The Spirit of Humility
The Spirit of Christmas • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsIn today’s message, we will see how God uses seasons of preparation and waiting to make us ready for His blessings.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
December 14th, 2025
Series:The Spirit of Christmas
Sermon Title:The Spirit of Humility
Topic:The true spirit of Christmas is the Spirit of humility. Mary shows us what that looks like.
Key Passages:Luke 1:26-56
Topic: Christmas, Jesus, Humility
Sermon Blurb: In today’s message, we will see how God uses seasons of preparation and waiting to make us ready for His blessings.
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Sermon:
Hello and welcome to Family Church… whether you are here in person or watching online! We are so glad you are here!
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Welcome back to the second week of our Christmas series this year! I hope you’re enjoying it so far!
The title of our Christmas series is “The Spirit of Christmas”!
And if you weren’t here last weekend, I would encourage you to go to our website or app (www.familychurch.appor the Family Church App) to listen to the first sermon in the series.
It was a great message to help us make the most of our waiting and prepare us for the coming of Jesus this Christmas!
PAUSE
Today, we will be looking at another aspect of the Spirit of Christmas…
Which is more than the spirit of family bonding…
More than the spirit of giving…
More than the spirit of rejoicing…
What we will find today in Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her cousin Elizabeth, is the Spirit of Humility.
Humility…
Which some of us find natural to be…
And some of us struggle with…
PAUSE
Let’s start out with this…
Let’s make sure we all know what humility is.
Oxford defines it this way…it will be on the screens:
Humility - a modest or low view of one's own importance.
And that’s a good definition.
The Bible defines Humility as “a deep sense of one’s littleness.”
In other words, humility is not thinking too highly of oneself… It is seeing oneself truly as we are…
Thinking of what benefits others before ourself.
CS Lewis, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself… rather it’s thinking of yourself less.”
I like that!
And I think that idea comes from what the Apostle Paul said in
Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.”
PAUSE
Now, of course, Jesus modeled this kind of humility.
In John 13, when Jesus took the position of a servant and washed His disciples' feet.
He said, “I have given you an example to follow… Go and do likewise.”
This is the heart of true humility.
PAUSE
Now… let's contrast that to selfish ambition…
What does that look like?
Well, look in your Bibles again at Philippians 2:3… it uses those words…
An easy example to look at movie stars…
People who want everyone to look at them…
Everyone to follow them…
So much bragging and promoting oneself.
But the Bible says not to do that!
To avoid the self-promotion spirit!
PAUSE
But also…look at that verse…“vain conceit”.
What is that?
Well…let’s throw up the definition as well:
Vain conceit refers to excessive pride in one's own appearance and achievements. It signifies an inflated sense of self-worth that often lacks a solid foundation in reality, leading to a self-centered attitude.
Again…
Think about most famous people…
Do they not fit the definition?
This is a picture of fake boasting, or false self-promotion.
And again, the Bible says, “Don’t do that!”
Don’t be those who talk about ourselves,
boast about ourselves,
think about ourselves,
jockey for position for ourselves…
INSTEAD…think of others over ourselves.
This is what the Bible calls HUMILITY!
PAUSE
Open up your Bibles with me to
Luke 1:26
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PAUSE
In this passage from the Bible is where we encounter Mary and Elizabeth.
You are going to see them demonstrate the Spirit of Humility in such a beautiful way
Now, as we read this section of Scripture, try to put yourself in Mary’s shoes…
Mary, at this point, is a teenage girl.
She is engaged to be married.
And her cousin is Elizabeth, who is pregnant…
Luke 1:26 says,
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Let’s stop reading there…
So, you might remember that last week we talked about Zechariah and Elizabeth…
If you missed that message, go back to last week's and listen to it…
It is important to note that there were some striking similarities between the story this week and last week…
- Both Zechariah and Mary were visited by the same angel, Gabriel.
- Both were given word of an impossible promise involving a child.
