Pulpit Message Introduction for Dec.23

Pulpit Message Introduction for 4th Sunday of Advent
The fourth Sunday of Advent is also known as Mary’s Sunday. When the angel told Mary she was going to bear the child of God and call his name Jesus, Mary was troubled. She said, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” After the angel explained, she understood and said, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.
In order for God to fulfill His will, Mary did not care too much about her own reputation. In order to protect our own name we so often don’t want to do the thing that Mary did although it will benefit others.
Then Mary sang the famous song called the Magnificat saying this:
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has bought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.
Because Mary humbled herself, she saw the great works God was going to do through Jesus. This is the lesson Christians and leaders of the church nowadays need to learn--the lesson to humble ourselves and obey.

講壇信息介紹
將臨節第四主日又稱為馬利亞主日。當天使向馬利亞報信，傳遞上帝要她懷孕生耶穌的訊息時，她非常惶恐，“我是一個還沒有出嫁的閨女，這樣的事怎能發生呢？”。經過了天使的解釋，馬利亞答應了，她說：“我是主的婢女，願你的話成就在我的身上。”
為了成全上帝的旨意，馬利亞並不計較自己的名聲。多少時候，我們為了保住自己的名聲，不肯做一些有益於別人的事。
馬利亞唱出著名的尊主頌說：我心尊主為大；我靈以神我的救主為樂。因為他顧念他使女的卑微，從今以後，萬代要稱我有福。那有權能的，為我成就了大事，他的名為聖。他憐憫敬畏他的人，直到世世代代。他用膀臂施展大能；那狂傲的人正心裏妄想就被他趕散了。他叫有權柄的失位，叫卑賤的升高；叫饑餓的得飽美食，叫富足的空手回去。他扶助了他的僕人以色列，為要紀念亞伯拉罕和他的後裔，施憐憫直到永遠，正如從前對我們列祖所說的話。
因著馬利亞自甘卑微，她看到了耶穌將要施行的奇妙作為。今天的基督徒和教會領袖所當努力學效的，正是馬利亞的謙卑和順服。