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service and fellowship and sharing the love of Christ with all.
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"Singing Ahead of Time with Mary"
Mary sings a song of trust, strength, salvation, and humility. As we draw closer to the day of Jesus’ birth, Mary’s song invites us to join her in magnifying the moment when God becomes flesh—the profound divine mystery made manifest—and when the most humble and lowly places are transformed into the dwelling of the Prince of Peace.
Mary is with Elizabeth when she sings her song, magnifying God’s majestic work of salvation for God’s people. In the safety of Elizabeth’s home, Mary feels cared for and protected from those who might challenge or question her story. Surrounded by love and affirmation, she finds her voice to sing a song that reflects her current life context and anticipates the future unfolding of God’s plan for her and the world. She proclaims: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:46-49)
In her song, Mary invites us to join her in celebrating God’s transformative work and faithfulness to God’s promises. One fascinating aspect of her song is the unexpected use of verb tenses. Although Mary sings of <future events>, she uses <the past tense>. Barbara Brown Taylor highlights this striking feature, interpreting it as an expression of profound faith. She writes, “It was all happening inside of Mary, and she was so sure of it that she was singing about it ahead of time—not in the future tense but in the past, as if the promise had already come true… She does not wait to see how things will turn out first. She sings ahead of time, and all the angels with her.” This Sunday, we are invited to sing with Mary. She sings ahead of time, magnifying the redeeming work of God, as if the promise had already come true. Let us stand with Mary as she sings with deep trust in God’s promise, as though the fulfillment of God’s plan is already a present reality.
Luke 3:39-54
December 22,2024
Pastor Jinyong
Sunday School Christmas Pageant
Join us in-person every Sunday at 9:30 for Worship service or online recording.