- And both were given a sign.
BUT, the are also some BIG differences like:
- Zechariah was very old and Mary was very young.
- Zechariah was a priest from the large city of Jerusalem but Mary was a peasant from tiny village called Nazareth.
- Zechariah had been married for decades, and Mary was recently engaged.
AND….
The way they responded to the angel was RADICALLY different!
Zechariah doubted!
Mary humbly believed!
And that brings us to our insight on true humility, you can write this down,
1. True humility is trusting that God’s plan is better than our own.
(Repeat)
Now, think with me of how difficult this would have been for young Mary…
- This girl is focused on her wedding plans.
- She’s thinking about what her new life with Joseph will be like…
- What kind of husband will he be…
- And how many kids will they have one day?
When out of the blue, an angel appears and tells her that she will get pregnant and give birth to the Messiah, the Savior of the World!
What?!?
Can you imagine what you would think if you were in her place?
PAUSE
As a Jewish girl, Mary would have heard stories about the coming of the Messiah…
But how could that Messiah come from her?
She was a nobody…
She was a virgin.
So what this angel is saying to her is impossible…
PAUSE
Then the angel goes on in…look in your Bibles… in verse 31 and 35 to say something about the Holy Spirit miraculously forming Jesus in her womb?!?
Her head must’ve been spinning!!!
But….
Unlike SOOOOO many of us….
She says in verse 38… “I am the Lord’s servant… may your word to me be fulfilled.”
Beautiful, simple, humility!
PAUSE
That’s the Spirit of Christmas… humility.
And Mary was able to say “yes” to God because she saw herself as the Lord’s servant.
And that is an essential part of this equation.
Look back at verse 38 in Luke 1…
Some of your Bible translations use the word “bond slave” instead of “servant,” and that’s a helpful distinction.
See, a
bond slave is someone who willingly gives up their rights to belong to another.
A bond slave says, “I am not my own, I belong to you, now you call the shots! Whatever you say, I will do!”
And when you see yourself (like Mary) as a bond slave of the Lord Jesus, it changes everything!
Mary gave up her rights to getting married in a tight dress…because she would not be pregnant…
Mary gave up her credibility with others because no one would believe her story.
PAUSE
So…Think of how your life might be different if you saw yourself this way?
What might God be calling you to WILLINGLY give up for His BETTER plan for your life???
Could it be your girlfriend or boyfriend because they are keeping you away from God’s best for you?
It could be your career.
It could be your boat that keeps you away from church.
It could be comfort because you know God has been calling you to go on a missions trip…but you're afraid…
What might God be calling you to trust him with????
Where do you need to show humility and simply trust God…
Family Church…humility starts with surrendering your rights, your plans, your desires, and your questions to the Lord…
Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant… may Your word to me be fulfilled.”
PAUSE
Starting in verse 39, the scene shifts back to Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth.
The angel had told Mary that Elizabeth was also miraculously pregnant and that she was in her sixth month of pregnancy.
So, probably wanting some comfort and encouragement, Mary packs her bags and heads to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s house…
And that’s where we pick up the story in v.39…
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 where she entered Zechariah’s home 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 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Stop reading there…
Mary shows up at Elizabeth’s house…
No doubt filled with a mixed-up bundle of fear, anxiety, wonder, doubt, and confusion…
But before she can say anything, Elizabeth (filled with the Holy Spirit) shouts out a blessing over Mary!
And surely, all of the fear and doubt were washed away as those words of blessing and confirmation poured over her soul like fresh water!
“I’m not crazy!
This really is the Lord!
God really is in control!”
And in this blessing, we find another aspect of the Spirit of Humility in the way that Elizabeth recognizes (and celebrates) Mary as the MOST BLESSED among women!
