Pastor Melvin Newland tells about a man in Salt Lake City who decided to send out 600 Christmas cards to total strangers.
He got telephone directories from several cities, addressed 600 cards to people he had never met, put his return address on the envelopes and mailed them.
Amazingly, he received 117 responses from these total strangers. One lady wrote, “It was so good to hear from you. Your card arrived the day I got home from the hospital, and I can’t tell you what an encouragement it was to hear from an old friend.”
Another wrote, “I have to admit that when we received your card we couldn’t really picture you. We had to think hard for a long time before we remembered. By the way, please give our regards to your father. He is such a wonderful man!”
But I think this one took the cake. One guy wrote, “It was so good to hear from you after all these years. By the way, we’re going to be in Salt Lake City next summer. Would it be all right if we came and spent a few days with you?” (1)
Maybe it’s not a good idea to send Christmas cards to people you don’t know.
I wonder how Mary, the mother of Jesus, notified her cousin Elizabeth that she was coming for a visit. After all, Mary lived in Nazareth, a town west of the Sea of Galilee. Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judah between 80 and 100 miles away. Obviously Mary didn’t own a cell phone. How did she send word she was on her way?
Luke doesn’t mention whether Mary made any preparations for the trip or how she traveled; she may have gone on foot or as part of a caravan. In Mary’s day, a person traveling by foot could cover about 20 miles per day. If Mary walked to Elizabeth’s home, it would have taken her four to five days. If she accompanied a caravan, she would have arrived in about three days. (2) Still, it was quite a journey. And the circumstances were quite unique.
Listen closely as Luke begins his story: “At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.”
Those first three words are significant. We’re not certain what “at that time” refers to, but a casual reading of the chapter would suggest that she made this journey immediately after Gabriel’s announcement to her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and the power of the Most High would overshadow her and that the child whom she would bear would be called the Son of God. This would be quite a revelation for a 13 or 14-year-old girl to receive. The fact that she hurried to make this journey indicates that she probably didn’t confide in Joseph, her betrothed, concerning the angel’s visit before she headed out to Elizabeth’s. Perhaps Mary wanted to consult with her older and wiser cousin about how to handle this delicate situation.
Of course, Elizabeth had her own interesting situation. Elizabeth, married to a priest named Zechariah, was way past the normal age of child-bearing, and yet she, too, was carrying a very special child--a child who also would become known throughout the region. He would be named John but he would popularly be known as John the Baptist.
It was quite a distance from Mary’s home to that of Elizabeth and Zechariah. There was time for Mary to ponder the wonder of what was happening to her. Surely she knew that angels don’t appear to every girl--particularly to tell them that they will become with child by the Holy Spirit. What was happening to her . . . and what did it all mean? Finally, she arrived at the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah. It was a wondrous and joyful scene as these two cousins, so different in age, greeted one another.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, Luke tells us, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary answered with a song: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name . . .”
What are some of the thoughts that went through Mary’s head as she made her way to Elizabeth and Zechariah’s home in the hill country? For that matter, what were the thoughts that went through her mind later when the shepherds left to go back to their flocks after that holy night in Bethlehem? After all, we read in Luke 2:19, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Still later what were her thoughts as she watched her boy grow? Luke tells us again in the 51st verse of the 2nd chapter, “She treasured these things in her heart.” Even more important, what were her thoughts when she saw her boy suffer and die for the sins of the world? What were the thoughts that went through Mary’s head as the mother of the Christ child?
Perhaps she thought, first of all, that life certainly has some strange twists and turns. The announcement by the angel that she would bear God’s son was literally right out of the blue. It’s just as well. How could you ever prepare yourself for such an event? Never again would her life be the same. Of course, that is true of all new parents. A child has a way of changing your life forever.
Mary’s life was certainly changed. Right from the very beginning of her life as a new mother, her life had twists and turns. The story of the pilgrimage to Bethlehem is an enchanting one. We pass over it so quickly as we tell the Christmas story.
We read in Luke 2: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. . .” (Luke 2:1-7)
Mary should have known then that her life would be no picnic. There are mothers here this morning who could tell of harrowing experiences surrounding the birth of a child. Even with all the modern advances in medical technology, there is that element of suspense at the actual time of arrival. But few mothers today have to spend the last few days of pregnancy on the back of a donkey. Most do better than a stable and the odors of cattle and sheep in the birthplace.
Mary should have had an omen at Jesus’ birth that life would not be easy. Besides, this would not be her last journey under adverse circumstances.
In Matthew’s account of the first Christmas, Mary and Joseph and the new babe are forced to flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. So once again Mary and Joseph were on the move--fleeing to protect the life of their son.
Martin Luther, in commenting on the flight to Egypt remarks, “The artists give her a donkey. The gospels do not.” Probably, Mary trudged over the hills in winter on foot, nursing her precious child and leaning on her beloved Joseph for support. It was not until after Herod’s death that the young family was able to return to their home in Nazareth. In a world filled with refugees it is important to know that our Lord was at one time a refugee himself.
