Let It Be According to His Word
In the barren wilderness of Lent, in the very midst of death, this Word of the Gospel — the Annunciation of Our Lord — comes seemingly out of nowhere to address itself to you, in order to give you life. In fact, it is the very Word that proceeds from the mouth of God, which gives to you the Bread of Life from Heaven: the very flesh and blood of the only-begotten Son.
And as a living icon of the Church, here is the Blessed Virgin Mary, who embodies the blessedness of faith in the hearing and receiving of this Word of God, which she ponders in her mind, treasures in her heart, and keeps within her womb.
Even more so and more intimately than St. John the Baptist, St. Mary is the crux between the Old and New Testaments, the recipient of all the many and various prophecies of old which are now fulfilled and spoken to us by her Son. For she has become the Mother of the Son of God, who is begotten of His Father before all worlds — God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God — who for us men and for our salvation has come down from heaven and, being conceived and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary by the Spirit of God, has become true Man, flesh of our flesh and blood of our blood. As He is of one and the same divine nature with God the Father from all eternity, so is He now and forevermore of the same human nature as you and all the children of man, because He is incarnate by the Holy Spirit of this Woman, your sister St. Mary, this daughter of Adam and Eve.
She has done nothing to bring it on, nothing to earn it or deserve. We are told nothing about her prior to this point, except that she was “a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David,” and that she was living in the city of Nazareth. But the Lord is with her — as He is also with you, within His Church on earth in His Ministry of the Gospel. He favors her with His grace; He blesses her with His Word and Spirit — uniquely so, of course; and yet, He also favors you and blesses you within your own callings and stations in life. Most glorious of all, He speaks to her His Word, and He gives to her His own dear Son. And so does He also speak His Word to you, and through that Word He gives to you the same Son who was conceived and born of Mary.
Oh, the power and the glory of that Word of God! That holy and almighty Word, which was in the beginning with God. That Word which was and is God the Son. That Word by which all things were made, apart from which there is nothing. That Word which here in this Holy Gospel becomes Flesh and comes to tabernacle with us, full of grace and truth! That Word of Life, which is Spirit and Truth.
That Word which, when He says, “Let there be,” then it is so, and it is very good! That Word of God which, even as it was sounding in the ears of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the same Word was being conceived in her womb, taking her flesh and blood to become His own, and thus becoming true Man.
And along with that, the same Word of God also brought forth that most amazing confession of faith from St. Mary. It opened up her lips to show forth His praise: “Let it be to me according to Your Word,” she said in humble faith.
How often shall we praise that beautiful confession and let those words ring in our ears? It could never be too often. For Dr. Luther, this confession of the faith was even more wondrous than the Incarnation and the Virgin Birth. That God should be able to create such faith in the heart and on the lips of this woman — in spite of her own sinfulness and mortal frailty; in the face of His seemingly impossible promises; in the sorrow and shame of all that she would have to suffer from the world around her; and finally in the shadow of the Cross of her dear Son — that is, indeed, a miracle of His divine grace and mercy.
Against all the assaults and accusations of the devil, the world, and sinful flesh, there stands fast that Word of God. And by that Word, full of the Holy Spirit and the Power of the Highest, there is also the faith to bow before that same Word in humility, to cling to that Word for life itself.
These things are true not only of St. Mary, but also of you, and of all the children of God in Christ Jesus. For He has spoken His Word and His seemingly impossible promises to you, as well.
He has spoken to you, poor sinner, and He has declared that He is with you. He has favored you with His gracious Word of forgiveness, and He has blessed you with His Holy Spirit unto repentance and faith, unto righteousness and holiness in the presence of His God and Father.
In the washing of the water with His Word in Holy Baptism, the Lord has called you by name — and what is more, He has named you with His own Holy Name! He has said to you that you are forgiven, and that your Baptism has now saved you. For He has thereby anointed you with His Holy Spirit — the same Holy Spirit that overshadowed the Virgin Mary and conceived the Son of God within her womb. And no less so has He united you with that same incarnate Son of God in His Cross and His Resurrection from the dead. So it is that you also are a child of the Father in heaven.
The same Word of God has said to you, again and again throughout your life, that your sins are forgiven. And that Word still does and accomplishes whatever it says. That is most certainly true when that same Word of God likewise says to you, “Take, eat; this is My Body, which is given for you,” and “Drink from this Cup, which is the New Testament in My Blood, which is poured out for you and for the many, for the forgiveness of your sins.” He speaks, and it is so!
This is the Word of God that is spoken to you. It is no less sure and certain than the Word that was spoken to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Nazareth in the fullness of time. It is no less full of the Holy Spirit and the Power of the Highest. And it is no less able to call forth in your heart and from your lips the faith to confess: “Let it be to me according to Your Word!”
When it seems impossible to believe that you are His child, that He loves you, that He daily and richly forgives you, and that He will never leave you nor forsake you, “Let it be according to His Word!”
When it feels like the entire world is against you — and even when the whole wide world really is against you: “Let it be according to His Word!”
When you are painfully aware of how small and frail and helpless you are: “Let it be according to His Word!”
When the Cross lies heavy upon you, when you are able to see and feel nothing else but pain and heartache and sadness, and when you are reduced to lowliness and nothingness: “Let it be according to His Word!”
For all the ups and downs in your heart, mind, body, soul, and spirit, the Word of God will never let you down or disappoint you. He has not lied to you. His promises are not impossible. He has spoken to you by His Son! Fear not. The Lord is with you. And you have found favor with God.
Blessed are you that believe; for there shall be a fulfillment of those things which are told you from the Lord.
In the Name + of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.