Carrigart Presbyterian Church
  • Home
    • Archive
  • About Us
    • History
    • Contact
  • Sermons
  • Bewglas Centre
  • Gallery
  • The Area

Carol Service, 8th December 2019

9/12/2019

0 Comments

 
​Mary  Luke 1
 
 
Her wedding plans are up in smoke.  Her fiancé may never want to speak to her again.  Her reputation in the village is about to be tarnished forever.  And she’s just been entrusted with a hugely daunting, some might say impossible responsibility.  What does this remarkable young woman from Nazareth do?
 
She praises God and submits to His will.
 
‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour…the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is His name…
I am the Lord’s servant…May it be to me according to Thy word.’
 
If we would like an example of obedient faith let us consider this godly young lady, Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.  She is willing to see more than her own personal dreams and ambitions.  She is willing to live for something greater, to glorify God and further His plan of salvation for the world, even should it mean sacrifice in the short term.  She would surrender her womb, her arms, her heart and soul, her very life to serve the One she calls her Saviour.
 
Some might think of such religious fervour as extreme.  We might imagine some of the neighbours talking, ‘Poor girl!  Do you think has she lost the plot?’  Others, publically or privately, have great respect and admiration for people of faith.  Whether it’s Martin Luther or Mother Teresa we find them inspiring and might feel like putting them on a bit of a pedestal. 
 
However godly people never want attention for themselves.  Time and again they shun personal attention, focussing our gaze on God and what He is doing, sending His Son into the world to be our Saviour, our Lord and Master, our Good Shepherd and Friend.  And that’s what Mary has done here in Luke 2 in her expression of praise we call the Magnificat.  She has pointed us to God.
 
‘My soul glorifies the Lord!’  she said, ‘His mercy extends to all 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 for ever just as He promised our ancestors.’
 
Mary had obviously been listening in the synagogue for this sounds so like the Old Testament, the Psalms of David or prophecies of Isaiah or Daniel.  The nation of Israel had been humbled for generations but God had promised that from these modest remains He would build a global kingdom of people redeemed by His mercy, faithful to Him and practising righteousness.
 
God, ‘the Ancient of Days’, keeps His Word and fulfils His purposes.  We do well to note - He punishes pride and rewards humble trust.  He does what may seem impossible to us, bringing His Son to the world from a virgin’s womb, bringing a Saviour King for the whole world from an obscure little place like Nazareth.
 
He does mighty things, using little people who trust and obey and want to serve Him.  Mary was willing to be part of God’s plan, an agent of His grace and she has been called ‘blessed’ ever since.
 
The question is are we willing to follow her example this Christmas and every day throughout the year?  Are we willing to trust and put God first, welcome His Son as Saviour Lord in our hearts and lives and obey the leading of His Spirit in the Bible?
 
May it be so for each one of us and may the glory be His alone.
 
Amen
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rev Andrew Watson, Minister of Dunfanaghy and Carrigart Presbyterian Churches, Co Donegal.

    Further material by Rev Watson can be found at www.wordsurfers.com

    Rev Watson has also published a book of reflections and prayers, "Finding Our Way Home", with all royalties going to charity.

    Archives

    October 2020
    September 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.