A Song of Joy - Magnificat

Luke 1:39–56 NASB95

39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 “And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. 50 “And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. 51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. 52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. 53 “He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. 54 “He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.” 56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

Intro

I’m sure many of you have noticed, but for the past few weeks the Christmas decorations have been coming out. Some still hold to the rule, no lights, no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, and I get the feeling that’s becoming less popular but good for the remnant out there still holding the line. It makes sense to wait. You’re in this awkward season where you’re putting lights on the house, buying Christmas trees, and putting up the Christmas decor, but you still have to say Happy Thanksgiving. Well now that Thanksgiving is behind us our greetings can finally match the decor that’s been up for weeks. It’s part of our culture, you hear it everywhere. You’re cashier will say “Merry Christmas” as you check out at the store. If not “Merry Christmas” you may hear “Happy Holidays”. There’s a general understanding that this season is one for happiness, merriment, even joy.

The “Why?” is the part that’s left unanswered? Why should our Christmas be merry? Why should these holidays be happy? Why do we sing, “Joy to the world”?

If you turn on your TV there’s a good chance you’re going to see some portrayal of joy.

“If you give them this gift, just imagine the joy they’ll experience.”

If you’re a hallmark kind of person you may find a portrayal of joy found in love or family. Surrounded by the right people, that’s where we find joy - that’s where we find happiness.

Then there’s the food ads. Joy and happiness is found in Christmas cookies. That one’s pretty convincing sometimes.

In all these portrayals of joy there’s an association with some kind of blessing. I want us to see that close relationship this morning. The word blessed in our Bibles as we’ve seen this morning can be understood as “Happy are you!” Our culture is continually showing us various blessings trying to convince us that this is where your joy is found. Now there’s some truth to those claims. We can count ourselves blessed in a sense when we have material goods, family, and good food on the table, but what if we don’t have all of those things? Can we still call ourselves blessed? Do we still have reason for rejoicing? When we come to Scripture we find joy and happiness in something far greater than earthly blessings. In truth when we find our greatest joy and happiness in the blessing and mercy of God, then we can truly enjoy the earthly blessings of this season. And for those who may not have all those earthly blessing, those who look forward to a humble Christmas every year, there is still reason for rejoicing because our merciful God is devoted to the humble who fear Him.

Humble believers will always have the greatest reason to rejoice because they are the ones who know the blessing and mercy of God.

Three reasons for rejoicing this morning.

The Lord regards the humble

The Lord exalts the humble

The Lord will bless the believer

The Lord regards the humble (vs. 46-50)

Our emphasis this morning really is on Mary’s song, but it’s important we recognize Mary’s song doesn’t appear in isolation. She’s not speaking absent the real-life experiences she’s had. The subject matter of the song, God’s regard for her, and her humility are evidenced in the context.

First of all, Mary is privileged with a greeting from an angel. “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” (vs. 28) The Lord’s favor toward Mary has been delivered by an angel. That in and of itself may be reason to sing, but that’s just the greeting. There’s good news!

Luke 1:31-33

Luke 1:31–33 NASB95

31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

—-

The promised king of Israel is coming! The Messiah is going to be born. As an Israelite Mary would have reason to rejoice in the hearing of such news, but it’s she who will give birth to this King Jesus. She’s been given an honor beyond recognition. Perhaps so great an honor that it might be hard to believe, yet how does she respond?

Luke 1:38 NASB95

38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

—-

We may take it for granted at this point, but in that moment there are some questions that are not easily answered.

Mary is a virgin and yet she will bear a son.

How will the Son of the Most High become a man?

What does this unending kingdom look like?

How will the son of an ordinary girl like Mary come to take a throne?

Why me?

So many questions that don’t have clear answers, yet Mary’s response is one of humility and faith. “May it be done according to your word.”

Recognizing this context is really important because it shows us the foundation of real joy.

The good news of Christ’s coming taken in faith is the grounds of real, lasting joy.

If it were not apparent in the Mary’s own interaction with the angel she visits Elizabeth, her cousin who's pregnant with John the Baptist. When she arrives Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and says these words immediately preceeding Mary’s song.

Luke 1:45 NASB95

45 “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

—-

Another way of saying that would be, “You have reason to be happy - blessed are you who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

Mary’s song is the natural growth that comes from hearing the good news of Christ and believing it! Twice over the narrative bears witness to Mary’s faith in the good news and one of those witnesses comes by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit through Elizabeth.

As we look to the song itself, let’s not forget the unseen foundation it’s built upon: Faith in the good news of Jesus Christ’s coming.

