INTRODUCTION
Christmas is a favorite time of year for many. The Christ-centered characteristics
that surround this season nourish my heart, as I hope it does yours.
What I like most is the miraculous hint to it all. A poll released this
week by Newsweek reveals some surprising statistics on how Americans
view Jesus and his birth. 93% of all Americans believed that Jesus really
lived. 82% percent see Jesus as God or the Son of God. 79% say they
believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin
Mary. 67% percent of Americans think the entire Christmas story is historically
accurate, including the virgin birth, angelic proclamation to the shepherds,
the star of Bethlehem and the wise men from the East. I find those statistics
very interesting.
The Biblical characters given to us are on the one hand, ordinary people;
on the other hand, they are chosen instruments of God. And yet they
arrive at this fact in unassuming ways. In our passage this morning,
we are introduced to two very important women. Two questions are raised.
The first one is who is Mary? She was the mother of Jesus, but what
else do we know? Secondly, who is Elizabeth? She is, of course, the
mother of John the Baptist, but is there anything else we can learn
about this woman? Both of these women had much in common. They were
faithful, for one. Their pregnancies were pretty miraculous, to say
the least. Virgins don't get pregnant spontaneously. And elderly women
don't bear children, as a rule. And yet these two vessels of God will
give birth to the most important human beings in redemptive history.
You wonder what their relationship was like. We are not told how they
are related, only kinswomen. But a closer look into the Scriptures reveal
two extraordinary women. Let us first see about the mother of John the
Baptist, Elizabeth. We first learn that…
I. ELIZABETH WAS A SPIRITUAL MENTOR TO MARY, AND ONE WHO WAS CHOSEN
BY GOD FOR A MIRACULOUS EVENT.
The fact that Mary immediately journeyed to Elizabeth and Zechariah's
home after Gabriel's visit, tells us that they had a close relationship.
Could it be that Elizabeth had a formal shaping of Mary. She discipled
her and showed her how to be blameless before God, as the Luke 1:6 tells
us, And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly
in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. Coincidentally,
Elizabeth's name means, God is my oath.
After Gabriel's appearance to Mary, the young lady, probably around
14 years of age at the time, journeyed to her relative Elizabeth's home.
The journey from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea was some 80-100
miles, probably a 3-4 days journey. We read that Mary made the trip
quickly; maybe to confirm the angel's message. When something dramatic
happens, it is usually our nature to seek the company of those to whom
we are closest. As she entered the house, Elizabeth heard her greeting
and was overcome by God. What's miraculous about this is that as Mary
greeted her, she knew Gabriel's news. This would have functioned as
a confirmation to Mary who heard the angel say in 1:36, Now indeed,
Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and
this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with
God nothing will be impossible. Some believe Luke's usage was meant
to answer the skeptics of his day who could not believe in the virgin
birth. The angel as a confirmation to Mary uses Elizabeth's pregnancy.
We do not know how old Elizabeth is, but we may say she would be at
least 60 or 70 years old, significantly passed childbearing age. It
is an impossibility that both Mary and Elizabeth would be pregnant.
The miraculous aspect of Mary's pregnancy speaks for itself. But what
about Elizabeth's? The Scripture says in Luke 1:7 that she was well
advanced in years. But that is just the issue: God has done it. God's
ability cannot be explained through natural science or simple cause
and effect.
As Elizabeth proceeds with her speech, the Scriptures say she was …filled
with the Holy Spirit. The Greek verb is an aorist passive indicative
verb from pimplemi meaning to fill; end. In short, something happened
to Elizabeth at a particular point in time that was not in her control.
The action is reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets who came under
the influence of God's Spirit and spoke his truth. Note Elizabeth's
prophecy. Notice what she says in Luke 1:42, And she cried out with
a loud voice, and said, "Blessed among women are you, and blessed
is the fruit of your womb! 43 "And how has it happened to me, that
the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 "For behold, when the
sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for
joy. 45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a
fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."
