A Song for When God Shocks You

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The First Christmas Songs: Mary’s Song

The First Christmas Songs: Mary’s Song

Luke 1:46-55

     Most people enjoy Christmas carols.  So, this Christmas 2015, we will look at the first four ever sung.  They’re all recorded in Luke 1-2.  We begin this first weekend of Advent with the very first one – and maybe the best one.  It’s the song sung by Mary, the young mother of Jesus when she heard that she would be the mother of the Savior of the world.  We call her song the “Magnificat” based on the first word in her song, i.e., magnify.  Mary broke out into song and “magnified” the Lord.  So, it’s a song of great joy, but, I must warn you, there are parts of it that overturn the ways we tend to think about things in our world.  Let’s look simply at two essential parts of the song: 1) what caused Mary to sing, and 2) what she sang.

What Caused Mary to Sing?  God broke into her life.

The angel Gabriel said to Mary,“Greetings, O favored one.  The Lord is with you!” (1:28)

     Luke tells the story leading to Mary’s song in two stages, one teaching about how Mary obeyed God even when she didn’t fully understand and the second teaching about the importance of her faith community. 

Scene 1:  How Mary obeyed even when she didn’t quite get it

     In the first scene, the angel Gabriel breaks into Mary’s life and lets her know that God knows her and that God is going to bless her by giving her a child who will someday rule over an eternal and universal kingdom.

     I think most of you know this story quite well – so the one thing I want you to notice is how reticent and sober Mary’s response is to this angelic news.  In v.29, Mary is “greatly troubled” – as you and I might be if an angel appeared to us.  And in v.34, Mary is confused and asks, “How will this be since I am a virgin?”  I imagine we would ask that too.

     Put yourself into Mary’s shoes.  All the evidence shows that Mary and Joseph were part of a very conservative, biblically faithful group in a small backwater village called Nazareth.  The maxim, “good girls don’t” would have been especially strong in her culture.  Virginity was viewed an honored state, a mark of self-control and moral faithfulness.  I am quite sure that no matter how eloquently and passionately this young woman might explain that this was a “divine conception”, her words would have been viewed as a lie.  Mary almost certainly would have been no older that 15 or 16. I’m quite sure Mary knew that this pregnancy would ruin her life socially and relationally.

     What I want you to see is that her response to Gabriel wasn’t an exuberant, joy-filled reaction but simply one of obedience – of surrender to the Lord’s will. Paraphrasing v.38 -- “I don’t get it but I am the Lord’s servant.  If this is God’s call upon my life, I will do it.  Let it be according to your word.”

     Already, I hope you are seeing what Mary’s story says to us about living for God.  God often calls us to do difficult things – even things that we can’t understand.  But, God has a plan for all that he does.  It’s just that Mary couldn’t fully see it – and we often cannot see it. We must learn to walk with God in obedience to his
Word by faith until we see more fully as God sees.  So, the difficult time Mary would go through was not outside of God’s plan. It was a part of it.  God knew of a greater good – a much greater good that he would accomplish for her and for the world. 

     2,000+ years later, we gather here in Pasadena and we can see that God knew what he was doing.  What you and I need to learn to do is what Mary did, i.e., to trust and obey God even when we do not see.  Mary’s role – and our calling too – is simply to be a servant of the Lord. To trust that God is good even when we don’t see the goodness of his plan for our lives.  You may need to hear that today.

Scene 2:  How a community of faith confirmed God’s leading. 

     So, now-pregnant Mary hurried from Nazareth to go to a hill country outside Jerusalem, about 100 miles way, to see her relatives, Priest Zechariah and his very old wife Elizabeth. From earlier in Luke 1, we know that Aunt Elizabeth was already at least 6 months pregnant with the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah, i.e., John the Baptist.  When Mary entered her relatives’ house and greeted them, the baby (John the Baptist) who inside Elizabeth leaped for joy because of the baby (Jesus) who was inside Mary.  And Elizabeth with great insight, made the most amazing statement. She somehow discerned that “the mother of my Lord” has come to my house in v.43.

