Luke 1:26-45 – The Advent of LOVE
/Lectionary Readings for Dec. 12, 2021 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year C
Isaiah 12:2-6 v5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world.
Zephaniah 3:14-20 v16 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
Philippians 4:4-7 v6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.
Luke 3:7-18 John Baptizes and Preaches to the People shortly before baptizing Jesus.
But this week, we’ll look at Luke 1:26-45 The Birth of Jesus Foretold to Mary by the Angel Gabriel.
Weekly Meditative Exercise
Christianity includes a long and rich tradition of embracing meditative practices as a way of keeping us connected with God, ourselves, and each other. I encourage you to spend some time each week (ideally 10-30 minutes) trying each weekly exercise. You will naturally find some more appealing and effective than others. You’ll like some but not others, and after 6-12 months you’ll better understand what’s available and what helps you.
This week’s exercise focuses on Slowing (pages 88-91).
From Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun. InterVarsity Press, 2005.
Desire: to learn to savor the moment so that we can curb our addictions to busyness, hurry and workaholism
Definition: Through slowing, the sacrament of the present moment is tasted to the full.
Scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
As you engage with this exercise, I encourage you to periodically hit the pause button in your day – especially when you’re around people – so you make time to notice the people, what they’re saying, their words, their tones, the looks on their faces. Slow down so you can notice the nuances of the people and places around you. Slow down so you can soak it all in. Slow down so you can notice God’s presence in and through your surroundings.
Peace through Leadership Quotes
“The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn’t matter what mood you’re in or what kind of a year you’ve had – it’s a fresh start.” ~ Kelly Clarkson
“Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles.” ~ Edwin Louis Cole
Advent begins the new church year; this is the season of fresh starts, of anticipating new things. When we’re able to leave the burdens of our past behind and make our hearts and minds, our hands and mouths available to God and expect God to guide us in our work to create peace... then we can live with the expectancy of miraculous new beginnings.
Any time I preach or lead a group, regardless of age, I start the same way. I’m going to say three short sentences. Please repeat each sentence, with enthusiasm.
God made me. God loves me. God has plans for me.
Preface to Today’s Scripture Reading
Last week we heard the story of the angel Gabriel visiting Zechariah and Elizabeth – a couple well into their senior years – telling them that despite his doubts and her age, they would have a baby, John, who would grow up to prepare the world for Jesus.
Today’s reading from the same chapter tells the story of how the angel Gabriel returned six months later to tell a young, teenage Mary that she would give birth to God in the flesh. As Luke tells the story, Mary is understandably bewildered, unsure, and willing to follow God leading.
Today’s story will be quite familiar to many of you. But today’s reading will not. Just this year, a new translation of the New Testament has been published. A few years ago, a Methodist pastor named Terry Wildman was serving the Northport Indian Mission United Methodist Church in Michigan. As a Native American himself, he felt a “a desire to provide an English Bible that connects, in a culturally relevant way, to the traditional heart languages of the over six million English-speaking First Nations people of North America” (Wildman, Terry M.. First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2021. pg ix).
After many years of collaborating with Native North Americans from over twenty-five tribes as well as Biblical scholars, his team created the First Nations Version Translation of the New Testament. Their desire was to embrace their oral traditions while using the language of the people who invaded their lands and obliterated their citizens and cultures: English. Our Bible Study group found their translation of today’s passage particularly moving. (If you find it equally moving, I encourage you to buy a copy through your local bookstore.)
Let’s open our ears, minds, and hearts as we hear today’s familiar story in unfamiliar words. How do unfamiliar names paint new images of these timeless characters? Do they help us connect with them in new ways?
Read Luke 1:26-45 and the rest of chapter one this week.
Since this translation is not readily availble to view online, I’m including today’s reading here. Please support this great work by purchasing a copy to incorporate into your spiritual journey.
Luke 1:26-45 (First Nations Translation)
26 When six moons had passed, the Great Spirit sent the same spirit-messenger, Creator’s Mighty One (Gabriel), to another small, out-of-the-way place in the hill country called Seed Planter Village (Nazareth). There he appeared to a young virgin woman named Bitter Tears (Mary), who was promised in marriage to a man named He Gives Sons (Joseph), a descendant of the great chief Much Loved One (David).
28 Creator’s Mighty One (Gabriel) said to her, “Greetings, highly favored one! You are close to the Great Spirit and greatly honored among women.”
29 Bitter Tears (Mary) was deeply troubled by this greeting and wondered what the spirit-messenger would say. He comforted her saying, “Do not fear, for you have found goodwill in the eyes of the Great Mystery. You will be with child and give birth to a son. You will name him Creator Sets Free (Jesus).”
It seemed like time stood still, and all creation stopped to listen as the messenger continued to speak.