II. MARY IS AN HONORED WOMAN, CHOSEN BY GOD FOR A MIRACULOUS EVENT.
Some of you with a Catholic background are well familiar with the Hail
Mary. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art thou
among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus…. This has
developed into a standard prayer to Mary for help during life and especially
at the time of death.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Mary was born different than
any other; without an inclination toward disobedience. In other words,
she was immaculately conceived as Pope Pius IX stated on December 8,
1854, free from all stain of original sin. In contrast to Roman Catholic
teaching, Protestants simply see Mary as an honored individual, one
who was chosen by God to give birth to our Lord, no different than the
great women of faith in the Bible such as Elizabeth, Ruth, or Hannah.
No where in Scripture is there a reference to anyone being excluded
from sin except Jesus, who was tempted in every way, just as we are--
yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
In contrast, you see Mary humbly accepting God's plan as a servant,
one who considered herself unworthy. We read Mary's reply in verses
46-55 often called the Magnificat. It is a song of praise. In it, Mary
fully accepts this plan of God's and its intent. Some of her language
is reticent of Hannah's song found in 1 Samuel 2. Here, Hannah discovers
that God has answered her prayers and she would give birth to the prophet
Samuel. From both of these passages, you see women who rejoice in the
greatness of God; who regard Him as the One who delivers them from their
enemies; who regards the poor, and who judges the wicked. From Mary's
words, we learn of her humble submission and faith in God.
Mary is speaking of herself when such statements are made like, He has
regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; and exalted the lowly,
filled the hungry with good things. Mary was from a humble background.
Luke 2:24 tells us that she and Joseph presented the most meager of
offerings at the time of Jesus' dedication: a pair of turtledoves or
two young pigeons. As Drake said last week, God calls the most unsuspecting
people to fulfill His plan. Mary is the best example. God does not look
at the prestige, the outward appearance, or the resume. He looks at
the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look
at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected
him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart." How often do we spend so much
energy on the outward or superficial, at the neglic of the inward and
spiritual? From the song, we see the depth of Mary's faith. The last
line of Elizabeth's prophecy agrees. Verse 45 says of Mary, And blessed
is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been
spoken to her by the Lord. The implication here is that Mary believed
the angel.
The faith of Mary and Elizabeth should have a profound impact on our
lives? In what ways do Mary and Elizabeth impact our faith? We ought
to ask ourselves if we are humble servants of God, like Mary and Elizabeth?
None of us are perfect, but through the enabling of the Spirit, we too
can be blameless, like Elizabeth. We too, can be faithful, like Mary.
But are we? Do you live your life with the same attitude as that of
Mary, Let it be to me according to Your word? Are you a believer in
the miracles of God; that He has the power to do the impossible? Or
do you put God in a box and confine Him to your reason? Elizabeth and
Mary's lives tell us that God is much bigger than we could ever imagine.
Their dispositions should be ours, as well. Such was the case with Ann
Hasseltine…
CONCLUSION
…born in Massachusetts in 1789, Ann grew up in a distinguished
family. She was highly intelligent and much sought after. As a teenager,
Ann gave herself to the Lord, praying: "Direct me in Thy service,
and I ask no more. I would not choose my position of work, or place
of labor. Only let me know Thy will, and I will readily comply."
She was a 21-year-old schoolteacher when she met young Adoniram Judson,
who wanted to become a missionary; and when Adoniram later wrote to
Ann's father asking for her hand, he said: I have now to ask whether
you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring to see
her no more in this world. Whether you can consent to her departure
for a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships of a missionary
life. Whether you can consent to her exposure to every kind of want
and distress, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. …
Ann, meanwhile, was pondering the same questions. In her journal, she
wrote: God has an undoubted right to do with me as seemeth good in His
sight. I rejoice that I am in His hand-that He is everywhere present
and can protect me in one place as well as another. When I am called
to face danger, to pass through scenes of terror and distress, He can
inspire me with fortitude, and enable me to trust Him. Whether I spend
my days in India or America, I desire to spend them in the service of
God, and to spend eternity in His presence. I am quite willing to give
up temporal comforts and live a life of hardship and trial, if it be
the will of God. "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). So it was that Adoniram and
Ann Judson became the first foreign missionaries ever sent from the
shores of America.