     Here’s the point you dare not miss: With that affirmation both from the baby leaping in Elizabeth’s womb and from Elizabeth herself, Mary finally broke into joy – music-filled joy!  The truth of it all hit her at last: God was about to change the course of history by coming into the world.  After her meeting alone with Gabriel, Mary was uncertain and perhaps wondered whether she had dreamed it all.  But now, within a faith-community, Mary knew: “This is of God!”  Praise filled her soul.

     In this, I want to make a point that has been central to my own walk with God.  We sometimes meet God in very personal and individual moments – but, even when we do, we still often need affirmation from God’s people. I find that confidence in my own experience with God comes as I worship with and share with my church family.  So many times for me, the missing piece of a puzzle in my spiritual life comes when I worship with my church family – or when I pray with a brother or sister in Christ.  I’m simply telling you:  In your walk with God, you need your church and your church needs you.

     Let me put it this way:  You understand Jesus better when you meet together with your church community.  Within your church community, the leading of God you’ve sensed in your personal life will often be confirmed.  Mary wasn’t sure about her experience and had little joy in it -- until another believer confirmed what God had said.  Alone, Mary was faithful and obedient even in her uncertainty!  What a testimony!  But, in community, she was filled with confidence and the joy of the Lord.

     Once released, Mary’s joy could not be contained.  She had to sing. Her lyrics are found in 1:46-55.

What Mary Sang – A little bit about her and a lot about God

All generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things… (1:48b-49a)

     When I read this account from Luke, I envision Mary breaking out into song spontaneously right there in Elizabeth’s house.  It’s a remarkable song speaking both of her personal encounter with God and of what she knew about God.  It’s not like many of our Christmas carols, which are sometimes sentimental and lacking in substance.  This one is rooted in Old Testament texts and filled with a rather profound understanding of what God is like.  And remember – a young teenage girl did it.  What did she sing?

About Her (1:46-49) “I’m a blessed recipient of mercy.”

     1:46-49 is a song of soul thrilled by God.  It’s the spontaneous response of a young woman overwhelmed by something more wonder-filled than any human being could ever imagine.  In her culture, she would have had little status. She was a young woman, had no education, came from a poor home in a remote town. In spite of that, she had just discovered that the God who made heaven and earth knew her personally.  She had just learned that the eternal God cares about and blesses people whom the rest of the world view as being on the bottom of the “most admired” list. So, learning this, Mary sings that standing with God is not a matter of the position held, family born in, or size of bank account.  And it’s still true!  As Mary says in v.50, “God’s mercy is for all who fear him from generation to generation.”

     She sang, “From now on, all generations of believers will call me blessed.”  Do you call Mary blessed?  Sometimes we’re afraid to speak much about Mary in non-Catholic churches.  Maybe she should have added, “All except, of course, for a few evangelicals in North America!”  So, let’s accept this fact today:  God blessed Mary.  No one has ever before or since been blessed in the way she was blessed.  Mary carried the incarnate Son of God in her womb.  Amazing. 

     But, for my many friends who have venerated Mary into something she never claimed to be, you must see that she saw her own need of a savior at the very opening of her song in v.47. She knew that she needed a savior and she knew God was doing something to save her.  Hear me carefully:  Yes, Mary was faithful.  Yes, Mary obviously knew God’s Word well.  And, yes, when God called her, she trusted him and obeyed.  But, at the same time, never miss the point that Mary was keenly aware of the fact that she too was a product of God’s unfathomable mercy.

   I have discovered that there's always a single question that arises in the mind of any one of us who understands how much mercy it takes for God to enter into a relationship with us: "Why me, O Lord?” I know my own sin in contrast to how perfect you are. So how is it that you, O God, would chose the likes of me?" Mary felt that question too. That was a big part of her greatness.  Humility and wonder are the unmistakable marks of all of us who have stood in the presence of God long enough to realize that we deserve punishment for our sins, but instead have received mercy.

     So, I think a big part of what Mary is saying in her song is this: “All that I’ve learned about God throughout my life is real! God knows and blesses people – even lowly ones like me!  And, the same is true of people like you!”  Find hope in that.

