So once again we’re in the season of Advent and another Christmas approaches. And this can leave us in a reflective mood, especially as we get older and we see the years passing by and we see our families also getting older and starting to raise the next generation.
Maybe that’s partly why you’ve come to church this morning. But whatever your reason for coming, I hope that you will find something to help and encourage you in today’s gospel reading about Mary.
You see I think that much of what is true for Mary is also true for us and that actually Mary isn’t as unlike us as we may think. And this is what I’d like to talk about this morning.
The first thing about Mary is that God knows her intimately. He knows everything about her. He knows all her thoughts and all her actions. He knows how many hairs she has on her head. He knows her hopes and fears and dreams.
And He has watched over her from the moment of her conception all through her childhood years and he loves her.
And the same is true of us. God sees you now and knows what you’re thinking. Perhaps its – ‘oh goodness I hope he doesn’t go on for too long cos I’ve got to get to the supermarket.’ Don’t worry, I won’t.
He knows what is going on in your life – your problems and anxieties. He knows all about your relationships. He has watched over you all your life since you were born, and he knew you’d come to church this morning. And most importantly He loves you and wants the very best for you.
The second thing about Mary that is also true of us is that God has been preparing her for the role in life he has chosen for her. In her case it’s as the mother of his son Jesus – the Messiah, God made flesh.
And this preparation is two-fold. Initially when God created Mary, he created her expressly for this purpose. He gave her the character, the abilities and talents to be the very best mother for Jesus. He fashioned her expressly to be the mother of his son.
And secondly as she grew up, he enabled her to experience and learn things that would be useful for her in later life. We’re not told in the gospels – but I suspect Mary had experienced older women around her who taught her about motherhood and childcare – and I suspect it was something she loved because God had built it into her DNA.
Our roles will of course be different to Mary’s – but God has also created each one of us for a purpose and role in life.
He has fashioned us just as carefully as he fashioned Mary. He has imbued us with gifts and talents and has given us innate likings for doing various things – things we’re good at and enjoy doing.
And he has given us these gifts and talents and likings expressly for the role he has for us.
However old we are, he has a plan for each of our lives – something he wants us to be doing for him. We’re not a random assortment of abilities but tailor-made individuals with a God-given purpose ahead of us.
God says in the book of Jeremiah – “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
And like Mary, our life experiences will be part of our preparation for God’s plan for us.
We may have gone through difficult times – but these can give us an empathy and understanding for others. Often the best people to help those struggling with life are those who themselves have experienced similar struggles, whether that be an addiction or illness or depression or a bereavement or financial problems.
I don’t know what you’ve experienced in life but maybe you can use your life experience to help others in some way.
The most important part of Mary’s story however, is where she says yes to God. “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
All God ‘s preparation – all his watching over her – all his love for her – would have come to nothing if she’d said “no, sorry Lord, I’m not ready for this whole child thing yet. I mean, think how embarrassing it will be. Come back next year and I’ll think about it.”
And the same is true for us. Everything God has prepared us for; everything he has invested in us and taught us in life will come to nothing if we say “no” to his plan and purpose for our lives.
You see God has given us free will and he will never force us to do anything. He works in us and through us as we co-operate with him.
Jesus has given all Christians the great Co-Mission. It’s a mission in partnership with God – as we say yes to him.
Now of course it can take us a while to reach the stage where we believe that God exists and that he has a purpose for our lives – but at some point – like Mary - we all need to make a decision.
And that decision is whether we want God’s plan and purpose for our lives or we want our own. Whether we say yes to God – “let it be with me according to your word” or no – sorry God I want to go my own way in life.
And this is a decision we can make when we’re eight or eighty. Its never too late to say yes to God’s plan.
And this is really what repentance means. It’s reaching a stage or point in our lives where we realise our desperate need for God and are prepared to say yes to his plan for our life.
Repentance is a bit like changing the points on a railway line and deciding that from now on we want to follow God’s track rather than our own.
