Sermon - Life lessons from an amazing meeting between two preborn babies
Scripture Lesson: Luke 1: 39-45
Sermon: “Life lessons from an amazing meeting between two preborn babies.”
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Introduction
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As most of you know, my wife and I have
Three beautiful daughters, Naelle, Jena, and Nayla.
By the grace of God, all three of them are happy, healthy and vibrant children.
They bring a great amount of joy to our lives, and we are very proud of them (even
though they often make some noise when they come to church).
I remember my wife was about 28-30 weeks into her first pregnancy
When something very interesting happens.
One day, I touched her belly with my hand, and pressed a little bit.
Suddenly, the unborn baby started kicking the exact spot where my hand was.
I did not expect that, so I panicked, and quicky took my hand off her belly.
I was like “what did I do?”
It’s not that I was a wimp.
I was just a father in training who did not know much about babies.
And, over time, I noticed that our preborn baby or fetus would kick
Every time I pressed a specific spot of my wife’s belly.
I am sure some of you still remember the type of bond you used to share
With unborn babies during the interesting period of pregnancy.
I became curious about this phenomenon, and I learned that
Some doctors and prenatal psychologists believe that
Preborn babies may share in their mother’s emotions.
They are happy when mom is happy and anxious when mom is anxious.
Based on mothers’ reports and researchers’ findings,
Unborn babies are said to jump at certain sounds such as drums,
And start kicking when they hear certain kinds of music.
In fact, after six months of pregnancy,
Thanks to the development of their brain,
Babies are aware of the outside world, and are able to react to it.
They can hear outside noise, catch their mother’s emotions, and respond to it.
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Body
A. Elizabeth’s pregnancy background
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In the sermon’s passage we read earlier, Luke described
An amazing meeting between Mary who was pregnant and
Elizabeth who was carrying a baby as well.
Six months earlier, Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband who
Was one out of nearly 8 thousand priests in Jerusalem
Was serving in the Temple when an angel appeared to him.
The angel told him that his wife would bear a son
Whose name should be John.
His son was chosen by God to be great in God’s sight,
Convince many of his fellow citizens to repent from their sins,
And prepare the way for the Lord Jesus.
Because he and his wife Elizabeth were old,
Zechariah failed to believe the angel’s words.
In fact, there is a non-Christian religious tradition called Mandaenism.
Those people who consider John the Baptist as God’s
Most important messenger believe that Zechariah was 99,
And Elizabeth 88, at the time of his encounter with the angel.
Because he did not believe, Zechariah became mute and
Was unable to speak until the birth of his son John.
After she became pregnant, Elizabeth hid herself for about five months.
B. Mary’s pregnancy background
Friends, the Bible says in the sixth month
The same angel was sent to another home located in
Nazareth this time to meet with Mary,
A virgin who was legally married to a man called Joseph.
Mary was likely a teenager at that time because we know under Jewish law
The age for marriage was 13 for boys and 12 for girls.
Was she 14 or maybe 15? No one knows;
However, we can safely say that she was very young.
Let me say that Mary’s marriage was likely arranged by her family
And Joseph’s family who had to pay a bride price.
At that time, it was a legally binding agreement;
The newly married people were still expected to live separately.
A formal wedding ceremony would happen a year later.
After that, the woman was expected to move in with the man.
The angel came to Mary and told her that
The Holy Spirit would overshadow her,
And she would bear a son who will be the Savior of the world.
The angel asked Mary to name of her son Jesus,
And told her that he is the Son of God, and will reign forever.
But, unlike Zechariah, the highly experienced priest,
Mary, the young girl believed in the angel’s words.
C. Mary meets with Elizabeth
In his narrative, Luke says “at that time Mary got ready
And hurried to a town in the hill country.”
Friends, it likely took her between 70 and 100 miles and 3 to 4 days
To reach that unnamed city in the Jerusalem area.
Folks, here the question is:
Why did Mary rush to the home of her blood relative Elizabeth?
Given the fact that she was supposed to be secluded until her wedding ceremony,
Why was it so important for Mary to leave her home in order to be
With Elizabeth who was her cousin according to Hyppolytus of Rome?
Perhaps she was trying to save her life.
She knew that Joseph’s family who paid the bride price
For their marriage could have her killed if they learned that
She was bearing a child who did not belong to Joseph.
Maybe she wanted to avoid bringing shame on Joseph
Since his reputation would be severely damaged in first-century Israel
If her pregnancy was made public.
Perhaps Mary wanted some advice on the best ways
To handle her supernatural pregnancy.
On a more positive side, let’s say that perhaps she wanted to be there
To help Elizabeth during the last three months of her pregnancy.
(Let’s not forget that Zechariah was mute at that point).
There is even a better reason for Mary to visit Elizabeth: she just wanted to share
The good news with a family member with whom she had a close relationship.
Luke 1:46 says that upon her arrival Mary greeted Elizabeth.
Friends, it was proper custom for Mary to do that because
Elizabeth was considered her superior because of her age,
And because she belonged to a prestigious priestly family.