About God (1:50-55) God’s acts are consistent with his character.

     After Mary had sung those personal things, she turned to think in a focused way about God.  You dare not miss the point that Mary knew God’s Word well.  The rest of her song draws together a number of Scripture texts.   She doesn’t quote them word for word – but she draws them together and applies them to her situation.  What she wants us to know is 1) what God is like and 2) that we can always count on God to act in ways consistent with his character.   And the overarching part of God’s character she speaks of in her song is found in v.49, i.e., that God is holy.  What is God’s name?  His name, Mary sings, is holy.

     The foundational meaning of “holy” is “different from”. Yes, God is strong (v.51)!  But he uses his strength in ways that strong people in the world do not use their strength.  Powerful people in the world use their power for their own advantage.  Powerful people in the world ignore those who do not seem to be important.  Powerful people keep trying to expand their own influence.  But, God is different!  God is holy!

     How does the omnipotent God use his strength?  Listen to Mary sing: 

His mercy extends to all those who fear him, from generation to generation.

He scatters those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He brings down rulers from their thrones but lifts up the humble.
He fills the hungry with good things but sends the rich away empty…

He remembers his mercy… (from 1:50-54)

     That phrase “he remembers his mercy” or “he acts in remembrance of his mercy” in v.54b is so powerful.  It means that God will always act in ways consistent with who he is.  God will not be conformed to the ways of people in this world.  God notices and cares for those that others ignore.  God blesses those who are humble before him and trust in him even if the world does not.  So, if you come this morning and are in agony because you feel you have messed up – or that everything in your world is going wrong – be assured of this:  God knows.  God knows you.  God knows you and cares for you.  Humbly bring whatever is in your life to him and you will find mercy and eventually find blessing.  The God of love, grace and mercy will always treat you in ways consistent with who he is.  He lifts up the humble.

     And, now to us: We who claim to be God’s people are to glorify him in the world in which he has put us.  Throughout the entire Bible we learn that those who are the people of God are placed where we are placed in this world to act in ways consistent not with the world’s values but with God’s.  We are to be holy as God is holy – that means, not being conformed to the world but conformed to the ways of Jesus.  And, in her song, Mary is declaring to us that we are to show God’s mercy to the humble in exactly the same ways as God does.  Does your heart say “Amen” to that?  Do you believe that we are to live lives that reflect God’s ways rather than the world’s? 

     Let me tell you this:  If our single desire here at LAC is to glorify God, and not to reflect the ways of any group in the world, that desire will guide us in bringing the gospel to our world.  In fact, this desire to glorify God will guide us through countless things that divide our world.  This is why we partner with Door of Hope – because even if the world does not care about homeless families, we know our Lord does and that we are going to act in keeping with his character. 

     This is why we partner with Living Well – because even if the world thinks unborn children are not human, we know better.  God is the voice for those who have no voice in this world and we are going to act in ways consistent with our Lord.  And, I am convinced that this deep desire to reflect the heart and the ways of God to our world will guide us as a church family through the issues dividing our nation too – issues like immigration, relocation of refugees, re-entry after imprisonment, and countless other issues that will continue to emerge in our world that is broken by sin.

     The world’s governments have jobs to do.  Nations’ leaders have to wrestle with how to political policy, with to provide safety for their people, and with countless other complex issues.  We as individual Christians in the USA are to vote for the wisest leaders we can and then to pray for them as the Bible commands.  Some of us will even be called to serve in our careers in the arena of public policy.  But, when we have opportunity as a local church of Jesus Christ and as God’s agents of reconciliation in this world to deal with hurting people, we must “remember God’s mercy” as God remembered his mercy in v.54.  That means in practice that we must “lift up the humble” as God does and we must “fill the hungry with good things” – in the name of our Lord Jesus and to his glory.  People must see what God is like through us.

