The Fourth Person of Christmas is Mary

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is certainly important to the Christmas story!  We are actually going to look at her twice this month:  today, as a young, virgin girl; and in a couple of weeks as a pregnant, weary traveler.

Today, let's think about the miracle of a young girl's obedience to a future that, if she agreed, would be plagued by scandal.

Although some believe in the Immaculate Conception - that Mary herself was sinless, or she would not have been able to "house" the Christ - there is no biblical evidence of that theory.  The miracle really comes when we look at Mary as who she really was - a teenage girl, engaged to be married, probably dreaming and making plans for her future.  She would have still been living with her parents, and in all likelihood, that is where the angel Gabriel came to meet her:

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

That Mary found favor with God did not mean she was without sin; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David - they all found favor with God, and yet were certainly not sinless.

So . . .
What could it mean, that God found favor with her? 
What could it mean, that she would have a baby before she was married?
What could it mean, to her and her family, to Joseph and his family?

Well, it probably meant heartache.  We don't know if Mary immediately understood that implications of all of this.  But we do know that her first reaction was not doubt, distrust, or demand.  Her first reaction was a beautiful:  "I am the Lord's servant.  May your word to me be fulfilled." 

How many of us wise, older women would have an immediate reaction of obedience? 
How many of us who know and study scripture would believe that God would do something so . . . crazy?
How many of us would choose trust instead of doubt?

The angel promises Mary many things - that her son's name would be Jesus; that he would rule on Jacob's throne forever; that she will conceive through the Holy Spirit.  He tells her that her very own cousin, Elizabeth - who was well past the age of childbearing - that she herself was pregnant.

This message from God, delivered by Gabriel, is full of hope and promise, and yet Mary surely understood - even if not immediately - that it was also a message of heartache and despair.  She surely realized at some point that she would be shunned.  She surely wondered how Joseph would react, if he would believe her, what he would do.

Yet we find none of those feelings in her song at the end of Luke 1.  After she goes to see Elizabeth, Mary sings the most beautiful song - some of the most poignant and moving words in the Bible, in all of history:

 “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.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
   from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
   he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
   but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
   but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
   just as he promised our ancestors.”

 This teenager girl, about to become mother of the Messiah.    This Jewish girl, about to obey to see the whole world saved.  This virgin girl, about to become pregnant.  That's impossible, except through the Spirit of God. 

Mary is important to the Christmas story, because - taking all the miracles out of the equation - her obedience to a questionable future is the promise of Christmas.  She believed that no matter what happened, her God, who had performed mighty deeds, brought down rulers, helped Israel, remembered Abraham . . . she believed that He would be with her, too.

And He was.  Immanuel.  God with us.