*** Luke 1:39-45 Elizabeth’s Supernatural Proclamation: A Very Unusual Testimony,

There’s a word from the lord coming from the book of Luke

Luke chapter 1 verses 39-45

and you should find these words as printed

Luke 1:39–45 (NRSV)

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child 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 by the Lord.”

That’s enough, I want to talk for the next fleeting moments with the help of the holy spirit

I want to talk about

Introduction: whatever confession was borne about the Baby conceived in Mary was of critical importance. Why? Because the baby was …

• Jesus (v. 31).

• The Son of the Highest (v. 32).

• The Son of David (v. 32).

• The Ruler over the house of Jacob forever (v. 33).

• The Ruler whose kingdom has no end (v. 33).

• The One born of the Holy Spirit (v. 35).

• The Son of God Himself (v. 35).

In this passage, God sees to it that a supernatural confession is proclaimed, a crucial confession that needs to be studied in depth. Note that this is the very first testimony ever given by human lips about Jesus.

1. She was visited by Mary (vv. 39–42).

2. She proclaimed a uniqueness about Mary and her child (v. 42).

3. She proclaimed that Mary’s child was her Lord (vv. 43–44).

4. She proclaimed that Mary’s faith would receive the promise (v. 45).

1 (1:39–42) Encouragement—Comfort—Trials: Mary visited Elizabeth, and her visit was memorable. She went with haste (spoudes). The word means speed, diligence, care, earnestness, zeal. The idea is that Mary went with purpose and earnestness. She was not going on a casual, friendly visit. She had a very specific reason for going, a meaningful purpose. She was going so that she and Elizabeth could encourage and share with each other. They both had similar situations. God had acted upon both their bodies, performing a miracle for both. Elizabeth’s womb was made alive for the son of Zacharias to be conceived, and Mary’s womb had conceived as a virgin. Mary in particular could be encouraged, for Elizabeth was already six months pregnant. The six months’ pregnancy was visible evidence that God had already acted upon her miraculously. It should be noted that Mary knew about Elizabeth’s miraculous conception, but Elizabeth did not know about Mary’s conception. Zacharias and Elizabeth lived in Juda. The town is unknown today, but most commentators think it was the same as Hebron. Hebron is said to be in the hill country of Juda and to belong to the priests (Jos. 21:10–11

Joshua 21:10–11 (NRSV)

10 which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites who belonged to the Levites, since the lot fell to them first. 11 They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasture lands around it.

Mary entered Elizabeth’s home and greeted her. It was at the very moment of Mary’s greeting that Elizabeth’s supernatural greeting began. Mary greeted Elizabeth, and three unusual things immediately happened.

First, the babe leaped in Elizabeth’s womb. The baby had leaped or kicked before, but this leap was different from all the others. It was a sign to Elizabeth that the Babe within Mary was someone very, very special, someone who was about to be revealed to her under the filling (influence) of the Holy Spirit.

Second, Elizabeth was instantly “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and a very special spirit of prophecy was given her. The Holy Spirit seized her and led her to greet Mary as the mother of the Messiah, the coming Lord. Note: Elizabeth was living an obedient life before God. This was the reason God was able to use her and the Holy Spirit was able to infill her with His presence.

Third, Elizabeth spoke in a loud voice. She was full of joy and exaltation for the Messiah, full of unusual emotions. She was under the influence and impulse of the Spirit of God. She was being guided to proclaim that the Baby of Mary was “the Lord” (vv. 43, 45).

2 (1:42) Jesus Christ, Honored—Mary, Blessed—Humility—Envy: Elizabeth proclaimed a uniqueness about Mary and her child.

Note three things.

a. The very first act toward Christ was a proclamation of praise. Elizabeth was the first person to know about the birth of Christ other than Mary, and God saw to it that her first act was to honor His Son. God would have His Son to be honored on earth even as He is honored in heaven.

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (He. 13:15).

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pe. 2:9).

b. Mary was blessed, but she was blessed because “the fruit of her womb” was great.

c. Elizabeth demonstrated a very sweet and humble spirit, a meekness and love that were so desperately needed by so many. She was older, and by being the wife of a priest, she was recognized by the world as being of a higher social class and more honorable. Yet Mary, poor and unrecognized by the world, had been chosen by God to serve in a more special way. Elizabeth showed no envy or jealousy, no hurt or withdrawal. Contrariwise, she rejoiced over Mary’s call.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Ph. 2:3–4).

3 (1:43–44) Confession—Jesus Christ, Deity: Elizabeth proclaimed the child to be her Lord.

a. Note the great confession of Elizabeth. Elizabeth called Mary’s Baby, “my Lord.” In a moment of quickening power, the Holy Spirit revealed that the Babe was not only the promised Messiah, but He was the Son of the Highest, of God Himself (Lu. 1:32, 35). There was no question that Elizabeth was using the term “Lord” in its highest sense. She was under the power of the Holy Spirit; therefore, she was confessing the truth under the influence of God. The truth was that the coming Child of Mary was the Messiah, the Son of the living God. She was also contrasting her son with the Son of Mary. Her own son was to be great, but the Son of Mary was greater. He was her Lord, the Lord God Himself, the Son of the Highest.

b. Note the clear sign given to Elizabeth. The sign was unmistakable. Upon hearing the greeting of Mary as she entered the door, Elizabeth’s heart leaped for joy and the babe in her womb leaped much more than usual. In Elizabeth’s words, “The babe leaped in my womb for joy [exultation].” God caused the babe to leap (the word is strong, indicating a struggling leap) as a sign of great joy in the presence of One so great that Elizabeth would call Him “my Lord.”

Thought 1. Elizabeth’s confession of her Lord was a very personal thing. She apparently never shared it with John. John did not know Jesus was the Messiah until Jesus’ baptism (Jn. 1:31–34). John had to discover and confess Christ for himself. So do we all. It is a personal decision.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 10:32).

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 16:15–17).

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1 Jn. 4:15).

Thought 2. Elizabeth’s confession was bound to encourage Mary.

(1) God sees to it that we are encouraged when we need encouragement. Mary needed assurance, so God took her where she could be assured. But note: she obeyed God. She went where God led her. It was while she was obeying that God was able to encourage her.

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Mt. 10:30–31).

“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not: I will help thee” (Is. 41:13).

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Is. 43:1).

(2) Elizabeth willingly humbled herself to help Mary. She was older and held a higher position as the wife of a priest, yet she denied and surrendered herself to push Mary and her child forward.

“I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Ac. 20:35).

“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Ro. 12:15).

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Ro. 15:1).

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Ga. 6:2).

4 (1:45) Faith—Promise: Elizabeth proclaimed that Mary’s faith would receive the promise. Note two significant points.

a. There are two reasons why Mary has been blessed by believers of every generation.

1) Mary believed the Word of God sent to her (Lu. 1:38). Contrast her belief with Zacharias’ unbelief (Lu. 1:20).

2) Mary was related to Christ in a very, very special way.

Thought 1. The same two facts are essential for us if we wish to be blessed by God.

(1) We must believe the Word of God sent to us.

“Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Lu. 11:28).

“If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn. 14:23).

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Jn. 15:7).

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Th. 2:13).

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mk. 8:38).

(2) We must become related to Christ by adoption. We must become the adopted children of God.

“But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Ga. 4:4–6).

b. The result of Mary’s believing the Word of God was that she was to see the performance of God’s promises, the things told her from the Lord.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pe. 1:4).

“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (De. 7:9).