J. Albrecht…Advent 2…December 14^th, 2025…Luke 1:46-55…Mary’s Song: Amazing Love

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; ⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

The Grace of God, the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, Amen.

INJ whose love is magnified by His sacrifice for us and even now magnifies His love through us, DFR:

December is a month of surprises. It is built into the whole idea of getting and giving gifts to friends or family that they don’t expect. When I was younger, my Mother would use codenames for all six of us boys. Names like Rudolph, Frosty, and Star. It added to the surprise factor of whose name was whose (and yes, we did try to figure it out beforehand). One year, the list of codenames was lost. She had no idea who was supposed to get what gift! You can imagine the unexpected surprise and drama we had when opening a present and not knowing if it was yours or your brother’s.

This Advent season, we are watching the surprising, unfolding drama of the incarnation. As we are now in the second week of Advent, the time of Christ’s birth is approaching. In this unfolding of the coming of Christ, we see many elements of surprise in God’s undeserved and unexpected love.

God’s surprises truly were unexpected. Last week we considered the unexpected surprise given to Zechariah and Elizabeth. In Zechariah’s Song we were reminded of the Amazing Gift God had given them. Not in the birth of John, but in fulfilling the promise of a Savior.

This morning, we consider Mary’s surprise. She pondered and wondered and thought and prayed about this whole miracle that God would bring to fruition. Though she felt herself too lowly, too unworthy, she was in awe of God’s mercy and love shown towards her, and all people.

In the Gospel of Luke, we see how the Amazing Love of God left Mary both surprised and excited. In this song, we see God’s love poured out. Mary Magnifies God and His Love. God Magnifies Us in His Love. And we are privileged to also Magnify God’s Amazing Love.

The Amazing Love of God was at work when the Lord chose Mary, of all the women in the world, to be the mother of the Savior. She didn’t deserve to be chosen for this honor; she hadn’t earned the right to bear the Christ Child. As she proclaims, God chose her out of His great mercy. Mary must have had feelings of being unworthy, unprepared, and incapable. But it was God’s grace that enabled her to say, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

When you look at your arm, you don’t think much of it. But if you zoom in, you will find a tiny protean that functions as a molecular motor. Kinesin. Kinesin are only 6 billionths of a millimeter, but without them your arm would fall off. Though they are invisible to the naked eye and hardly thought about; when they are magnified, they are highly significant.

Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” In response to God’s amazing love, Mary lit. “makes large” God’s power and presence in choosing her to be part of His plan for salvation. It was out of the norm. God’s plan for salvation had been in the works for thousands of years. But His people had stopped, “magnifying” Him. Instead, they lifted up themselves and the pride of their own hearts.

Mary could have easily magnified herself. When the angel Gabriel appeared to her, he said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”…you have found favor with God…you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus…He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.

Instead, Mary chose to magnify the Lord. Her example causes us to ask ourselves, “Who or what am I magnifying as I prepare for Christ to come?” Mary magnifies the Lord and His amazing love. To magnify the Lord means getting ourselves out of the way. It means focusing our faith and confidence on Christ, not on what we have done or can do. Yet, the truth of the matter is that often we are in the business of magnifying ourselves. Look specifically at Mary’s words in verse 51: ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

God opposes us when you or I elevate ourselves above Him and His grace. We want to take credit for our lives and how we have arrived. But we only fool ourselves! We fail to give credit to the Lord for what HE has done in our lives. God opposes that sinful pride.

Have you noticed the cameras that activate when you are at a self-checkout in the store? While they are they to record for potential shoplifters, they apparently have a psychological reason. Experts claim that seeing oneself in a mirror image fires up one’s own self-awareness and causes a reflection on morality. While it doesn’t necessarily prevent shoplifting, mirrors do show an image of our true selves.

This morning, as we look at the message of Mary’s song of amazing love, we must recognize ourselves for who we are. We are sinful human beings who, apart from the grace of God, deserve only death. God is holy, and we are not! Mary truly recognized this, calling herself a humble servant. She knew she was unworthy of all the honor God had bestowed on her. She understood that the God of grace would be sender her what she also needed – a Savior.

When we humble ourselves before God, like Mary, He gives us a song of His amazing love. Amazing love that chose us and redeemed us solely by His grace and not by what we do.

