God Happens: Sermon Luke 1:26-38

Dear God, take our minds and think through them; take our hands and feet and work through them; take our lips and speak through them, take our hearts and set them on fire for you. Amen

It began like any other day. Mary woke up early in the morning, before sunup, in order to help her mother prepare breakfast. Her father was preparing to work out in the fields. He made enough money and raised enough crops so the family never went hungry. However, they were not rich by any stretch; they all had to work hard to make ends meet. Mary was a beautiful young girl about 13-15 years old and this was around the time in a young woman‘s life when she would find a husband and make the transition from her father’s house to her husband’s house. There was no such thing as an independent woman at this time; it was defiantly a male dominated society. In fact, if a woman reached 20 and was not yet married most people would consider her an old spinster who would never get married.

This was not to be the case for Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph. Now an engagement in those days was not like an engagement is today. The man did not give the woman a diamond ring or anything. An engagement was a time for the families to get together and usually negotiate a dowry. Also, engagements were not easily broken, in fact it the man and woman were technically considered married. If the man died before the ceremony the woman would be considered a widow. This was serious business. Mary was excited even though the marriage, like most in this day and time, was prearranged. She was beginning to fall in love with Joseph and she knew that he would provide for her and they would have a wonderful life together. However, this day would prove to change both their lives forever.

Mary was walking along later in the morning when she was blinded by a tremendously bright light. Then she saw an angel standing there before her. She didn’t know what was going on. She was afraid. The angel Gabriel announced to her that she was favored among God and not to be afraid for she had found favor with God. I imagine she thought, “OK, sure…whatever you say.” The angel continued and said that she would conceived a son and he would be called Son of the Most High, he would rule over Israel forever, and his kingdom will have no end. Now I can imagine Mary was thinking, that goat milk I had this morning must have sat out too long. This was a little too much to take in. How can I a simple, poor girl give birth to the Son of God? And then it reality of it hit her, “How can this be since I am a virgin?”

Virginity was thing of pride in those days, not so much now. A woman was expected to remain a virgin until she was married and if she did not she would be cast out of the village and from the community. The angel said that the Holy Spirit would come into her and she would conceive. Now it began to sink in. On the one hand she had an opportunity to become the most favored woman who ever lived. She would carry God within her womb. On the other hand she would run the risk of being outcast. I mean who would believe such a story as this, I am carrying God’s son, not only would she be called an adulterer but a blasphemer as well. She not only would be risking her future with Joseph but also her very life. Adulterers and blasphemers would be stoned to death. She could very well die. I mean the whole thing seems a little cockamamie. Why would God choose a poor girl to bear his son? How was she going to explain this to Joseph?

All of these things raced through her head and then she asks the question that all of us have asked, I bet every person who has every lived on this planet as asked, “God, Why me?” Why is this thing happening to me? Everything was going great and then all of a sudden. BAM! Something hits us right in the breadbasket and we are turned 180º. Everything is going great, we have all the best laid plans and intentions in the world and then God happens.

Joseph was a hard working man. He had been trained as a carpenter which was a good living in those days. He was living with his parents but was excited and eager to step out on his own, especially with his future wife Mary. He looked forward to getting old with her and to starting a family with lots of kids, especially a son to pass on the family trade. But now that dreams seemed to all fade away.

Mary is wife to be just told him that she was pregnant and that the child was the Son of God. Can you imagine what must have been going through Joseph’s head? First, she goes out and get’s herself pennant and then she tried to tell me this ludicrous story about how an angel told her that she would bear the son of God. What kind of fool does she take me for? Joseph was feeling anger and betrayal and the question that burned in his mind was “What child is this?” However, there was still love, love for Mary. Joseph was still a good man and did not want to disgrace Mary or her family nor did he want to punish her or risk her execution, but he could not marry her, she was pregnant with a child that was not his and this was more than her could bear. He decided to put her away quietly, she could live with her folks and she would be safe.

Then that night an angel came to him in a dream, dreams were not dismissed as they are today, but were take very seriously. The angel said to him “don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife”. She IS carrying the son of the living God and you are to call him Jesus. So it was true, Mary was telling the truth, but why God? Why did you just her, why did you choose us? In the midst of Joseph’s well laid plans, God happens.

What is there reaction? Here were two people just living their lives as normal and God chooses them for something greater. Mary could have said no I don’t want this, no I don’t want this honor, I don’t want to deal with God’s plans right now because I have my own. But she doesn’t. Instead she says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” In other words, God I don’t know what you are doing with this or with me, but I trust you enough to put everything that I have in your hands. I trust you completely. Joseph similarly could have dismissed the dream and Mary, but instead “²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife…” God had happened, among all the best intentions and best laid plans, God happened and Mary and Joseph trusted.

I want to tell you another story about another young person. This young man had just graduated from college and was ready to make his way into the world. He had planned to make a successful career to get married and to start a family. He went to interview after interview and was turned down time and time again. However, deep within him there was a calling, something said to him “God has a higher purpose for you.” Many people before had told him that he would make a good preacher, but the young man dismissed the idea as crazy, ludicrous, if your knew all the stuff I’ve done you wouldn’t want me to be a preacher. But the voice did not go away. One day he was at a lunch at his church and he was asked to pray, he had never done anything like this before, but he agreed and has he prayed a sense of peace came over him and then he knew what the voice was saying. Among his best plans for the future God happened.

Now I am not say “God happens” to be negative. I am not saying it as a warning, “you better watch out, God happens.” I am saying it because God has a plan for each one of us. Jeremiah 29:11 says “¹¹For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Sometimes God’s plans and our plans are the same and sometimes they are different and when they differ sometimes God happens to remind us of the plans he has for us because God’s plan is good. Sometimes on the surface it does not seem good. God did not choose Mary to punish her, but because it was in his plan. God did not choose Joseph to give him hard time, but because it was in his plan. God did not choose me to reprimand me, but because it was in his plan. God’s plan at first can seem scary or even wrong, but as we develop in God’s plan and we see the plan unfold, we realize that this is right and this is good.

Has God happened in your life? I would be willing to be that you wouldn’t be here if God had not happened somewhere down the line. How did you react, with fear, with dread? Most of us do at first, but when we really understand that God always has our best interests in mind then we can accept God’s change and we can follow God’s plan with trust and obedience.

You might think “I can’t work for God anymore, I’m too old or I’m too young, or I’m this or that.” Remember God did not choose a queen or princess to bear his son, but a poor, humble girl. God could have chosen a king or a wise sage to help raise his son, but he chose a meager, hardworking carpenter, who was good and honest. God did not choose a great orator or broadcast talent to preach his gospel, but a young man who was struggling to find his way in the world. God has a plan for each of us and each of us has a part to plan in the kingdom of God. Our plans combine together to do God’s will and God’s work in the world. This is the story behind the story of Christmas. Yes it is about God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. But it is also about two people placing their lives and futures in God’s plan and trusting that God would work his wonders through them. God will work wonders in your life if you are 1 or 101; all you have to do is trust and follow the path.

Let us pray…

Grant, O Lord,

that what has been said with our lips we may believe in our hearts,

and that what we believe in our hearts we may practice in our lives;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.