      I think one of my biggest concerns personally is that I – and many of us here – have been blessed by God in so many ways – education, positions, possession, etc. – that we could easily become the proud that God must make low.  I’m convinced that the key to this is to live lives every day that have been humbled by the cross.  The greatest act of mercy God has ever shown is in sending Jesus Christ to the world to save sinners such as you and I are. Though we deserved punishment because of our sin, God did not give punishment to us, but gave us Jesus Christ instead.  Jesus bore our punishment on the cross so that we might live.

    I’m quite sure Mary did not fully understand what it would take for her Lord to save her (and us), i.e., that her sinless Son would have to die on a cross in her place in order for her to be saved.  If she had known that, I wonder what her song would have been like.  But you and I know.  And, we’re now going to remember.  We will remember his mercy.  We will remember that just over three decades after Mary sang this song, her son Jesus would be standing at his last supper with his disciples…  (This will lead us into communion.)

Chinese Translation

The First Christmas Songs: Mary’s Song - Chinese Translation

第一首聖誕之歌：瑪利亞的歌

路加1:46-55

      大多數人都喜愛聖誕歌曲。在2015年的聖誕節來臨之際，我們來看看最初的四首聖誕之歌。它們都被記載在路加福音第一和第二章中。在基督降臨節的第一個周末，我們來一起看看這第一首歌，它也許是其中最美的一首。這首歌是瑪利亞所唱的，也就是耶穌年輕的媽媽，是當她聽到自己將成為世人救主的母親之後所唱的。我們根據歌中的第一個詞，把這首歌稱為 “尊主為大”。 瑪利亞放聲高歌，尊主為大。因此，這是一首喜樂之歌，然而，我要提醒你，這首歌的部分內容與世人的想法不相符合。讓我們一起看看這首歌的兩個重要部分：1）瑪利亞歌唱的緣由；2）她歌唱的內容。

瑪利亞為何歌唱？因神介入了她的生活。

天使加百利對瑪利亞說：“蒙大恩的女子，主和你同在了”。(1:28)

      路加在故事中講述了瑪利亞歌中的兩個階段，第一部分講述了瑪利亞在無法全然了解神旨意的情況下對神的順服；第二部分講述了她所在的屬靈團體的重要性。

第一個場景：瑪利亞如何在沒有全然了解神的旨意的情況下依然選擇順服神

在第一個場景中，天使加百利闖入了瑪利亞的生活，告訴她，神認識她，並要

祝福她，賜給她一個孩子，將來要統管永恒的國度。

      我想，大家都很了解這個故事，我希望你們註意到一件事，那就是瑪利亞對這個天使的信息非常沈默和冷靜。在第29節中，瑪利亞因這話“就很驚慌”，如果天使出現在我們面前，你我都會驚慌的。在34節中，瑪利亞困惑地說：“我沒有出嫁，怎麽有這事呢？”可以想象，我們也會這樣問的。

      從瑪利亞的角度思考一下，所有的跡象都表明，瑪利亞和約瑟屬於小村莊拿撒勒中一個非常保守、又忠實於聖經的小團體。最起碼，“好女孩的禁忌”在她的文化中尤其重要。童貞被視為一種榮耀，標誌著自我節制和道德的忠心。我敢肯定，無論這個年輕女子多麽雄辯和動情地解釋說，這是“聖靈感孕”，她的話語都會被視為一個謊言。我們幾乎可以肯定，瑪利亞不會超過十五、六歲，可以肯定，瑪利亞知道她的懷孕會毀了她的社交生活與人際關系。

      我希望大家能看到，她對加百利的反應並不是充滿感情或是喜樂滿懷的，而只是順服 ---- 順服於神的旨意。讓我們復述一下第38節：“我不明白這件事，但是我是神的使女，如果這是神對我生命的呼召，我情願讓祂的話成就。”

      我希望大家已經可以從瑪利亞的故事中領會到什麽是為神而活。神常常呼召我們去做困難的事情，甚至包括那些我們無法理解的事情。然而，神對祂所做的一切都有計劃。只是瑪利亞在那個時候無法看到整件事情的全貌，我們也常常如此。我們必須要學會在信心中順服神的話語，與祂同行，直到我們能夠看到神所看到的。因此，瑪利亞要經歷的艱難時刻，並沒有在神的計劃之外，而是神計劃的一部分。神知道其中更大的益處 ---- 祂所要成就的，對她和對世人都有更大的益處。

