Magnify Jesus

We are going to do something a little bit different for the next few weeks.

We are going to take a pause from our current series in Ecc, and take a journey through the life of Jesus.

This is by no means a thorough look at Jesus’ life and work, it’s more like a fly over.

We are going to look at the stories in the Gospel of Luke that highlights Jesus’ life and ministry.

This week we are going to look at Mary’s and Elizabeth’s reaction to Jesus’ conception.

So we will be in Luke 1:39-56.

Next week we will look at Jesus’ first sermon in Luke found in Luke 4:14-30.

And on Easter Sunday we will look at Luke’s account of the Resurrection in Luke 24:1-27.

In order to understand what’s we are going to be looking at in Luke 1:39-56 today I am going to have to lay a little ground work as to what has happened in the previous 38 verses.

I’m planning on eventually preaching through Luke’s gospel, so I’m not got to give extensive background, but we do need some insight to what’s happening.

Luke is writing this gospel for a man name Theophilus.

This man is wanting confirmation that what he has learned about Jesus is true.

So is Luke goes on an extensive mission to discover what actually happened in Jesus’ life, and at the same time Luke is making theological statements through what happens.

The gospel opens with the telling of two humanly impossible conception stories.

The first one is an elderly couple Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Both of them are older and haven’t yet had any children.

They are both descendants of Aaron and Zechariah is a priest.

While doing his duties in the temple he is visited by an angel.

This angel announces that they are going to have a son named John.

An impossible situation much like Abraham and Sarah in Genesis.

But God made a promise and he is going to follow through.

The second conception is more well known to us and it is Jesus’ conception.

Mary and Elizabeth were cousins, making Jesus and John cousins on their mother’s side.

And both the conception of John and the conception of Jesus were impossible by all human standards.

But God orchestrated and caused each pregnancy to happen.

God had made promises about the coming of the Messiah, about a savior who would come to fix what humanity in their sin and rebellion had broken.

These two children were going to be the ones to fulfill this promise.

John as the herald of Jesus.

and Jesus as the savior of the world.

This is a time of great joy and excitement.

A time of praise and singing.

A time of worship and wonder.

At time to magnify the Lord.

And that’s what we are going to see in this mornings text, but before we get there, let’s pray.

Luke 1:39–40 CSB

39 In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40 where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

Joy of Redemption

After Mary receive information about her miracle child, she went to go and see here cousin Elizabeth.

I want you to know that this wasn’t a quick journey.

For Mary to travel from her home to Elizabeth’s home was between 80-100 miles.

This would have taken a few days.

But she hurried out there to see her cousin.

Why would Mary want to go see Elizabeth?

B/c she knew Elizabeth was pregnant.

In Luke 1:36, Gabriel the angel told her “36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless.”

These two cousins were going to share a similar story.

They were both pregnant in the most magnificent, mysterious, and impossible ways.

Elizabeth would believe Mary’s pregnancy b/c she has had her own miracle.

The reunion of these cousins was something special.

Luke 1:41–45 CSB

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! 43 How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”

Joy of Redemption

Upon hear Mary’s arrival, notice who was the first to react.

It was John in the womb.

John leaped inside of Elizabeth.

The Baby in the womb new something amazing was happening.

And after John’s excitement, Elizabeth was filled with the HS.

This is an interesting detail.

Earlier in Luke, Gabriel tells Zechariah, John’s father, that

Luke 1:15 “15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.”

And here we see John reacting to Mary, b/c the HS granted him knowledge that would have been impossible to know outside of Divine Revelation.

John’s leap for joy prompted by the HS is then followed by Elizabeth being filled with the HS as well.

John’s ministry in the world was to prepare the way of the Lord, and even in the womb of his mother he was fulfilling his purpose.

His leaping at the greeting of Mary prompted Elizabeth to respond.

Mary hadn’t revealed the pregnancy and she was still early enough not to be showing.

So the only way that Elizabeth could have known is if the HS had revealed it to her.

But that wasn’t the only revelation that was occuring here in this meeting.

Elizabeth cried aloud “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed.”

This crying aloud or in a loud voice is a phrase used to describe an inspired utterance.

Meaning that the words she was speaking were not merely her own words, but were words inspired by the HS upon her.

Mary was blessed b/c of the child she was carrying.