Right there at the beginning Mary’s joy is apparent.

(vs. 46) “My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” your translation may have “My soul magnifies the Lord.”

This first line is where that traditional name comes from. “Magnificat” is the Latin translation of our English word to magnify or to exalt.

Mary’s joy in God is unbounded at this point. She can’t help but sing. Her heart is overflowing with delight, such that she will do anything she can to glorify God and magnify his name.

Her explanation though is the important point! Why is she delighting in God? Why is she spontaneously rejoicing in song to the glory of God?

Luke 1:48–49 NASB95

48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.

—-

If you really press this simple explanation for all its worth there is so much here.

Counter to what the world may think, the existence of God highly exalted above us, mighty and powerful is not a threat to our joy. So many are offended by the idea of a God that would expect something of us that is contrary to our natural desires. “No, we must be absolutely free of all moral obligation to really find happiness and joy.” Mary clearly doesn’t think so. God exists! God is mighty, powerful, and holy and in that truth Mary rejoices.

Let’s not stop there. The world would also like to tell us that our joy is found in our might and our glory. Perhaps one of the most prominent, public displays of joy is that moment when that team or that player wins that championship game. As millions of people watch there is a kind of unbounded joy and delight in winning - proving to all those watching “I am the best!” “I am supreme.” “I am deserving of glory.” As that trophy is exalted for all to see there’s a pretty convincing argument that says, “This is where joy is found.”

Yet what does Mary say in her delight, she readily admits, “I am a bondslave, a servant, humble.” There is no glorious achievement to attribute to Mary. Where is joy found? The regard of God, the acknowledgement of God, the being noticed by God, the favorable look of God... The one who is mighty, one who is glorious, holy and deserving of praise seeing us with a disposition of mercy.

Luke 1:50 NASB95

50 “And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.

—-

The truth is if God is not God, if God is not holy, if God is not mighty, if God is not deserving of all praise and adoration, then there is no good news… And if there is no gospel there is no reason for rejoicing. The humble are left in their humility. The humble are left looking to a broken world, broken people, or their broken selves looking for blessing and joy.

If however God is God. God is who he says he is then we do have reason to rejoice. Our reason for rejoicing begins with Mary’s simple explanation, God being God in all of His glory sees me - the humble servant falling short of His glory - yet his acknowledgement of me is in a disposition of mercy!

For those who fear him. For those who know their humble state. For those who acknowledge before God, I am not glorious! God shows Himself as merciful!

There’s an important question for us to ask ourselves this morning crucial to our joy.

How does God see me?

We all in some sense recognize the tension in that question. Our own conscience tells us we are guilty and unworthy before God. We know we don’t live up to that standard of righteousness.

Initially we may not like the idea of God seeing us. Adam and Eve didn’t. They knew they were guilty so they hid.

The answer to our joy isn’t to pretend God doesn’t exist and hide. That’s to live without faith making God small or removing him altogether thinking our joy is threatened by God.

Additionally the answer to our joy isn’t to pretend we’re something we’re not. That’s to reject humility making ourselves glorious or worthy when we’re really not.

The answer and foundation to our joy is a humble faith. Acknowledging that we are humble. We do fall short of glory. Additionally believe that God is God, glorious, mighty, holy, deserving of praise, and merciful - Merciful to those who fear him, merciful to those who acknowledge their sin before Him, and come to Him in need.

Our joy begins with a humble faith that trusts in the mercy of God toward sinners. We can even sing about it!

Mary goes on! There is more to rejoice about! God does not only regard the humble, He exalts the humble!

The Lord exalts the humble (vs. 51-53)

Luke 1:51–52 NASB95

51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. 52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.

—-

Mary’s song recognizes this good news she’s received is the culmination of God’s faithfulness to the humble throughout the generations. She’s absolutely singing of God’s mercy to her and her generation in her humility, but God has been exalting the humble in His mercy for a long time.

We get a really quick history of Israel in Mary’s song, a history of God’s mercy exalting the humble, but there’s a dark back drop as well. The humble will be exalted and the proud will be scattered.

If you’ve been with us as we’ve worked through Exodus you might recognize that line, “He has done mighty deeds with His arm.”

If we go all the way back to the Song of Moses and Israel, God’s mighty arm or God’s might hand is right there scattering the Egyptians in all their pride.

Exodus 15:4–6 NASB95

4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; And the choicest of his officers are drowned in the Red Sea. 5 “The deeps cover them; They went down into the depths like a stone. 6 “Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power, Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

—-

If Pharaoh’s demise in his pride at God’s right hand is not testimony enough, we can go all the way back to the tower of Babel. Mary sings, “He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.”