      兩千多年之後，我們聚集在這裏，我們可以看見，神知道祂所做的一切。你和我所要學習的，正是瑪利亞已經做過的，那就是，在我們無法看到的時候，就選擇信靠和順服神。瑪利亞的角色，我們的呼召，都是要做主的仆人，要相信，即使我們無法看到神的計劃在我們生命中的益處，我們也要信靠神。

第二個場景：一個滿有信心的團體如何確認神的帶領

現在，懷著孕的瑪利亞從拿撒勒急忙趕到耶路撒冷一百裏之外的一個鄉村，去見她的親戚，祭司撒迦利亞和他邁入老年的妻子伊莉沙伯。從路加福音第一章中，我們知道，伊莉沙伯已經懷孕六個月，腹中是預言中提到的彌賽亞的先驅----施洗約翰。當瑪利亞進入她親戚的房中，與他們問安的時候，伊莉沙伯腹中的胎兒（施洗約翰），因著瑪利亞腹中的耶穌，便在母腹中跳動。伊莉沙伯說“我主的母到我這裏來。”（43節）

這一點是我們不該錯過的：從伊莉沙伯自己和她腹中胎兒的跳躍，瑪利亞終於充滿喜樂，而且是充滿歌聲的喜樂! 她最終了解了一個事實：神將要改變歷史的進程，進入世界。在她遇見了天使加百利之後，瑪利亞很疑惑，她可能懷疑自己是不是在做夢。然而現在，在一個忠心於神的團體之中，她知道，“這是出於神的。”於是，贊美充滿了她的靈魂。

在這裏，我想講一講在我與神同行當中很重要的一件事。有時候，我們會在非常個人的時刻遇見神，然而，哪怕是如此，我們還是會需要從屬神的人們中間得到印證。我發現，在我的經歷中，我對神的信心來自我與教會的弟兄姐妹一同敬拜和分享的時刻。因此我屬靈生活中的缺失部分，常常是當我在與教會一同敬拜，或者和弟兄姐妹在基督裏一同禱告之時才得以完全。我只想告訴你：在你與神同行的過程中，你需要你的教會，你的教會也需要你。

讓我換一個方式說：當你在教會之中的時候，你會更好地理解耶穌。只有在教會中，你在生活中所感受到的神的帶領才能得到印證。瑪利亞不確定她的經歷，她很難因此而喜樂，直到另一個相信神的人印證了神所說的話。無論如何，瑪利亞在毫不確定的情況下，仍舊忠心和順服！多麽美好的一個見證！然而，在信心的團體中，她卻被信心和從主而來的喜樂所充滿。

瑪利亞的喜樂一旦釋放出來，就無法遏制，她必須要歌唱。她的歌被記載在1：46-55中。

瑪利亞歌唱的內容 ---- 一點點關於自己，大部分關於神

萬代要稱我為有福，那有權能的為我成就了大事……(1:48-49)

      當我讀到路加福音這一段的記載時，我設想到，瑪利亞在伊莉沙伯的家立刻就放聲高歌。這首精彩美妙的歌講述了她與神的相遇和她對神的了解。它不像我們許多的聖誕歌曲，有時多愁善感，缺乏實質內容。這首歌根植於舊約聖經，充滿了對神的深刻理解。不要忘了，這是一個年輕女孩的作品。她唱了什麽？

關於她自己（1：46-49）“我是一個神所憐憫的蒙福的人”

1：46-49是一首被神激勵的靈魂之歌，是一個年輕女子被遠超人類能夠想象的神跡所震懾之後的即時反應。在她的文化中，她沒有地位。她是一個年輕女子，沒有受過教育，來自偏遠小城的一個貧寒之家。她發現，創造天地萬物的主宰竟然認識她。她剛剛得知，永恒的神關心並祝福那些世人認為不值得尊重的人們。於是，在瑪利亞的歌中，與神的同在和地位、家庭，或者銀行存款無關。瑪利亞在第50節說：“祂憐憫敬畏祂的人，直到世世代代。”