The next dozen or so years in Mary’s life were doubtless good ones. [There were several other children after Jesus.] She and Joseph were never prosperous, but he was an able provider and her oldest son, Jesus, was turning into a fine young man, growing in stature and in favor with God and man.
But then, something happened to Joseph. We don’t know what. Life was even more uncertain in those days than now. Joseph is never mentioned again in the Gospels. In the harsh way that life deals with many people, Mary probably found herself left a young widow. As the oldest son, Jesus would take Joseph’s place in the carpenter’s shop--a role he would fill until about his 30th birthday when he was baptized by John and began his ministry.
Joseph’s loss would not be the last one for Mary, of course. She endured the most grievous blow that can befall a mother--she watched her beloved oldest boy die as a common criminal on the cross of Calvary. Can you feel the hurt and pain as she watched the unmerciful cruelty of death by crucifixion?
Even there, Jesus was thinking of her. John writes in his Gospel, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” (John 19: 25-27) Doubtless Mary would gladly have taken her son’s place on the cross of Calvary just as he took ours.
Life took some strange twists and turns for the mother of our Lord. Just like it does in many people’s lives. Many of us are having a difficult time coping with life precisely because we think life ought to be smooth and predictable. When it’s not, some of us are unable to cope. Yet, in the providence of God, sometimes we discover we have our most reliable times of growth when life is challenging. People who cope successfully with life are those who understand the importance of discipline and self-denial, who realize that life is a training school, that happiness is not a permanent state but an elusive quality best achieved in search of something higher.
Life has some strange twists and turns. I have no doubt that some of our difficult times are designed to strengthen us spiritually. Consider the rash of suicides and drug-related deaths among the children of some of America’s best known celebrities. “But we gave him everything,” distraught parents moan. That is it. When life is too easy, we do not learn to cope.
Mary may have wondered about life’s twist and turns, but she surely also wondered about God’s faithfulness and how He always keeps His promises. Note how Mary responds to her situation in our lesson from Luke 1. First of all, she is overwhelmed that the God of all creation could have chosen her for the high honor of bearing His Son. In her words, “He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant . . .” In Mary’s mind only a kind and gracious God would bypass the wealthy and powerful of this world to have a peasant girl bear His Messiah.
You and I do not fall into God’s plan in quite the same way that Mary did, and yet each of us knows what it is to be humbled by God’s concern for us. We don’t deserve such providential care. After all, who are we that the God of galaxies and mega-galaxies should be aware of our needs? And yet, with a deep awareness of our gratitude, we teach our children to bow their heads and pray, “God is great, God is good.”
God is good. Not only because He chose the lowly maiden of Nazareth, not only because He is aware of our needs, but because He keeps His promises. That is a major part of this great miracle in Mary’s eyes. The coming of the Messiah was the fulfillment of a long awaited promise.
There might be one more thing the blessed Virgin pondered as she made her way to seek counsel from her older cousin Elizabeth. That was the love she felt in her heart--love for her unborn son, love for her cousin Elizabeth and love for the God who had selected her for this special assignment.
Mary’s story is the oldest and most intimate story of all. It is a story that has been duplicated millions of times throughout history. It is the story of a mother’s love for her child. Even when he was a grown man with a ministry she could only barely comprehend, he was still first and foremost her son.
Mary’s love for Jesus, however, is but a pale reflection of God’s love for all God’s children. That is why the star shines above the Christmas tree. It is the star of hope, it is the star of peace, but, most surely of all, it is the star of love.
Bruce Larson tells a beautiful and true Christmas story that appeared years ago in the Denver Post. A week or so before Christmas, a pastor told his congregation about a needy family who was facing a very bleak Christmas. One young father decided to do something about that. He and his son set out in the family pickup truck to cut down a fresh evergreen and deliver it to this destitute family. On the way they ran into a rock slide and a boulder hit the truck. It was totally destroyed. The windshield was smashed and while the father was not hurt, the young boy was cut by the glass and was bleeding severely. They tried to wave down a passing motorist to help, but to no avail. Finally, after more than two hundred cars had whizzed by, one stopped. The couple in the car took care of the injured boy, returned the two of them to their home, and then went on. The father and son never got the names of their two ministering angels.
In a week’s time the truck was repaired and the boy’s injury healed. On Christmas Eve, the pastor asked this same man if he would deliver a basket of food and toys to the needy family he had set out to bring the tree to earlier on. He was glad to. They loaded up the truck and drove to the address they were given and rang the doorbell. Who should answer the door but the humble couple who had stopped to help him on the highway just weeks before? (3)
Life does not always work out that neatly, of course, but Christmas is all about love. I don’t know what kind of holiday season this has been for you thus far. I hope it has been the best one ever. Perhaps, however, it has been a difficult time. If so, remember these lessons from Mary’s experience: Life takes some strange twists and turns but God is faithful to His promises. God loves you. God will never forsake you. The star of Christmas still shines today.
2. https://blog.logos.com/2012/11/explore-the-life-of-mary-this-advent-season/.
3. Bruce Larson, My Creator, My Friend (Waco: Word Books).