2: Trusting God’s Promises (Luke 1:39-55)

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dianne Williams

ME When I went to college I met the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. The only problem was, my girlfriend didn’t appreciate that I had given that title to someone else - Tonya Morton.

My girlfriend had noticed my attraction to her and asked, “Are you attracted to Tonya?”

“I cannot tell a lie...I did chop down the cherry tree.” That night we decided to no longer date exclusively we walked into a Christian Student Union meeting. Sitting next to that girlfriend of 3 years - a wonderful lady - it is time for someone to sing...and guess who it was...

Tonya Morton! She sang, “My soul desire” by Deniece Williams:

My soul desire is to be used An empty vessel longing to be filled by You My soul desire is to serve You Lord To do your perfect will To work each day and build Your Kingdom, this is my soul desire

I was in worship when I heard a voice: “That’s the one.”

I looked around and no one that I knew was sitting beside me except my girlfriend...and I was pretty sure she didn’t say it. I left that evening pondering what I heard...was my mind playing tricks on me? I had couldn’t believe it. She was so far out of my league. We weren’t even dating. I really struggled with his because it wasn’t easy to see.

But if this WAS God…then I was taking Him at His word!

For example, I forgot my book everyday to a class we had together...so I could look on with her. We began dating and within 2 months we knew marriage was coming...but I never told her the story about the night she sang...until a year later, when I asked her to marry me.

And on June 12, 1993 - What I had heard - what God said was going to happen became reality when Tonya Morton took my last name.

So now you know WHY she married me. It took an act of God!

God has made some MASSIVE promises to me and to YOU, promises that aren’t so easy to see. For example:

To those who have repented and live for Jesus, God has promised that your sins are forgiven. But does your past still haunt you...”After all I’ve done, how can He REALLY see me as blameless, pure, & righteous?”

God promised never to leave those who belong to Him. But have you struggled to believe God is near when the circumstances are unclear?

Jesus promised to return and restore all things. But as of yet...He hasn’t. Can He be trusted?

Today we journey back into Luke’s Gospel to discover what we can learn about…Trusting God’s Promises. And since God has been faithful to fulfill past promises we have good reason to continue trusting God’s promises for the future.

PRAY

Last week you’ll remember that God promised Mary - this young girl - a virgin - that she was going to birth the King of all kings, whose “kingdom will never end.”(Luke 1:33) The angel reminded Mary that nothing is too difficult for God, and he pointed to Mary’s cousin - a pregnant senior adult - for evidence that this was true. Mary responded...

Luke 1:38 (NIV)

“I am the Lord’s servant.”

Then we put…

FEET2FAITH

and were challenged to…

PRAY IT.

Start your day praying...

“I am the Lord’s servant. Whatever You ask and whatever the cost, whatever You want is what I want. I don’t understand it all, but I trust You. Use me to accomplish your plan.”

LIVE IT.

It's one thing to say it and another thing to do it. Attempt to BE the Lord's servant throughout the day. Serve Him with each decision & situation.

CHECK IT.

Before you go to sleep, ask yourself: "Have I been the Lord's servant TODAY?" Then wake up tomorrow (Lord willing) and Pray it, Live it, & Check it again.

Luke 1:38–40 (NIV)

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.

WHY DO YOU THINK this young lady would take this long trip from Nazareth down to Judea, a journey that would likely have taken 3-4 days?

She wants to see if God’s promises are TRUE!

The town is not named but it is likely near Jerusalem as Zechariah and other priests made their home near Jerusalem due to their priestly duties.

Side note: This is likely why Jesus and John the Baptists - cousins - really didn’t seem to have much of a relationship. It’s not like they played together since John lived such a long distance away in the hill country of Judea.

Does anyone go with young Mary on the journey? Luke doesn’t say, but she goes to see what the angel has spoken.

Can you imagine as she gets near the home - Zechariah sees Mary first... still unable to talk since he didn’t immediately trust God’s promise, he runs inside to signal to Elizabeth. As Elizabeth emerges, Mary sees her protruding belly - 6 months into her pregnancy. God has kept his word to Elizabeth...and Mary is immediately assured that God would keep His word to her as well.

Mary approaches Elizabeth and warmly greets her...can you imagine the smiles exchanged in that moment!

Luke 1:41–42 (NIV)

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

Being filled with the Holy Spirit was not an everyday occurrence for these people. Now how does Elizabeth KNOW who Mary is carrying in her womb? The Holy Spirit who filled her had revealed this to her. Out of all the women in the world, this young girl from Nazareth is the most blessed among all women of all time.

Then Elizabeth makes this most incredible statement:

Luke 1:43–44 (NIV)

But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

Think about the significance of this - the older cousin calls her younger cousin the mother of my Lord - Elizabeth doesn’t know this because of Mary’s belly - Mary isn’t showing yet. Mary hasn’t told her anything yet. But the Holy Spirit who has filled Elizabeth has told her.

Elizabeth, like most Jews, would make a trip to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship the Lord - the place where the Holy of holies is - the place where God’s presence was considered to be most powerful ...but NOW...the Lord comes to her!

Warren Wiersbe writes that “Mary’s womb became a holy of holies for the Son of God!” [1]

This is the great message of the Gospel - God has put on skin - the Creator clothed Himself in humanity. The infinite One became an embryo. You don’t have to go find Him. He isn’t hiding. He comes to find YOU!

And now Elizabeth and the unborn prophet in her womb - by the power of the Holy Spirit - both sense the joy of this moment. The promise that all Israel had been waiting for was now growing in Mary’s womb, whom Elizabeth calls the mother of my Lord.

