Mary Taught Jesus About Moral Justice

Luke 1:46-56
We are looking at what Mary taught Jesus; and we are basing our thoughts on the Magnificat where Mary speaks freely about her passions and her beliefs. It would be reasonable to assume that God would have picked someone to be the mother of His Son; someone whose heart, soul, mind, and spirit, were compatible with His own. In fact, the contents of her song are reflected in the overall message in Luke’s entire gospel. E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist missionary to India in the first half of the 20^th century has called the Magnificat “the most revolutionary document in the world.”

The first thing we saw was that she taught Jesus, to obey whatever God said to Him without question, and whatever the outcome to praise Him (vv. 46-49). In v. 51, she taught Jesus to be passionate about…

Moral Justice

Like the entire Jewish community, Mary was aware of the Pharisees and how proud they were of their adherence to their system of rules and regulations. She knew how they would parade around town in their expensive clothes and condemn those who did not rise to their standard of piety. She saw how they aimed their vilest vitriol at the alcoholics, the prostitutes, and the traitorous tax collectors. She saw their pride, and knew that pride was sin.

Mary expressed in the Magnificat that God will oppose and scatter the proud. As Jesus was growing up, I can imagine her saying to Jesus, “remember son, men look on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Whenever you see someone who is seeking to live a godly life, be kind to them and teach them of Jahweh. And remember, Jesus, no matter how popular you become, or if people may want to make you king, keep a humble spirit, and let God lift you up.”

During His ministry, Jesus spent large chunks of time with those who were seekers of God. He found them among the prostitutes, the drunks, the tax collectors, and various other social outcasts. He patiently answered their questions, he ate and drank with them, he laughed and cried with them, and they were transformed by Him. They loved Him and followed Him. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were very critical of Him.

Over the last several decades, our society has been slipping away from a time when social convention was defined by the Scriptures. As our culture becomes increasingly secular and morally permissive, the Church has tended to express disapproval and shun the offending segments of society.

Don’t get me wrong. There are many things in our society that run counter to biblical teaching. I am also certain, that Jesus disapproved of the lifestyles of His audience – but He lived among them, loved them, and taught them a better way. John the Apostle said it best, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). Jesus didn’t separate Himself from them and criticize them; He embraced them in order to win them to Himself. He also told them, and us by extension, that just as the Father had sent Him, He was sending us.

If Jesus were here, what would He do?

If Jesus were here, how would the Church react to His ministry?

How do we love and embrace the lost in our communities without endorsing their way of life?

Mary Taught Jesus the Importance of Obedience and Praise

Luke 1:46-56

Mary was in a very real and potentially dangerous situation. She was an unwed expectant mother. The Jewish Law called for young women in that condition to be stoned to death. It would have been easy for her to focus on the social stigma and the personal danger, but instead she kept her attention on what God had said and what he was doing in her life.

Although parental responsibilities are more gender equal today, Mary’s duties as a mother were certainly no different than those of her peers. She wiped her baby’s tears, fed him, whispered hope in his ear, taught him, sang songs to him, and changed his diapers. As he grew, I’m sure she assured him of her love, taught him, nurtured him, and watched over his play, like mothers everywhere.

On a deeper level, there were issues that were important to Mary? What did she teach Jesus during His formative years? God certainly chose her for a reason. It would be reasonable to believe that God would pick someone to be the mother of His Son, whose heart, soul, mind, and spirit, were compatible with His own.

We don’t have many clues, but in Mary’s Magnificat she gives us a small window into the heart and mind of this remarkable teenager who was no older than sixteen or seventeen years old. Her Magnificat has many beautiful and significant sides, all of which belie the age of its author. E. Stanley Jones, the great Methodist missionary to India in the last century has called it “the most revolutionary document in the world.” In it, she speaks freely about her beliefs, her values, and her passions. The first thing she taught Jesus was to…

Obey and Praise Yahweh (1:46-49)

Mary arrived at Elizabeth’s home soon after the angel’s announcement to discover that Elizabeth was six months pregnant. As Elizabeth greeted Mary, she burst into song, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” She was an illiterate maiden out of a poor town in the backwaters of Galilee. She realized that God, the Holy One of Israel, had given her a place in history, and she praised Him for His kindness to her, and His holiness. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months.