她唱道：“從今以後，萬代要稱我有福。”你覺得瑪利亞有福嗎？有時候我們不敢在非天主教的教會中太多談到瑪利亞。可能她應該加上這點：當然，北美的一些福音派除外！因此，今天，讓我們接受一個事實：神祝福了瑪利亞。沒有人像她、將來也不會有人這樣蒙受祝福。瑪利亞的腹中是神的兒子道成肉身。太驚人了。

然而，許多人尊崇瑪利亞到超越她自己的地步，你必須要看到，在第47節開始，她看到了自己需要救主的事實。她知道，自己需要一位救主，而且她知道，神所做的是為要拯救她。請大家仔細聽：是的，瑪利亞是忠心的；是的，很顯然，瑪利亞明白神的話語；是的，當神呼召她的時候，她信靠和順服了神。然而同時，也不要忽略一件事，那就是，瑪利亞敏銳地意識到一個事實，就是她自己也是神所深切憐憫的對象。

我發現，當任何人一旦了解到，神要進入與我們的關系之時需要對我們有多少憐憫，我們心中就會升起一個疑問：“主啊！為什麽是我？”我知道，在與我的罪相比之下，你是多麽完美。神啊，你為何會選擇我？瑪利亞也有這個疑問，那正是她的偉大之處。謙卑和疑惑是我們所有人明確無誤的標記，我們都侍立在神的面前有足夠長的時間，因此我們能夠意識到，我們應得罪的刑罰，然而我們得到的卻是憐憫。

我認為瑪利亞在她的歌中所宣告的是：“在我的一生中所了解到的神是真實的！我已經經歷了神的憐憫，明白自己需要一位救主。神認識並且愛世人，即使是像我這樣的人！你也是如此！”我們要在其中看到盼望。

關於神（1：50-55）神行事與祂的屬性相符合

      在瑪利亞說完關於自己的事情之後，她轉向了專註於神。你不應當忽略瑪利亞非常了解神的話語這個事實。她歌中的其余部分引述了一些聖經經文。她並沒有引用原文，而是將那些經文應用在她的具體情況之中。她想讓我們知道，1）神是什麽樣子；2）我們永遠可以信靠神，祂所行的必會符合祂的屬性。在49節中，她在歌中說到了神的首要屬性，她說，神是聖潔的。神的名字是什麽？瑪利亞說，祂的名字是聖潔。

      “聖潔”的基本意思是“不同”。是的，神是大能的神（51節）！然而祂使用自己大能的方式與世間大能的人不同。世間的大能者利用他們的權力為自己謀得利益。世間有大能的人忽略那些不重要的人們。有能力的人們會一直試圖擴展他們的影響。然而，神是不同的！神是聖潔的！

      全能的神如何使用祂的大能？讓我們聽一聽瑪利亞的歌：

祂憐憫敬畏祂的人，直到世世代代。

祂用膀臂施展大能。那狂傲的人，正心裏妄想，就被祂趕散了。

祂叫有權柄的失位，叫卑賤的升高。

祂叫饑餓的得飽美食，叫富足的空手回去。

祂……施憐憫……（1:50-54）

      54節說：“祂紀念祂的憐憫”或是“祂所行的都為紀念祂的憐憫”，這節經文大有能力，意思是說，神所行的總是與祂的屬性相符。神不會效法世人的方式。神留意和關心那些為他人所忽略的人們。神祝福那些在祂們面前謙卑和信靠祂的人們，即使他們在世人眼中無足輕重。因此，如果你今天早上來到這裏，心中痛苦，因為你覺得你把自己的生活搞砸了，或者你覺得你的世界中一切都不對勁，然而值得你放心的是：神了解一切。神認識你，祂了解你，也關心你。當你謙卑地將一切都帶到祂面前的時候，你就會找到憐憫，最終得到祝福。有慈愛、有恩典、有憐憫的神，永遠會一如始終地對待你，祂使謙卑人升高。