Up until this point, every use of Lord by Luke is in reference to Yahweh God alone. (Luke 1:6, 9 , 11, 15, 16, 17, 25, 28, 32, 38).

But now…now the One who will be born to Mary is referred to as Lord. In fact, more than any other Gospel, Luke describes Jesus as Lord numerous times after that (κύριος Lk 1:76; 2:11; 7:13, 19; 10:1, 39, 41; 11:39; 12:42; 13:15; 17:5f; 18:6; 19:8, 31, 34; 20:42, 44; 22:61; 24:3, 34).

This is HUGELY significant. Elizabeth is old - yet Elizabeth is humble. She recognizes that her hope, the hope for her people, is found in this unborn child - the child who is her Lord - the One who is to be named ‘Yeshua’ - Jesus - ‘Yahweh is salvation’.

Elizabeth completes her blessing to Mary with these words:

Luke 1:45 (NIV)

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”

Do WE believe that Lord will fulfill His promises to US?

Mary had believed what the angel said.

And now Elizabeth’s words & belly further confirm that what God has said will come to be.

At this point Mary is bubbling over with joy and erupts with these powerful words of praise.

Luke 1:46–49 (NIV)

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is His Name.

Mary is a humble servant grateful for God’s grace to her. Mary is the kind of person you love to be around.

Mary is righteous, but NOT self-righteous.

Mary is quick to give God the credit for what He has done. This is why God has chosen her.

Mary understands the story is bigger than her. She is not the star of the show - HE is.

As the moon only reflects the glory of the sun, so this humble servant gives the credit to her Gracious God.

Long before Gabriel’s visitation or Elizabeth’s encouraging words, Mary heard the stories of God’s faithfulness in the past and her prayer to Him that is overflowing with Old Testament teachings.

Luke 1:50–52 (NIV)

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

Luke 1:53–55 (NIV)

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.”

Mary had no personal copy of the Scriptures like WE have, but God’s words & works saturated her soul!!!

Her words echoes those of Hannah’s prayers (1 Sam. 1:11; 2:1–10) as well as prayers throughout the Law, Prophets, & Psalms. This young girl has a deep appreciation for God’s Word.

Oh teenagers...and adults...that we would read & treasure God’s Words as Mary did. Again, what a great example to us!

She knew of the Exodus & how God rescued the Jews from 430 years of slavery. Do YOU know of those things?

She knew how God overthrew powerful kingdoms, raised up & destroyed mighty kings, & how God honored His humble servants. Have you listened or read of those truths?

OR… is that WHY some of us don’t trust God with the future - because we don’t know or believe what God has done in the past?

Mary KNEW her God. Mary TRUSTED her God and His promises. And Mary’s BEHAVIOR demonstrated her BELIEF that what God SAID would happen, WOULD happen.

Oh may we learn and apply this lesson from this humble servant...

BIG TRUTH: Behave like you Believe God’s Promises are True.

And now, the ULTIMATE PROMISE from God was about to be fulfilled - the Messiah - the Lord - was about to be born as a human being! Mary BEHAVED like she BELIEVED that God’s promises were true!

If you believe God promises to show grace to the humble - Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true.

If you believe God promises destruction to those who are impure & dishonest, and protection to those who are pure & honest, - Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true.

If you believe that God honors those who honor Him - Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true.

Mary could trust God with the future, because she knew of His faithfulness in the past.

She behaved like she believed God’s promises were true. She was grateful for what was about to happen...even though it hadn’t happened yet.

As Elizabeth had said, “she…believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.” (Lk 1:45)

So too, God has made us some promises that we have yet to see fulfilled,

promises we can either question...or trust. Will you, like Mary, Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true? Have you genuinely turned from sin & trusted Jesus with your life?

If you are a FOLLOWER of Jesus, He has promised that:

Your Sin is forgiven. Sometimes we still FEEL guilty for sin in our rear view mirror. Will you trust your feelings that change like the wind or trust God’s promises which are true?

Jesus will never leave you alone…...even when you can’t feel Him. He has promised you His presence. Will you trust your feelings or God’s promises?

Jesus will return. His people have been waiting for 2000 years...and could be waiting much longer. Jesus promised to return and restore all things so we BELIEVE the words the Lord has promised and live like He will return.

Will you Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true?

Would you check your life this week: Words, Actions, Thoughts, Attitudes, Relationships... If WE believed WE were REALLY forgiven, we REALLY believed He was with us, We REALLY believed Jesus will return! What would THAT look like?

Or maybe…maybe you DON’T have assurance that you are forgiven because you’re NOT a follower of Jesus. We would LOVE to talk more with you about that!

Please CALL US or pull us aside and let’s chat!

PRAY

__________________

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 172.

Discussion Questions

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

Which one of these promises from God do you most struggle to believe and why?:

Your sin is forgiven. Jesus will never leave you. Jesus will return.

Read Luke 1:41-44 about the significance of Elizabeth calling Mary “the mother of my Lord.” What reason is given regarding how Elizabeth knew this?

Take a moment to read Luke 1:6, 9,11,15,16,17,25,28,32,38 and answer this question: Up until verse 43, who is Lord speaking of in Luke’s Gospel? Based on this usage so far, how should Lord in verse 43 be understood and why is that important?

Read Luke 1:45-49. What can we learn from young Mary’s faith, gratefulness, & humility - to apply in OUR lives?

Read Luke 1:50–55. How does Mary’s knowledge of God’s actions from the Scriptures help her to trust His future promises? How might YOUR knowledge of God’s Scriptures help YOU to trust His future promises?

Today’s BIG TRUTH is Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true. What carries more weight - what we SAY we believe or what we SHOW we believe (behavior)? Explain your answer.

Ask how you can pray for one another. Then do it!