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The Friendship of Mary and Elizabeth
ADVENT 3-Luke 1:26-56
Mari Ikeda
We have entered the third week of advent. Today, from Luke 1, we will read the story of Mary, who became the mother of Jesus, and Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. Mary and Elisabeth were relatives. We don’t know exactly how old they were, but we can say that they were at least as far apart as grandchildren and grandmothers in the sense of that time. Today, through their relationship, I would like to talk about how God gives us friends who look up to Him and walk with us. It’s a little long, but I’m going to read Luke 1:26-56. First, verses 26-38.
A. The story of Mary and Elizabeth
1. A shoot coming up from the stump of Jesse (1, See Matthew 1)
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
I don’t think there is anyone who would not be perplexed by being told out of the blue, “You will give birth to God’s son”. The role given to Mary at this time was given to only one person in history, but the confusion, anxiety and fear she felt is something we will all experience.
There is no one who won’t be perplexed on hearing for the first time that a man named Jesus, who existed 2,000 years ago, is actually the God who created this world, and that God came to this world as a man. If that is true, it will shake your sense of value that you have been living without knowing such a thing from the very core.
The angel also told Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,” which is what God says to each and every person. We are all loved by God, and He is with us. Likewise, the words, “The Holy Spirit will descend upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you,” also apply to us. God gives us the Holy Spirit too and makes us partakers of His great plan.
But I also think this is something that causes anxiety and fear in our hearts. Living a life of trust in God sometimes means living a life that we never thought we would live, or surrendering to events that we have no control over. God becoming a man and Him being with us can change the way we live and change the world to such an extent that we sometimes feel confused, anxious, and afraid.
It is all a good change that God is bringing about, but He knows our weaknesses and gives us signs so that we can move forward with confidence. In Joseph’s case, the sign was an angel in a dream, but in Mary’s case, it was a visible human being. In Joseph’s case, it was an angel in a dream. The angel said, “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. We will continue with verses 39-45.
2. Elizabeth blesses Mary (39-45)
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
What Elisabeth did here was to bless Mary and to convince her that what was happening to her was the work of God. Elisabeth herself had had a child before Mary. Just like it did in herself, Elisabeth knew that that the same power of God was at work in Mary.
Mary, blessed by Elisabeth, could finally rejoice in what was happening to her. Verses 46-56 is Mary’s song.
3. Mary rejoices (46-56)
46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
From this song, we can see that Mary accepted “Immanuel” (God is with us). She believed that God was coming to a small and lowly person like her and that He was going to do great things. Mary’s confusion and anxiety were transformed into confidence, joy, and praise to God through Elisabeth’s blessing.
B. We are sustained by inter-generational friendships
I think we can learn many things from this encounter between Mary and Elisabeth. First, it was truly God’s care for these two women that they were related to each other, and they gave birth to Jesus and John at the same period of time (only six months apart!). It was God’s way of encouraging these two women to walk together, even though they were perplexed by His great plan.
God knows that we need to have a relationship of encouragement like Mary and Elisabeth. I have been helped and encouraged by many Elisabeths in this church. Age and gender are irrelevant. When I have lost my confidence, when I have lost sight of God, there have been people who have reminded me that God still loves me and that I am a part of His plan. There have been times when you directly told me so and also times when you have just been there for me. There have also been many times when you have shown me that you really believe in God and have encouraged me without even realizing it yourself. If any of you are in this church and have not had such an experience, I am truly sorry and regretful. It may not be easy for you right now because we are all human beings, but if you would like to tell me what you are suffering from, I would be happy to hear from you.
I may be talking too much about myself today, but let me introduce you to the Elisabeth who is unforgettable to me. I spent four years of my university life studying abroad in Canada. However, those four years were far from the enjoyable study abroad life I had envisioned, and I had to fight with myself that I did not fit in with either English or Canada and in the second year, I consulted with my parents that I might have to drop out of the university and go back home because it was too hard. It was a really unnecessary and shameful problem, but I think it was a necessary experience for me because I started reading the Bible seriously and made up my mind to believe in Jesus during that time. And Jesus knew exactly what I was going through and He made me meet the Elisabeth. That person was called Sister Rita.
My university was originally a Catholic church affiliate and had a close relationship with a convent. In one corner of the university was a place which was run by volunteer sisters and students used to relax there. I felt comfortable there and since I used to visit often, I became acquainted with the sisters. Sister Rita was one of them. She was in her 70s and had retired from her job as an English teacher. I didn’t know what she was suffering from, but she had a bad eye condition.
One day, while we were in a group conversation, I asked Sister Rita why she became a Sister. She said, “That’s an important topic, so I’ll tell you later,” so she explained to me when it was only the two of us. Sister Rita apparently, she had a fiancé who had promised to marry her. However, during a Christmas service that year, she was convinced that God was telling her to dedicate her life to Him alone. When she told this to her fiancé, he responded by telling her that if Rita was to take that path, then he himself would never marry. In the end, she told me that she was very happy because her fiancé later married someone else and had a good family. I had only been a believer in Jesus for a year or two when I heard this story, but I remember being very moved by it. I thought that the sister knew that people loved her, and then she chose to love God first.
Not only in this episode, but Sister Rita had also really been personally good to me. She took me to her home (which was part of the convent) many times to work in the fields, make jam with her, and even took me to listen to the sisters who had dementia. I had nothing to give back to her, but she spent a lot of time with me, cared for me, and encouraged me without asking anything in return. I realized many years later, more than I knew at that time, how much her presence meant to me when during my study abroad time and when I had lost my confidence. Not only that, but she taught me what it means to love Jesus and to love others as Jesus does. Also, the fact that she showed me the kind of life she had lived gave me hope and longing to live the same kind of life.
After graduating from university and returning to Japan, I went to see the sisters only once, during a friend’s wedding. That was ten years ago, and Sister Rita went to heaven without seeing me again. But what I received from her will never leave me.
Elisabeth blessed and encouraged Mary, who was her grandchild’s generation. She told her, “God is with you, and He will do great things through you.” I have been encouraged in the same way by Sister Rita and by many people in this church. Such friendships that God brings together will continue to guide us even if one of us departs for heaven before the other. I hope that you will be able to meet such friends in this church. Let us pray and seek to become such a friend.
(Prayer)
Lord Jesus, you know everything that happens in this world and in our lives. You also know that there are times when we are shaken and fall down, unable to move. Please help us to be able to support one another in such times. Also, help us meet those who need our support and to carry on your work. Remind us that we are supported by your love in our weakness and in our strength. Enable us to rejoice and praise you when we see that you dwell among us. Lord Jesus, we pray in your name. Amen.
Summary
“God is with us” (Emmanuel)–that God knows each one of us, enters and works in our lives, dwells in us through his Holy Spirit, and includes us in his grand design–is not something we can comprehend or believe in our own strength. That is why God gives us friendships in which we can rejoice and praise him together through the presence of each other. These friendships transcend age or generation and sustain us even if one friend should reach heaven before another.
For Discussion
1. If you are Mary, who would take on Elizabeth’s role in your life?
2. Are you called to take on Elizabeth’s role in someone else’s life?
For the children (and their parents)
Tell them that believing in Jesus and living a life of faith is not something you can do alone. Everyone has times when they want to believe in Jesus but can’t, or doubt, or don’t understand. You as a parent or guardian may want to talk about your experience of having someone help you through such times. For the children, the parents play the role of Elisabeth right now, but if you can be friends with the other adults in the church, I encourage you to try to be friends with them. (This may be difficult since we can’t see each other right now…) And I hope that everyone will eventually become an Elisabeth to someone else.