We’ve tried living life independently of God but it hasn’t brought us fulfilment and despite what we may have achieved, we sense an emptiness within ourselves; a realisation of the pointlessness of life without God; perhaps our need for forgiveness; perhaps a yearning for meaning and purpose and genuine hope beyond this life.
So’ we take a step of faith and make the decision to say yes to God.
Maybe for some of you here this morning - this is how you feel and although perhaps you weren’t aware of it there is a prayer that is bubbling up from deep within you.
“Lord I’ve tried living my life my own way but deep within I feel empty and I want your plan and purpose for my life. I want to know why you created me.
If you’re there God, please make yourself known to me. Come into my life. Be real to me. Show me that you’re alive and that you love me.”
Saying yes to God is the most important decision any of us will ever have to make because our eternal destinies hinge on the answer we give.
God will always respect the decision we make. As I’ve said he won’t force himself upon us.
He’ll keep loving us and knocking on the door of our lives, hoping that we may change our mind but if we keep pushing God away and saying no to him – there’s very little he can do about it.
The next thing about Mary is that as she says ‘yes’ to God – the Holy Spirit comes upon her and Jesus is birthed within her. In Mary’s case of course it’s a physical pregnancy.
However, it is similar for us. As we say ‘yes’ to God’s plan for our life, Jesus is birthed in us.
The Holy Spirit – the spirit of Jesus comes to live within us and we become spiritually alive. God becomes real to us and we know for sure that Jesus is risen from the dead because we can sense and feel his presence with us.
One of my favourite Christmas Carols, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ puts it like this: “No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.”
And he comes to live within us so that we – like Mary - can start to fulfil the plan he has for us. So that we can enjoy a relationship with him.
He comes to guide us in life and to empower us to serve him. He comes to help us reach out to others, to prompt us and encourage us to show those around us his love.
He comes to help us to use our talents and abilities to extend his kingdom and to make himself known.
We’ve been running the Talking Jesus course in church recently to help and encourage us to share our faith with those around us because it’s not always easy to talk about our faith.
But it is critical that we do because Jesus loves each one of us; because he died to save each one of us by taking our sin - which is what separates us from God - upon himself, and because has a plan for each one of us.
Mary’s purpose was absolutely central and vital to God’s plan to come into the world in the person of Jesus to make salvation possible for all people; but our purpose is also extremely important to God.
You see every person is of immense value to God; and like Mary he has placed us in a unique position in the centre of the circle of our family and friends and work colleagues - the people we meet each day – and it is through us that he wants to try and reach out to these people.
We also each have unique positions and roles to play within our local churches – using our talents and abilities to help create a healthy local body of Christ - whether that’s a role in catering and hospitality; or a caring role; or a role in helping with children and young people’s work; or an administrative or technical role or an upfront role.
God’s church here at Brenchley will only be truly healthy and function as he desires as we each play our part in supporting and serving it.
So, to tie up what I want to say this morning – I think in many ways we are not so unlike Mary.
God knows us and loves us. He has created us for a specific role and purpose.
He has a plan for each of us and if like May we will only say yes to Him – He will also be birthed in us. Jesus will come by his spirit to live in our hearts and lives.
And then we can each start with God’s help to fulfil the plan he has for us, to play our part in his overall plan to bring salvation to everyone in the world who will accept him.
I’m going to close in a moment with a time of quiet prayer and reflection where we can each share what is on our hearts with God.
Perhaps you’re already a Christian but you’re unsure of what God wants you to do; how he wants you to use your gifts and talents and what role he wants you to play. Why not offer yourself to him now in service – like Mary did - and ask him to guide you as you seek to serve him.
Or perhaps you’d like to say to God’s plan for your life and to know him. If that’s you, in your own words share whatever is on your heart with God. Tell him you want to fulfil the plan he has for you and invite Jesus to come into your heart and life and to make himself known to you.
Jesus is present among us now by his spirit and looking at each of us with love in his yes. So, let’s all pray quietly for a few moments and share the cry of our hearts with him.
x
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