      對於我們來說，我們這些屬神的子民，要在世人中榮耀他的名。整本聖經都教導我們，神將祂的子民置於現在的位置，為要使我們按照神的價值來行事，而不是按照世間的價值行事。我們要像神一樣聖潔 ---- 也就是說，我們不是要遵從世間的方式，乃是要遵從耶穌的方式。在瑪利亞的歌中，她向我們宣告，我們要向那些謙卑的人顯明神的憐憫，就像神所做的那樣。你的心中會說“阿門”贊同嗎？你是否相信，我們的生活要反應出神的行事方式，而非世間的方式呢？

      讓我告訴你，如果我們教會唯一的渴慕是要榮耀神，而不是要表現出世間任何團體的行事方式，那麽這樣的渴慕會引導我們將福音帶入世界。其實，榮耀神的渴慕會引導我們超越無數使破壞性的事情。也正是因為如此，我們與希望之門事工合作，因為即使世人不關心無家可歸的人們，我們卻知道，我們的主關心他們，我們所行的也要符合神的屬性。

      也正是因為如此，我們與活得更美好事工合作，因為即使世人認為未出生的孩子都不屬於人類，我們卻更清楚地知道其中的事實。神為那些在世上無法發出聲音的人發出聲音，我們也要像我們的主一樣行。我相信，這樣表明神的心意與神的行事方式的渴慕之心，會引導教會思考一些導致我們的國家出現分裂性的問題，包括移民、搬遷難民、監禁之後的重新開始，和其他數不清的出現在我們周圍由罪所導致的問題。

      世間的管理政體有它的工作要做，國家的領袖要決定政策，如何為人民提供安全，和許多其他復雜的問題。我們身為美國獨立的基督徒，應當為最有智慧的領袖投票，然後遵守聖經的命令，為他們禱告。我們有些人甚至蒙召在政界事奉。但是，作為屬基督耶穌的教會，和神與世人和好的中介，當我們有機會接觸到受傷害的人們時，我們必須“紀念神的憐憫”，正如在54節中所說的，神紀念祂的憐憫。這就意味著，我們必須要像神那樣，奉我們主耶穌的名並祂的榮耀，“擡舉謙卑人”，“以美味填飽饑腸” 。我們要讓世人通過我們看到神是什麽樣子。

      還有這點：瑪利亞警告許多像我們一樣敬拜神的人們，她警告像我一樣蒙福受過許多教育，並且有著類似一個大教會的“主任牧師”這樣好的頭銜的人。她警告我，也警告你們中的一些人，凡是在內心裏容易驕傲的人，都會被降低。要謹慎！這樣的祝福常常會導致驕傲。同時我也很清楚，正像神使用祂的大能祝福那些謙卑和尋求憐憫的人，我們當中肩負著權威的人都有可能這樣做。是的，瑪利亞的歌警告了那些在世上有權柄的人。在我們的角色中，我們應常常註意到那些不為別人所註意的人們，並且像神那樣，將祝福帶給那些需要被高舉的人們。我相信，要做到這件事的關鍵，就是每天藉著十字架過謙卑的生活。

      神所顯明的最大的憐憫，是差遣耶穌基督到世間拯救你我這樣的罪人。盡管我們因著罪只配得刑罰，神卻並沒有懲罰我們，而是將耶穌基督賜給我們。耶穌在十字架上背負了我們的刑罰，我們才得以活著。

      我很確定，瑪利亞無法完全理解，她的主需要付出何樣的代價才能拯救她（和我們），她無罪的兒子將要死在十字架上，代替她的罪，她才得以蒙拯救。如果她知道這件事，不知道她會唱一首什麽樣的歌。然而你和我都知道。我們都將記得祂的憐憫。我們都將記得，就在瑪利亞唱了這首歌三十年之後，她的兒子耶穌就將會在最後的晚餐中與祂的門徒一同站立……(讓我們一同進入聖餐)。

榮耀歸給神，

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧師