Fourth Sunday in Advent December 21, 2003 - Preaching Helps

Currents in Theology and Mission, Oct, 2003 by Glenn Monson

Micah 5:2-5a Luke 1:47-55 Hebrews 10:5-10 Luke 1:39-45 [46-55]

First Reading

Micah 1-3 announces God's judgment upon Jerusalem for the sins of evil rulers, false prophets, and immoral priests. These people, who have been given the responsibility to shepherd Israel faithfully, have not done so, but instead have led Israel down the path of impure worship and social injustice. In chapter 4, judgment changes to God's promised restoration. Thus we are led to the text for this Sunday, where we are told of a new ruler who will come to shepherd Israel. He will not be like the wicked rulers of the past but "shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord." This ruler will come not from Jerusalem or from one of the large tribes of Israel but from Bethlehem, one of the little clans of Judah. Bethlehem reminds us of the Israelite monarchy's humble beginnings. The Hebrew word translated "little" in verse 2 can also be translated "insignificant," and thus it reminds us that the insignificant ones in the eyes of the world may indeed be God's messengers or servants. They minister in the strength of the Lord, therefore their own strength is not a prerequisite.

The Epistle reading begins "Consequently," begging us to look at the context of this passage. Earlier in Hebrews 10 we read that sacrifices according to the law and the first covenant cannot take away sin. After speaking again and again about sacrifices and offerings in this passage, finally at the end of the periscope we find out what offering is efficacious: "the offering of the body of Jesus Christ." This point is most effectively reiterated in the verses that follow (11-14) as the writer says that "by a single offering [Christ] has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."

The Gospel is the story of two miracles meeting for the first time. Both John and Jesus have now been conceived. John is more than six months along, we are told, and thus very capable of giving a swift kick or two to his mother, and Jesus has just been conceived. In fact, just prior to this text is the story in which Mary finds out about Elizabeth's pregnancy, and it is to rejoice with her kinswoman that she goes on this journey. But the miracles don't stop with the conception of these boys. A miracle of prophetic utterance and discernment is given to Elizabeth as soon as she is greeted by Mary. For her babe leaps in her womb, and at that she pours forth the ecstatic speech of one who has been gifted by the Holy Spirit. She is given knowledge of the amazing news of Mary, and the identity of Mary as "the mother of my Lord," as well as the fact that there would be "a fulfillment of what was spoken by the Lord." All this is certainly miraculous, for even Luke's "orderly account" offers no explanation for their knowledge other than being filled by the Holy Spirit.

The Magnificat is certainly one of the great pieces of poetry in Scripture, and it brings to mind the first text from Micah. As in Micah when the "insignificant" town of Bethlehem produced the righteous ruler, here we are told that God has "looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant." Like the Hebrew word for the "little ones," the Greek word for "lowly ones" refers to one "who is of no account in the eyes of the world." Also, just as the righteous ruler in Micah stood in the strength of the Lord, so it is "the Mighty One [who] has done great things for [Mary]." This whole passage is a great testimony to the fact that God chooses "what is low and despised in this world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are" (1 Cor 1:26-31). In other words, God's favor is not dependent on our exalted status in the world's eyes. God's favor is not dependent on us being unexalted in the world's eyes. Luther makes this point beautifully in his commentary: "They, therefore, do [Mary] an injustice who hold that she gloried in her humility. She gloried neither in the one or the other, but only in the gracious regard of God. Hence the stress lies not on the word 'low estate,' but on the word 'regarded.' For not her humility but God's regard is to be praised" (Luther's Works 21:314). In the NRSV, the word Luther translated as "regarded" is "looked with favor" (v. 48).

Pastoral Reflection

Consider the many folks among us who think of themselves as lowly or insignificant. There don't seem to be any real boundaries to this feeling. The young can feel like they don't matter. The elderly often don't feel like they count. A man who is losing his capacity for work told me recently that he's beginning to feel "discarded." Often people who are unemployed feel this way, as do those who are chronically ill, or those who suffer with mental illnesses, or those who have been abused. There doesn't seem to be any limit to the number of ways a person can reach the point of feeling insignificant. These texts preach to this state of mind by saying, Look! God chose the insignificant ones. God chose the ones who the world thought were nothing. In fact, God even became one of the despised ones!