WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:03.680 Church, turning your Bibles to Luke chapter 1. 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:06.879 If you need a Bible, we have some back there on the welcome table. 00:00:06.959 --> 00:00:08.720 If you don't have one, that's our gift to you. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:10.720 Just encourage people to have a Bible. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:12.160 It's a blessing to have a Bible. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:14.160 It's a good and right thing. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:24.640 You know, everyone thinks, if you have children, everyone thinks their children are special. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:29.839 They're unique, they're bright, they show promise. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:32.399 All kids are special and all those good things. 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:34.719 But my kids, like they're, there's just something about them. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:36.240 You know, they're they're special. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:37.520 And they are as parents. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:38.719 Our kids are special. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:39.759 They're ours. 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:47.039 But for the ladies in the story today in Luke 1, for Elizabeth and Mary, their babies were very special. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:49.359 I'm not saying your children aren't special. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:49.920 Okay? 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:54.000 Just saying these are very special children here. 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.439 You know, Christmas feels like a special time. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:02.000 We celebrate the first advent of Christ, his first coming. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:18.799 We look forward to his second coming, when he will return, bringing an end to this age and this rule of Satan, when all mankind, when he returns, will stand before God and give an account for the days that they were given on earth. 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:24.000 The days we have been given are a blessing. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:35.760 As Christians, we're acutely aware that at times there are difficult days, filled with frustration sometimes and struggle, suffering, and even hardship. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:46.480 And how precious and sweet it is as we traverse these days alongside godly people who love us and love God. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:51.280 What a blessing it is to fellowship with one another. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:02:16.319 As we are having children and having and raising children and getting married and going about life and burying one another, all these things, that we're doing these things together, that we might encourage one another on, and that we might model for one another what it means to be faithful to Christ, to sojourn in this life together. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:25.360 In Luke chapter 1, verses 39 through 56, we see that the blessing of fellowship as Mary and Elizabeth celebrate God's goodness. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:34.479 And then we see the blessing of faith as Mary praises God for his faithfulness to her and to his people. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:42.000 Beginning in Luke chapter 1, beginning in verse 39. 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:45.360 This is God's holy church. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:48.240 This is God's holy impressious word. 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:57.520 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:01.840 And she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:07.199 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:10.639 And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:19.759 And she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:25.840 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:33.840 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:45.280 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what has spoken, what was spoken to her from the Lord. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.919 Again, these Christmas narratives in Luke 1 and 2, they're just so familiar for a lot of us. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:58.479 If we've grown up in the church, we've been a Christian for a long time, they're so familiar. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:15.680 You know, most commentators agree this is the place where Abraham lived a long part of his life, a long time he lived there. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:22.720 This is where Sarah, who was also barren for many, many years, was buried. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:25.759 So this Judas place is a special place. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:30.240 And Mary moves with haste to go see Elizabeth. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:35.040 Now we don't know if Mary knew that Elizabeth was pregnant at this time. 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:37.439 That information isn't given to us. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:41.759 We know Elizabeth was hidden for five months after she conceived. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:44.720 Mary, we know, was also very young. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:52.160 And earlier in the text, Elizabeth, as Zechariah calls her, was advanced in years. 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:55.680 But they were relatives and they had a special connection. 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:58.079 This is the first person that Mary goes to. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.720 She goes to see Elizabeth. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:06.000 Mary was eager to share the joy, this joy with Elizabeth. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:09.519 Eager to tell her this news of what was going on. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:19.680 You know, I remember when Candace and I found out we were pregnant with our first child, Will, and this is just so much excitement, and you're excited to tell people and share the news. 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:25.920 And this, if you've had children, this is an excitement to go and declare, like, this is something that's happened for us. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:27.040 We're pregnant. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:29.199 There's a baby on the way. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.160 You don't want to keep that to yourself. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:39.439 There's this natural, significant desire to share with people, to celebrate. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:56.560 And also when life is really hard, when tragedy strikes, when suffering comes, there's a desire to weep with others, to mourn together, to have people in your life who you can suffer with and who you can rejoice with. 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:02.879 Elizabeth pronounces a blessing on Mary. 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:04.000 Several of these. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:07.839 In verse 42, blessed are you among women. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.560 Blessed is the fruit of your womb. 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:17.439 We know that children in particular are a blessing, and this child in particular was a special blessing. 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:22.240 Verse 45 says, Blessed is she who believed. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:24.720 Mary believed. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:39.439 He's then saying to Mary, Blessed are you, for you believe. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:46.959 She acknowledges Mary's belief and that Mary has taken God at his word. 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:53.759 What a blessing for Mary and Elizabeth to encourage one another. 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:56.639 Mary was very young. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:01.040 Very young, having her first child out of wedlock, as we know. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:02.639 She wasn't married. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.319 Elizabeth advanced in years. 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.040 No one thought she was going to be pregnant. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:10.800 No one thought she should be pregnant. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:15.600 These two kind of outcast stories, narratives. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:19.120 The Lord is bringing about his plan for redemption. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.439 And Mary believed him. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:25.759 She didn't say, well, what are other people going to say? 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.160 Or how's this possible? 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:30.800 With I don't know how all this is going to work out. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.160 And I just, God, can you just find someone else? 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:40.959 No doubt we know she had fears, some trepidation on Mary's end, but she believed the Lord. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:45.199 And she's able to share this with Elizabeth. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.759 What a blessing it is when there is fellowship. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:53.279 To have this kind of fellowship with other Christians. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:56.160 To be able to acknowledge. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:01.759 It's similar when two Christians are praying for a lost person. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:04.399 There's someone they know that isn't a Christian. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:11.680 And they're just praying for this brother or this or this person, praying that they would become a Christian, that they would become a brother or sister in Christ. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:13.279 And they're praying and they're praying. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:15.839 And then finally, the Lord does save that person. 00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:21.839 And the joy that happens between those Christians who've been laboring and praying and waiting. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:24.480 To celebrate that together. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.720 To see God at work in your lives. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:41.279 To be able to acknowledge his goodness. 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:49.120 To just be able to sit around the table sometimes after years of knowing people and just to recount to one another. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:51.120 It's one of the things I love the most. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:58.639 When you know people for a long time, or you've you've gone through a lot together, and just begin to recount God's goodness to you. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:01.200 Isn't it amazing that God did this in your life? 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:06.480 Remember when you were in that situation and you have you had no idea how you were going to work that out? 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:08.240 Remember when this thing fell apart? 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:09.919 Remember when your child was sick? 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:10.720 Remember this? 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:11.360 Remember that? 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:14.480 And just to recount God's goodness to us. 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.480 What a blessing it is to fellowship with others. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:21.039 To fix our minds on the things of the Lord. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:24.159 And just to remind one another of God's blessings. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:31.360 Elizabeth reminds Mary, she teaches, or she tells Mary, these blessings. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:36.240 And even for Mary and Elizabeth, they knew the prophecies. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:41.279 They knew the Old Testament teachings about the Messiah, the Messiah to come. 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:44.399 But they did not know what was ahead. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:49.919 Here, these two mothers were celebrating the blessing of life. 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:55.840 And around the same age, both of their sons would be killed. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:58.960 At a relatively young age. 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:02.960 At the hands of ruthless people. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:07.120 And they didn't know that at this time. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:12.639 But yet they trusted the Lord nonetheless. 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:22.240 We know that the Lord testified to this through John the Baptist, even in the womb, recognizing Jesus the Messiah. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:26.480 In a real sense, kind of, this is John's first prophecy. 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:33.360 He's attesting to the truth that the Messiah was in Mary's womb. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:36.320 And Mary believed God. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.679 And Elizabeth blessed her for this. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:44.960 And Mary praises God and Mary, and Mary had this faith. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:54.000 What a joy it is when you're around Christians who trust God's word. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:11:03.840 You know, it's easy for us to just be in our Christian subculture, and we know the Bible, and we believe the Bible. 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:14.159 We're doing life, you know, we're not watching the really bad things and we're not spending on lavish, crazy things, and we're trying to make sure our words are somewhat controlled. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:15.600 Those are good things. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:17.279 Those are good things. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:29.440 But a blessing when we know people who take God's word and they and they truly believe it. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:34.080 They truly believe that when God says He will provide, He provides. 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:58.399 Verse 45, and blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to, her from the Lord. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:06.480 For generations, generations and generations, people were waiting for this fulfillment. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.519 They were waiting for the Messiah to come. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:15.200 And here, this young, unmarried woman believed. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:16.799 She trusted. 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.480 She believed. 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.879 When you believe, you get to share that with others. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:27.039 And you are built up when those around you also believe. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:34.559 When those around you are looking to God's word and clinging to God's word and trusting Him, their faith rubs off on you. 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:35.840 It encourages you. 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:37.279 It pushes you forward. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:40.000 It helps you to trust God's word. 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:46.720 So as we believe and trust the things of the Lord, we're encouraging one another. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:49.840 And to the degree that we're doubting God's word. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:54.240 Or we're just half-hearted in our obedience to God. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.240 We're discouraging one another. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:02.320 Maybe not with our words or explicitly discouraging, but we definitely are with our lifestyle. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:07.759 So we need to be people who trust God, obey his word. 00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:11.039 This is a blessing of fellowship that we see. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.919 And then there's this blessing of faith. 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:26.799 Mary goes on to sing or give a praise, this song of praise, and it points to God's majesty and his love and his nature. 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.480 Verse 46. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:34.720 And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:40.159 My soul magnifies the Lord. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:42.559 What a blessing. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:47.440 I don't know where you're at in your faith, if you're a Christian or not. 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:50.879 I assume there are some here who are not Christians. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:56.320 And I want to encourage you in many ways to repent and follow Jesus. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:59.679 Not to be deceived by sin. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:09.120 Because what your soul longs to do is to magnify the Lord, to give him praise. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:20.399 If you are a Christian and you're just weary, you've been beat down, you're in a season of maybe a dry season spiritually, or a weary season. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:28.639 I just want to remind you the task that we have joyfully been given by God to glorify him, to magnify him. 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:32.559 Here, Mary believes the Lord. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:33.759 She trusts him. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:37.200 So she says, My soul magnifies the Lord. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:43.200 And she's not, this isn't a statement of arrogance or pride. 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:47.519 Well, I do actually believe God, and my soul therefore magnifies him. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:49.519 That's not what she's saying. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:57.120 She's saying, out of her insignificance, her humility, thinking less of herself. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:04.480 The Lord has promised things to her and has blessed her and she magnifies the Lord. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.240 She points to him. 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:11.360 She shines all the glory to him and not to herself. 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:19.279 And her spirit rejoices in God her Savior. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:28.320 There is something, again, life-giving, when you are around people who just continually magnify the Lord. 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:35.759 And I don't mean like just kind of fake humility, where like, oh no, like actually let's just praise God, like God's good. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:36.879 Yeah, sure. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:43.919 But people who just are magnifying the Lord, they're rejoicing in him, their Savior. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:50.080 Verse 48 says, For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:55.679 For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:00.799 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.360 Mary's just attesting to what is true. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:12.879 That the Lord has been kind to her, her, this humble woman, and no name woman in a no-name town. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:18.159 The Lord has come and showed her blessing and favor. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:25.360 And truly, truly, all generations call her blessed. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:39.120 But Mary goes on to tell us about God's nature, about who he is, his goodness, his name is holy. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:44.799 And his mercy is from those, is for those who fear him. 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:50.080 From generation to generation. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.320 Mary is a humble woman. 00:16:54.799 --> 00:17:01.200 This humility from the Lord, she's able to see these attributes from the Lord. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:07.200 You know, when we are prideful, and I don't mean like we're trying to be prideful, we're trying to promote ourselves. 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:09.680 But we're not actively seeking to be humble. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:11.359 We're not focusing on the Lord. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:12.720 We're doing those things. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:14.559 We're focusing on the Lord. 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.759 It makes us humble. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:19.440 And when we're humble, we're able to see more of who God is. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:25.440 It's like we have this vision that expands when you're humble. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:28.720 When you're prideful, you just see you see so little. 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:35.359 So little of God, so little of others, but so little of God when you're prideful. 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:44.799 But when you're humble, your vision is expanded out, and you begin to see God for more for who He is, his attributes. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:47.599 Because you're simply getting out of the way. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:52.240 You're simply moving out of the way so that you may see him more clearly. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:07.680 For some of us, we don't realize the great things that God has done for us. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:14.079 We think God's saved us, for sure, and we're thankful for that in a sense. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:20.960 But still, how shallow we can be, self-absorbed without even knowing it. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:29.920 You know, you you you watch things on TV or the news, and you you just see some people in life and they seem so self-absorbed. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:33.119 Like everything in their life just revolves around them. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:36.400 Like what they're gonna wear, what they're gonna eat, where they're gonna do their time. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:37.759 Everything is about them. 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:45.440 If they're uncomfortable, everything needs to move so that they're comfortable again, or they're happy again, or they're satisfied, or they don't feel bad. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:47.759 They're so self-absorbed. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:50.799 And we can look at that and just think that's awful. 00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:53.519 Those people are, I mean, what a miserable way to live. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:57.599 But we also are so prone to be self-absorbed. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:02.880 We're so prone to focus on ourselves instead of what the Lord has done. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:04.720 This makes us miserable. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:10.400 We get frustrated, depressed, anxious because we're thinking about ourselves too much. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:13.359 We need to focus on the Lord. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:19.119 God's nature, unlike ours, is righteous. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:21.839 His name is holy. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:27.119 He has in his mercies for those who fear him, from generation to generation. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:29.759 He has shown strength with his arm. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:35.279 He scattered the proud thoughts, the proud, the proud in their thoughts of their hearts. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:40.960 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:46.319 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:49.599 You know what is being recounted here. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:54.559 What Mary is telling is the story of Israel. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:58.960 This is God's story of God and his people. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:02.880 He's been merciful to them from generation to generation. 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:06.319 Even in the judgment he brought to them. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:08.880 We went through Ezra and Nehemiah, we talked about this. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:19.759 Even in times of judgment, when the Lord brought in the Babylonians and they destroyed Jerusalem and carried all the people away, and they lived in captivity for 70 years. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:31.519 Even through all that, the Lord was merciful to them because he was making them into his people, a holy and righteous people. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:36.559 So the Lord is faithful and he's merciful from generation to generation. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:40.000 He has shown strength with his arm. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:44.240 He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:45.839 How many times? 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:50.000 How many stories in the Old Testament do you see this happening? 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:54.559 Where God's people are outgunned, outnumbered. 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:58.799 And then there's just no way that they can get out of the grip of the Egyptians. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:00.079 It's just ludicrous. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:03.359 The Egyptian kingdom, the most powerful kingdom of the time. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:04.880 There's no way they're getting out. 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:07.759 And yet the Lord provides a way out. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:13.839 And then they're blocked in by the sea, but the Lord parts the waters so they may cross on dry land. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:16.720 And they need food and they need water, they need shelter. 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:20.240 The Lord provides, the Lord provides all these things. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.160 Again and again, he takes them into the promised land. 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:27.039 And everyone's just like giants there. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:31.039 And yet the Lord delivers them into the land. 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.599 The Lord delivers again and again. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:38.880 How faithful the Lord is. 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:48.880 This is, as we said a few weeks ago, this is a Christmas story. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:50.799 This is the Christian faith. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:59.200 That what seemed ludicrous to the world, what seemed upside down to the world, has been God's means of providing for his people. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.640 Savior of the world would come as a baby. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:13.440 That the way that those who wanted to walk with God would be made righteous was through a perfect life and death on the cross of God's Son. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:19.119 A free gift given, undeserved, to people. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:28.799 For the Lord, as verse 52 has says, He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:37.759 The Lord brings down the pride, the proudful, the prideful, those who are proud, and exalts those who are humble. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:41.680 He has filled the hungry with good things. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.960 Just think about that for a moment. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:47.200 The first part of verse 30 53. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:50.960 He has filled the hungry with good things. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:54.720 That is the kindness of the Lord. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:56.400 That is our God. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:58.160 That's what he does. 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:03.599 It says the rich he has sent away empty. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:08.400 Those who take refuge in their money. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:16.400 Those who think that their faith and their desires for their own wealth, he sent them away empty. 00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:20.720 For they have not wanted the things that God has brought to them. 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:25.200 Those who are prideful do not want the things that God has given. 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:30.960 And he has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy. 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:37.599 And as he spoke to our fathers Abraham and to his offspring forever. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:42.720 So here, Mary is recounting this brief interaction. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:47.759 I mean, this is almost like this is happening in the threshold of the door, just inside the kitchen. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:50.000 Mary goes with haste to Elizabeth. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:52.640 Elizabeth just declares these blessings. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:57.119 And Mary, out of all these things, she just begins to praise God. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:03.759 She just begins to magnify the Lord and to begin to recount all the things that He's done for His people. 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:05.839 Again, Mary was young. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:07.440 She was a teenager. 00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:14.079 She would not have had all these, just all the other years of teaching, but she knew God's faithfulness. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:16.079 She knew all the stories. 