Loving God, your Spirit continues to be at work in your church and in the world.  Pour out on your people the gifts that are needed the most – especially the gifts of faith, hope and love – through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            Over the past few weeks, as we have journeyed with the prophets, the activity of the Holy Spirit has been front and center.  Two weeks ago, we heard from Joel that the Spirit of God would be poured out on young and old, male and female, Jews and Gentiles (Joel 2:28-29).  Then last week, Isaiah began with, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me” (Is. 61:1). The Spirit was present in order to bring good news to the oppressed and comfort to those who mourn and healing to the brokenhearted.  In fact, even in the midst of the ruins, the prophet was able to say, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God” (Is. 61:10).  Sound familiar?...

         This week, of course, we have made the transition to the newer testament, where the Holy Spirit continues to be at work in the midst of this rather unique birth announcement.  It is the Holy Spirit who enables Mary to conceive and who overshadows her with the power of God – which presumably also protects her from harm.  It is the Spirit who causes the child in Elizabeth’s womb to leap for joy, and who speaks through Elizabeth to declare how Mary has been blessed.  It is also the Holy Spirit who inspires the song known as the Magnificat, most of which comes straight out of the Hebrew Scriptures.

         While many of us may not relate to miraculous births or angel messengers, we stand in need of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit just as much, or more, than the people of faith who have gone before us.  Whether we are looking for signs of hope, or in need of new life and renewal, or even wondering where God is, it is the Holy Spirit who helps us with these things.

         Today, we are just one day shy of the darkest day of the year – or the longest night, if you prefer.  Those with seasonal affective disorder are likely to experience depression. Those who have lost loved ones recently – or even in the past year – often find December and Christmas difficult.  And this year, more than ever, many are feeling isolated, or overwhelmed, or anxious, or sad.  Many might feel as though they cannot say or sing with Mary, “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk. 1:47).

         Perhaps it might help, however, to remind ourselves of the various situations where this rejoicing has happened.  Back in October, we heard Hannah’s song, which begins, “My heart exults in the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:1).  At the time, she had just left her young son, Samuel, at the temple, and would now see him only once a year.

         Then last week, we heard from Isaiah, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God” (Is. 61:10).  This, too, was during a difficult time.  Jerusalem was still in ruins, and although there was a promise of comfort, and rebuilding, and healing, it had not happened yet.  Still, the prophet found himself able to rejoice in God’s salvation.

         And then today, as we hear the words of the Magnificat, we sometimes forget the situation that Mary faced.  She was pregnant, and her husband-to-be knew that he was certainly not the father.  Her family, of course, would know that she was having a child out of wedlock, and the penalty for this was supposed to be death by stoning.  Plus, who was going to believe her when she told them about the angel and the Holy Spirit and who this child was supposed to be?  She could sing and rejoice when she was with Elizabeth, but she still had to return home to Nazareth!  Hence, the need for God’s protection.

         The ability to rejoice in each of these situations came, not from a decision to be happy, but from the Holy Spirit.  Hannah could rejoice because God had answered her prayer and given her the gift of a son – even if she was now “lending” him to the Lord (1 Sam. 1:28).  Isaiah could rejoice because he had seen God’s promises fulfilled in the past and believed that God’s promises of healing and renewal would also be fulfilled in the future.  And Mary could rejoice because of the Spirit of God within her, and the miracle of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and the fulfilling of all that the angel had told her.

         Of course, this is not to say that people of faith are always happy and rejoicing.  Joy continues to be a gift that is given by the Holy Spirit and is not to be expected at all times.  However, as we learn from people like Hannah and Isaiah and Mary, and later, the apostle Paul, it is entirely possible to experience the joy of the Lord even in the most difficult of circumstances.

         Thankfully, the Spirit also gives gifts like faith, hope and love, all of which continue to be needed.  Today, we continue to look to God for all that has been promised, even as we give thanks for the Saviour – Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Advent 4 (NL 3)                                Luke 1:26-56

December 20, 2020

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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