’t help but praise him.
b). The Grounds For Praise (48-49)
But, more than that, there was something even more personal in this as well. For Mary’s words continued… ‘For he (God) has looked with favour upon his humble servant, and, from now on, every generation will consider me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things with me—holy is his name.’
For Mary, the issue wasn’t just the need to praise God for who he was, but it was a matter of perspective too. Not for Mary a matter of parading up and down and saying, ‘Look what I’ve done’ or ‘look what I’m about to do.’ No! As far as she was concerned, she was a nobody. And she was a nobody not only in her eyes, but in the world’s eyes as well.
However, with this simple act of obedience, she recognised that allowing God to use her—his instrument, to bring salvation to the world—would have worldwide repercussions. She saw that there would be the inevitable fame, which she hadn’t sought. But, as far as Mary was concerned, that wasn’t important, because what was important—and what she hope would be remembered—was not how special she was, but rather the rich blessing that God had given her by choosing her in the first place.
For Mary, the important thing wasn’t what she had done for God, or was about to do, but what God had done for her. And therefore her stress was on the holiness—the exalted state of God—rather than any part she had to play personally. She has been chosen for a very specific and important task, and she was only too delighted to be chosen for the part.
c). A Merciful God (50)
But why was Mary so confident? Why didn’t she express any concern for herself, in a situation than ordinarily would have spelled disaster for the rest of her life? How did she know that God would be true?
Well, as far as Mary was concerned, it was because God was a merciful God, and could be relied upon to care for her needs. God wasn’t going to leave her high and dry, but would care for her needs despite the fact that, humanly speaking, her outlook looked very bleak indeed. Mary’s words: ‘His mercy extends to generation after generation to those who fear him.’
Mary had in her mind images of the past; times when God had been merciful to the faithful; times when people had got themselves into difficulties—where they had called for help, where God had listened, and where God had come to the rescue. And not just once, but time after time. And even when people hadn’t found themselves in difficulties, Mary had in mind the times that God had still blessed them too.
Mary’s faith in God was solid. Because even though what God asked her to do must have been very difficult for her, Mary’s faith was strong. She was convinced that if she left her situation in God’s hands—and God’s hands alone—then the kind of mercy that God had shown his people in the past, would be shown to her as well.
d). Summary
And, on that note Mary’s personal statement concludes.
God may have asked her to do something which should have meant disaster for her own future—and that was a lot to ask of a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl—however Mary remained rock solid in her faith. She had faith in God to do what he asked. Indeed, so strong was her faith that she was confident enough to praise God, and to rejoice in him. For even asking her to play her part.
2. General Observations
And then, having delivered her personal statement, Mary then continued with some general observations about the consistency of God, in which everyone could have that same sense of confidence too.
a). God And Salvation (51)
Mary’s words: ‘He (God) has done mighty deeds with his arm and has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.’
Mary’s faith was in a God who was not only consistent and merciful, but who was concerned about the salvation of his people.
He had come to the rescue of his people by leading them out of slavery in Egypt and bringing them to the Promised Land. And he was repeating his salvation work again, by rescuing his people with the birth of the Messiah, who would lead his people to eternal life.
The kind of power which God had shown at the Exodus was to be demonstrated in the birth of the Messiah. However, as before the rescue of his people out of Egypt was bad news for the Egyptians, so the message of salvation would be bad news for those who were his enemies.
God’s concern for salvation did not just affect the past, and Mary, but would flow through to the future as well.
b). God, Politics and Social Position (52-53)
Mary’s words then continued: ‘He has brought down rulers from their thrones and has raised up the humble. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and has sent the rich away empty.’
The kind of God that Mary believed in, was a God who involved himself in history, and whose standard work included the overthrow of rulers who did not obey his will. Particularly rulers who did nothing to stop minorities being oppressed.
God was a God who very much involved himself in politics. And, Mary knew, that this was an expectation associated with the coming of the Messiah, as well.
But God didn’t just get involved in politics, he was involved in every aspect of human life. Because, as far as Mary was concerned, the coming of the kingdom of God would bring about political and social revolution, as the ordinary life of mankind is brought into line with the will of God.
c). God Fulfils His Promises (54)
And Mary was confident that all this was not just historically true, but would be true in the future too, because God kept his promises. And that’s why Mary concluded with the following words: ‘He promised to help his servant Israel, and he has remembered to be merciful according to the promise he made to our fathers—to Abraham and to his seed forever.’
God’s actions were in accordance with his promises. And those who followed the teachings of God—from Abraham to whenever—are his children, who God wants to remember and care for. However, the implication is that those who are not faithful followers of God will at the same time be swept away.
C. IMPLICATIONS
The Song of Mary, the Magnificat, or whatever you want to call it, is an amazing response by a young girl. She was asked to do something that, socially, would have been very difficult to do. It went against the grain of Jewish society. And the implications of her obedience could have left her in serious difficulties.
However Mary didn’t flinch. She didn’t get hung up about where that left her socially. Mary didn’t see her predicament that way at all.
Instead, we get this glorious song of faith: of a young woman rock-solid in her beliefs. A song indeed, that challenges us, to where we stand with God, too.
1. Expressions of Praise
After all, when was the last time God asked us to do something difficult? Something that we would not have expected others to understand; something that could easily be taken the wrong way; or something that would have meant that we would have been in danger of being cast out by family and friends.
And when God’s request came—as it comes to us all—what was our immediate reaction? To say, yes, like Mary, and then to sing God’s praises—to tell him how great he was and to thank him for the opportunity to serve? Or did we shrink back for doing the very thing that he asked.
2. Grounds for Praise
Furthermore, if we did accept what God asked us to do, what was our reaction then? Did we parade up and down in front of others, and say how important that we were? Or did we simply point to God and give him the glory for the blessings that we received?
3. A Merciful God
In situations where God asks us to do difficult things, do we remember that we too can be sure that God, who is merciful, has already considered the ramifications for us? That we too can be confident that, no matter what implications it has for us, that God will stay with us—and stick with us—as we step on the journey through life that he has mapped out for us.
4. Consistency of God
And can we be confident and live life knowing that God is reliable and consistent?
After all, he has helped his people many times in the past, and he has promised he will help us again, and again, and again.
D. CONCLUSION
In many ways when the angel appeared to Mary, so long ago, her life was turned completely upside down. Mary was a girl whose wedding day was less than twelve months away, and an angel came and told her that she would have a baby and that her fiancé was not to be the father. In terms of the Jewish society of the day, that would have been a recipe for disaster. Indeed the implications couldn’t have been much worse. But yet, Mary rose to the task and even glorified God for the role she’d been given to play in salvation history
The challenge for us today, then is: When God asks us to do something, what kind of response do we give him? We know what Mary did, she said ‘Yes’, and she praised God and thanked him for the privilege. But will our response be the same?
Will we praise God and thank him for the privilege of serving? Or will we let the social and other implications affect our response?
Posted: 5th December 2023
© 2023, Brian A Curtis
www.brianacurtis.com.au