The baby promised to Mary, whom she praises with this song of amazing love, is our Savior as well. As Mary was honored by being chosen to carry the Christ-child, so also are we honored by Christ’s very presence this Christmas. Despite our year filled with pride and sins of self-sufficiency, God still loves us. More than that, He magnifies each of us with His undeserved love. We sing with Mary; He who is mighty has done great things for me. It’s hard to get more amazing than that. Even though God knows us perfectly and sees all of our sins, He still cares!

I don’t know about you, but there are many people who have very strict rules concerning when Christmas music can start being played, and when it needs to stop. Having the commercialization of the Christmas season forced upon you nonstop can make Christmas lose its spark and appeal – and it becomes worn-out and boring.

It’s not just Christmas that people get bored of, or worn-out from – many are tired of God. Their faith is routine and lacks excitement. Worship is seen as dull and boring. Eventually, they only come out of obligation at certain times of the year, like Christmas and Easter. Many people find their walk with God to be boring. Might that be because they do not understand God’s amazing love in His Son, Jesus Christ? Has God’s powerful Word been rejected in their heart and now God’s amazing love is no longer magnified?

In vs 50, Mary declares that God is not only holy but also merciful. His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation. The Lord today, and every day, extends His mercy to us. He came to us in the person of His Son to be born, to suffer and die on the cross as the criminal and sinner you and I are, to be buried and rise again on the third day, giving us the victory over our sin, the Devil, and finally death. The mercy of God isn’t dull or boring. It is new every single day. This gift of God’s amazing love – His Son, gives meaning and vitality to life because we know that we are forgiven. His amazing love gives us purpose – to live not just for ourselves, but for Him who loved us and bought us with His own blood. Truly, God magnifies us with His underserved and amazing love!

In response to God’s love, we, like Mary, magnify Him. We make Him large in our hearts and lives. We give Him praise and glory in acknowledging Him as the one who came as our Savior, who comes to us every day as our merciful Lord, and the one who promises to comes again on the Last Day to be with Him. It is easy to say, but how do we magnify God this Advent season?

In Mary’s song of God’s Amazing Love, she praises God for His care and compassion. She sings, He has shown strength with His arm; He has filled the hungry with good things; He has helped His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy. Like Mary, we praise and thank God in faith for providing for all our needs. As we look back on this past year, each of us can point to mighty deeds that God has performed in our lives. The simple things – food, shelter, and clothing; the daily care and preservation He provides – for all this and more, we magnify God’s amazing love.

When my Grandfather’s health was failing, Pastor Schaller came to visit and bring God’s Word to the family. He gave us an exercise to do in order to remind ourselves of the great blessings we have, even at a time of great loss. “My life would be perfect if only I had____.” He said, “You fill in the blank with something you already have. It truly makes you appreciate all the blessings God has already given you.

A song like Mary’s points us to God’s goodness and love so that we are moved to thanksgiving. Even if it feels like there is nothing specific to be thankful for, you can still magnify the Lord because He has forgiven you your sins and rescued you from the pit of hell for the glory of heaven. You too have a song to sing! God has considered your life, addressed your problems, and has redeemed you from your sins. He has done this for you, for me, and for all who fear His name.

How do we magnify God’s amazing love? Take note from Mary and sing the praises of Him who saved you. Magnifying the Lord means telling others about Him. When people are truly thankful and proud of something that has happened in their lives, they usually want to talk about it. Why not do the same with God!? Why not declare to the world the wonders God has done for you!?

Afterall, this is what Christmas is all about – it is sharing the love of God with the whole world. Out there, you have a world searching for the perfect gift, grasping for meaning in their life, holding onto every piece of joy they can find. Tell them about the God who gives you a reason to sing songs and give gifts. Share about the Savior who has given you purpose and unending joy! Magnify the Lord along with Mary and all the hosts of God who testify to His amazing love in Christ Jesus.

Mary was certainly surprised when God chose her to be the mother of our Savior. God’s undeserved, amazing love is often unexpected and surprising. Yet, this Advent and Christmas we magnify God for the great things He has done for us. We praise Him for the life and salvation He gives to us through His Son, who comes to us again this year. Together, we respond in thankful praise. We trust in Him to continue to bless us and give us what we truly need. And we magnify the Lord, speaking a witness to all who will listen, telling them about God’s Amazing Love. Amen.