Luke/Luc 1:46-48
“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,
Y mae fy enaid yn mawrhau’r Arglwydd,
A’m hysbryd a lawenychodd yn Nuw fy Iachawdwr.
Canys efe a edrychodd ar waeledd ei wasanaethyddes: oblegid, wele, o hyn allan yr holl genedlaethau a’m geilw yn wynfydedig.
Joy- Luke 1:39-56
Mary and Elizabeth.
Magnificat
Security
Sermon in 100secs
Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary call in welcome, the baby in her own womb, who would one day be known as John the Baptist, jumped for joy!
When Elizabeth told Mary of this, she bust into joyful song herself.
It is amazing isn’t it? Unwed but by now visibly beginning to show her pregnancy, her life under the shadow of judgement and danger and yet what comes from her lips is a song of Joy.
Joy is not the same as happiness, which is a pale shadow of Joy and evaporates under the heat of adversity. This is because happiness is based on what is happening but joy is a deep rooted security in spite of what is happening.
For Elizabeth the joy was not happiness in seeing her young cousin it was rooted in her place in the story of God’s salvation in spite of the danger of being pregnant at her age. For Mary the joy was not happiness at seeing her cousin who had longed to have children finally pregnant. Her joy was rooted in her place in the story of God’s salvation. For both, the joy was in the security of that relationship with God.
It is this joy we are offered at Christmas, not the fleeting happiness of twinkling lights and presents. It is the Joy in the security of a relationship with God restored through the gift of Christ!
Pocket Prayer
The fourth candle of Advent is lit, the candle of joy!
In joy Mary Sang
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
Let us join her in chorus.
The image of God within us praising its maker in the security of our salvation coming in our need
The image of God within us rejoicing in its maker its saviour. The words of our creator echoing through history harmonising with our song “God saw all that he had made, and declared it to be very good.”
In joy Mary Sang
he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed
he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
Let us join her in chorus.
The image of God within us, hidden in our shabby humanity, glimpses out, golden in a broken pot, and sees our creator smile.
The image of God within us, conscious of our blessing begins with the help of our creator to reshape and remake us as we share the blessings we have declaring God’s holiness.
In joy Mary Sang
his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation
Let us join her in chorus.
The image of God shines from our faces, mouths and eyes open in awe of our creator, amazed by the wonder of God,
The image of God shines from our faces, eyes wet from grateful tears and hearts filled with wonder at God’s grace and mercy.
In joy Mary Sang
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts
Let us join her in chorus.
The image of God as armour around us, protecting us with God’s strength. Our security deeper and stronger than fleeting happiness.
The image of God as armour, banishing our proud thoughts as we remember our true strength lies in God and the joy deep within.
In joy Mary Sang
he has brought down the mighty from their thronesand exalted those of humble estate;he has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty.
Let us join her in chorus.
The image of God as our senses, experiencing the world, perceiving the mighty on their thrones as lower than those they should help and the needy as crowned royalty we should serve.
The image of God as our senses, understanding the world around us, aware of where resources and blessings should go.
In joy Mary Sang
He has helped his servant Israel,in remembrance of his mercy,as he spoke to our fathers,to Abraham and to his offspring for ever.”
Let us join her in chorus.
The image of God as our voice to sing, rejoicing in the salvation of all people from ages past and into the future.
The image of God as our voice to shout, in the same voice that spoke to those who came before, declaring “Behold, God’s salvation comes, let all the world rejoice!”
Amen
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