Wellspring UMC; Fourth Sunday of Advent; December 23, 2007:

-Luke 1: 46-55 – A Service of Readings and Music

Today’s service of worship was a service of scripture, spoken word, and song, all of which conveyed the significance of the Magnificat, Mary’s Song sung in response to God blessing her to be the mother of the Messiah.

Luke 1: 46-49

As God intended, there is great joy in sharing life together. Mary is not alone. She is with Her cousin Elizabeth, and they are celebrating the pregnancy of two of God’s greatest gifts, John and Jesus. Two women, chosen by God, called to carry God’s light and God’s hope, chosen to give birth to transformation, chosen to carry out God’s plan to save the world, and their response is Joy-filled.

Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord, for God has looked upon me, a peasant girl, to do the impossible, birth the child of God. All will remember me, Holy is God’s name.”

Mary, just a child herself, chosen by God. She sang. The world sang. We sing, for there is a pregnant pause. The One who comes is almost here.

Choir: “And Then the Stars Sang”

Luke 1: 50-52

But who is the One to come? What will He be about?

Mary proclaims His purpose and reveals that He brings mercy and change. God’s divine compassion is on those who revere Him, and God’s transformation comes. The first will be last, and the last will be first. Those who lose their lives for His sake, gain their souls for eternity. The lost sheep are found, the prodigal sons saved, the blind receive sight, lame walk, and deaf hear.

With this One the Kingdom of God comes. God’s reign on earth begun, and because of Him the powers of this world, the forces of darkness, are unable to conquer. He brings a Way. He makes a Way. He is the Way.

Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. The Messiah of God, Lord of Lords, the King of Kings.

Cross Purposes: “Sing to the King”

Luke 1: 53

“He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”

What gift have we given to Jesus this Advent season? Does it come in the form of the offering just received? Is it more personal, maybe the pledge of more faithful living or compassion for others or even the boldness to surrender and follow?

The gifts that mean the most are the gifts for which we hunger the most, even if we didn’t realize that the hunger was there. Love. Peace. Health. Wholeness. Life, true life, full life, God-life is that for which we hunger, and yet it is so easy to let the world’s enticements distract us from what we need.

Riches blind us. We live for status. “I/We” place ourselves at the center of the universe.

He fills the hungry with good things, and sends the rich away empty. Hungry or rich? Where are we on the continuum?

This world needs a Savior. We need a Savior. And so we pray, Come Emmanuel.

Choir: “Come Emmanuel”

Luke 1: 54-55

God is a God of covenant...a God who fulfills promises. God created everything in order to be in relationship, to love, to promise fidelity and grace, and to invite the Created to live into that promised, eternal loving relationship. God loves the world and God’s promised love will remain forever.

Mary proclaims to the world that she has received for herself the ancient promise to Abraham and his descendants, but it is more than that. She proclaims for the world that she carries within her the fulfillment of that promise. The Christ. The Messiah. The One through whom God will transform the world.

Such a promise, such love is irresistible. God couldn’t resist, and when God’s child touches our heart and lives, neither can we.

Cross Purposes: “Irresistible”