However, once she heard Mary’s greeting,
preborn baby John the Baptist started jumping and kicking in Elizabeth’s womb.
I hope you noticed that Mary did not even have to
Tell Elizabeth she was pregnant.
All of that was revealed to her by the Holy Spirit.
By faith, she understood that Mary was pregnant.
By faith, she knew that the young woman was bearing an Incarnate God
Who came to free humanity from the bondage of sins.
While she blessed Mary and honored her faith,
Elizabeth did something that was much deeper:
She recognized unborn baby Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
Isn’t it amazing how a meeting between two pregnant women
Turned into the most beautiful worship service?
After her blood relative finished her sermon, Mary opened her mouth
To sing one of the most beautiful songs of praise in the Bible.
She blessed the name of the Lord for choosing her to bear the Savior.
She praised God for showing compassion to those who fear God.
She lifted up God’s name because God takes care of
The poor while punishing the proud.
She concluded by praising God for keeping God’s promises.
D. Preborn-Baby Meeting
Folks, I know that the story of the passage is about
Mary leaving Nazareth to meet with her older relative Elizabeth.
But it can also be read as the story of an amazing meeting
Between preborn babies John the Baptist and Jesus.
The Bible says that little John greeted little Jesus
By leaping for joy in his mother’s womb.
You may have heard the old saying
“Our first impression is almost always right.”
In this story, there is an automatic connection between the two unborn babies.
By jumping in his mother’s womb, unborn baby John the Baptist
Shows that there was brotherly love between them.
Both give the impression that even before they were born,
Somehow they knew their destiny was tied together.
Hear me, friends. After reading this story, you may conclude
Like some biblical scholars that there is nothing supernatural about it.
They usually say something like
“Christians are over-reading a perfectly natural phenomenon.”
In their opinion, preborn baby John was leaping
because he was responding to his mother’s emotions.
Elizabeth was excited to see Mary;
So, her baby responded to it by jumping and kicking.
Brothers and sisters, I think something much deeper happened that day.
It is one of these things that go beyond our reason, and compel us
To embrace our God-given sense of wonders and mystery.
In Luke 1:15, the angel told Zechariah that his son John the Baptist
Would be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
I believe what happened between preborn babies Jesus and John
At their mothers’ meeting is a fulfillment of that prophecy.
John started his work as a prophet in his mother’s womb.
In fact, I believe there was a Spirit-filled reversal of the natural order in this case.
It is not John who responded to his mother’s emotions in this story.
Instead, it is Elizabeth who responded to
Preborn John’s emotions and put it into words.
Her recognition of Jesus as her Lord and Savior is a proof
That through the Holy Spirit John the Baptist started witnessing Jesus
And began to prepare the way for him from his mother’s womb.
Folks, there is something appealing about two babies getting along.
You and I know that when you put two babies in the same room,
They usually end up fighting.
Friends, we were created to get along, and love each other.
Genesis 25:22-26 tells a story that clearly shows
The reversal of the order of creation.
The Bible says that twins Esau and Jacob started fighting in their mother’s womb.
Well, they never got along when they grew up,
And their lives were full of family feud, deception and pride.
Friends, that amazing meeting between preborn babies Jesus and John
Broke that curse, and officially reinstated the original order of creation:
You and I were created to get along, and love each other.
E. Three Points
Church, my first life lesson from that fetus meeting is found in Romans 12:10
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
So, you and I have to love and honor each other.
We have to show this world how important it is for people to love each other.
I know too well how cynical today’s people can be about
The hermeneutics of love.
It is hard to talk about love in the face of
so much division, injustice and hatred in our society.
So, it’s hard to talk about love today.
However, as Christians we must be exemplars for this world.
We must love all people unconditionally.
The second life lesson from the meeting between
Preborn babies John and Jesus is the following:
We have to witness Christ everywhere.
John started witnessing Christ in his mother’s womb.
Folks, there is a critical missing ingredient in our Christian life
If we don’t talk about Jesus to our family, friends,
Neighbors, coworkers, and even strangers.
We must bring Jesus’ story of sacrifice and redemption wherever we are.
The third life lesson is the following:
We find our deepest joy in loving each other and witnessing for Jesus.
This may sound silly.
But, remember, John jumped in his mother’s womb in the presence of Jesus.
I am convinced that there is no true joy without God’s presence.
If we really love everyone;
If we’re willing to talk about Christ,
And invite people to come to church,
God will give us the very best Christmas gift:
The gift of hope, peace, joy and love.
Today is the second Sunday of Advent.
It’s a day dedicated to peace.
This may sound ironic because there is a big war raging in Europe right now.
We are dealing with national crises such as inflation and
Mass shootings as well as personal disappointments.
You know what, friends, have faith.
Last Sunday was about hope.
Hope is the first step towards the fulfillment of our dreams.
Friends, if we have hope, peace will reign in our lives.
The Bible says that God’s peace surpasses all understanding.
This is the peace that I am offering you today.
Believe in God. Peace be with you!
May God Bless you and your family! Amen!