New Joy
Luke 1:39-45
December 9, 10, 2006

I shouldn't be preaching this sermon. I am not qualified. I am not the one who should try to address the scripture lesson we have just heard from Luke. Some of you may remember the familiar old line from a familiar old movie: "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!" And I don't. And I don't know nothin' 'bout being pregnant. Oh, I've been around people who have been pregnant. It happened to my wife three times. I tried to understand what she was experiencing. She gained about 25 pounds with our first child, Heather. I gained about 25 pounds. But Ellen lost the extra weight after Heather was born. Mine stayed with me. Ellen had these terrible bouts of morning sickness with all three children. And they lasted longer than they do for most women. And I felt sick to my stomach when she made those mad dashes to the bathroom-but it wasn't the same. During the last months of her pregnancies, she'd get up several times during the middle of the night, kind of waddle off to the restroom. I'd wake up too. I'd try to waddle too, but it wasn't the same.

She'd have those moments when she had trouble breathing, or would get a karate chop or a quick kick from the kiddo within. I'd be amazed to put my hand on her side. I could feel our child rolling around, dancing, playing basketball in there-whatever-but it wasn't the same. I shouldn't be preaching this sermon. Because as much as I tried to know, as much as I tried to empathize, as much as I tried to experience-I just wasn't pregnant. Thank God! In God's great design, if this part of the job description had been assigned to the men, there'd be a lot less people in this world. No, this isn't my message-this is one for a woman to preach. Oh, it's not that men can't get something out of it. There are marvelous messages in this story that we can overhear while the women are talking in the other room. It's kind of like reading the paper while your wife has The View or Oprah on in the next room-there's some good advice being given-but you'd never admit that you're really listening! This is a story for a woman with experience. Or better yet, a woman who is expecting a child.

It is a story for a woman to share with other woman… I already asked. I tried all week, but Julie wouldn't take the assignment. She said she might help me with part of it-we'll see. So I apologize-you're stuck with a man trying to tell the story about some very special women. This is a story that is pregnant with profound possibilities for learning more about this incredible God of ours. It is a story that is overflowing with expressions of faithfulness. And it is a story that can bring new joy to our lives.

I'M SURE YOU ALREADY KNOW-ELIZABETH AND MARY ARE REMARKABLE. Oftentimes Elizabeth and Zechariah's story gets overshadowed by Mary and Joseph's-but it's incredible too. One of our church members emailed me a list of "senior adult" bumper stickers recently-some of them reminded me of Elizabeth and Zechariah. Perhaps some of you can identify with a few of them? At my age, flowers scare me. Birthdays are good for you; the more you have, the longer you live. When did my wild oats turn to prunes and bran? Retirement: twice as much husband, half as much money. I'm not losing my hair; I'm getting more head. I'm so old that whenever I eat out, they ask me for the money up front.

That's how it was for Elizabeth and Zechariah-whenever they went out to eat, they had to pay up front. And I don't know what kind of car or camel or beast of burden Elizabeth and Zechariah drove, but they could have put any number of those bumper stickers on their vehicle. These folks are not candidates for our young adult Sunday School classes. But Liz and Zech are expecting! Can you imagine that kind of announcement coming out of the Friendship or Round Robin Class here at the church!

And this situation with Mary? Think about it. And if you have a hard time imagining her circumstances and challenges, here is where Julie is going to help us. Last week I mentioned the poem about Mary that was published in the December issue of DisciplesWorld magazine. I have asked her to share it today.

Mary
by Rev. Julie Richardson Brown
Taught to obey,
follow God,
able to recite psalms since her feet could fill sandals,
well-acquainted with the dusty road to synagogue.
A good girl, but only a girl.

Today we'd say "adolescent," talk at her about family planning,
wonder why she didn't "know better,"
lift her up as what not to do, how not to be.
We'd glance furtively, whisper accusingly,
pull our own little ones away from staring.
We'd profess God's love Sunday,
judge her outside of it Monday.
Wouldn't we?

She didn't ask for it, didn't want it.
Who would?
Who longs for humiliation, asks for ridicule, searches out disgrace?
She just said yes.

Said yes to risk and fear and doubt, to pain and heartache and loss.
Yes to agony and defeat.
And yes to love.

Would we?