In the Jewish mind at the time of Jesus, “a woman’s greatness was measured by the greatness of the children she bore” therefore, the mother of the Messiah or Lord will surpass all other women in her blessedness.

Her blessedness was fully b/c of the child she was carrying.

It wasn’t b/c of her own merit.

Or her own faith, but simply b/c she was chosen by God to carry Jesus.

I want us to also see Elizabeth’s response.

She showed an extreme amount of humility and awe at the fact that she was chosen to participate in God’s plan.

Luke 1:43 “43 How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

Elizabeth was awestruck that Mary would come to visit her.

She was amazed that God would choose to use her.

There wasn’t any sense of hostility or envy in Elizabeth, who in her own right was participating in a miracle through her pregnancy.

Rather she was rejoicing simply b/c she was chosen to play a part in the history of God’s redemption.

And let’s not overlook this phrase in v.43, Elizabeth calls Jesus “my Lord.”

This is a big deal.

Elizabeth is making a statement here that Jesus is indeed the Lord and Messiah.

He is the chosen one of God.

And he hasn’t even been born yet.

He is still developing in the womb of his mother, at the very early days of pregnancy.

Many of us tend to think that it was Peter who was the first to recognize Jesus’ lordship and Messiah-ship, but here we read that it was Elizabeth who recognized it first.

This is no small thing either.

In the Greek Translation of the OT, the Greek word Kyrios is used as the Title of YHWH or the name of God in the OT.

So Elizabeth is equating this baby in the Womb not just as the Messiah, but also as the Creator of All.

As God incarnate.

God in the flesh.

We also have to recognize that this is only b/c the HS has given Elizabeth this knowledge.

This isn’t something that she could have known on her own.

She needed the HS to give her this revelation.

And this is also what is true for people today.

They can only recognize that Jesus is Lord if the HS grants them this understanding.

There is no way for some one to understand who Jesus is apart from the revelation of the HS.

And with this revelation of who Jesus is Comes Joy?

Elizabeth says that the baby in her womb leaped for Joy.

John knew the joy that Jesus brings.

The joy of redemption.

The joy of salvation.

The joy of reconciliation.

The joy of restoration.

John and Elizabeth both had the proper response to Jesus.

and that response was Joy.

How are we to respond to Jesus’ Advent.

His coming to earth.

We respond with Joy.

We rejoice that Jesus came.

Because in order for him to die and save us from his sins he had to come and live the life we couldn’t.

As we enter into the Easter season we have to know that the resurrection starts at the incarnation.

That is, salvation begins when Jesus is conceived.

Without Christmas there is no Easter.

So we rejoice with John and Elizabeth at the coming of our Lord.

Knowing that each of us who is in Christ is have access to the source of Joy.

So knowing Jesus should spring up a well of gratefulness, joy, and gratitude for what Jesus has done for us.

And we’re going to see this play out in how Mary responds to all that is happening.

Luke 1:46–49 CSB

46 And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.

Magnify The Lord

There is beauty in the words of Mary here in these opening verses of her song.

From the very depths of her being she is awestruck that the God of the universe would choose her.

It isn’t just her words that are meant to magnify the lord.

Her soul and spirit.

Her essence and her being see the beauty in the Salvation of the Lord.

And much like John and Elizabeth, the reality of the Christ-Child causes her to rejoice in the Salvation provided.

Mary is praising God b/c he has chosen her to play a part in his Grand plan of redemption.

If you’ll think back to earlier in the service, we read 1 Sam 2:1-10, about a woman named Hannah.

Hannah was a special woman in the history of Redemption too.

She was barren and wanted to have a child too.

Now, Hannah made a bargain with God.

If he would give her a child she would offer the child in complete service to God.

This child became a prophet and judge over Israel.

His name was Samuel.

One of the cool things about Mary’s song is that it mimics closely Hannah’s song.

There’s a lot of talk about God providing salvation, the first being last, and the sort in both Songs.

Now even more amazing than that is that the Song Mary is singing here was composed by Mary and influenced by her knowledge of Scripture.

Mary was well versed in Scripture.

She understood the biblical story.

She knew here bible, that’s why she was able to construct such an amazing Song.

But even more than that, Mary at the time she was pregnant with Jesus, was a teenager.

She was probably around 15-17 years old.

And she had a profound knowledge of God’s acting throughout history.

About his Word revealed to his people.

