God is Love | A Christmas in July Sermon on Luke 2:1-7, 22:39-24:12 & Psalm 136:1

Introduction
VBS starts tomorrow!  I’m so excited!  We’ve been working our way through the themes for each day of VBS to get ready.  Today, let’s explore the theme for Day 4, which is God is Love.  Our memory verse for Day 4 is Psalm 136:1

Psalm 136:1
¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!  His faithful love endures forever.

Christmas in the middle of July is a crazy idea, but it can actually help us move beyond the commercial hoopla that is so prevalent in December that clutters the true meaning of Christmas.

In December, everyone is so busy running around trying to buy the perfect Christmas gifts we forget why we give gifts in the first place.  Why do we give gifts at Christmas?  Well, the Wisemen gave gifts. But it’s deeper than that.   It’s because God gave the first Christmas gift – John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life." 

Christmas is God giving the very best Christmas gift of all–His Son, the Messiah.  Israel was expecting the Messiah to be a mighty warrior, but God had a better plan–a plan full of grace and love, an offer of peace and reconciliation.  So instead of a mighty warrior charging in on a horse to conquer with a sword, God sent a precious baby born to loving parents.

Luke 2:1-7
¹ At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ² (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. ⁴ And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵ He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Jesus is the Greatest Christmas Gift of All
Jesus came as a baby–God’s great gift to the world.  But this gift wasn’t complete yet. 

Jesus had to grow up in our broken world, experience it,  and remain faithful.  And He did. 
Jesus is the only person who ever lived who never sinned.  He lived a perfect life of love.

We hear mixed messages about love.  Songs say it’s about feelings.  Back in the 90s, Bon Jovi sang a song, "I'd die for you!  I'd lie for you..."  I used to love that song.  I guess when you're a teenager overwhelmed with hormones and your "in love" you might actually do something crazy like die for your romantic interest because they make you feel so in love.

But Jesus reveals a different kind of love--one that’s selfless, sacrificial, and unshakeable.  Jesus didn’t just love based on who deserved it, He loved because that’s who He is. God is love.

And that’s why God’s perfect Christmas gift wasn’t complete without the cross.  Though Jesus never sinned and only spoke the Truth and helped people, His very existence threatened religious leaders and Roman authorities who wanted to stay in power.  So they arrested Jesus, lied about Him, convicted Him in a kangaroo court, and sentenced him to death by crucifixion.

Jesus could have saved Himself and avoided the humiliation, the suffering, and death.  He could have run away and hid before He was arrested–He knew it was coming.  He could have recanted during the trial.  But He didn’t; He confirmed He was God’s Son, the Messiah.  And ultimately, as God’s Son, Jesus could have called down 10,000 angels to rescue Him and destroy His enemies.  But He refused, because He knew His death on the cross would pay the penalty for the whole world’s sin.  Because He died, you and I can be forgiven. 

And so, because God is Love, Jesus went to the cross and died for you and me.  Isn’t that incredible?  Think of what that means for us.  This was a great Christmas gift, but it still gets better!

Jesus Defeated Death
Because God’s love is even stronger than death!  Jesus died on the cross for our sins.   

His brutalized body was taken down and placed in a borrowed tomb.  There it lay, until on the third day, the stone rolled away and Jesus walked out alive!

The cross shows us the depths of God’s love–He suffered, bled, and died.  The resurrection shows the power of God’s love–it can overcome anything, even death!  Now think about that.  Have you ever known anyone who can defeat death?  No one. Some have been revived from death–brought back to life–but even this is temporary.  Only Jesus has the power to defeat death–completely.

And those who put their faith in Him, will overcome death too.  We will be raised to new life–eternal life forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.  But it’s not just about heaven.

You see, because if Jesus can defeat death in you, He can defeat anything in you.  Well, what does that mean?  Well, I don’t know what you’re struggling with, but whatever it is, Jesus can help you overcome it!  

So, we're not just looking forward to what happens after we die.  No, we're also expecting how Jesus can heal and perfect us in this life.  Because if He can defeat death in you, imagine how He can perfect life in you.

Closing
The baby born in a manger tells us that God is love.
The Cross shows us the gave everything for you.
The empty tomb tells us that God’s love wins. 
Sin doesn't win.  Hatred doesn't win.  Fear doesn't win.  Death doesn't win.  The love of God wins.

