Luke 11:27-28

Advent Midweek service

December 2, 2009

Luke 11:27-28 (New International Version) 27As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." 28He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Waiting is a difficult activity for many people. Youngsters can’t wait for Christmas. We don’t like to wait for our computer to download a file. Recipes for some holiday treats call for the ingredients to reach a rolling boil, and it seems to cook forever. Waiting for a date to get ready may take an eternity. While waiting we may watch, pace the floor, or yell, but it helps little.

The Old Testament believers waited and watched for the coming of the Messiah, but many of them never saw Him. We’re waiting for the next coming of the Savior. We grow impatient as we see events that displease us. How can the Lord let things go on like that? Yet He is working for our good in all that happens. He teaches us to wait on Him. The theme hymn for our Advent services also speaks of waiting. We take our theme from its message.

WAIT FOR JESUS IN STILLNESS

I. More than His bearer v27

II. As His hearer v28

The bearer of Jesus, His mother Mary, was blessed. Her Son had responded to slander spoken behind His back after driving a demon from a man. “Some of them said, ‘By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.’” Jesus spoke some strong words showing the absurdity of that claim. He pointed out the need to replace evil with good. A woman in the crowd was impressed and exclaimed, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

Who wouldn’t love a son like Jesus? In taking on enemies like that He had demonstrated courage and His teaching showed insight into spiritual conditions. Of course, all children are a gift of God. The Psalmist spoke of the blessing of children to a family by describing them like a little army at the gate to defend the home. In lighthearted moments we may talk about the birth of a child bringing an additional tax deduction, especially if it occurs near the end of December. Or a new child for a farm family was viewed as providing another farmhand. Jewish women looked forward to becoming mothers as they hoped to be the one who would give birth to the Messiah. The woman who spoke up, perhaps a mother herself, recognized that only one person had that role and how special it was.

In the Scripture reading for this evening we heard how that privilege was announced to Mary. She was the only one in all of history who would fulfill that position. Imagine what it must have been like to be carrying the Savior of the world in your womb. Truly she was highly favored. What a blessing she experienced!

It was a blessing that she definitely needed. She looked to the birth of the Savior with more than maternal desire. Like everyone in the world, Mary was a sinner. She was born in it and committed sins daily, and there was nothing she could do about it. No one can eradicate sin from their life nor can we pay for our misdeeds. Like you and me, Mary was lost. She needed a Savior from sin.

She recognized her need. After the angel’s message to her, Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. There she spoke the words of the song we call the Magnificat, which we will sing later in the service. In it she expressed her faith in the one to be born. “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” and she acknowledged her humble state.

So she awaited the blessing. First there were the nine months before the baby was born. She spent time nursing the child who would save her. There were responsibilities for rearing Him. Throughout the years she must have been wondering when and how He would do the work which the angel had told her about and which she knew from the writings of the Old Testament prophets. She was watching and waiting for the time. She waited in stillness.

That doesn’t mean that she always understood everything that happened. At the wedding of Cana, when the wine ran out, she reported the problem to Jesus, apparently expecting Him to do something about it. Jesus made it clear that she wasn’t the one calling the shots as He asked, “Why do you involve me?” and indicated it wasn’t His time yet. There was the incident when Mary came with Jesus’ brothers, likely to call Him away from His work. He identified believers as His mother and sisters and brothers. There had to be profound grief and questions as she viewed Jesus on the cross, dying as a condemned criminal. That heartache for Mary was prophesied by Simeon when he met Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus at the temple at the time of purification on the fortieth day after His birth. Simeon had spoken of a sword that would pierce her soul. Although Mary was blessed, it was not an easy road for her.

II.