So this young teenage girl, is pregnant with the Son of God and has a rich knowledge of God’s actions and words in history.

I think it’s interesting that we don’t have as high a view of our teenagers as God does.

We believe that they are too young or incapable of understanding the deep things of God.

But here we see Mary a humble teenager have a profound understanding of God’s Word and his work in history.

And one of the reasons for that is that it was essential to the Jewish people to teach and train their children in the things of God.

God instructs them to.

Deuteronomy 6:3–9 CSB

3 Listen, Israel, and be careful to follow them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly, because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.

Magnify The Lord

So I want to posit a challenge to you parents who don’t think that your kids can understand or comprehend God’s Word, to lean into that and push them to learn and grow in the knowledge of God.

Which means that you are probably going to have to also lean into and grow in a deeper knowledge of God and his Word.

Kids and youth are smarter and more capable then we tend to give them credit for.

We see that in the person of Mary.

She knew the stories.

She knew the promises so when the time came for God to fulfill those promises she was ready.

But notice she didn’t become self-absorbed in God choosing her.

She knew and feared the Lord so even though he chose her she didn’t get self consumed.

It was his favor on her that caused him to chose her.

Not anything that she had done.

Not based on any of her merit alone.

It was God’s grace and favor that chose Mary.

She even acknowledges in this song her humble state. in v. 48.

She was of low status by the standards of this world.

She wasn’t magnificent in any capacity.

She was a lowly teenager and God chose her to make an impact on the world.

Such an impact, in fact, that people for generations to come would look back on her and see the beauty and humility she exhibited.

Generations have called her blessed v.48, but why is she blessed.

V.49… “b/c the Mighty one has done great things for me”

Her blessedness was b/c of God’s action in her life not b/c of anything she had done.

I want us to see that Mary, though she had the incredible privileged of carrying Jesus, points past her blessedness to God.

Her desire is for people to look at and Magnify the Lord.

And she does through her own Magnification of the Lord.

She is saying to future generations that though she was granted this great purpose that it’s not about her.

It’s all about God moving in history.

None of us will ever get to raise the Son of God as Mary did.

We will never be remembered in the same way that Mary was.

But we can learn from her humility.

That regardless of the good things that God has done in our lives it was never about us.

It was always to point past ourselves to the grace, mercy, and kindness of God.

Our lives and all the grace and goodness that God gives us is never b/c of our own Merit, but simply b/c of his goodness.

He is worthy of worship simply b/c of who he is and not because of what he gives.

He is holy, perfect, set apart and the fact that he condescends into human history and interacts with us is amazing.

The fact that He chooses any of us to participate in his mission and redemption of the world should cause us to take a step back and worship him.

Many times we can get into the mindset that God needs me to do this or he needs me to do that, but the reality is he doesn’t need you.

He doesn’t need your talents.

He doesn’t need your money.

He doesn’t need your gifts.

Instead he chooses you to walk along side him.

He chooses you to follow behind him and participate in what he is doing.

And we really have to grab a hold of that truth.

God didn’t need Mary.

God Chose Mary.

God doesn’t need you.

God chose you.

So the proper response is humility, awe, and worship.

Mary can have the proper perspective b/c she knows that God’s work in history doesn’t end or begin with her.

He had to bestow his grace on his creation for centuries for this specific time to come.

Luke 1:50 CSB

50 His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.

God’s Mercy

Mary’s proper perspective of God’s Mercy comes from the history she knows.

From How God has revealed himself in his scriptures.

Deut 10:21 “21 He is your praise and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awe-inspiring works your eyes have seen.”

All through the generations God has steadied his hand against the Israelites for his specific purpose.

And that purpose was salvation through Jesus Christ.

I want us to see though that his mercy is aimed toward a specific set of people.

His mercy is for those who Fear Him.

Those who recognize who he is.

Those who worship him rightly b/c of his status before them.

There is one way to receive God’s Mercy and his grace and it is through fearing him.

Knowing that you are a sinner who deserves Judgement that you are not made right with God b/c of the things you have done.

That only God can make you right with himself.

You have to believe and trust in him and his word.

You have to hold fast to God’s goodness and grace.

You have to believe that Jesus died to cover your sins and that he was raised again.

Mercy is for those who rightly see God as the sole actor in salvation history.

Those who fear and trust in him.

