The Mother of a King – December 10, 2023, The Second Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 9:1-7, Luke 1:26-38
December 10, 2023

A few weeks ago, I was asked, “Do you ever preach about Mary?”  I said, “Sure I do!  Especially during Advent and Christmas.”  And with good reason!  Mary, of all women in history, was chosen by God to be the mother of our Lord, Jesus!  And her’s is the story we have for this Second Sunday of Advent today.

Of course the part of her story we read today is her encounter with the angel Gabriel.  And I often try to picture this scene.  You probably do, too.  I see this as happening at night, although Luke really doesn’t say that.  I see it taking place in a small village.  Mary is outside, maybe in a courtyard.  Then I see this shining, luminescent being, in my mind much larger than Mary, coming into appearance in front of her.  And then I see her backing away a bit, and falling to the ground hiding her face, because she’s terrified!  Remember the first words an angel usually says to a person.  “Be not afraid!”

That’s how I picture this scene.  I’m sure you have your mental images, too.  And then I try to imagine Mary’s reaction to the incredible things the angel told her!  “You will conceive, and bear a child.”  Of course, that makes no sense to her, because, as she says, she “has no husband.”  She’s done nothing that would make her conceive.  (And that’s always an awkward part of this story to tell!)  But this is more than that!  This is not just a miraculous conception!  This is not just any child!  Gabriel tells Mary, “He will be great, and be called the son of the most high.”  And then he says the most important thing she would hear – that any Jewish person would hear!  “And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David!”

So, Mary, this poor peasant girl, was to be “the mother of a king.”  As I read this story, that’s what Mary was being told here.  Notice, there was no talk about salvation or sacrifice here.  She was just told that she would have a child, and he would be the king of Israel!  “And of his kingdom there will be no end.”  And at that moment, Mary’s excitement was about the hope of the whole nation.  They would finally have their own nation!  They would be rid of the Romans!  That’s what everyone in Israel wanted.  That’s what they longed for – for centuries!  They wanted “A king like unto David!”  A return to the glory days of Israel!  That’s what Mary was being told by the angel Gabriel!

Now, remember that we the readers always know more than the people in these stories knew – when these things were happening to them.  And it’s too easy to find ourselves reading into these stories what we already know.  And that includes the reactions and feelings of the people involved.

It’s important that we try to read this story knowing only what Mary knew at the time of this visitation.  And what she was told, what she knew, was that there would be a king, and she would be his mother!  Later, there would be talk about how “he will save his people from their sins”  Later, when Jesus was presented at the Temple in Jerusalem, this man Simeon would say to her, “Behold this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel.  And a sword will pierce your heart.”  Later, there would be more to this than just a king!  Mary would come to know those things.

Think about what her life would be like over the next thirty years or so, as she raised this boy.  And think about what she would go through those last three years of his life!  She would witness many of the things Jesus did, and hear many of the things he said.  And she would be there at the end, when Jesus said to her from the cross, “Woman, behold your son,” referring to John.  And then to John, “Behold your mother.”  To his dying breath Jesus was taking care of this woman.

There would be so much ahead of her – that we already know.  And later, there would be paintings and statues of Mary all over the world.  She would be considered by many to be the most famous woman of all times!  But in this moment, in this scene before us today, she is standing before this fearsome, angelic being, and the only thing she knew was that she was going to be the mother of a king.

I’m not saying those things ahead were easy for her.  Sometimes I wonder what she thought about when Jesus spoke of his impending death.  Did she resist what he was saying?  Maybe, with Peter, she too thought, “Surely these things will not happen to you!”  Maybe she thought back to this moment and thought, “Wait a minute!  I was told you would be the king of Israel!”

It’s hard to know what to say about Mary, and what she thought about all of that.  But what I will say about her, is what the Gospel writers said.  They said that, when things happened, when she was told things about this child – by the Christmas shepherds, then later by the Wise Men – when she was told things, she “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.”  I love those words.  “Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.”  In other words, she thought about things.  She considered them.  She weighed what was being said.  And I think in all that, she chose to believe and follow what God said. 

Do we do that?  Do we seek to know what God may be telling us?  Or do we tell God the way we want things to be, and say, “Oh, would you please do it our way.”  Do we seek to know God’s will in things?  Or do we say, “This is what I’m going to do, Lord, please bless it”?

I think Mary’s final words to the angel here are so important.  She heard some incredible things!  And yes, she questioned.  But in the end she said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Let it be to me according to your word.”  “I’m your servant, Lord, I’ll do whatever you ask.”  Do we say that?

I often wonder how this story would have gone if she had resisted.  What would have happened if she had said, “Please find somebody else!”  That’s what Moses said!  Do you remember him?  At the burning bush, when God told him to go to Pharaoh, he immediately gave several excuses why he was no good for the job.  But then, when God answered all his concerns, he just said, “Please send somebody else!”

Not Mary.  She said, “Ok, if that’s what you want, God.  I am your servant.  Let it be so.”  By the way, that’s one way of translating of the word “Amen.”  “Let it be so.”  When we say that word at the end of a prayer, we are acknowledging that we want what we’ve said in the prayer to be so.

So here is Mary, the mother of a king, listening to this angel, and as difficult as the things he said may have been for her – and I’m sure this was difficult! – she concluded, “Let it be so.”

As we go through this Advent and Christmas season, as we think about our “Recommitment Sunday in January, may we remember her part in this story.  May we remember her for humble obedience.  May we remember the courage she had to answer God’s call, no matter what.  May we be open to, and listening for what God’s call may be, and what he may be telling us in our lives.  And may we be willing to say to God, “Let it be to me according to your word.”

Prayer

Eternal God, we thank you for your servant, Mary.  We thank you for her example of willingness when you called her.  Help us to hear the still, small voice of your spirit in our hearts.  And help us to have the strength to go where you lead us and follow when you call us.  For we pray in the name of our Savior and King, Amen. (Let it be so!)