A Faithful Example

Luke 1:39–45 ESV

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Faithfulness to God often inspires others and demonstrates what it means to trust Him completely. In Luke 1:39-45, we see Mary, the mother of Jesus, as an example of humility and obedience to God's call. Her visit to Elizabeth reveals three key lessons about living as a faithful example.

1. Faithful Obedience Leads to Action (v. 39-40)

“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.”

When Mary receives word that her cousin Elizabeth is pregnant, she travels about eighty to a hundred miles from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, which would have been around Jerusalem. Many have speculated that the reason for Mary’s visit was to hide because she was pregnant and not officially married to Joseph. This simply is not true. She hurries not due to any sense of shame but her desire to please and obey God and to congratulate Elizabeth and share who own good news.

With her humble response to Gabriel in the previous verses, she acts with anticipation of telling those closest to her about what God was doing through her. She was the first disciple to preach the good news of the gospel. Mary’s willingness to listen to the call and be a vessel for the Lord shows her faithful obedience. Her obedience led her to tell Elizabeth about what happened. It led her to action. Mary had a sincere love for her cousin. As Peter says in 1 Peter 1:22, our obedience to the truth pushes us to love one another with a pure heart.

Mary did not simply believe what the angel said. She moved forward and stepped out in obedience. Do you know how much courage and strength were required for Mary to profess to Elizabeth what had happened to her? Most would think she was crazy. But it did not matter to her. She trusted in what the angel said, “Nothing is impossible with God.”

Mary is an example of faithful obedience that leads to action. She did not count the cost of letting others know the truth. She acted on God’s word. We must be willing to act in faithful obedience no matter the courage or inconvenience it may require. We are called to be faithful to God’s call of telling others of Jesus. The world does not want to hear the truth, but we must provide the world with the truth.

2. Faithful Presence Brings Joy and Encouragement (v. 41-44)

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

As soon as Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice, the child in her womb leaped with joy. In the presence of Christ, Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit. Even before his birth, Jesus’ presence brings joy and encouragement. The presence of the Holy Spirit in both women created an atmosphere of worship and praise. Just as the psalmist declares in Psalm 95:2 “Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”

Faithful living inspires and strengthens others. Mary’s faithful presence was a catalyst for worship for Elizabeth. She sings praises to God because of Mary’s faithfulness. She is not praising Mary. She is praising God. It is the presence of Christ within Mary that causes John to leap in Elizabeth’s womb. Mary is the vessel that carries the Messiah. Her faithfulness to God is a source of encouragement to Elizabeth who had been barren until God opened her womb, and she became pregnant with John.

When we walk in obedience and share our faith with others, we bring hope, joy, and encouragement to the community of believers around us. When the Holy Spirit resides in us, joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit. That joy is not for our encouragement but for the encouragement of others. Like all fruit, the fruit of the Spirit is how we spread the seeds of the kingdom in the world. When we are faithful to Christ, it will bring joy and encouragement to others. The example of Christ in us brings the presence of the Spirit closer to those we meet. When we have the same openness that Mary had to the Spirit, we can bring the same affects on others by the power of the Holy Spirit.

3. Faithful Trust Receives God’s Blessing (v. 45)

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

Elizabeth recognized Mary’s faith and declared her blessed for trusting in God’s promises. Mary's trust in God's word became the foundation for the miraculous work God was doing in her life. Mary’s openness to the Lord gave her the opportunity to be the one through whom all the promises of Israel would be fulfilled. Mary did not know where this road would take her. Gabriel did not give her a map of how best to navigate what was ahead. She simply followed the words of Solomon from Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” God was going to lead her through everything. She knew that. She was going to be blessed, and she was carrying the greatest blessing in human history because of her faith.

In a scene in Luke 11:27-28, a woman in a crowd declares that the womb that bore Jesus was blessed. However, Jesus replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” This is precisely what Mary did. Although she was blessed and highly favored, she was no different than any of us. She was not special. She was willing. She was open to the promises of God. Jesus’ death and resurrection covered Mary’s sin just like the rest of us. But God knew her character and her faithfulness to him even before the angel appeared to her. God knew she would trust him. Her trust in God brought blessing to her.

Faith in Christ is the key to receiving God’s blessings. It is not that faith is some kind of magic key that unlocks secrets from the Lord. When we place our trust in him fully, God is able to fulfill his promises in our lives. This is not for our glory but for his purposes. Mary’s faith gave her tremendous blessings. Our faith in Christ allows us to live in a way that is open to what God has for us. This does not mean that life will be easy. Life was not easy for Mary. She faced ridicule and chastisement from her family and community. But she was willing to face that because she trusted in the Lord more than people.

We must be willing to trust in his promises even when it is hard because our faithfulness and trust in him will lead to greater blessings in the end.

Mary serves as a faithful example through her obedience, presence, and trust in God. Her faith not only shaped her own life but also impacted Elizabeth and ultimately the world through the coming of Jesus. Let us be inspired by her example to:

Act in obedience to God's calling.Be a source of joy and encouragement to others.

Trust fully in God's promises.

As we follow Mary's example of faithfulness, may we also inspire others to trust and obey God.

Prayer: Lord, help us to live faithfully, as Mary did, trusting Your promises and bringing encouragement to others through our lives. Amen.