This is an important factor for us to see b/c Mary is about to praise God for his upside down kingdom.

Where he flips the script on societal norms and props us the downtrodden and hurting.

But this mercy only comes to those that are found in the kingdom of God.

Those who fear the Lord.

Let’s look at what is says.

Luke 1:50–53 CSB

50 His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him. 51 He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

Upside Down Kingdom

God takes what is powerful and makes it weak.

He takes the proud and makes them humble

Those in power he over throws and overcomes.

The hungry are fed and the full are pushed aside.

Now this may all sound like bad news for those of us who have power and influence.

For those who have a modicum of wealth.

For those of us who have never known what it means to be truly hungry.

But the people described in this song are those ones who cause oppression.

That are selfish and ignore the calling of God.

They are the ones that stand in opposition to God.

They reject his authority.

They mock and scoff at the work of the Lord.

If you rightly fear God you are blessed.

That’s the caveat here.

The ones who God humbles is the one who does not fear God.

The ones who are judged and found wanting are the ones who Fear God.

This is important for the theme of Luke’s Gospel.

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Mary is constructing the reality of Jesus’ Ministry to come.

Jesus came to heal the sick, free the captives, to save the lost.

He didn’t come to chase after people who thought they had it all together.

He came to the broken hearted, the outcast, the lost, lonely, and hurting.

So Mary’s song is looking forward at what is to come through Jesus.

But why? How can she look forward to God’s work?

B/c she starts by looking backward.

Again, she knows here bible.

The phrase “he has done a might deed with his arm” would immediately cause readers and hearers to recall God’s act in history.

She doesn’t say he will do, but he has done.

The events in the past inform the events in the future.

Mary knows that she can trust God to do as he has promised, b/c he has constantly and consistently followed through with his promises.

She knows the story of her people, so she knows the character of God.

God conquers his enemies, overthrows his adversaries.

And he elevates the ones he loves.

The ones that fear him.

The ones that trust him.

The ones that he has chosen for his own plans and purposes.

And ultimately he is going to judge the wicked according to their deeds.

And he is going to judge the righteous according to their faith in Jesus.

Their fear of God.

Jesus repeats this phrase late in Luke’s gospel.

Luke 6:21 “21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh.”

Luke 6:24 “24 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort.”

Jesus came to save those who are humble.

B/c only humility can lead to faith.

If you have no humility you have no need to rely on anyone outside yourself.

You need no help.

In order to rightly fear God you need to know your need for a savior.

You have to realize your sinfulness, your brokenness.

That takes humility.

Luke: Verse by Verse The Divine Reversal (1:50–53)

The powerful and the wealthy believe the world belongs to them, and they can do whatever they like with the powerless and the poor. The sad truth is that in this evil world they can do that and more. However, God is promising that his Son will reverse these terrible injustices, but on this issue the attention does indeed go to the eschaton (the “end” of all things), for this will not occur until the second coming.

luke 14.11 “11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””

Luke 1:54–56 CSB

54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors. 56 And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

Promise Fulfilled

Again all of Mary’s assurance that God was going to set right the wrongs on earth are found in the promises he made to Abraham.

Gen 12:1-3 “1 The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

The world is going to be blessed through Abraham.

And Mary ties this all together b/c she is a descendant of Abraham.

Making the Christ Child also a descendant of Abraham.

Salvation history continues thorough Jesus.

It is found complete in Jesus.

God remembered.

God continued.

God provided.

He provided his salvation to the world through this one family that spans many generations.

It’s mind blowing to think about God’s hand in orchestrating and moving all the pieces in place that would lead to Salvation.

Forgiveness of Sin.

Luke: Verse by Verse God’s Faithfulness to Israel (1:54–55)

Mary sees in the events soon to transpire the fulfillment of the covenant promises, and for her that binds the two parts of salvation history, the old covenant and the new, into a single, united movement. There is continuity rather than discontinuity between the two aspects of God’s covenant with his people.

Because of a promise made to Abraham, you are offered salvation.

You are offered forgiveness of your sins.

You are offered new life.

Joy complete.

But in order to accept it you need to believe.

You need to know that you are a sinner.

That you need a savior.

Your not as good as you think you are.

Humility will go a long way to understanding your brokenness.

And your need for Jesus.

Repent, Turn from your sins and follow Jesus.

He deserves all your worship, honor, and praise.

Magnify him.