12/16 – Luke 1:46–55 – For You to Bear Your Flesh in Weakness

Grace to you, and peace, in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Mark Twain wrote a book called “The Prince and the Pauper.” It is an enduring story; it has given birth to numerous movies and plays. It is about a prince who is tired of the restrictions of royal life, longing for the freedom to live as a common man. When he finds a pauper who looks just like him, it’s the perfect opportunity to switch places.

The high and the low switching places is just what Mary has on her mind. Her song of praise, the Magnificat, proclaims however, that change comes differently. She sings about how the mighty are cast down from their thrones and the rich go empty away. Then she recalls how the lowly are exalted. That appeals to our sense of justice. Let the successful see what it’s like! Let the downtrodden have it easy. That’s not what God has in mind. He is goal is a far grander exchange.

This is a far greater exchange because Jesus is far more than a prince. He is the very Lord whom Mary magnifies. Everything she give as reason to magnify the Lord is true of Jesus. Mary says of the Lord, “Holy is His name.¹” Jesus’ name is so holy that it is the only name given under heaven by which we can be saved.² Mary says that the Lord is to be feared.³ When Jesus heals a paralytic,⁴ when He raises the widow’s son,⁵ and when He exorcises a legion of demons from a man,⁶ He is feared. Mary says that the Lord humbles the mighty. Jesus would regularly stop the mouths of those whose pride led them to believe they could get the better of Him. Like it was with the devil when he tempted Jesus,⁷ and the scribes and Pharisees when they tried to trap Jesus in His words.⁸ The Sadducees faced the same thing.⁹ Jesus stopped them all. Their longing for power was put down. Their lust and greed for authority was denied.

Jesus is far more than a prince. He is God. Yet here He comes with such humility. As Mary speaks these words, He is small and vulnerable, though the Greatest of all. His greatness is just not what we expect. His greatness is found in His weakness. Jesus is great enough to take on human flesh so that He can take our place. His greatness will be manifest when He appears His weakest, hanging on a cross. There He is at His greatest, His strongest, strong to save. The very, and only, thing we need.

This is a far greater exchange, because we are less than paupers. A pauper is defined by his empty hands, his poverty. That is all of us. Mary rejoices that though we are humble, the Lord looks on us.¹⁰ In that humility, we recognize our profound and utter dependence on God for everything.

Martin Luther’s last words speak so clearly to this. He died with a scrap of paper in his hand. It closes with, “we are beggars; this is true.¹¹” That humble statement is an exalted thing to say, when you know from Whom you beg. Empty hands before the Lord are quickly filled. Mary says that the Lord fills the hungry with good things.¹²

We are hungry beggars, paupers with open empty hands before the Lord. Yet it is not just that we are lacking. We also bring something with us. We bring our sin. Jesus humbles Himself to become human. Even more He humbles Himself to take our sin on Himself. With our sin, He takes our death, on a cross.

This is a far greater exchange. Jesus now identifies with you. In The Prince and Pauper they find out that the other’s life is not as grand as they expected, so they are ready to go back to their given place in life. Jesus knows what He is getting into when He identifies with sinful humanity. He knows it will lead Him to a cross. We, on the other hand, find out that His place, a place of righteousness and peace with our heavenly Father, is a wonderful thing. It is the good thing with which He fills us. Even better is that we do not have to go back to the way things were. Even after His death and resurrection, Jesus retains His human nature in His glorified, sinless body. That means Jesus is ever for you. He knows what you face because He has faced it Himself. He draws near to strengthen you when you beaten down by sin and sin’s affect. Even when you do not recognize His presence, He is there with strength and forgiveness. He is for you. He gives His body and blood, for you, so you can have peace in the knowledge that salvation has comes.¹³

This is a far greater exchange. In Jesus you are more than a prince. You are a child of God who dwells with the Father for eternity. Mary sings, “He fills the hungry with good things.¹⁴” In Christ, you are full of the Lord’s good things: His righteousness, His mercy, His promises, His eternal life, His sonship with the Father. He became weak so that you are made strong. Strong in the face of sin and sin’s attack. You have received His mercy. Though you stand in the face of death you have received His eternal life.

In this great exchange, God Himself takes up residence in Mary’s womb so that He might rob you of your sin, and pour into you His righteousness and mercy, Mary rejoices, and for good reason. This great exchange exceeds all others. What more reason could we ever have to sing! The Savior came in meekness, for you, to bear your flesh in weakness.

Praise His holy name.

Amen.

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