JUST TAKE IT IN

By way of reminder, I have put the actual text of Luke into the body of this blog…some folks have requested I do this so they do not have to toggle between two screens or books…especially if they are reading on a mobile device…if you like to have the Bible open in front of you, just skip past the italicized text. I am using the English Standard Version translation.

JUST TAKE IT IN: Yesterday, as we were getting started, I tried to put in front of you a few ideas and thoughts. Two of them were as follows. First, suspend you scientific need for having all the answers, with certainty, from the outset. Second, appreciate just how foreign, how exotic, the idea of the Good News is. Those ideas continue today. Simply take in the story…ponder it…imagine yourself in it. The results of my attempt to do exactly this are below after the Scripture.

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”  ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

³⁹ In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰ and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.⁴¹ And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴² and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

⁴⁶ And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

⁵⁶ And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Quite the story. Maybe you have read or heard it many times. Familiarity can drain away the amazing parts of any past event. Imagine your Mary, or Elizabeth, or a close relative who is not only hearing these explanations, but living with them for nine months. As uncertain as Zechariah was, Mary and Elizabeth are equally certain—pregnancy, with all its own uncertainties, has a way of clarifying the big picture.

And Mary and Elizabeth, who have said yes to God, are more than certain about their pregnancies—they are certain about what it all means. It means all the promises God has made about sending a Savior to his world are coming to this present moment.

Luke has once again masterfully done it. In verses 26-38 he has brought us “close-in” to the Living God acting in people’s lives. It is as if we are standing in the room, listening and watching…and learning how to be faithful. It is as if we can see Elizabeth’s reaction as the Holy Spirit inspires a strong healthy jump from the yet unborn John. But then with equal skill, as we are immersed in the particulars, we are drawn outward to the big picture message…a Sózó…a Savior/Healer…is being born.

Verse 31…Jesus…which means “the Lord is salvation” (Matt. 1:21)…Verse 32…Great Son of the Most High…Throne of David…verse 33…a kingdom forever…

It all erupts in praise. Verses 46-56 is Mary’s song of praise…we call it the Magnificat.  God working in your life tends to lead to worship…and in the song we hear gratitude to the God who has always been present. Consider, the Jewish people have had the promise of a Savior for centuries…and they have been waiting.

Maybe you are waiting. Maybe you have been waiting a long time. Maybe God is beginning to work in your life. We each are in different places with respect to God. Consider how Mary’s praise of it being accomplished is offered while the small seed is growing inside her. The Good News is God has come to save and heal…to save and heal you and me. This Lent, today, perhaps before you close out of this blog, you might take a moment to not merely “take in the story”…but also “take a moment,” close your eyes, and invite Jesus to be with you.