Sermon on Luke 1:39-45, for the 4th Sunday in Advent, "Blessed is she who believed!"
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. In today’s reading we have a wonderful example that shows us how we’re spiritual beings already from our conception, even before natural birth. Becoming a spiritual person capable of faith and trust in the Lord is not something that occurs at some undefined point in late childhood, or even in adulthood—but from the very inception of our human life, we were created to be spiritual, believing souls. This passage stresses that faith is above all how we’re blessed by God. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. John the Baptist wasn’t a “late-bloomer” by any stretch of the imagination. He had a commission from God before his birth to be a royal messenger to prepare the way for the Lord. The angel announcing the promise of John’s birth to his father Zechariah, said that John would be “great before the Lord”…and then went on to give the surprising promise that...