Genesis 11:8 NASB95

8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.

—-

God scatters the people who disregarded their humble state and tried to to build their way to the glory of heaven.

We can see the truth of Mary’s song from the very beginning at Babel, certainly in the Exodus and all the way to Israel’s exile. God has shown himself faithful to Israel, but Israel too will experience the consequences of their pride.

Isaiah’s words to Hezekiah are noteworthy.

2 Kings 20:16–18 NASB95

16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord. 17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. 18 ‘Some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away; and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ”

—-

Even Israel will be scattered! Even the kings of Israel, the sons of Hezekiah will be brought down from their thrones.

There’s this universal truth that’s set as a dark backdrop to Mary’s joy: There is no joy or blessing to be found in self-exaltation.

The men at the tower of Babel boasted in these words:

Genesis 11:4 NASB95

4… “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, ...”

Pharaoh too exalted himself to be an equal with God saying:

Exodus 5:2 NASB95

2 “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

—-

Even Hezekiah in his lofty palace displayed all his riches to Babylon to exalt himself amongst the nations.

2 Kings 20:13 NASB95

13 Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and the house of his armor and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.

—-

If great achievements, great power, and great riches prove unable to exalt men to glory, blessing and satisfaction what will? The real question is, “Who will?”

Glory and satisfaction is found in God! By the grace of God the humble will be exalted!

Luke 1:53 NASB95

53 “He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed.

—-

At the end of the day it’s the humble and the hungry who are exalted and filled.

The proud and the prosperous are the ones who are humbled and ultimately empty.

Perhaps you’re here this morning recognizing full well, I’m hungry. I’m humble! I don’t have riches, power, or achievement to cling to. You might be thinking, “Where is my exaltation?” What reason do I have for joy?”

We need to go back to those words Elizabeth said, “Blessed is she who believed.” “Happy is she who believed.”

Our joy is a joy derived in faith. We may not yet see our exaltation with our own eyes, but it is coming!

Now’s right about the time when Christmas presents are being bought and wrapped to be put under the tree. Through the eyes of a child there’s a certain joy and excitement to see those presents under the tree even though they can’t see it yet. They haven’t yet experienced that ‘exaltation’ if you will, but there is a real joy there because they believe it’s going to be good. They believe their parents give good gifts to their children.

There’s a certain faith required even on Christmas day! When the Ham’s in the oven and all the food is being prepared, there’s a certain joy and excitement in the anticipation of that meal. We haven’t tasted it yet, but we know it’s coming! Sometimes the ham takes a little more time than we’d like it to take. Everyone is hungry, but that doesn’t ruin the joy of the day because there’s a faith that their hunger will be satisfied with good things!

Our joy today isn’t found in being hungry or the lack of good things, our joy today is found in the hope of exaltation to come. We may not be able to see it! We may not be able to taste it. But it will come.

How can we say that with such certainty? How do we know? How do we know that Christmas is actually going to come?

Because there is a humble servant who has already gone before us and received His exaltation!

Paul exhorts the church to this same humility and ultimately comes to the same conclusion Mary does, “Rejoice in the Lord!”

But before the rejoicing where does he begin?

Philippians 2:5–11 NASB95

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

—-

Jesus being God had power, might, glory, achievement having made all of Creation, and yet he emptied himself. Taking the form of a bond-servant. The same word Mary uses in her song. In embracing humility to the point of death, Jesus waited for the exaltation that was yet to come. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame, and in his resurrection he would receive that great exaltation.

This is the gospel we cling to! This is the object of our faith, the foundation of our joy. Christ has come, Christ has taken our sin in his body on the tree to take our debt, yet He rose from the dead! Sin and death are defeated for those who believe, and a glorious resurrection awaits us because we are united with Christ through faith.

Today we have reason to sing and rejoice because through Christ’s humility he was exalted and we are united with Him through faith. We too will be raised with Christ in the end!

We may not see what’s in the gift under the tree, but we can rejoice today because it’s only a matter of time until we are united with Christ in glory and we receive that gift in full.

We may not be able to taste Christmas dinner yet - we’re all hungry, but we know the supper of the lamb awaits us in heaven. On that day we will be filled - we will be satisfied, and today we can rejoice in the exaltation that awaits us.

...

Mary’s song really closes with an echo of Elizabeth’s words, “blessed is she who believed.”

She goes all the way back to the one who found his blessing in believing the gospel given to Him!

