Mary Did You Know?

This is another one of my favorite Christmas songs! It means more to me now than it did before because I too have a son. As I cuddle with him in the mornings when he first wakes up, I do often wonder what he will be and do in life. How can I help him to grow up strong, have solid morals, and love Jesus with his whole heart? I am sure every parent asks themselves this. I’m sure Mary asked herself this too. She knew her son was going to be King, but I think even she was surprised by how things unfolded. She wasn’t expecting that kind of King. I think it begs the question of what kind of King we think Jesus is.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

In the first century AD, the concepts of salvation, deliverance, redemption, and being made new were very physical. Salvation and deliverance was from the Roman overlords. A king to sit on David’s throne should displace the Romans and Caesar. Redemption and being made new were also tied to this physical kingdom. To be redeemed was to have their national dignity restored, and to be seen as a Kingdom meant having an Israelite King. Walking on water would just have been a bonus for the white King who would come in triumph and sweep the wicked Gentiles out of the land. As with O Come O Come Emmanuel, the people needed to be saved from spiritual exile, and not just physical oppression. But this was not necessarily the expectation of the people when Jesus was born.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

I can only imagine what Mary would have been thinking as she watched her son perform miracles. Obviously she knew he was special. In John 2, the author recounts a wedding Mary and Jesus attended in Cana. She tells Jesus that the wine was gone (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), a shameful thing for the wedding hosts. Jesus responds (without rolling his eyes), that it wasn’t time for him to act. But Mary leaves the matter with him and tells the servants to “Do whatever he tells you.” She knew Jesus was special, there was more to him than just a physical King. Giving sight to the blind and demonstrating extrodinary control over the weather made Jesus a powerful figure indeed. People flocked to hear him, and see what he would do. But God incarnate? The Jews probably didn’t understand this part of it especialy since claiming to be God was blasphemy. But Mary knew, or at least thought she did—she knew she has become pregnant not because of a choice to be intimate, but because she chose to obey. “I am the Lord’s servant.” Mary answered, “May your word to me be fulfilled (Luke 1:38).” Who else could Jesus’ father be but God? But did she know? Did she know as she kissed Jesus’ baby cheeks when he woke up in the middle of the night that she was kissing the face of God? To me it feels like there should be more reverence here rather than blowing raspberries into Jesus’ neck and listening to him squeal. Maybe it was easy to forget because he was so…human.

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Isaiah 29:18-19 says: “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”

And Isaiah 35:5-6 says: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped/ Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy…

These were all scriptures that Mary would have listened to growing up and attending synagogue in Nazareth. Jesus wasn’t just special, he was a healer. He cured the incurable. He had authority over even death. But as she sat there holding Jesus, changing a dirty diaper, feeding him and then wiping up the floor, did she know the power he held? I am sure that when he was older it was obvious that he was above average in everything he did. But as a baby, I wonder if it was easy to forget these promises in the midst of the everyday mundane chores and responsibilities of life.

           

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

This verse, more than any other, makes it clear just how amazing it is that God came down, and was born to live among us. For God to become human meant He took on human weaknesses and attributes for a time, all of which are very un-God-like. A baby isn’t Lord of anything, they don’t command or have any authority. They are completely dependent on their parents and care takers for sustenance, for life. So the Lord of all Creation, the Lord of life, became dependent on his own creation and creatures for life. The people Jesus will one day rule with all power and authority, raised him and taught him the Torah and the scriptures of the prophets. More than that, they were ruled by Gentiles at the time, who God has also called graciously called His people. Jesus will rule the Romans, Italians, Greeks, Americans, Arabs, Chinese, Russians, Polynesians, and everyone else. There is not people that is outside his reach, but as a baby and a young child, he was ruled by others.

Heaven’s perfect lamb is depicted as being one who was slain, but is still enthroned in majesty and glory amongst indescribable creatures (Revelations 5:6). A small helpless child being so glorified almost seems absurd, unless the future of that child is considered. Finally, God sent His son, Jesus to earth, to live a human life, and that includes a body that requires sleep and rest. Psalm 121:2-4 says, “My help comes from the LORD; the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” The God-child, resting in Mary’s arms, was still the Great LORD of Heaven and Earth, the Great I AM who doesn’t require rest or sleep, and always watches over His creation and takes action to move them to holiness. Jesus’ humanness, doesn’t take away from his power and godliness. He experienced what it is to be human, so He could save us and raise us to life eternal. Eternal life is not an attribute of humankind, but it is an attribute of God, the Great I Am. Jesus’ birth began the unfolding of the final phase of salvation for God’s people—not a physical deliverance, but a spiritual one, so we can truly live with God and reign with Christ when his kingdom is fully established.

Mary, did you know?

Do you know? This season isn’t about a baby, it’s about a King. This season isn’t about buying things for yourself or others, it’s about giving yourself away to the king of Kings and Lord of Lords. It’s about changing our hearts so they match God’s unchangeable heart: a heart full of love, compassion, faithfulness, justice, mercy, grace, and holiness. This season is a celebration of life, all life, whether rich or poor, regardless of the color of their skin, their language, or social status, are redeemed by the King and loved by him. If that isn’t a reason to celebrate with our fellow humans, then I don’t know what is.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I will see you all in 2016!

The Promise of a King

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: ¹² When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. ¹⁵ But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” – 2 Samuel 7:11-16

David was promised by God that his house (family) and throne (dynasty) would be established forever, and that his name would be great. He responded to this revelation with great praise and wonder.

How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. – 2 Samuel 7:22

What a wonderful promise to know that God is in control and is going to take care of your family and people forever! But something terrible happened. The kings sinned, and the people sinned, and they continued to sin. God sent prophets and messengers to tell them they were doing wrong, but they wouldn’t listen. Finally, it was so bad, that God expelled them from the Holy Land. He sent them away from His Temple and the land He promised them they could live in if they were obedient.

