In Luke chapter one an angel appears to an elderly priest called Zechariah & then to a young betrothed woman called Mary. Both are unexpectedly promised a miracle son! Zechariah's son would become the forerunner of the Christ & Mary's Son would be the Christ himself. This sermon contrasts the very different responses of Zechariah & Mary to God's plan. Zechariah doubted & Mary believed, & yet God in his grace still fulfilled his word to both. 

It's clear from Mary's song she treasured the written word of God & it's equally clear from the wider Christmas story how deeply she treasured Jesus the Word who became flesh!  When the shepherds came to visit Jesus they shared what the angels had told them about him. It says in Luke 2:19 “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” She treasured everything that was said about Jesus & in the same way we ought to treasure everythig the Bible tells us about Jesus! This is how true Christian devostion grows. While Mary is an example of true devotion to God she is not the hero of the story. The hero is the One who lived within her, the One she treasured, the One she always pointed to!

 ​Reading: Luke 1:46-55; 2:19