Good Morning Friends,
Today we look at beginnings and endings that are key to understanding Holy History and I am attempting to do it through the eyes of Mary, for on this day Catholics around the world are celebrating the annunciation and there is something here for us to learn even if we are not Catholic in practice. The focus is really on the incarnation and Christ’s coming into the world, but also what this change in the universe means for the future. You see, sameness means stability for some and chaos for others and the thing is that Christ coming into the world, being with us changes everything. So, lean into today’s scripture realizing that you cannot avoid what is coming and what is going. And, do not be afraid to ask the question that begs to be answered. Once We Have Come Full Circle What Are We To Do Next?
Scripture: Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. Take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 (NRSV)
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’ (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “See, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:4-10 (NRSV)
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 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 ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:26-38 (NRSV)
Message: Yes, the world has changed. But there is creativity and energy in learning something new. We see a sermon about this in the Book Hebrews, which is regarded by many scholars as the most difficult in the New Testament. The passage from Hebrews is basically written to prevent the Jewish Christians from falling back into Judaism. The author was battling Gnosticism and concludes that Christ has ended the futile and repetitious offering of animals as atonement for sins. The author of Hebrews takes the position that the old covenants have failed and the new one in Christ is perfect. And relevant for us today, just as Jesus’ coming in the flesh ushered in a new era with new patterns of heaven and new laws that served to uplift people instead of only to reveal our inadequacies, we are perhaps about to enter a new time as well. Before Christ the sacrifices were required by the LORD, but they had served their purpose in shadowing forth the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. So too in our time we have hints of the future and they might very well rock our existence if we are not grounded in scripture. Today we continue on a Lenten journey not unlike that of Advent. Here we see that when stories converge power is created. The beauty is that in reading Bible stories we get glimpses of encouragement and insights and compassion that can translate into our current experience of God. The objects of focus may change but the living of the emotion with hope is the same whether it is old or new. The life of Mary teaches us what it means to have Christ conceived within us for a purpose that will heal the nations. There is no blame here, only love.
And So, when the time had fully come and society was on the cusp of a new era, God sends forth his son and perhaps God comes into our lives in much the same way. What is relevant for us today, just as Jesus’ coming in the flesh ushered in a new era with new patterns of heaven and new laws that served to uplift people instead of only to reveal our inadequacies, we are to have a personal transformation. Before Christ the sacrifices were required by the LORD, but they had served their purpose in shadowing forth the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. So too in our time we have hints of the future and they might very well rock our existence if we are not grounded in scripture. Friends, this time of year, this time of unique history is to be a time of rebirth. We like Mary are to trust in God. And we are to overflow with the hope of the Holy Spirit. Let us encourage each other through sharing study of the scripture. Let us be steadfast and focused on that which holds us together so our endurance would carry us to the finish line. Our old ways will fail us. We need to embrace the perfect promise of Christ. We need to change. Everything eventually comes full circle, birth, life, death and resurrection. So, realize that Christ is not a stumbling block nor foolishness but salvation. Realize that the incarnation may well be an incomprehensible mystery but that the annunciation might well be one of the best ways to gain insight as God reveals in greater clarity the plan for each of us. We may wonder how this can be and then we are to experience the reality that we are never alone, we are part of a greater plan and that being faithful in this leads to greater opportunities to serve God. But the grace of it, the hope of it, is as old as creation itself and as new as our last breath…the reality that Christ paid the price does free us. Here in this story, history and His story and our stories converge in the compassion of the great commandment… a Jesus in a manger, a Jesus on the cross, a risen Jesus…and now Jesus in us.
Pray we realize that Jesus Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit into a young woman changed the future of the world 2000 years ago but changes it for us today as well if we believe. Pray we seek to honor this past even as we strive for a better future. Pray we realize that we are not our shadows and our shadows are not us. Pray therefor we bring the whole counsel of God’s Word together for the benefit of a future that honors God. Pray we learn from history but not be trapped in it. Pray we see the old in the new and the new in the old, but also the hope of something even better. Pray, if things get difficult in the world and its disruptions of our routines challenge us, that we keep the faith, endure to the end, and follow Christ who was and is worthy of all things. Pray we are not afraid. Pray we shine a light of service into the world realizing that God does not so much want our sacrifices as our love shared for the sanctification of us all. Pray that we realize that how we think can guide us in believing. Pray we gain understanding that Jesus was born, lived, died and was resurrected so we might be as one. Pray that we live in harmony with one another glorifying God as He permeates our hearts…our minds and our souls, binding us together with His love. Pray
we accept what is, let go of what was and have hope in what we believe God wants us to be.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 