She Said Yes

This sermon was heard at the First Presbyterian Church in Berryville, Arkansas on Sunday December 21, 2008, the 4th Sunday in Advent.

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen

Brett Leonhardt is the Web Producer for the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals. Born and raised in Canada, Leonhardt is a 6-foot-7-inch former Division III goalie at Oswego State and Neumann College. He would occasionally get on the ice with the Capitals in practice if someone was injured or needed a day off.

Last weekend, the Associated Press reported Leonhardt dressed as the team's backup goalie for their Friday night game against the Ottawa Senators in Washington because of an injury to the Cap’s reserve goalie Jose Theodore.[1]

The Cap’s were bringing up a reserve goalie from the minor leagues to cover for Theodore, but because of flight schedules, there was a chance the new reserve wouldn’t make it in time for the game. Leonhardt found out the team might activate him that morning. During the day he got updates about every two hours until it was confirmed, he would be suiting up. Literally, a team rep came into Leonhardt’s cubicle and tapped him to be the Cap’s temporary back up goalie.

The team knew he could skate, they knew he had played in college, but putting on the sweater under the bright lights of the Verizon Center in DC was not what Leonhardt or the team ever expected. And if something, anything happened to the starter, Leonhardt would be called into the game. At the ten minute mark in the first period, the reserve goalie got in from the airport and onto the bench so Leonhardt was never put into the game; but he was called, and he was willing to do what needed to be done for the team.

Mary is the queen of “There I Was Minding My Own Business…” when the angel of the Lord came to her saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary got the call. In her way, the coach came in and tapped her to bear God into the world. It is natural to assume that she would know the lingo the angel used. She would be familiar with phrases like “the Son of the Most High,” “the throne of his ancestor David,” “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,” and “of his kingdom there will be no end.” She knew what the angel was asking, and what it meant.

So she asked “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Pretty good logistical question, isn’t it? The Greek translates a bit more coyly, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” At face value, this seems to be a very straight forward question. But I am not so sure that this was the case.

Have you ever been asked something; and come up with an excuse that gets put in the form of a question? If you answer that question with, “What makes you think I could ever do something like that?” you have just made my point. Here is the angel of God, telling Mary she has found favor with God and she is throwing up a barrier. It’s not that uncommon, it doesn’t get much more human than that.

We can hardly blame Mary for pointing out what the angel suggests is not possible given current conditions, but there would have been other worries. Bearing a child, she would have been an unwed mother. Further, the father of her son would not be her betrothed. If she were lucky she would be shunned by her family and the community. Certainly her fiancé would not become her husband. If she wasn’t lucky, stoning was an option.

Mary also knew that her son’s life would be difficult because of this status too. He would be shunned. He would have no social standing. It would be difficult for him to make a living; meaning there would be no way he could take care of her in her old age. At the time, in this place, their lives would be harsh.

Knowing what we do know about the life of Jesus of Nazareth, we know that his life and trials were far more difficult than what polite society would have imagined for them. We know that her son would be executed like a common criminal. The governor would mockingly call him “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudæorum;” in English “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” He would be strung from a tree and left to die in the harsh Judean sun atop a garbage heap. She could imagine how difficult her life would be, but she could have no idea how difficult her son’s life would be.

With these visions of sugar plums dancing in her head; Mary learns from the angel of the great things will happen by the Spirit of the Lord. She also learns of the great things that are all ready happening through the work of the Spirit in the life of her relative Elizabeth. At her advanced age, she will soon bear a child. This is happening for one and only one special reason, “for nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

We’re a process people, and this is a glorious process. The messenger, the angel comes bringing the good news of God’s favor, God’s grace. Mary is informed of her call, her vocation, to bear God into the world. She puts up some resistance too. Not token resistance either; this is an honest challenge to the word from the angel. The angel of the Lord then lifts her, showing her that God is all ready at work in the world. This is when she voluntarily accepts her vocation; and then the angel leaves.

Mission, reservation, affirmation, acceptance; these are the steps behind what we call “The Annunciation of the Birth of Jesus.”

So, here is either the dumbest question of all time or the question that will open a thousand doors. Did Gabriel know Mary would respond to the angelic message saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”?

This leads to another question, did Gabriel approach any other maidens betrothed to a man from the line of David with this vocation, or was Mary the first? Did someone somewhere say to the messenger of the Lord, “Sorry, I’ve just washed my hair and I can’t do a thing with it” before getting to Mary? What if Mary had said no for that matter?

In a way, we know the answer to those question, we really do. If someone had told the angel “no,” and on that matter scripture is silent, this information, this refusal was not important enough to mention. What if there were a dozen women who said “no,” what if there were hundreds? Any who said “no” were not important enough to make a dent in the history of God’s work in creation. They were not even worthy of mention; and if Mary had said no, we would not have known her either.

“Gabriel’s annunciation would not have been complete without Mary’s trusting, obedient response.”[2] Only when Mary says yes does the annunciation have any power.

These questions may seem cavalier, but there is a point. The point here is “Are we willing to allow the Lord God to shape our lives in ways we never expected, wanted, or imagined?” Are we willing to say to the messenger “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Are we willing to allow the plans of our lives to be interrupted for the messenger from the Lord? Mary said yes. Only by saying yes does Mary make a difference. Because of this yes, Mary’s song[3] is heard and revered.

What is God asking you to do? What is your call, your vocation? Are you willing to let God upset the apple cart of your life?

Don’t worry about asking questions, even asking God is fine as Mary discovered. Asking questions is not bad, not listening to the answers is.

And the Lord will not put us into places we do not belong. The story of the annunciation shows that the Lord supports those who respond to God’s call with encouragement and power.

It is said that history is made by people who show up. Brett Leonhardt made ten minutes of history on an NHL bench just by saying yes and suiting up. By showing up, by saying yes, Mary not only made history, but by the fruit of her womb she made the future. By willingly, voluntarily participating in the joy of creation, Mary brings into the world the one of power and majesty, the one who sits on David’s throne forever.

Jesus has come. Jesus is here now. Jesus will come again. Will you say yes when he asks if you are coming too?

[1] “Capitals dress Web site producer as backup and win” http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gysKr8DzM3-bgmha-l6ZuCinKd8wD951NOT80 and Turcotte, Sarah, “Ten Minutes of Fame”, http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3770097 retrieved December 15, 2008.
[2] New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX. Leander Keck, General Editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995 page 52.
[3] Luke 1:46-56