Visitation

1  The Word of God comes to live with us.

He who created all things,

in whose power everything depends at all times:

He doesn’t need a house on earth to dwell in.

Not even the Temple in Jerusalem.

But the mystery before us as we celebrate the Visitation of Mary

is that God indeed came to Earth,

and dwelt first in the womb of the virgin Mary.

God dwelt on the earth in a way that astounds the wisest,

and silences the heavenly host in reverent wonder.

The evangelist John calls this Son of Mary the “Word” of God.

He is the Word of God in the flesh, the Word incarnate.

And so our epistle lesson shows us a strong connection

between the Incarnation of the Son of God and the Word of God that dwells within us.

For it is by the preaching of God’s Word

that we receive faith in Jesus Christ.

Mary and Elizabeth could not contain their joy at the Incarnation.

Mary composed one of the most famous songs ever spoken:

the Magnificat.

So also, when the power of God comes over us,

so that His Word dwells within us through the gift of faith,

we must also express our faith and our joy

in both word and deed.

It may seem unlikely that God would dwell in an earthly temple,

but in a real way, we who believe His Word are His temple, so that the Son of God who died for us,

also dwells within us.

The Word of God comes to live with us.

It accomplishes the will of God, It cannot be contained by man.

2  Colossians 3:12–17

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

2.1  It accomplishes the will of God

Back in March, the Church celebrated the Annunciation to Mary:

when the angel Gabriel announced

that she would be the mother of Christ.

I don’t know if it was that time of year when Gabriel came,

but we celebrate it nine months before Christmas.

You see, Gabriel delivered God’s Word to Mary,

and it is that word through which the Holy Spirit works.

Believing the message, Mary asked how it would happen.

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.

So Jesus was conceived by means of a truly unique miracle.

The angel said that Mary’s relative Elizabeth was also pregnant.

Hers was also a miraculous pregnancy,

because Elizabeth was already far beyond child-bearing years.

You may remember that Gabriel had announced that birth, too:

The husband of Elizabeth was a priest,

and during his turn in the Temple, the angel spoke to him.

But Zecharias did not believe the word from God,

and he was not able to speak until his son was born.

During the last three months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy,

Mary came and helped her. Today’s Gospel lesson tells us about the moment she arrived.

Elizabeth knew about Mary, maybe from her own unborn baby.

Elizabeth’s son, already three months before his birth,

recognized the voice of his Savior’s mother.

It says that right in Luke chapter 1.

I suppose that Elizabeth’s husband Zacharias was nearby,

who still couldn’t speak, because his son wasn’t born yet.

Elizabeth knew the difference between faith and doubting:

Blessed is she who believed, she said, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Do you sense the joy Elizabeth and Mary had?

Do you appreciate the great kindness and humility of Mary?

There she was, the mother of God’s Son,

yet she had come to serve her much older cousin.

Mary is often praised in some churches,

even to the point of venerating her or praying to her.

We must not do that; she is only a woman, not a goddess.

But Mary’s example for us is excellent. This is the sort of behavior that God wants from us all.

Hear again the words of our text: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.

It’s clear to me that I don’t always have

the mercy, the kindness, the humility, the meekness, or patience

that God wants from me.

It’s clear that my life doesn’t please Him.

It’s also clear to me that none of us has done well.

Instead of mercy, we are vindictive. Instead of kindness, we show insensitivity. Instead of humility, we are puffed up with pride. Instead of meekness, we impose our will upon others. Instead of longuffering, we show impatience.

We hold others to a higher standard than ourselves. We like receiving forgiveness, but not giving it.

It’s clear that none of us pleases God with our lives.

But there was Mary:

a snapshot of these virtues that God wants from us.

How can it be?

Mary and Elizabeth were not angels. They were not perfect.

How could these two, at this moment, be such models of virtue?

The answer is the Word of God:

The same Word that announced their pregnancies. The same Word that had told the birth of their children. The same Word that shows us how we fail to be virtuous,

but also shows that God forgives us in His mercy.

