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!