And because God's love wins, you don't have to let your failures define you.  
You don't have to let your guilt keep you away from God.
You don't have to let fear control your future.
You don't have to believe your brokenness is beyond repair.

Because the same Jesus who walked out of the tomb is still alive today.
He still forgives sinners.  He still heals broken hearts.  He still gives hope to the hopeless.
He still changes lives.  He still loves people like you and me.

The greatest Christmas gift God ever gave wasn't wrapped in colorful paper or tied with a bow.
It was wrapped in swaddling cloths.  And that gift was unwrapped on a cross.
Then, on the third day, it burst forth from an empty tomb so that everyone who believes in Jesus might have eternal life.

The manger points to the cross.  The cross points to the empty tomb. 
And together they proclaim one glorious truth:  God is love.

Today, if you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, receive God's gift. You don't earn it. You don't deserve it. You simply receive it by faith.

Jesus has already done everything necessary for your salvation.
All that's left is for you to say yes.

In just a moment, we're going to stand and sing one of the best-known Christmas hymns ever written: "Joy to the World."

Most people sing it at Christmas—a song about Jesus' birth. 
But it's really a song about Jesus’ reign.
It celebrates the King who came at Christmas, gave His life at the cross,
rose from the grave on Easter morning, and reigns forever.

As we sing, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King,"
don't just sing about a baby born in Bethlehem.
Receive your King.  Receive His love.  Receive His forgiveness.  Receive His gift of eternal life.

God Knows Everything | A Sermon on Psalm 139

Introduction
Vacation Bible School at my church, Stark Methodist Church, is July 13-17.  We’ll step through the mist into Rainforest Falls (by Group Publishing), overflowing with wild waterfalls, towering trees, and colorful creatures. Beneath a canopy of chattering birds and howling monkeys, kids plunge into a lifelong adventure of discovering the nature of God. They’ll explore what it means to be rooted in relationship with God, their creator, a safe place in life’s storms.  If you haven’t done so already, I suggest you talk to Kristin Williams to find out how you can get involved.

The title for Day 2 of VBS is “God Knows Everything” and the Memory verse for the lesson is Psalm 139:1 

Psalm 139:1
O Lord, you have examined my heart, and know everything about me.

Kids Today
The kids in our community live in a world that constantly watches them.  They have cameras on their phones, pictures on social media, and security cameras in their schools.  Everyone is watching!  In spit of all that attention, many kids still feel unseen, unknown, or misunderstood.

Psalm 139 reassures kids (and us) that God doesn’t just watch them, God knows their hearts—like a loving Father.  God sees their struggles, their dreams, their quiet worries… and God cares. 

God Saw David When No One Else Cared
To illustrate how God sees and knows us and how He cares, our VBS lesson takes us through the life of David.  Before David was a king, he was just a kid who was over looked by his family.

From Scripture, we learn young David was sent out to watch the family’s flock of sheep.  In the cold of night, David looked up into the stars and tried to count them, thinking of the God who made them.  When a Lion or Bear attacked, trying to steal on of the sheep, David trusted God to help him fight off the predator.

And when David was left out in the field while the rest of the family had a feast, God saw David and knew him and knew his heart.  God didn’t forget about David.  God chose him to be a king who was a man after God’s own heart. 

Do You Ever Feel Forgotten?
Kids today, often feel overlooked or forgotten. 
Even if we lavish attention on them, do we just see a little kid?  Or do we see them as the unique individual they really are?  Do we just treat them like a kid?  Or do we take the time to really get to know them and treat them with respect and not just a kid?

 How about you?  Do you ever feel overlooked or forgotten?  

I want you to know, you are more than just a vote to be counted, or a customer to be served, or a number in a database.  God sees you for who you really are.  He sees you and He knows your heart—because He made you.

God Sees When You’re Mistreated
God saw David out in the field and knew his heart and chose him to be the next king of Israel.  But the current king, Saul, was jealous and tried to kill David.  He saw David as a threat.  David had to flee for his life and spent years as a fugitive hiding in caves in the desert.  Even though David had served Saul faithfully, Saul wanted him dead.

But even while David was hiding, God continued to see David.  You can hide from people, but you can’t hide from God.  God saw David. He saw his suffering.  He saw his integrity.  God saw that David tried to do the right thing even when others didn't treat him fairly.  And God never forgot David.  He took care of him and continued to bless him. 

