As we light the third candle of Advent, we pray that you, O God, will enter our lives just as you entered the life of Mary. We know that you are present. We know that you call us to serve you. We know that with you, all things are possible. Through Christ we pray together. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was reading this text a couple weeks ago, I recalled how, when I was struggling with whether or not to attend seminary in hopes of entering ordained ministry, I always wanted to make sure I was making the right choice. I wanted to be sure God was calling me. I did my undergraduate schooling here at M.U. Now it may sound absurd, but on my drive down Stadium Blvd. in the morning, I always wanted to see a burning bush. After all, if one were to see a burning bush on Stadium, at least one that wasn’t disintegrating into ashes, how could one argue that it wasn’t the work of God? I could be convinced. Unfortunately, as we all know, burning bushes along Stadium Blvd. aren’t a common sight. While I’m embarrassed to admit it, for a long time, I was more than a little jealous of today’s text.

 

I’m not suggesting that Mary had it easy. After all, God asked Mary to accomplish what seems like an impossible task. But for Mary, things seemed so clear. The angel Gabriel came to her and told her God had chosen her. Do you ever wish that when you had a difficult task at hand, or when you were praying for guidance, God would visit you in a dream and clearly point you in the right direction?

 

For a long time I thought the mystery of today’s text lay in God’s call. The Bible, after all, is full of different individuals being called by God in the Old Testament similar to the experience of Mary. 

 

We remember in the book of Genesis, God appeared to Sarah when she was very old and told her she would have a child. I like Sarah’s response. I think Sarah had the same type of response we would have, or at least I would have. Sarah said, “No way! It’s not possible.”

 

Then we continue on to the next book of the Bible, in Exodus, which reminds us about Moses’ conversation with God. God asked Moses to be the leader of the Israelites, to lead them out of captivity. Moses replied to God, “What are you thinking? I’m not qualified to be a leader.” But God convinces Moses that he has been chosen to accomplish what seems like an impossible task.

 

The stories continue all throughout the Bible. In fact, just before today’s story, we know that Zechariah and Elizabeth also experienced an unexpected yet clear visit from God.

 

Stories of God calling certain individuals are powerful, but how can we relate to these stories today? Can we know today what it is like for the angel Gabriel to visit?

 

I want to briefly share with you some experiences I had during my first few days of seminary. It was three years ago in the middle of August. Paulette and I had just graduated from M.U. in the spring. We had finished up our summer jobs. We got married one Saturday and moved to Eden Theological Seminary the next Saturday. It was a bit of a transition, you might say. A big transition!

 

The week before classes started, the entering students were asked to go on a two-day retreat. As soon as we arrived at the conference center, we were divided into groups of ten. For the next four hours I experienced an amazing event. We each shared stories of how we had been called to ministry. These were powerful stories.

 

One individual shared with the group how she was interested in mysticism. She said that through meditation she experienced long conversations with Jesus who called her to ministry.

 

Another individual shared how, for 40 years, he had been ignoring the voice of God. He always thought seminary would be too big of a sacrifice, and that it wasn’t meant for him, but he said God would never let him go.

 

Stories such as these continued all afternoon. Some students were young. Some were old. But as we went around the room, I began to realize we had all been called by God – each in our own, separate, unique ways -- and to be called by God really wasn’t an uncommon event at all.

 

After that retreat, for the next three years in seminary, I had the opportunity to become deeply involved in the church through preaching, working with people in the hospital, going on youth mission trips, weddings, funerals, hugging individuals when they were lonely and afraid, and growing in my own faith and spirituality. After all of these experiences, I’ve come to realize that perhaps the mystery of this morning’s text isn’t that God spoke to Mary so clearly. In fact, we are all, whether we are aware of it or not, being called by God. 

 

If we are called by God, if God is in our lives, even though it may not be in the form of the angel Gabriel, what makes this morning’s text so special? Now, of course, this text is special because it is the story of the birth of Jesus. It is a story that has been told for thousands of years. It is a story that roots many Christians in their understanding of Jesus and God. But why are people so drawn to Mary’s call from God?

 

I believe what makes this story so spectacular, so unique, and at the same time so mysterious, is that God calls Mary, a young child, to be the mother of Jesus. Did you know a number of scholars believe Mary to have been only 12 or 13 years old? Just 12 or 13 years old! Let’s think about this for a minute. Can you remember what you were like when you were 12 or 13?

 

I remember when I was that age. My greatest needs seem to involve: 1) lots of sleep, and 2) attempting to fit in at school. And so, while I am embarrassed to admit it, I think within the span of the two years from age 12 to 14, I tried a number of different things. Like many teenagers, I was searching for my identity.

 

In the 7^th grade, man, I’m telling you what. I really regretted I didn’t live during the 1960s. So in an effort to bring the 1960s back to the 1990s, I found my Dad’s old, faded Levi jeans in the back of his closet. I cut some big holes in the jeans. I ran them through the wash a bunch of times so they had that really ragged look. Then I visited the local rock-and-roll guitar shop and bought a number of Grateful Dead t-shirts. Then I tried to let my hair grow out. Instead of growing down, my hair just went out, out, big, big! While they never let on, I think my parents must have been more than a little concerned. An even deeper fear that I have today is that someday, somebody is going to get hold of some pictures from this time and use them as blackmail. That’s my big fear.