At the end of her time there, she went home to face whatever would happen to her. In the meantime, God had already spoken to Joseph. When she arrived in Nazareth, he took her into his home as his wife. She learned that if God calls, no matter how difficult it may seem, no matter how bleak the future may look, God is working behind the scenes to bring His will to pass in our lives.

So, as Mary was raising Jesus, she taught Him to listen to the voice of God and to stay true to God’s direction no matter what cost. I can hear her repeat over and over, as Jesus was growing into a young man, “Jesus focus on God’s voice and His plan for your life, listen to Him, praise Him, and do what He says no matter what might happen.”

Many times in Jesus’ ministry this advice can be observed. At no time was it more evident that Jesus found joy through obedience than in the upper room following the Last Supper. Only hours before His crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” He not only speaks of His joy, He tells them His joy will make them complete. Then in He prays in John 17, “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” Jesus was experiencing a joy that wasn’t linked to His circumstances, but to doing the will of His Father.

William Law writes, "Do you want to know who the greatest saint in the world is? It’s not he who prays most or fasts most; it’s not he who gives the most, or is most eminent for justice, but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it."

The first thing we read that Mary taught the young man Jesus is that true joy comes through listening to and obeying what God says. One of the secrets of being a credible alternative to the dominant culture is our personal commitment to obey and praise God in all things.

If Christians everywhere were to concentrate on living out obedience and praise to God, as Jesus did, what could He do through His Church?

Churches full of genuine praise to God seldom die.

  

Connecting Culture and Ministry - Some Worldview Tendencies to Consider

The Role of Authority and Social Control [i] [ii]

The issue of who has authority, and how power is exercised also varies from culture to culture. Here again, the distribution of authority in the rest of the world, can often be quite similar, particular in contrast to North American perceptions. The charts here show two categories, "American," and "Contrast-American." There are, certainly, exceptions to these generalizations. They are used, however, to underscore the possible cultural barriers which might occur, when two cultures interact.

It was my responsibility at Cambridge First, as host pastor, to keep everything running smoothly. When we first arrived, if one church wanted to use a space used by one of the other churches (on exception), that pastor would come to me for a decision. I would direct that pastor to work it out with the other congregation. Only once in eight years was it necessary to call a meeting to work it out. Everyone showed an amazing spirit of cooperation.

The Decision-Making Process

The decision-making process is an additional part of the 2^nd degree of separation. Again, North American decision-making differs from that of most other cultures. These differences are, to a large degree, built upon the perception of the role of authority in the culture. The table above gives us some examples to illustrate a few of these perceptual differences. There are, as always, individual differences. However, the church that is interested in reconnecting will disregard them at its own peril.

The Nature of Property

The nature of property also varies from culture to culture. What is property? To whom does it belong? In North American culture, private ownership is seen as an extension of one’s self. In many other cultures, property is more than likely to have a "natural" use, regardless of ownership. This is one example that is illustrative of our decision to allow unused space in Cambridge to be available to all. The effort was to make certain that everyone would feel as though the building belonged to them.

An immigrant from a particular country was seen picking fruit from a plum tree that was hanging over the sidewalk in my friend’s front yard. My friend was upset about it, until I asked him if he planned to use the fruit. He said no. I explained that in his neighbor’s country, as in many countries, fruit trees belong to the community, and his fruit would be put to good use and not wasted. He seemed to accept that.

In a Two-Thirds World country, a number of squatters moved onto some pasture which bordered on a main road. The land belonged to a missionary school. The missionaries had not built on the road, because they did not want the students to be subjected to the "bad influences" of the people living on the side of the road. The North American missionaries, who ran the school, went to court to remove the squatters. The judge ruled that the squatters had a right to remain on the land. What was more, he ruled that after five years, the squatters could also use the rest of the pasture. His reasoning was that the "natural" use of the land was for living and not pasture, because it adjoined the main road. The missionaries were distraught. Losing the use of that portion of their property was the same as having it stolen.

The enculturation process provides the cultural filters out of which come stereotypes, perceptions, traditions, customs, urban legends, and superstitions. We do not have to be captive to them, but we must fight them if we are to overcome them.

Socio-Economic Distance

This third degree of cultural separation represents a further distance in bridging cultural difference. Bringing the classes together in one congregation, particularly Protestant churches can be difficult. Although it has been done, one could argue that class may be even more difficult to bridge than race. The issue at stake here is feeling at home. When it has happened, in most cases, race had also been bridged before class.

Language Difference

Language is the fourth degree of cultural separation. When there is no easy way to communicate, language becomes the most difficult distance to bridge. Even with translation, language confusion can create all kinds of communication problems. These differences can be most noticeable, when churches share facilities. It is not practical to walk around with a translator at one’s side. In our multi-congregational structure, I was blessed with our four congregations and a large Chinese Bible study group. It was always possible to communicate with the pastors and leaders who shared the building with us. In my eight years at Cambridge, we always found a way to communicate. It is always good when everyone, to at least to some degree, speaks the same language. During that time there was never an angry word spoken, at least in my hearing.

What are your experiences when ministering to other cultures?

 

 

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[i] Adapted from material by Edward Steward, who wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Jasper Ingersoll, Department of Anthropology, Catholic University to the development of this table.

[ii] Adapted from my book “Reconnecting the Church: Finding Our Place in Complex Culture.”

Connecting Culture and Ministry - Deductive & Inductive Reasoning

Inductive AND Deductive Reasoning [i]

A further contrast that can create cultural dissonance is the way people process information. Cultures that think deductively are most often influenced by the scientific method.

In the Western world, modernity and most of its scientific advancement have been powered by deductive reasoning.  It is the way those educated in western schools and universities think. It also becomes the basis upon which most decisions are made. It should, then, come as no surprise that church members think in the same way. It could also be said that the children of immigrants who have gone to school in the West, will also tend to think predominately in this fashion.

One begins with what one has learned, and then thinks about how that knowledge might be extended. A theory is formulated. Then a specific hypothesis is devised to test that theory. The hypothesis is tested, and the data that result are examined to determine whether there is a confirmation of the original theory.

Inductive reasoning works in the opposite manner. One begins by making an observation. Observations are catalogued, and when one sees regular occurrences over time, one moves from those specific observations by discovering broader patterns. On this basis, a tentative hypothesis is formulated that one can explore. In consideration of the previous data gathering process, the investigator finally arrives at a general conclusion or a theory.

One can see how these two ways of thinking and forming conclusions might lead to misunderstanding. Inductive reasoning, by its very nature, is more open-ended and exploratory, especially in the beginning. Stories tend to be inductive in nature. In cultures that are inductive, narrative will most often trump logic, and need will often trump rules.

Deductive reasoning, on the other hand, is narrower in scope and is concerned with testing and confirming hypotheses. Cultures that think deductively will more often refer to bylaws and agreements. When an immigrant culture that is predominantly inductive and an American congregation are occupying the same building, this factor alone can get in the way of understanding.

Just to know how a particular culture comes to conclusions will go a long way to help one better to understand the world of many immigrants. Such knowledge can be very helpful when two cultures minister side-by-side.

Understanding can become the basis for loving and long-lasting cross-cultural relationships. For example, at Cambridge First Church of the Nazarene, four congregations and a large Chinese ministry worshipped together during my 8-year tenure in harmony and cooperation. Each of the leaders, to their credit, were nothing but cooperative.  We met regularly and did three things: a) we worked through any concerns each church might have, b) we updated the schedule as to the allocation of space and time in the building, and c) we planned events where we would come together for combined services and activities. Everything we decided was by consensus.

How do the people to whom you minister process information?

How do the people you want to minister to process their information?

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[i] Adapted from my book “Reconnecting the Church: Finding Our Place in Complex Culture.”