Do you ever feel like you have to hide from people?  Do you ever have to hide your true feelings?  Do you ever keep your mouth shut instead of saying what you really feel?  Sometimes it’s better to stay silent than to say what you really think.  But it never feels good, does it?  Oh that we could always and everywhere just say what’s on our mind.  But that wouldn’t be wise or even necessarily helpful.  So, we bite our tongues sometimes until we nearly bite them off.

But God sees us even when we’re hiding.  He sees us and He knows our heart.  And He knows that sometimes it’s better to silent.  He gave us Proverbs 21:23 which says: “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”

But if you ever feel unseen or unheard because you have to keep your true heart hidden, know this:  God sees you.  God hears you.  God knows your heart.  God knows everything.

God See Our Sin
God sees everything.  But that means God also sees our sin.  But the Good News is, God loves us anyway.  And we see this play out in the life of David too. 

Eventually, David did become king, according to God’s plan.  And David was a good king.  He loved God and he loved God’s people, Israel.  But David was also a human, and humans—even the best ones—are full of sin.

And one day, David committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba and she became pregnant.  David tried to cover it up.  When he couldn't manipulate Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, into sleeping with to make everyone think it was Uriah's child, David had Uriah murdered by stationing him on the front line in the army when they attacked a city.  Uriah was killed in battle because of David's orders.

David tried to hide his sin so no one would see what he had done.  But God saw it.  God knew David’s sin.  And God sent a prophet to expose David’s sin so he could be held accountable, repent, be forgiven, and be healed.

God sees when we sin.  Even if no one ever finds out, God knows.  And sin breaks His heart and separates us from our loving God. Sin cuts us off from life.  But even when we sin, God never stops loving us.  Romans 5:8 tells us:  “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

I don’t know what you’ve done—what sins you’ve committed.  But I know you’ve sinned, because we all have.  Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  So we are all guilty.  And God knows it. 

Psalm 139:2-3 says:  “You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.”

And still, “God loved the world so much that He sent His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)  Because “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Jesus already paid the price for our sin.  He took the penalty on himself, even though He was completely innocent.  Jesus offers mercy and forgiveness if we will repent and turn to God through Him.  If you have not done so already, I pray you will repent and turn to Jesus. 

Conclusion
So, in a few weeks, we will welcome a crowd of kids to Stark Methodist for Rainforest Falls VBS.  On day 2, we will teach that God knows everything about them.  Even if they feel unseen by the world, we will remind that that God sees them and cares.   

But today, I want you to know:  God see you.  God knows everything about you—and that’s a good thing!  Because God loves you unconditionally.

God sees your struggles, your dreams, your failures, your quiet struggles… and God cares. 
So put your faith in Jesus Christ.  Don’t hide from Him, don’t run away.
Run to God through Jesus Christ His Son.  Be accepted.  Be forgiven. Be loved.
And then you can go out and love others the way God loves you.

The Walk to Emmaus | A Sermon on Luke 24:12-34

Introduction
Last Sunday, we celebrated the wonderous resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  The resurrection changed everything.  It was so unexpected, unprecedented, and momentous, it took time for the ramifications to sink in.  In fact, by Sunday evening of that first Easter, many of Jesus’ Disciples were still trying to figure out what had happened.  And for forty days, Jesus appeared numerous times to different groups on various occasions to confirm He really was alive and to teach what that means for the world.

Over the next 8-weeks, I’m going to share some of the stories of Jesus’ appearances and what they mean for us today.  The first is one of my favorites—the story of the Walk to Emmaus. …….

Luke 24:13-34
¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles^[c] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. ¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²² “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat,^[d] he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

³² They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.^[e]”

The Walk to Emmaus Spiritual Retreat
There is a great modern day 3-day spiritual retreat named after this story called "The Walk to Emmaus."  I’ll be working as a chaplain on a the North Georgia Walk to Emmaus April 30-May 2.
If you are interested, I would be glad to talk with you about how you could attend WTE.  It had a tremendous impact on my life when I attend in 1996.

4 Things This Story Teaches Us
Now, back to our Scripture lesson about the original Walk to Emmaus.  It’s an incredible story. 
And it teaches us at least 4 things about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It really happened.  
The 2 Disciples left Jerusalem to walk to Emmaus (about 7 miles—2-3 hours of walking).  Why did they leave Jerusalem?  Scripture doesn’t say directly, but we can read some things between the lines.  In verse 21, they said, “We had hoped he was the Messiah…”  That’s past tense—like they aren’t sure they believe it anymore.  They were probably confused and overwhelmed.  They’d heard the women’s stories, but it doesn’t seem like they believed Jesus was really alive.  