 

After the hippie stage, within the next two years, I also tried being a cowboy, a hockey player, a football player, and a band member. My musical skills are really bad. That one didn’t last too long. I tried just about anything else one can think of. Now, I’m pretty confident that my struggle with identity issues in middle school wasn’t unique. When we’re young, we try our best to fit in and to figure out who we are. 

 

Still, if young people have such a hard time with identity, why did God choose Mary, a 13-year old? Doesn’t it seem just a little strange? After all, there were lots and lots of other options for God to choose. Why didn’t God choose Elizabeth – somebody with more life experiences – to be the mother of Jesus instead of being the mother of John the Baptist?

 

Do you remember those opening words that Gabriel speaks to Mary? He says, “Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you.”

 

When Mary hears these words, the Bible tells us that she truly had no idea what to think. At first Mary didn’t understand what the words “favored one” and “the Lord is with you” meant. Gabriel, sensing her confusion, says to her again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

 

Now, in Greek, Mary is given the title “Theotokos” which is translated as “God bearer.” Gabriel told Mary twice that she was chosen by God. The words, “Greetings, favored one,” and “you have found favor with God” give Mary a sense identity. Perhaps God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus because, as a teenager, her vulnerability and openness made her particularly receptive to the openness of God. At the end of today’s passage, Mary says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord.” When Mary understands these words, I think, she truly understands that she is a “God bearer.”

 

So, while my understanding of this text has changed, I’m still really jealous of it. I believe that we are always – at least I am – searching for ways to define who we are. Mary demonstrates that our identity is only seen through God. Once we recognize this… Once we recognize that God gives us a sense of who we are, we have the capability of being God bearers. But it is so difficult – at least for me – to make this realization and this transition. How do we respond to God’s invitation to our life? How do we become “God bearers?”

 

The very first step is to be open and willing to respond. We all know that Mary’s answer to God is “Yes.” Still, I think that it seems just a little outrageous. I mean… When Gabriel visits Mary, he says, “And now you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.” Mary probably knew that “Jesus” is a Greek version of the Hebrew name, “Joshua.” In Hebrew, “Joshua” means “Yahweh will save.” So, basically, Mary has been asked by Gabriel to help save the world. Would you say, “Yes,” if you were asked the same question?

 

While it may sound trivial compared to Mary’s experience, I want to share a story with you. This summer, on our mission trip with the youth, I really thought we had met the impossible. When we first arrived in Hammond, Indiana, during that hot week of July, I had some serious concerns about whether we were going to accomplish our goals. (As I was writing this sermon during these past cold days, I’m telling you what. That hot week in July seemed so far away.)

 

If you can, attempt to picture more than 300 youth crammed into an old high school. No air conditioning. Few fans. Breakers were constantly blowing. And an actual temperature, not the heat index, of 105°.

 

We were expected to spend the week painting, building, and doing whatever else was necessary. Do you think teenagers are going to be really excited to do a bunch of work in 105° with no air conditioning? I was worried.

 

I’ll be honest, as we gathered for that first evening worship, with the heavy humidity hanging in the air, there was a sense of dread hanging in me. But the M.C. for the event came out. His name was Fred. He stepped onto that stage, and I’m telling you, within minutes the whole mood of the camp changed. Fred’s enthusiasm was contagious. He made jokes about the weather and the miserable sleeping conditions. By the end of worship, I think everyone else felt reassured, including myself, that things were going to be OK, and we were going to accomplish what we had set out to do.

 

That week, despite the heat and humidity, more than 300 youth and adults found ways to join with one another and work on more than 42 homes, fixing steps, painting the interior and exterior of houses, and building wheelchair ramps. Not only did we accomplish the physical goals of painting and building, but we also grew spiritually. 

 

I want to tell you it is a very, very powerful event when, after spending a week working with teenagers from around the nation, we gathered in a small circle, and we shared with our work team how we had grown closer in our relationship with God, and how we saw others in today’s world as being “God bearers.” There is nothing else like it.

 

In my work with youth, I’ve learned that when teenagers believe they have your complete trust and confidence, they can accomplish almost anything. Youth ministry extends far beyond car washes, church camps, meeting on Sunday night, and spaghetti dinners. God calls youth – individuals who are no more than 12 or 13 years old -- to be God’s servants, to help transform the world, to help make Christ known to others, to proclaim the love, mercy, and grace of God.

 

So… Today, as we celebrate together the third Sunday of Advent, I encourage us all to think about how we define ourselves, and how we respond to God’s call in our lives. Do we define ourselves by our homes, our cars, our jobs, and our vacations? Or do we define ourselves by knowing that we belong to God? When we hear God calling, how will we respond? Will we say, “No way. That’s impossible. You’ve chosen the wrong person. Just move right along, God.”

 

Or will we, like Mary, say, “That is possible.” Will we think about the question, realize that God has chosen us, realize that God has called us to be “God bearers,” that God has complete trust in us, and that we are called to say, “Yes”?

 

The choice is ours. The mercy, the love, and the grace of the stories that define our lives, belong to God.

 

And we all say together… “Amen.”

 

Great and Mighty God, use us; make our ordinary lives count for what matters most. We can do no great things, but we can do extraordinary things with great love. Amen.