The Lord will bless the believer (vs. 54-56)

Luke 1:54–55 NASB95

54 “He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

—-

Up to this point Mary has proposed two fundamental points that have fueled her joy.

God is merciful to in her humility.

God has exalted the humble in his faithfulness.

It may seem a subtle addition, but Mary gives us another point that ought to fuel our joy.

3. God promised.

There’s a very real hope for us in what God has done. God never changes. His faithfulness to those who’ve gone before us especially Christ who He rose from the dead speaks volumes to our reason for hope (Romans 8:11) and joy, but there’s more!

What has God promised he will do?

Mary reminds us again of God’s faithfulness to Israel even in spite of their wandering, but she ties it back to a promise.

Why? Why was God faithful to help Israel?

In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

There are merciful words, merciful promises given to Abraham that gives Mary even further reason to rejoice!

God spoke to Abraham with this promise.

Genesis 12:2–3 NASB95

2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

—-

It’s not Abraham’s humility that brings about God’s promise.

It’s not Abraham’s fear of the Lord that brings about this promise.

It’s not Abraham’s belief that brings about the promise. There’s nothing for him to believe in yet!

In God’s grace and mercy he gives Abraham the most extraordinary of promises, so extraordinary that it reaches all the way to Mary some 2000 years later.

God did not forget his promise!

The reason God was faithful to Israel those many years goes back to this promise. The descendants of Abraham will be a blessing to all the families of the earth.

The reason God has regarded Mary in her humility with such an honor goes back to this promise. One descendant of Abraham in particular will be a blessing to all the families of the earth.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that great promise! Jesus Christ is how the descendents of Abraham are guaranteed their blessing! Jesus Christ is the hope of all the nations of the earth in their search for real enduring blessing and joy.

The natural question that follows is, how do we know that blessing is ours? We’re not the descendant of Abraham! How can we claim that promise for ourselves?

It’s the same reason Elizabeth can look to Mary and say, “Blessed is she who believed.”

Paul in his letter to the Galatians reminds us:

Galatians 3:6–7 NASB95

6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.

—-

Before Abraham set himself apart by circumcision, he set himself apart by faith in the promise! Mary does not come to singing merely because she’s a Jew and the Messiah has come to the Jews. Mary rejoices because she is a recipient of the blessing promised to Abraham , a blessing received through faith in the promise of God to bless the nations through the son she would bear, Jesus Christ.

Today we can rejoice together with that same joy because we share the same faith as Mary, the same faith as Abraham, the same faith that looks to the promises of God in Christ to bring blessing in the form of life eternal to all the nations.

I don’t know about some of you , but sometimes I wish I could have been there. What would it have been like to be one of the shepherds coming to the manger to see Christ. What would it have been like to receive that good news first hand. We might be tempted to think that Elizabeth’s declaration is exclusive to a certain time, a certain people, a certain place. Mary really was blessed! She gave birth to the Son of God!!

We should recognize this morning, Elizabeth’s declaration is not exclusive to Mary, not exclusive to her people, not exclusive to her place. Why? Because God’s promise is not limited to time or people or place.

We can say today to one another! “Blessed are you who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what has been spoken to you from the Lord.”

The promise given to Abraham is for us, and we have the gift of knowing what that blessing actually looks like. The blessing in the promise is clear to us!

After Christ had died on the cross he appeared the disciples and the blessing before them, the good news in all it’s glory stood before them.

John 20:19–20 NASB95

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

——

Our joy and our blessing rests in this truth in this promise. Death is defeated! Christ is risen. No longer will sin and death reign, Christ has defeated sin and death. Jesus Himself looks to his disciples in that moment with very similar words to Elizabeth.

John 20:29 NASB95

29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

—-

The blessing declared by Elizabeth to Mary continues on in the words of Christ even to those who did not see him with there own eyes. Even to those who were not Jews. Even to us some 2000 years later.

The good news has not changed! The promise has not changed. Christ has died and Christ has risen for the salvation of sinners. We may not have seen it with our own eyes, but Jesus Himself counts us blessed who believe, and for that we can rejoice!

We may not be able to see the fullness of our exaltation which we hope in, but in our faith we have reason to rejoice.

We may not have all the world’s riches, power, or achievement, but in our humility we can still rejoice.

We the church - humble believers - will always have the greatest reason to rejoice because we are the ones who know the blessing and mercy of God in Christ our salvation.

Let’s pray.

Prayer of Devotion

Pastoral Prayer - Austin and Kelsey Cantrell - Lincoln and Madi

Medway Baptist Church - Nathan Esposito