Verse 17 says they were sad; but they may have been afraid too.  That would be a understandable.  The authorities who killed Jesus were probably keen on stamping out his following too  Anyone known publicly to follow Jesus could be in danger of reprisals.  So, the thought was probably, “Let’s get away from Jerusalem to somewhere safer.”

But then, Jesus shows up.  He’s not dead.  He’s alive.  They don’t recognize Him at first, but He’s alive!  The first thing this story teaches us is Jesus really did rise from the dead.  That’s important for so many reasons, but let me share 4.

1. It proves Jesus is who He said He is.  The resurrection confirms Jesus is the Son of God—not just a teacher or prophet.  Jesus is immortal and has power over death.
2. Second, it guarantees our forgiveness. The cross paid for sin, and the resurrection shows that payment was accepted.
3. Third, it gives us hope of eternal life. Because He lives, we will live also—death is not the end.
4. Fourth, it empowers our present life. The risen Christ is alive and active, giving us strength, purpose, and victory now.

The Resurrection was foretold in Scripture.
Another lesson from the Walk to Emmaus teaches is:  This was God’s plan all along; it was foretold in Scripture.  The death and resurrection of the Messiah was a surprise to the Disciples (to everyone really), but it was not a surprise to God or His Son.  The resurrection wasn’t a tragedy that got a positive spin.  It was part of God’s plan all along.  Scripture said it would happen.  So, it validates that God’s Word is trustworthy and true.

It proves Jesus is the promised Messiah.  The fulfillment of prophecy connects Jesus directly to God’s promises to Israel—He is the One they were waiting for.  The fact Jesus’ death and resurrection were foretold in Scripture shows God keeps His promises.  We can trust Him to keep every promise He’s made to us too—including the promise of our resurrection.

When we don’t recognize Jesus, He helps us see.
A third thing the Walk to Emmaus Story teaches us is:  Jesus helps us see Him.  Jesus wants to be known.  He wants us to know He alive and He is with us.  We often have trouble seeing it.  We’re often too busy, overwhelmed, afraid, sad, angry, or lonely to see Jesus.  But Jesus has ways to open our eyes.

Before you were ever thinking about God, He was already thinking of you.  He puts people in your life and lead you into situations that help reveal Him to you and help you see Him.

We see also from this story that God uses Scripture to help us see Jesus.  Scripture—rightly understood—is a powerful way we can understand Him.

Finally, we see that Holy Communion is a powerful way Jesus can open our eyes so we can see Him.  In the story, it was when Jesus broke the bread of Holy Communion that they knew it was the risen Christ with them.  The holy sacrament can open our eyes too.

Knowing Christ is with us empowers us.
A fourth lesson from our Scripture today is: Knowing the risen Christ is with us empowers us.  I want you to notice something.  These 2 disciples walk 2-3 hours to get to Emmaus (possibly running away in fear and disillusionment).  They had planned to spend the night in Emmaus.  We know this because of what they said to Jesus before they recognized Him.  They said, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” (verse 29).  But after recognizing the risen Christ, they were empowered and emboldened to go back to Jerusalem (even though it was already dark)!  No fear of bandits on the road or authority figures who might try to do them in.  They walked 2-3 hours back to Jerusalem in the dark!

One of the most powerful things Jesus did for me when I attended the spiritual retreat, The Walk to Emmaus, was open my eyes to Jesus presence every moment in my life.  Before The Walk, I already knew about Jesus, that He was alive, that He was my Lord.  But somehow, during my Walk, I realized and accepted deep down inside the true reality of His living presence with me.  I can't explain it, but now walking with Christ through life is a very real and powerful experience.  He really is alive and He is with me every day and it is empowering!

The same is true for you if you Jesus is your Lord.  And really knowing it will empower you to live like you have nothing to lose.

Closing Meditation
The two disciples in our Scripture didn’t recognize Jesus at first.  
Jesus walked with them a long time, but they didn’t know it was Him. 
But then something changed.  Scripture says, ‘their eyes were opened.’

I wonder how many of us are walking through life right now, and Jesus is with us, but we just don’t see Him clearly?

