Micah 5:2-5a; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-55
Introduction
Journey with me back in history to meet a young lady, not of special birth or family, unremarked among her peers, who receives a declaration that would change the course of history and be full of grace. The angelic pronouncement in Luke 1 inaugurates the long-awaited greatest event in redemptive history, God becoming flesh. This is the moment that Elizabeth exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This statement comes out of the interplay of promise, fulfillment, and praise of thanksgiving to the mysterious incarnation.
Let me share with you three key points in today's message:
1. The Promise Arrowed at Bethlehem
Micah anticipates a ruler from the small town of Bethlehem "whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2). This ruler, though born in humility and obscurity, carries eternal authority and will Shepherd the world in the strength of the LORD. The promise of the humble birth, whose beginning is from ancient of days, and with sovereign rule anticipates the paradox of Christ, the Messiah, born in meekness, reigning in everlasting peace. The Messiah as Shepherd–King theme foreshadows the incarnate Christ who “shall stand and Shepherd His flock” (Micah 5:4; cf. John 10; Psalm 23). Micah’s prophecy grounds Jesus’ birth not as an isolated miracle but as the long-expected culmination of covenant history.
2. God’s Will: The Body Prepared
The book of Hebrews reframes the old sacrificial system, saying, God, You [God] have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (Hebrews 10:8), but an obedient life offered in the body of Christ. Quoting Psalm 40, the Hebrews writer declares that God prepared a body for the Son so that through obedience, the Messiah would accomplish redemption once for all (cf. "seed of the woman" Gen. 3:15). The "Body Prepared" here connects directly to the incarnate Christ, the fruit of Mary's womb. This tells us that Christ’s humanity is not incidental but a prepared body necessary for faithful obedience leading to atonement. The incarnation promised in Micah is revealed as God’s own will to dwell among and redeem humanity.
3. The Magnificat
Elizabeth's proclamation is in acknowledgment of God's blessings on Mary and “the fruit of your [Mary's] womb,” which is none other than the Messiah. Her use of the Greek word "kurios" (LORD) echoes divine titles in Scripture, affirming Jesus’ identity.
Mary’s response with the Magnificat, a hymn of covenantal rejoicing, echoes Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2, recounting God’s mercy to the humble, reversal of worldly powers, and fulfilment of promise. It is theological and prophetic, God "has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed." (Luke 1:48). God exalts the lowly, fills the hungry, and grants mercy to His children.
The Reformed Tradition
Does the reformation reject the role and place of Mary, the blessed among women? In fact, the Reformed tradition affirms both the centrality of Christ and the proper place of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the narrative of redemption. John Calvin noted Mary as a “treasure of grace” whose faith exemplifies obedient reception of God’s word, while rejecting excessive veneration of her, detached from Christ alone. Calvin writes that in Mary’s song, we see “abundant expression of thanks for God’s mercy… and understanding of the application of redemption for God’s people,” teaching us to focus on God’s mercy rather than on Mary herself.
Karl Barth, another Reformed theologian, affirms the necessity of acknowledging Mary as the Mother of God within Christ’s incarnational reality, while cautioning against elevating her beyond her role as a faithful believer. Barth points to in Luke’s narrative that Mary is blessed because she has believed the word of God given to her.
What does it mean for us to proclaim “Blessed is the fruit of your womb” today? It means first acknowledging that the blessing comes not from human merit but from God’s gracious initiative. Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled affirmation and Mary’s faithful response model the posture of the covenant people who recognize God’s work and respond in faith. Hebrews reminds us that true obedience emanates from Christ, whose body was prepared to accomplish salvation. We join Mary in magnifying the Lord when we sing Presbyterian hymn 225, stanza 5;
Jesus, my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
In a world that measures blessing by power, wealth, or achievement, Scripture calls us to see blessing in God’s faithful fulfilment of promise and in Christ’s obedience unto death. Our call is to bear witness to the incarnate Lord, who is the true "fruit of the womb" offered for our salvation, and to live in the joy and obedience that his coming brings.
Conclusion
“Blessed is the fruit of your womb” becomes for us a proclamation of Christ’s blessedness and a summons to faithful response. The Scriptures consistently direct our gaze to Christ, the promised ruler, the obedient Son, and the mercy of God made flesh for our sake. May our hearts echo in Mary’s words, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” and may our lives bear the fruit of faith that rejoices in God’s salvation. Amen!
