Jesus Was a Born Social Reformer
Mary spoke just after the conception of Jesus, of the revolutionary impact her Christ-child would have. Her song of praise during her pregnancy is called the Magnificat from the first word in the Latin translation. This is a parallel with the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Mary shared the same feelings as Hannah who dedicated her son, Samuel, to the Lord. God was starting a revolution and starting it, as usual, in the birth of a baby!
GOD’S PERSONAL REVOLUTION. Luke 1:46-47.
And Mary said: “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.” God was working within her. She could feel the changes. Mary was the first of millions of people who believed in Jesus Christ as God’s Son, and found God was working a revolution within. That personal revolution was launched one starry night in Bethlehem. That personal revolution changed people, the conditions of the world, and their future more than anything else in all history. That baby growing within her was the One who would change the world throughout the next two thousand years. God was changing people and through them the world.
GOD’S MORAL REVOLUTION. Luke 1:46-51
“God has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.” One new translation says: “The arrogant of heart and mind He has put to rout.” Jesus was to show God’s great moral revolution in a new standard of behaviour and a new example of conduct towards each other. From now on humility was to count rather than pride, and love was to count rather than force.
The teaching of Jesus on humility was revolutionary. People are proud and arrogant. The higher up they go the more they look down on others. But when Christ comes within a person this is changed. For pride in self, and love for Christ cannot dwell in one person. When Jesus called Simon Peter, the Big Fisherman was at work. He was a good fisherman, big and strong, an acknowledged leader. He was proud of his position and reputation. Then he met Jesus! His pride cracked. He fell down on his knees and cried “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Christ came, pride went. This was revolutionary teaching: humility was greater than pride.
Christ’s teaching on love was revolutionary. Even now this is still too revolutionary for most people. Jesus said the way to treat those who hated you or persecuted you was to love them out of it. But we are too scared to try this today. He said: “You have heard that it was said ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy,’ but I say to you ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Here was God’s moral revolution: humility would be greater than pride, and love greater than might, and Mary foretold it.
GOD’S SOCIAL REVOLUTION. Luke 1:52
Mary told of a social revolution when God put “down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.” How often do you hear that the Church should stick with religion and have nothing to do with social issues, politics, or economics? God does not agree. God is concerned for spiritual life but also for the social and economic as well. The Prophets thundered against the evils of their day. Amos preached against cruel economic policy, drunkenness, sexual immorality, low standard housing, and the rising cost of living for the poor. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God based upon love, not the kingdoms of rulers based upon force. His was the way of peace.
With Jesus came God’s great social revolution. My Theological College Principal Mr. E. Lyall Williams said: “The witness of the Church includes the task of prophetic witness in the case of wrong, of declaring the will of God in personal and domestic affairs, and also no less clearly in our corporate life as nations, in business, politics, culture, and religion.” Our world needs God’s word. When we give to Caesar what is his, and to God what is due to Him, we will cause a social revolution in the society. We reject politics which throws people on the scrapheap unemployed. We reject racial prejudice. We reject both socialism and capitalism. God intends a new social revolution.
GOD’S ECONOMIC REVOLUTION. Luke 1:53.
Mary said: “God has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” In a secular society each is out to get what he can for himself. A Christian society is one where no-one dares to have too much while others have too little. God’s economic revolution aims at creating a society where we all are our brother’s keeper, where we share each other’s burdens, and help the needy.
A Christian society gives food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, hospitality to strangers, companionship to the sick, comfort to the prisoners, and love to our neighbour. These things can be done by each of us now. God’s economic revolution has already seen much achieved, but there is still much to do.
GOD’S SPIRITUAL REVOLUTION. Luke 1:54-55.
Mary further said: “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.” He still blesses us. Under Christians who have believed these revolutionary things, many immoral practices of the community have stopped, infanticide has ended, slavery is outlawed, hospitals, schools, missions, factory acts, pensions, sick benefits – almost every improvement in the moral, social, and economical realm of the last 2000 years has come from the work of crusading Christians.
The church needs to be recalled to its revolutionary charter. We need to be rebellious against unemployment, poverty, homelessness, racism, sexism, immorality of every kind. God’s will is for revolutionary social changes. Mary saw her infant holy would be the means of radical change for the better. We must work with Him for the changes.