32 “He will be greatly honored, the Son of the One Above Us All. He will be a great chief like his ancestor Much Loved One (David) and will sit in his seat of honor. He will always be chief over the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel). His chiefly guidance will never end.”
Bitter Tears’ (Mary’s) voice trembled with emotion, and her eyes grew wide as she looked into the face of the spirit-messenger.
34 She asked, “How will this be, since I have never been with a man?”
35 Creator’s Mighty One (Gabriel) answered, “The Holy Spirit will spread his wings over you, and his great power from above will overshadow you. This holy child born to you will be the Son of the One Above Us All.” Then, to encourage her, he said, “Your cousin Creator Is My Promise (Elizabeth), who was called barren one, is six moons with child. See! There is nothing too hard for the Great Spirit.”
She looked bravely into the face of the messenger.
38 She said boldly, “I am Creator’s servant, let it be for me just as you have said.” Then Creator’s chief spirit-messenger left her.
39 Bitter Tears (Mary) quickly put together a traveling bundle and went to visit her cousin Creator Is My Promise (Elizabeth), who lived in a nearby village in the hill country of the Land of Promise (Judea).
40 When she entered the home of her relatives, she greeted her cousin.
41 When Creator Is My Promise (Elizabeth) heard Bitter Tears’ (Mary’s) greeting, she felt her child jump inside her. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and with a loud cry she lifted her voice and spoke these blessing words to Bitter Tears (Mary).
“The Most Holy One has honored you more than any other woman,” she laughed. “The child you carry inside you will bring great blessings to all people. Why is Creator being so kind to me, sending the mother of the Great Chief to visit my home? As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby jumped for joy inside me! You have been chosen by the Maker of Life for a great honor, because you believed his words to you.”
Words of life for all of God’s people. Thanks be to God.
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This year more than ever, I find myself particularly engaged with Mary’s humanity, especially what she must have thought and felt – mentally, physically, and spiritually – during her many months of pregnancy.
I’m fascinated with how much she and Elizabeth had to have trusted God. I’m also increasingly convinced that all male pastors should spend Advent humbly listening to female preachers (especially pregnant preachers) explain everything that’s involved with creating new life – the pains, the wondering, the fears, the exhaustion, the waiting... so much waiting. What if these experiences were paired with the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy? Can you imagine us lighting a candle representing fear and hope? Or pain and peace? Or indifference and love? Or misery and joy? How might those combinations help us connect with the broad spectrum of our full emotional experiences? How might those combinations help us connect with all that Mary and Joseph were experiencing?
Today’s Advent theme is love, and trust is certainly a huge part of any loving relationship. Through love, trust is able to overcome fear. Mary was too young, and Elizabeth was too old to birth new life. Yet, as an expression of their love for God, they both trusted God’s leading, miracles occurred, and their lives – and the world – were forever changed.
The more I think about today’s story, the more I’m concerned that we’ve romanticized nearly all of the humanity out of these modest characters. Nine or so months is a long time to ponder something, all day, every day while people point, stare, and talk. Historians estimate that Elizabeth was somewhere between 60 and 80 years old, well beyond the average life expectancy of her era. Elizabeth must have wondered, “Who will care for my child, my pride and joy, when I die?” Mary may have prayed, “How will I know what to do once this mysterious new creation is born?”
If we put ourselves in Mary’s and Elizabeth’s shoes, anticipating, sensing God creating something new in and through us... Do their questions sound familiar?
Like Elizabeth, as we expect God to lead us into our shared future, who will care for what we have created after we’re gone? Will the next generation of leaders value what we hold as precious? Will they be as caring and nurturing as we have been? What must we do to ensure our legacy of beliefs, values, and ethics carries on?
Like any new mother, Mary’s excitement was intertwined with questions and concerns. God chose us! That’s awesome! But wait... with so many other options available, why has God chosen... us? How will we know what to do when new life bursts forth and screams for attention... when all we want to do is take a nap? How will we ever find the energy to keep up with life’s new pace? And how will we find the wisdom new life seeks when we are still asking questions ourselves?
For decades, I’ve heard the saying, “God doesn’t call the equipped; God equips the called.” God called Elizabeth and Mary into co-creating the future. Of all the people alive, the Creator of the Universe said, “I want YOU, I pick YOU to help me do something new that will play a pivotal role in changing the world.” God calls out to us, today, in the same way.
The idea that that God wants us, that God desires our involvement blows me away. But that’s exactly what God has done throughout history and continues to do with me and with every single one of us. God continues to call our church family into a future of new creations. AND... it is a future filled with hope, and love, and questions, and doubts, and what if’s, and expectant waiting.
During this Advent season, let us all follow Elizabeth and Mary, letting our love of God lead us into trusting God even more as we work with God and with each other to nurture what we already have while we seek new ways to birth the Kingdom of God into our community.
Amen? Amen!