And that’s the next point in our notes today, you can write this down…
2. True humility is willing to accept our place in God’s story.
(Repeat)
Look back with me at verse 42…
Look in your Bibles…
Not only did Elizabeth recognize and celebrate Mary as the most blessed woman…
But she also acknowledges (and celebrates) that Mary’s child was MORE BLESSED than hers…
AND that Mary was the mother of HER LORD!
Think of that!!!
PAUSE
And Family Church, this is SO important for us to internalize…
Because we ALL have a place in God’s story…
But YOURS is different than MINE…
And we have to be careful not to COMPARE!
See, we all have different gifts,
different callings,
different opportunities,
And as long as we spend our time comparing ourselves to others, we will NEVER fully embrace who we are and what we are called to do!
But when, like Elizabeth, we do accept our place in God’s story, we can fulfill our calling with JOY!
And encourage others to do the same… even if theirs appears to be MORE BLESSED.
PAUSE
ADD A SHORT STORY LIKE THIS….
That reminds of the story I heard regarding David Robinson, an all-star center in the late 90’s for the San Antonio Spurs.
He learned to share the limelight with his new star teammate, Tim Duncan, who together went on to win the NBA playoffs in 1999.
But in an interview with Sports Illustrated, Robinson (a strong Christian) said,
“I can’t overstate how important my faith has been to me as an athlete and as a person. It’s helped me deal with so many things, including matters of ego and pride. For instance, I can’t deny that it felt weird to see Tim Duncan standing on the podium with the finals MVP trophy. I was thinking, ‘Man, never have I come to the end of a tournament and NOT been the one holding up that trophy.’ It was hard.
But I thought about the Bible story of David and Goliath. David helping King Saul win a battle, but the king wasn’t happy because he killed thousands of men while David killed tens of thousands. So King Saul couldn’t enjoy the victory because he was thinking about David getting more credit than he was.
And listen to his closing words, I’m blessed that God has given me the ability to just enjoy the victory. So, Tim killed the tens of thousands. That’s great! I’m for him!”
PAUSE
Church, that’s the Spirit of true Humility!
And, that’s the heart of Elizabeth…
Accepting your role in God’s plan!
Family Church… let’s drop our pride!
- Let’s stop comparing ourselves to others!
- And let’s rejoice with those who are rejoicing!
PAUSE
Mary received this blessing from the Lord through her humble cousin, Elizabeth…
And with a heart filled with gratitude and praise…
Mary bursts into worship, lets read starting at verse 46
46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Stop reading there…
Did you hear what Mary was singing…
In V.47-48, her soul is filled with joy as she considers the blessing God was giving her!
In V.51-52, she states that God scatters the proud, but lifts the humble…
And in V.53, she says that He fills the hungry with good things.
PAUSE
That it’s the humble and hungry in spirit who end up being elevated and filled by God!
And that’s the last point in our notes today… You can write this down…
3. True humility results in spiritual satisfaction!
(Repeat)
Jesus…who was Mary’s son…later in life went on to speak about true humility and the way that God blesses those who embrace it…
Matthew 5:5 “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” NLT
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
This highlights a spiritual truth that we can’t miss…
- God is generous!
- God loves to bless His children!
- God wants to bless and fill and satisfy His people…
But we first need to…
- Trust Him enough to see ourselves as we truly are.
- Choose to see others more highly than ourselves.
- And ultimately put God’s will and desires over our own.
This is the Spirit of true Humility!
This is what Mary and Elizabeth were willing to do!
God filled them!
God satisfied them!
And He will do the same with you and me!
PAUSE
So, as we wrap up our time together this morning, we will focus on a time we call our “Life Application.”
This is a time when we encourage all of us to think about what the Holy Spirit has been saying to each one of us personally, and then we commit to stepping out in simple obedience.
So, write down what you sense God is calling you to do this week in obedience to His Word and then talk about that over lunch with your friends or family members… and watch and see how God will work in your lives! Amen???
Life Application: How could you fully embrace the Spirit of Humility this week? As a result of today’s message, I will… _________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Prayer:
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