Seeing The Gospel In The Words Of Mary

INTRODUCTION

Read Luke 1:46-55

The Gospel Elicits A Proper Heart Attitude

verses 46-47

Mary was in such a unique situation:

A recipient of God’s particular grace (v. 26-28)

A pregnant virgin

A social pariah

What does she do?

my soul magnifies the Lord

She is praising Him in terms of His greatness

She is recognizing the depth of His blessing (my soul)

The soul is your true being Not your flesh. Not tuff. Not your emotions.

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Soul and spirit are most likely an interchangeable term to refer to the inner person

All of Mary’s thoughts, emotions, and being was rejoicing in God as her Savior

When all else fails, and people are not dependable in our lives, we have a Savior who is.

God is doing a great work in and through her, and this is the best she is able to express her joy.

Read Luke 1:31-33

The Gospel — that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah and only true Savior of the world — ought to elicit a joy that is unquenchable.

That message is rooted in the reality given to us in the next two verses…

The Gospel Shows The Compassion Of God

verses 48-49

Mary was not a somebody to her people.

The word humble here does not indicate submission or a mindset… rather, it indicates a low, possibly impoverished, condition.

She was an ordinary girl from a village scorned by other Israelites.

John 1:46 ESV

Nathanael said to [Philip], “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Calvin summarizes Mary’s words this way: “I was unknown and despised, but that did not prevent God from deigning to cast His eyes upon me.”

Though she would not have been looked upon favorably by man, it did not stop God from using her in a mighty way

Compassion!

God shows His compassion time and time again throughout history for people who would be deemed unworthy.

Hagar was a maid-servant of Sarah, who was harshly treated by her after she became pregnant with Abraham’s son, Ishmael.

Hagar ran away because of the mistreatment

The Lord comforted her in her distress

Genesis 16:13 ESV

So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

Who else?

Adam and Eve were given clothing and a promise

Jonah was protected from the sun

God showed compassion to repentant Nineveh

Rahab was a prostitute

Ruth was a Moabite

What we see through the Gospel is that God is no respecter of persons.

Acts 10:34–35 ESV

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

God does great things for people. The greatest is shown in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mary was looked upon in her humble estate

Sinners are offered forgiveness in their lost condition

Romans 5:6–8 ESV

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Sinners are the object of the compassion of the Lord through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel Shows The Mercy Of God

verses 50-55

In light of her own blessing in her low estate, she recognizes all that God has done through the ages for her people.

He has shown strength with His arm

The Exodus

The conquest of the Promised Land

He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones.

King Sennacherib (Assyrian King; laid siege to Jerusalem around 700 BC; miraculously delivered from his threat)

King Nebuchadnezzar (Babylonian King; exalted himself for his great success; made to eat grass like an animal for 7 years)

He has filled the hungry with good things

Manna in the Wilderness

Ravens to provide for Elijah

Unlimited flour and oil for widow who housed Elijah

God’s compassion leads to the expression of His mercy toward those most in need — those who seek it from Him.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:20-31

The Gospel Shows That God Is A Promise Keeper

Thousands of years ago, God created the world and all that is in it.

It was perfect.

Without defect.

Without death, disease and suffering.

God created man and woman in His image and gave them dominion over all He had created.

It was not long after creation that mankind sinned by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, causing the entirety of that once perfect creation to be plunged into the wretched consequences of sin.

But God had a loving plan to redeem mankind.

He would send the Messiah… the Christ… Jesus… to take the penalty for sin on the cross.

For hundreds of years, God left clues about the Messiah, like Him being born of a virgin, of the line of David, and would bear our sins and suffer in our place.

He would also be raised again from the dead, so that anyone who commits to Christ and Lord will be delivered from the penalty of their sin.

Galatians 4:4–5 ESV

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.