Mary knew she was imperfect,

for she said, my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

The Word of God had come to her,

and trusting in His promises, she had received its blessings with joy.

So the apostle reminds us in our text about the love of God,

which is the source of all love toward our neighbors:

…even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

Focus on that first part:

even as Christ forgave you.

Isn’t that good news?

Your vindictiveness, insensitivity, pride, willfullness, and impatience:

Forgiven!

God’s Law no longer calls for your punishment,

because Christ has obtained mercy for you.

He has brought you into God’s favor.

Now, what will you do with your freedom from condemnation?

Will you again practice lawlessness, to your shame? Or will you rejoice with Mary and Elizabeth?

The Word of God has come to dwell with us now, too.

Already, it is accomplishing the will of God in us:

first, forgiveness and salvation; but also, joy, virtue, and righteousness.

2.2  It cannot be contained by man

Though God set His gracious presence in the Temple,

and though His glory was in the Holy of Holies,

the entire world still can’t contain Him.

not even both Heaven and Earth together.

St. Paul said as much in his sermon at Athens: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.

The same applies to Mary,

in whose womb was growing the almighty Son of God.

Yet this Person, who would later be fastened to a cross

with nails of iron,

This person could not be held there by anything

but His obedience to God the Father,

and His love for you and me.

Now, the Word of God has come to us,

not because we have deserved it, but by His grace and mercy.

The Word has entered to dwell in us,

the Holy Spirit creating faith to trust in Christ.

But we can’t keep these things to ourselves.

The Gospel makes us like springs of water,

and it bubbles out from us regardless

of where we are, of who we are with, of what else we may be doing.

Certainly, you may not think this happens to you,

but if you believe that Christ is your Savior and Lord,

then it does.

If the joy of forgiveness seems dull, then

Maybe you’ve been taking it for granted. Maybe you’ve been focused on yourself instead of Jesus. Maybe you’ve forgotten that you have forgiveness.

If so, then understand that you were dead,

condemned to hell by the Law of God:

condemned for eternity and unable to do better.

No, you’re not such a bad person compared to others,

but those others were also condemned

— even those better than you.

But now, the divine Son of Mary has taken your place.

He died to redeem you from your guilt.

So yes, you are forgiven by none less than God.

It applies when you are here, at home, traveling or commuting, at work, at school, with family, with friends, or alone.

This isn’t only for when you’re at church. It’s for life.

The Word of God has come to you. You have the Good News.

Now don’t you want to live it every day?

Our text provides us with this guidance:

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

You see, we are each living testimony of His name!

We are examples to the world of God’s grace and mercy. We are instruments of His love toward each other

and toward all our neighbors.

So the spring of living water must bubble forth

and run from our houses, offices, cubicles, or desks, across, up and down to all our neighbors.

When they see us, they will see the love of God in Christ. When they hear us, they will hear the joyful Gospel.

Mary couldn’t help it.

She spoke the Magnificat in the house of Elizabeth.

Now the Word of Christ dwelling in us may burst out at any time!

It sounds dangerous, doesn’t it? But it’s wonderful!

Paul wrote, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

They say that everyone sings in the shower at some point.

But don’t be embarassed to sing — or at least speak — the praises of your gracious Savior anywhere.

There will always be someone who doesn’t like it. Satan, for one.

But foo on him!

Don’t let him or his servants discourage you. Let the joy of your forgiveness

become like the yeast in a ball of dough: spreading the Word of God to every part.

If you don’t feel so joyful,

or you don’t want to sing all the time,

is there something wrong with you?

No, not necessarily. There is

A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance.

But through all the sorrows of this world,

we may always have the certainty and joy of God’s Word: that His Son became a man and took away our sin.

Let’s rejoice together.

Let’s not hold back the Gospel.

The Word of God comes to live with us,

and it cannot be contained by Man.

Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!