How much better we have it! So you can continue to wait as His hearer. I’m talking about hearing His Word. The Savior did not scold the woman who had spoken from the crowd, nor did He disagree with her, but He wanted her to see something greater. “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” The instruction to hear it calls for continuous action, not a one-time deed. Never stop hearing the Word. It is vital food for your faith. You don’t graduate from the school of Christian training. We recognize the value of lifelong learning. It is true in many professions and for mental stimulation as you age. Lifelong learning from God’s Word is even more vital for believers. We try to impress that truth on our students as they are confirmed. All of us need the reminder whether we are fourteen, forty, or sixty-four years old. Faith that is not fed will eventually die.

Then use your opportunities for public hearing of the Word in worship or study in the classes that are available to you, both on weekends and during the week. Use God’s Word in your private devotional life and study at home. Utilize the resources of our church library. Find additional materials online at www.wels.net .

A mere hearing of the Word is insufficient. In the parable of The Sower and the Seed the proclaimed Word (the seed) landed on three types of soil that were unproductive. Some ended up on the path where the birds ate it. It never even germinated. That’s what happens when God’s message goes in one ear and comes out the other without stopping in between. What landed on rocky ground sprouted but was unable to take root and so it withered and died under the sun’s rays. Sometimes there is an emotional response to the Gospel, but it never really sinks in. The seed among thorns tried to grow but was choked by the weeds. There was no lasting life and thus, no harvest. When it comes to the Word, we may let the other interests and tasks in our lives crowd it out.

So Jesus pronounced His blessing on “those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Some of us older ones will remember the end of the verse as “keep it.” This second verse of the text was my confirmation verse and that’s how it was spoken those forty-four years ago. The word is actually to “guard” it. We think of standing watch and protecting something. We do so because we recognize its value. A psalm verse notes that God’s Word is more precious than thousands of pieces of silver and gold—and when the Spirit inspired those words, I’m sure He knew how high the price of gold would be today. We cherish that Word as our heart’s dearest treasure.

Our high regard means we recognize it for what it is: God’s Word, His revelation to us, inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is not a human book which we sit in judgment over but is the authority to which we listen.

We believe it. Accept it as true and most importantly, true for you. That conviction takes in both the demands of its message of law and the good news of its gospel. The Law convicts you of sin and points out the need for a Savior. The Gospel presents that Savior: Jesus, God’s Son born of Mary, who lived a perfect life as your substitute and fulfilled God’s requirements of righteousness for you, and who died on the cross in payment for your sins. He rescued you from sin and death. He is not just a good choice to follow but He is the only Savior.

To obey the Word also means to live it. A believer looks to the Word for the knowledge of right and wrong, of sins to avoid and righteous paths to pursue. We seek to follow those right paths to produce fruits of faith to the glory of God. We want to praise and thank Him for all He has done.

Jesus pronounced believers as blessed. Some people use the term “happy” for “blessed”, but it is more than having a smile on your face. It is a wonderful condition. Being forgiven means you are welcome in heaven eternally. There you will experience life in joy and perfection, life as God intended it to be. You will be in His presence without fear, provided for, protected, with pleasures galore, surrounded by multitudes of other believers: loved ones who have gone before you, heroes of faith from Bible times and later history, and some surprises, people you never realized shared your faith. We will be together in fellowship, enjoying the gift the Savior won for us.

God’s blessing rests upon us now as we hear and follow His Word. Life goes better as we follow His ways. There is wisdom in them.

As we hear and reflect on the words of Jesus in these verses, we confess we haven’t always heard and obeyed His Word. We have neglected the hearing of it. Or we failed to pay attention when we were present. At times we have elevated our own opinions over what God says. We have doubted His truths. We have disobeyed His commands. We confess those sins and come for the forgiveness that He freely gives. That’s the good news of the gospel. Jesus both removed our sins and kept the law for us, showing love for the Word as a boy in the temple and being faithful to it always.

So we treasure the Word and wait for the fulfillment of all its promises, as our Advent theme hymn reflects. Take a look at verse two: it satisfies our thirsty hearts yearning for comfort. Note the third verse: We ask Jesus to implant the seed of the Word in us and draw us to Himself with reborn hope. Strengthened by the Word we wait in stillness and with confident faith for the true and eternal blessedness that He will one day give us.