[Machine transcription]
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, the text comes from the Gospel reading. You may be seated. As you remember, last Wednesday was the angel Gabriel coming to Zechariah and telling him that he and his bride Elizabeth, who were both advanced in years, would conceive and give birth to a son, and they were to name him John. This evening, the text is about a meeting between Mary and Elizabeth. Well, yes, it’s between Mary and Elizabeth, but it is also a meeting of two young men, John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus. Obviously, it could not be in each other’s presence without the benefit of their mothers being able to perambulate to the place of their location.
However, John’s response to being in the presence of his Lord and God and Savior in Jesus, in the womb of Mary, is what causes him to jump, and that signifies to Elizabeth this is the confirmation of what she had already been told. Now we don’t know how far along Mary was with Jesus. We know that when she conceived, she conceived immediately upon hearing the message from the angel Gabriel. It was in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. So we assume within a few days, a few weeks, she rushed over to see Elizabeth. Because the angel Gabriel, as you remember, told this to Mary: “And behold, your relative Elizabeth, in her old age, has conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.”
So she goes and sees this miraculous thing. In fact, the two points are the miraculous reaction by all concerned in this meeting, but then also the miraculous words that are proclaimed by the prophetess Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit as she proclaims this with joy. So again, by the presence of Jesus being in the womb of Mary, though He were but a few cells big, still God is completely in those cells and He is as fully human then as He would be outside of the womb. It is that God and man that John recognizes and is leaping for joy at that being in His presence, confirming for Elizabeth this reality that she had already been told.
Now this is interesting because the truths have already been presented to Elizabeth in what she proclaimed. But it is the words that she proclaimed, Mary, to herself and to you and me, that has great and miraculous joy for us. “Blessed are you among women,” were the first words that she said. Amen. Why is Mary blessed? Mary is not blessed because she is cut from a different type of humanity than any of us. She is the same daughter of Eve as all women, just as we are all the sons of Adam. But she is blessed because she trusts in and believes in the promise that was given to her by the angel Gabriel.
Secondly, “blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Notice that it’s not about her womb. It’s about what she contains, the fruit of her womb. For Elizabeth, her womb was dead and was made alive by the great miracle of God’s giving birth to John and conception to John. But John, as you remember, was conceived in a normal sexual manner. Mary’s womb was not dead like Elizabeth’s womb was, but Mary’s womb was made alive in a brand new way, unlike John—a normal way of doing things. It was a virginal birth. It was miraculous without the typical sexual intercourse.
Finally, it is the words that she says, “the mother of my Lord,” confirming Mary to be the bearer of God and confessing to her what the angel Gabriel had already told her earlier. Now this blessedness that was at the very beginning, “blessed are you among women.” Do you want to think about something that’s very interesting? And that is this. You and I have the same blessedness as the Virgin Mary. Because we, like Mary, have the Lord dwelling here with us and in us. Because all of us who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Christ dwells in us.
Now, someone could argue and say, well, Pastor, but he’s not there flesh and blood-wise. Oh, is he now? In the same way that Jesus, the flesh and blood of God, was in the womb of Mary, so when you receive the Lord’s Supper as flesh and blood of Christ, the flesh and blood of Christ dwells within you in the same way. Blessed are you among other human beings because you believe that which was told to you and you believe and trust in that which was done unto you.
This is interesting. Interesting. Because our Lord never ever wanted His mother to be worshipped and adored like some of our brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic Church view her. And here’s the beautiful example. Do you remember when Jesus was doing His ministry and a woman cried out to Jesus in these words, “Blessed is the womb that carried you, and blessed are the breasts which you sucked.” Do you remember that? Jesus did not go, yes, you are right. You need to bless her because she’s the mother. No. Do you know what he said? After that woman said that, he turned and pointed away from Mary and back to himself when he said this, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Another example: He was teaching. It was a crowded area. His disciples said, “Jesus, Jesus, your mother and your sisters and brothers are waiting for you.” Remember what he said? Did not give them any extra honor. He said this again, “My mothers and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” So it is the same. Blessed are you who hear this word of God that Christ dwells within you and you keep it in faith. Blessed are you who receive His flesh and blood, and with it all that He brings in His flesh and blood, forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Blessed are you because you hear it and believe it, keeping it.
So at the end of Elizabeth’s great statement, she says to Mary, “Blessed are you who believe that there has been a fulfillment of what was spoken to you, of what was proclaimed to you,” meaning everything that the angel Gabriel has said has been fulfilled. You’re now pregnant, obviously. But it really is saying the same exact thing that Jesus Himself said when He said, “Blessed are you who hear the Word of God and keep it.” You have Christ in you. You are only a vessel. And you have His flesh and blood when you receive His supper. You are only a vessel. He is what makes you righteous and holy just as He is who made Mary righteous and holy. But without which, we are nothing.
Rather, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it. In the name of Jesus, Amen. The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds on Christ Jesus to life everlasting. Amen.