I want you to consider for just a minute.
Think about your life this past week.
Contemplate the moments you were too busy or felt overwhelmed.
Consider the times you were afraid or filled with worry.
Remember the moments you felt alone.
What if Jesus was right there with you then and you didn’t recognize Him?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, just like those disciples on the road to Emmaus, we don’t always see You.
But You are with us.  Open our eyes to Your presence, to Your truth, to Your work in our lives.
Help our hearts to burn within us again as we recognize You.
In Your name, we pray.  Amen.

Mary's Song | A Sermon on Luke 1:46-55

Introduction
I’ve always felt like Christmas and music naturally go together. When I was a little boy, that was one of my favorite parts of the season. Even as a young child, our family was always singing Christmas carols—whether we were at home, riding in the car, or out running errands.

Honestly, I think my mom used singing to keep us occupied. We didn’t have smartphones back then, and half the time we weren’t even buckled in. We were just bouncing around the car while she tried to do her Christmas shopping with four kids in tow. She needed something to keep us under control, so she sang carols with us.

Those memories are deeply ingrained in me, and I think it’s fitting—because music has always been a part of Christmas.

Over the next few weeks, we will study the songs of Christmas from the Bible. In the Bible, Christmas has always had music.  Not about snow or mistletoe; about Jesus. Several prophecies, songs, and psalms in the Old Testament foretold Jesus’ birth. And in the New Testament we have the angels singing gloria to announce the birth to shepherds. But, before angels sang, before shepherds rejoiced, before wise men bowed—there was a young girl who trusted God enough to bear His Son.  And Mary sang a song about it.  Mary’s Song (also known as Mary’s Magnificat) is found in Luke 1:46-55.

Luke 1:46-55
⁴⁶ Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
⁴⁷     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
⁴⁸ For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
⁴⁹ For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
⁵⁰ He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
⁵¹ His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
⁵² He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
⁵⁵ For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

Who Was Mary?
When Mary sang this beautiful song of praise, she was likely only about 13 years old. In her culture, girls typically married between 13 and 16.

She came from an obscure little town—Nazareth—and yet she carried an extraordinary lineage. Most people know she was a descendant of King David, but they often forget she was also connected to the priestly line of Aaron. That means Jesus was born to her both as King and Priest—the perfect fulfillment of God’s plan.

Mary was a woman of deep faith, humility, and trust. And that matters, because we often think praise is something we offer after God answers our prayers—when life is good, when things make sense. But Mary praised God before any of it made sense. She trusted God even though His plan would first lead her through hardship.

She was betrothed to Joseph but not yet married, and now she was pregnant—claiming, truthfully, that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Imagine having to explain that to your parents, your neighbors, and to Joseph, the man preparing to marry you. It wasn’t just embarrassing—it was dangerous. In her culture, an unwed pregnancy could cost you your life.

And yet Mary still said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

Mary Praises God
She sees and trusts that God is going to do great things. She even says, “He has done great things for me.” Now, most people in a life-threatening, humiliating situation like hers wouldn’t be saying, “God has done great things for me.” But Mary does. Through the eyes of faith, she looks far beyond her present circumstances and says, “Generations will call me blessed.”

How many of us have that kind of faith when we’re facing difficulty? When the situation seems overwhelming—when all we can see is sorrow, struggle, or hardship—can we still say, “The Lord has done great things for me”?

Can you see beyond the obstacle in front of you to the blessing God intends to bring in the future?

The Great Reversal
Mary sings about the dramatic changes God is going to bring through her Son. Her song announces what I call the Great Reversal. God is going to overturn the usual way the world works.

He scatters the proud and exalts the humble.
He fills the hungry and sends the rich away empty.

These are powerful statements. In fact, they can even be threatening. They were in Jesus’ day. There were powerful people—religious, political, and wealthy—who thought very highly of themselves, dressed in fine clothes, and expected everyone else to look up to them. And then there were the lowly—poor, dirty, ignored, and pushed aside.

Yet Mary declares that God is going to reverse all of it.
He will lift up the humble.
He will bring down the proud.
He will feed the hungry, and the rich will walk away empty-handed.

And this dynamic hasn’t been unique to Jesus’ day. It has existed in every time and every place. What we might see as a harmless little passage has often been viewed as dangerous.

Did you know this passage has actually been outlawed or banned by several governments?

• During British rule in India (1910s–1940s), authorities discouraged Indian Christians from reading Mary’s Song because it inspired hope for the oppressed.