Now, there was no king on the throne, because there was no throne. There were no sacrifices or worship at the temple, because there was no temple—it was destroyed by the Babylonians. The people lived in foreign lands, and even when they were allowed to return to their homes in the Promised Land, Jerusalem was ruled by other people for a long time: the Babylonians; Persians; Greeks; and, finally, the Romans. The Mosaic Covenant was broken, but the people believed that God was faithful and would still keep His promise and covenant to David, that one of his descendants would rule over God’s kingdom forever.

They were told by Isaiah:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. –Isaiah 9:6-7

There was great hope for the righteous and just king who would rule and complete David’s dynasty. This king would be better than all the other kings. He would even be better and more holy and righteous than David. But how could this be? When would this be? The temple and palace were destroyed when Judah was exiled.

One day, almost 550 years after the Isaiah’s prophecy, in the small town of Nazareth, an angel appeared to a young woman.

“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” – Luke 1:30-33.

Now there is an answer! The people had been waiting for a long, long time to hear from God about what He was going to do next. But how was Mary to make this known to everyone? Especially when the prophecy, once fulfilled, would make her a social outcast. She was pregnant outside of marriage, a shameful thing for her and her family. There is no doubt that Jesus came from humble beginnings, but this was on purpose. God is often in the habit of using the least likely candidate to accomplish his plans. The promise of a King was not fulfilled in luxury and majesty, but in poverty and discomfort. Jesus came into this world in the lowest way so that He could raise us to the highest place. Mary was given the answer, God was sending a baby to be born who would be King! A king like David, better than David. A king to rule God’s Kingdom on Earth. Hallelujah!

O Come O Come Emmanuel

Happy Advent Season! Let the Christmas music ring! Of course I’ve been listening to Christmas music since early November, but now the Christmas season and spirit really begins to feel more…real. Thanksgiving is over, and we can focus all of our attention on Christmas! Hallelujah! In case you can’t tell I am a Christmas fanatic. Not necessarily the Santa Claus end of it (though we do enjoy that aspect of the season too), but more the celebration of God breaking into the world and starting something new and amazing. The Christmas Carol, O Come O come Emmanuel, captures this wonderfully. The tone and rhythm of the song is very, um, serious, but the message is so uplifting and speaks of God’s great love for His people.

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

The song starts out will the exile in mind. When the people of Israel and Judah had sinned so greatly and so completely turned their backs on God, they were ousted from the Promised Land. The people lived in the land as part of the Mosaic Covenant. In Exodus 3:7-8 God tells Moses that he has heard the cry of the Israelites in Egypt and is going to rescue them and take them to a land flowing with milk and honey, the Promised Land. But in Deuteronomy 28 we find that if they are not faithful to the covenant, that is, to keep God first in their hearts and minds, then they will be cursed, invaded, and finally, exiled. But this song isn’t just about the physical exile, it’s about the spiritual exile that still plagued the Jews even after they were allowed to go back to the Promised Land. The people of God were still held captive by sin, until the Son of God appears.

O Come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of Hell They people save

And give them victory o’er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

The Rod of Jesse, that is the descendant of Jesse, King David’s father, is Jesus Christ. He is the one that sets us free from sin through his death and resurrection. Isaiah 25:7-8 says, “On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears form all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.” This shroud and sheet that Isaiah speaks of is sin. Sin separates us from God, it keeps us covered and unable to fully know and love Him. Satan’s tyranny is that the wages of sin are death, and everyone is sinful! We are owned by the devil unless death is overturned and sin is dealt with.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

God is light, in Him is no darkness. God became human and dwelt among us. His light came and dwelt among us. Therefore the gloom and shadows, could not stand against the light. A new day is dawning, the sunrise is coming, and the shadows and gloom have to flee.

O Come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

Jesus lived a perfect life, was righteous and blameless, and was killed for it. He died an innocent death and paid the price for all of us not-so-innocent believers. Christ holds the keys to heaven, and he has opened up the gates so that we may be welcomed there. Clothed in his righteousness, we can stand before our God and King and be called a friend. None of this could have happened if Jesus hadn’t been born, hadn’t been a helpless infant once. He took on flesh for our sakes. That is why Christmas is such a powerful time, because it is the new beginning we were promised.

O Come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,

In ancient times did’st give the Law,

In could, and majesty, and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

This last verse probably seems a bit odd. This whole song is about Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, who forgives our sins. What does Sinai and the Law have to do with the wonderful message of the gospel? God is the same God of the Old Testament. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of Moses, David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. He is God. He doesn’t change. He is ever loving, ever gracious, and ever faithful to His promises and His people, even when we are not. This Lord of might, once descended onto earth, He let His presence settle on Sinai where he gave the Law to Moses. The mountain was burned, the earth was shaken, and the people stood in fearful and awesome wonder at the presence of their God. (Exodus 19:16-19) Jesus is all about salvation, love, grace, and faith. But Jesus is also God, and our God is a mighty God. This is why we can trust Him to save us, because He is mighty, and powerful. He is not a feeble and weak old man with a long beard, He is a warrior who defends what is His. This last verse calls us to remember that our God is powerful and awesome, and we are His. This is why He is able to defeat death and put an end to Satan’s tyranny, because He is strong, and because He loves us.

This is the season when we remember our mighty and wonderful God, who despite his power and strength, came down to earth to save us from death and sin, and bring us back from exile. He paid the price and we now have access to Him through the Holy Spirit that indwells us. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel has come to us, and given us new life and hope. Amen.