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:17.759 And she believed them. 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:20.160 And she begins to recount them. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:27.599 And what a blessing it is for our own souls to trust in the Lord. 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:34.160 And I just want to encourage you to take time, maybe today or this week, to get alone by yourself. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:42.880 Pen and paper or a pencil, and just to begin to recount what the Lord has done for you. 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:47.119 How faithful God has been to you. 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:49.599 Some of you are very young. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:51.599 And you think, I don't even know. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:54.079 Like I'm I'm not even out of high school yet. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:55.920 The Lord has been faithful to you. 00:24:56.079 --> 00:24:57.759 And you can recount those things. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:01.599 For some, you've lived many decades on this earth. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:06.640 And you can recount the ways that God has been faithful to you. 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:40.319 That you might have a song of praise, magnifying the Lord, encouraging you, and as you share that with others, encouraging them that God is faithful, that you would be a Christian of great faith, trusting God, taking him at his word, and then looking back in your life, whether it's you've been following the Lord for two years or 20 years or 60 years, that you might look back, say, look at God's faithfulness. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:44.400 It's amazing God's faithfulness. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:48.799 You think about, there's just so many stories in this room. 00:25:49.359 --> 00:25:57.039 If we had time, it would take all day and all day tomorrow just to hear the accounts of God's faithfulness. 00:25:57.519 --> 00:26:02.640 Some of you in this room, you have no business being married, but God saved your marriage. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:04.160 He saved it. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:16.559 For some of you, you've been on two or three marriages, and finally you're you, the Lord has saved you, and you're with someone that the Lord has saved, and you are enjoying a blessing that you couldn't have imagined 30 years ago. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:18.720 You couldn't have imagined 10 years ago. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.720 God has been faithful to you. 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:28.400 Some in you in this room have been just stuck in addiction year after year after year, thinking there's no hope for me. 00:26:28.559 --> 00:26:29.839 This is just who I am. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:32.079 This is just how I'm going to get through life. 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:37.680 The Lord has redeemed you and freed you from those things and brought you out of those things. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:45.039 For some of you, you are chasing the things of the world, money or success or status or something. 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:50.960 And the Lord revealed to you the emptiness of those things, the shallowness of those things. 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:52.799 He's redeemed you. 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:58.319 For some of you, you've walked through dark, dark valleys. 00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:01.519 Things that nobody else in this room knows about. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:06.000 The Lord has redeemed you, saved you. 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:11.839 For some of you, the Lord has protected you from all kinds of evil. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:18.000 He's kept you safe from all these trappings and all the death that the world brings. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:21.839 The Lord has been so kind to you. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:34.000 Church, we should be magnifying the Lord, praising the Lord for his faithfulness to us and reminding one another of God's faithfulness to us. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:36.480 For he is worthy. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:39.759 He's worthy of our praise. 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:41.759 He's worthy of our obedience. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:47.920 He's worthy of us trusting his word and sharing that with one another. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:50.240 Encouraging one another. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:59.279 Elizabeth and Mary shared this fellowship, encouraging one another, pointing to the faith that God had given. 00:27:59.920 --> 00:28:02.559 Their souls magnified the Lord. 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:05.759 Again, they didn't know what was to come. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:15.920 They didn't know the years to come, the heartache and the suffering, and the glory, and the redemption of the nations. 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:24.640 That the hope for the whole world, for all eternity, was there. 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:33.039 And God had blessed them and blessed Mary by bringing the Messiah from her womb. 00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:40.400 I just want to encourage you this morning to meditate on God's faithfulness. 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:44.000 Think about his mercy to you and his kindness to you. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:49.680 That we might walk humbly with the Lord, trusting him in all things. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:29:06.160 Again, if you are not a Christian and you're seeking to navigate this life without knowing what is true, what is truth, what's goodness, what's beauty, without knowing these things. 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:09.440 Because without Christ, it's all arbitrary. 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:11.119 Who is to say what is true? 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:12.480 Who is to say what is good? 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:14.160 It's subjective. 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:17.440 Pray that you would understand. 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:26.079 Not only is God's word true, and not only is God real, but he has made you that you might walk with him. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:32.240 Not live for yourself in rebellion to him, but that you might enjoy him. 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:42.240 Mary's rejoicing, because from her will come the Savior of the world, the one who would pay the price for your sin. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:44.720 For your sin. 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:46.880 That you wouldn't stay in your sin. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:48.640 That you would follow Jesus. 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:54.160 Repent from that, turn from it, follow Jesus and enjoy him forever. 00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:57.519 So even today, repent and believe. 00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:59.279 Follow Jesus. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:04.960 And brothers and sisters, may we not grow weary in encouraging one another. 00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:07.599 May we not grow weary in magnifying the Lord. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:11.680 May we not grow weary in rejoicing in his goodness. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:13.200 Church, let's pray.