CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

25424 Aldine-Westfield, Spring, TX. 77373

www.geocities.comadon77373/cypresswoodbulletin.htm

http://geobme.blogspot.com

www.cypresswoodchurchofchrist.com

PETITIONS AND THANKSGIVINGS:

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her” (Luke 1:45).

The title is a theological reference to the song Mary sings after visiting her pregnant relative, Elizabeth. This is the first of two songs Luke records (1). Many songs are written out of events that people face. We see that in scripture especially in the Psalms. In our song books, many songs were written based on events in the writer’s life. The song When Peace Like A River was written out of tragedy in the life of the author. O Little Town of Bethlehem came out of a visit by the author to Israel. Mary, Did You Know?, a rather new song, came out of thinking about the baby Jesus that Mary was holding.

Mary is pregnant because of God’s choosing. She is a servant of the Lord with a servant’s heart. At the time this would not be an easy experience; young women would certainly be frowned upon for becoming pregnant (2). We can see Joseph’s reaction until the dream he has (see Matthew 1:18-21). It appears that Mary left before few if any knew she was pregnant so her return to Nazareth several months later would cause much controversy. But Mary, like so many others in scripture, had a promise given by God and she was willing to live with the difficulties that went with that promise.

Our contemporary song, Mary Did You Know?, focuses out attention on Mary holding the baby Jesus and what the future held. Mary would confront a number of people that would cause her to ponder what this was all about. The shepherds coming the night of His birth and worshipping caused her to ponder the meaning. So did the visit to the Temple area and the meeting of Simeon and Anna. I would suspect that the same would have been true of the visit of the Magi as well. All that was in the future. Her song is before Jesus’ birth. Let’s take a look at it.

Mary recognizes that it is God who saves. That is a common theme in the Old Testament. God often saved Israel from her enemies and the Psalmists often refer to this. The expectations of Mary’s day were high in the sense of God once again saving Israel from foreign occupation; that the coming Messiah would reign on David’s throne, returning a king to the throne that has been empty for over six hundred years. We should keep in mind that the political situation effects much of what we read, whether the politics of the Temple, the Herods, or the Romans.

Mary also recognizes her humble state. Many think that she was a teenager, most likely in her middle to late teens, typical of the culture for young women to be promised in marriage. We need to be careful that we do not read too much of our modern American culture into the story. The Middle East society required that the youth respect both their family and older members. She is seen as a servant, both in the reception of the message of the angel Gabriel and her response (Luke 1:26-38). We sometimes forget that we are servants of the Lord Most High. Power, position, and the influences of society take away from our roles as servants and we justify that mentality failing to see what it really leads to: selfishness and pride.

From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done

great things for me -- holy is his name.

She was the mother of our Lord and many have certainly called her blessed. But there is more to life than a birth of a child. Mary trains Jesus in the ways of God along, no doubt, with Joseph. We find the family at the Temple when Jesus was twelve (Luke 2:41-52). After Jesus begins His ministry, He attends a wedding with Mary present and performs a miracle (see John 3). Mary and her other children are seen at various times during His ministry. She is at the cross when Jesus dies (3). Jesus commands John to take care of her and we see her again in Acts 1 and His brothers involved in the early church.

Mary also recognizes that she is blessed through God. He is the Almighty, the Creator. Certainly this is a part of her thought, creating the world, creating a baby. She also recognizes the holiness of God, something she has been taught. “Be holy for I am holy” said Yahweh.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

This is another lesson she has been taught. God describes Himself in Exodus 34:5-6 as the merciful God, among other things such as forgiving and patient. She is drawing on her teachings at home and the synagogue to recall, which is typical of many songs, who God is and what He has done. One could think of Israel in Egyptian slavery for some four hundred years before God sends Moses to rescue Israel. Now Mary is singing about the activity of God again after some four hundred years of silence to rescue Israel. Of course, she had a political solution in mind, as many in Israel did, but it is clear from the message of that it was sin that would be dealt with through the new King (see Matthew 1:18-21 and Luke 1:32-33). Once again, God is becoming involved in Israel’s history.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud

in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has

lifted up the humble.

Like many Psalms, Mary recalls God’s acts in Israel’s history. The idea of a mighty arm comes from at least one text, Isaiah 59:1-2, where Isaiah reminds Israel that it is their sins that have separated them from God. Another text that comes to mind is from Daniel 2:21 where God is said to raise up and take down kings. Then we are remind of David, the man after God’s own heart. All this comes from verses 32-33 and is a statement that Herod and the Romans would be dethroned. We know that there is only one King; Jesus; who rules today through His death and resurrection. One day all we come to recognize this (see Philippians 2:9-11).

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

During Mary’s day, the rich looked down on the poor (and today as well), but these were people who claimed Yahweh as their God. They ignored the Law they claimed to uphold. Jesus came to announce that the kingdom of God was at hand and using Isaiah’s call, challenged the people of His day to come under God’s rule. His message was to proclaim good news to the poor, those in prison, the sick, and the oppressed, many who were ignored by the self-righteous religious leaders (4). This continues to be God’s kingdom message for today.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his

descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.

Once again, we are reminded of Genesis 12:1-3 where God promises that through Abraham’s seed, all nations would be blessed. This is important to understand the genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3. From Abraham through Isaac, then Jacob, Judah and his descendants. We find the story of Ruth continuing the process that leads to David and eventually to Jesus. When we read Matthew’s genealogy, who mentions four women from scripture, each played a role in carrying on the seed line to Jesus. There stories seem out of place until we see God’s hand at work in their lives to fulfill His plan.

God has given us another promise, that He will come back with the heavenly Jerusalem and the new heavens and the new earth. He fulfilled His promise in Jesus and He will fulfill that promise as well. When we read Mary’s song, we see that it is a reminder of the Almighty and what He has done. The songs we sing this time of the year also focus not just on the birth of Jesus, but on the future that we all look forward to in Christ (see Hebrews 11:39-40 and chapter 12).

George B. Mearns

(1) See last week’s bulletin, 12/7/08 for Zechariah’s song.

(2) The movie, The Nativity Story, highlights this idea and is worth watching.

(3) To get an idea of this, see The Passion of the Christ.

(4) See Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2.