At Gabriel's bidding this girl bore God,
cradled grace,
grew love,
let go mercy,
delivered hope,
gave us life.

Beautiful. And I don't know if you have seen the new film The Nativity yet or not? But between the way the film depicts the scripture scene and Julie's poem, this story I have heard for years was reborn in a new and joyful and moving way. When Mary "makes haste"-that means "races"-over to Elizabeth and Zechariah's home, she discovers that her encounter with the angel was no mere fantasy. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and cries to Mary, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." One of the most touching scenes in the movie is when these two women embrace, each with a hand on the side, each connecting with the new life within. I guess you could call this a "pregnant pause," but it brought tears to my eyes. Elizabeth says an amazing thing, describing Mary as "the mother of my Lord!" She confirms what the angel had told Mary, but also makes a profession of faith before Jesus is even born! We can only speculate about the way these two women spent their days together. But we can imagine that Elizabeth is a huge help to Mary, giving support, offering encouragement, and sharing a sense of overflowing joy. Throughout the gospel of Luke, the theme of joy emerges again and again!

With the Christmas angels bringing good tidings of great joy. With Jesus predicting that his followers will leap for joy. With the 70 disciples returning from their mission with joy. With joy being experienced in heaven over people who turn their lives around and turn back to God. With the apostles returning to Jerusalem after the ascension, "with great joy!" So, this incredible Story, this great Good News, is one filled with joy. But the story also reminds us that real joy is the fruit of faithfulness and obedience and servanthood. Joy is the result of turning our lives over to God. The one follows the other.

God, through Mary and Elizabeth, remind us that authentic Christian living requires a sense of service. When we will listen for God's call upon our lives, we will move out of our pews and off of our couches. We will be serving people, waiting on others, ministering to the needy, lifting up the fallen. God's assignments are not always easy, but if we do the homework, our lives will also bear the fruit of joy: the joy of forgiveness, the joy of healing, the joy of mission, the joy of new life, the joy of being a part of the family of God. Too often we forget this, especially at Christmastime, when our joy is swamped by the pressure to feel happy about parties and pageants and presents under the Christmas tree.

Christian joy, when you think about it, is both simpler and more significant than holiday happiness. Happiness is linked to festivities, while joy is tied to forgiveness. Happiness is about new things, while joy is about new life. Happiness comes from finding a way to keep the peace between assorted family members after too much Christmas togetherness; joy comes from finding our place in the family of God. And God surrounds us with opportunities for joy every day of our lives-on the mountaintops, but even in the darkest valleys-it is there.

Last Thursday I did something I have never done in my whole life. I was driving to the Speedway gas station on Westport Road, just north of the church. I was stuck behind a line of cars at the stoplight at Westport and Hubbards, over there by Target. The car in front of me was kind of old and beat up, but I noticed a bumper sticker I had never seen before. After seeing a bumper sticker, have you ever thought: "I'd like to have a conversation with the driver about that one?" I've had the thought, but I have never acted on it.

The light turned green, and the more I thought about the bumper sticker, the more intrigued I became. A woman was driving and she turned left after she passed Target. I wasn't going that way-but I decided to follow her. She was getting away, so I sped up, hoping not to lose sight of the car-and not knowing how long this expedition would take. Fortunately, she crossed the railroad tracks, turned right, and pulled into the parking lot at the antique store. I pulled up quickly behind her-kind of startled her as she got out of her car. I rolled down my window and said, "Where'd you get that bumper sticker?" She explained that her sister had found one and put it on her car in Florida. I told her that I had never seen one like it before-and I was curious.

I mentioned that I was the minister over at Beargrass and the bumper sticker kind of summed up my sermon for the weekend. Do you know what it said? "Don't Postpone Joy!" I almost did. If I hadn't done something I had never done before, I'd have missed it. And if I hadn't done something I had never done before, she would have missed it. As she walked toward the store, she stopped and turned around. With a big grin on her face, she said, "You've made my day!" And she was close to being correct-God made our days.

Friends, don't postpone joy. Mary and Elizabeth experienced incredible joy because they did something they had never done before. They experienced the Spirit of the Living God moving within them because they said "yes." God provides those kinds of opportunities for us every day of our lives. Don't postpone joy. Again, I shouldn't be preaching this sermon…we all should.