• In the 1930s and 40s, Nazi Germany also restricted it for the same reason.

• Other regimes have done likewise, fearing its message of God overturning unjust power.

When people cling to their own kingdom—when they want to stay in control—Mary’s song is a threat. It declares, “It’s not about you. It’s about God’s kingdom.”  Some people don’t like that.

So what does this Great Reversal mean for us?  Most of us may not feel wealthy, but compared to much of the world, we are. We have resources. We have influence. We like to be respected. And Mary’s Song reminds us:

Stay humble.
Don’t be too proud.  Take pride in your work, but don’t think the world revolves around you.  Don’t look down on others because they have less.  Don’t think you are better than anyone else.  If pride takes root, Mary warns us: Christ will scatter the proud and lift up the humble.

And don’t trust in your riches.
The Bible doesn’t condemn having wealth—many heroes of faith were wealthy. The issue isn’t possession, but dependence.  The danger comes when we trust our wealth, our position, or our status more than we trust the Lord. Wealth can disappear in a moment. It cannot save us, protect us, or give us identity.

Our trust must be in God alone.  Because God, through Christ, still scatters the proud, exalts the humble, fills the hungry, and sends the rich away empty.

The Greatest Reversal
But Mary’s not just singing of social reversals.  She is announcing the greatest reversal in human history.  As Isaac Watts wrote in Joy to the World:  “No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground! He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found Far as the curse is found Far as, far as the curse is found.”

Jesus reverses the curse of Genesis 3,
the curse brought on us by Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden.  

You may remember the specifics of the curse: pain in childbirth.  But as I thought about that this morning, it’s not just the pain of childbirth—it’s also the pain of raising children.  There are all kinds of pain wrapped up in parenting.  Sometimes it’s as simple—and as heartbreaking—as watching your kids grow up and move out. There’s a joy in seeing them become who God created them to be, but it also leaves a hole where they once were. That’s a kind of pain you can’t avoid—and honestly, you wouldn’t want to. It means they’re growing.

There’s also the pain that comes from generational differences.  I hear my kids talk sometimes and think, “They’re just young whippersnappers—they have no idea!” And then I remember I used to think my parents views seemed old-fashioned to me; and now my kids think my views are old-fashioned. And one day their kids will think the same about them. Every generation thinks differently. That’s part of the curse—this tension, this inability to fully see eye to eye.

Then there’s the curse on marriage.  God told Eve that her relationship with Adam would be strained:
“Your husband will rule over you.”  In other words, what was once perfect unity would now be marked by conflict, power struggles, and misunderstandings.

There’s also the curse on the ground.  God told Adam he would have to scratch out a living from the dust and that the soil itself would fight him—thorns and thistles instead of fruit. That’s why I love that line from the hymn Joy to the World:  “No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground.”

Imagine being a gardener with no weeds, no thistles, no pests… everything you plant just springs up beautifully. Anyone who has ever worked in a garden knows that is not the world we live in. Gardening is often a battle.

And finally, there is the curse of physical death.  Our bodies wear out. We grow tired. And eventually, we pass away.  

But Jesus came to reverse all of this.  Imagine:

• No more pain in childbirth—or in raising children

• No more strain in marriage, but perfect unity and harmony

• No more curse on the ground—work becoming joy instead of toil

• No more physical death—eternal life with our King

This is what Mary is singing about.  
Her Son came to undo the curse and restore the world to what God always intended it to be.

Closing
Mary didn’t fully understand God’s plan. 
She didn’t know she’d flee to Egypt.
She didn’t know she’d watch her Son die for the sins of the world.
She didn’t know He would rise from the tomb.

But she knew this: 
God keeps His promises.  God sees the humble.  God lifts the lowly. God saves His people. 
And so she sang.

The first Christmas carol is not about nostalgia, snow, or sleigh bells.
The first Christmas carol was sung by a teenage girl who believed the impossible—
that God was about to undo the Curse and rewrite human history.

The same God who did great things for Mary wants to do great things in you.

The same God who brought His Son into the world through her trust
is still looking for people who will say, 
“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

So today, as we enter this Advent season,
may your soul magnify the Lord,
may your spirit rejoice in God your Savior,
and may you trust that Christ has come to reverse every curse, heal every wound,
and make “His blessings flow far as the curse is found”—even to you.