The Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55

Introduction

Be amazed!

When was the last time you were so impressed that your jaw dropped and the amazement at what just happened or was said that you couldn’t believe your ears or eyes? I don’t mean in a negative way like you might say when someone has just said something bad to you and you can’t believe they just said that. I mean when were you so amazed at what God has done in your life that you were astounded? Or when was the last time you were so amazed at the words of the Lord as you read His word?

What gets your attention? What in life amazes you? What makes you do your happy dance?

Mary was just a teenage girl like many other teens of her day, living in a tiny village called Nazareth. She was espoused to a young man named Joseph. A guy who followed his fathers trade as a carpenter/craftsman. Her aspirations in life probably amounted to having children and raising a family just like her parents and the many girls before her. She clearly knew the Scripture. Her psalm of praise reflects a memory of Scripture the theme of which was about the hope of the Messiah, the seed of Abraham. Her selection of Scripture to memorize reflects her hope of Messiah. In fact, Luke’s wording points out that Mary was a true believer, a true seed of Abraham. Early in her life she had dedicated herself to serve the Lord. She called herself a doulos, a bondslave. In her mind that was not going to change just because she was espoused to Joseph.

So when the angel Gabriel appears to her and announces to her that she would be pregnant with the Son of God, at first she as afraid, but then without hesitation submits to the will of the Lord. Vs.38 “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” the word for handmaid is this word doulos/bondservant. its a word that refers to more than a slave, but one who chooses to remain a servant in a master’s household because she loves them or wants to dedicate her life to serve them all her life. She is not an unwilling participant, but one who is wholeheartedly dedicated her life to the Lord.

Isn’t this what God wants of all of us? Isn’t that what is God means when He tells us that His desire for us is to “Love the Lord with all our heart, mind, body, soul and strength?” That is the same thing. That is what I want and desire to do with my life. That is my desire for my kids and grandkids. That is my desire for you.

So then Mary receives this announcement from Gabriel, immediately treks to see her cousin Elizabeth whom she knows is pregnant in her sixth month, and stays with her three months. Normally, it takes some months for a woman to realize that she is pregnant, but Mary knows right away. It would not have been unusual for a girl her age to be pregnant, what was unusual was that she had not known Joseph yet, but was given to him in a marriage yet to be consummated.

And when she arrives to Elizabeth’s home she greets her and is met with cries of praise to the Lord regarding her own baby she is carrying.

Luke 1:42–45 ESV

and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary’s response is the subject of our study this morning.

This is commonly called ‘The Magnificat’ taken from the latin word for “magnify”.

Mary can’t help but respond with praise to the Lord for bestowing on her such a profound blessing as to be the one chosen to give birth to the Son of God, the King of Israel, the One who would save His people from their sins.

How could she not be totally amazed, tripped out at this realization.

We read of people who get so excited at winning the lottery, or getting the grand prize on “the Price is right” or “let’s make a deal.” Here she’s got the grandest prize of all, to be the woman blessed by God to bear the Son of God. No blessing higher among Jewish women than that. She is one in a trillion trillion or THE ONE WOMAN among all the women who have ever lived or will ever live.

Who wouldn’t be totally amazed. Only a proud arrogant woman would not be. And she wouldn’t do for that task. God would never choose such a proud woman for this. It could only be a young woman who was totally given over to God. One who was totally humble in heart and actions. Joseph was getting a one of a kind jewel of a girl for a wife. Joseph was not slouch in that area either as is reflected in the revealed thoughts of his heart as is recorded in Matthews account.

The point I want is anyone in her sandals would say as she said. Her praise flows out of her knowledge of Scripture. She is an illustration of what it means to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you as Paul says in Colossians 3. So then, based on the announcement of the angel, the comments of Elizabeth, and her knowledge of the Word regarding the coming of Messiah, she overflows with enscripturated praise to the Lord.

Mary Magnifies the Lord here and begins to exalt the Lord

megaluno-to enlarge, make great, in this case to praise, extol. She is magnifying the Lord, highlighting Him

Because of the way He has treated her (47-49) and the way He treats everyone else (50-55): those who fear him, those who don't; for remembering mercy to Israel through the covenant promised seed whom she is going to give birth to.

This song mirrors a little of Hannah's song in 1 Sam. 2:1-10; Ps. 136

it appears that Mary has made the Psalms a regular meditation on her part for several of her statements reflect the Psalms.

My soul exalts the Lord - Ps. 34:2,3 this was David's response to the Lord after his deliverance from Abimelech the Philistine king. The psalm is pregnant with references to redemption and deliverance. So appropriate for Mary to reference in light of what she has been told.

God my salvation - Hab. 3:17,18

Habakkuk 3:17–18 ESV

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

here the prophet declares his commitment to the Lord despite the apparent victory of the enemies of the Lord or the results of the nation not following the Lord. Mary's use of this reference shows her commitment. Her child would be born in a similar environment, the result of living in darkness but He would be a great light to those residing in darkness.

Psalm 138:6 ESV

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

When you read this Psalm you cannot help but see where Mary must be coming from in her thoughts as she gives thanks to the Lord and sings praise to Him before the gods. v.3 is really apropos for the moment, listen to what it says “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” Maybe she had been praying to be the one who would bear the Son of God. If so her prayer is answered. Certainly, it is the truth that the Lord “regards the lowly, . . . .”

Mary is expressing her personal relationship with the Lord. He is the God of MY salvation she says. And she praises God for His mercy toward her.

I. His mercy toward her,

1. Because He has looked upon the humble state of His servant v.48

The humble state or lowliness doesn't refer to her childlessness, but to the lowly social position she occupied. It is used again in v.52

the point being that God has been mindful of her humbleness of life and chosen to exalt her as she mentions in v.52. She was poor and even the child would be born into a family that was socially insignificant. she comes from a little village called Nazareth, espoused to a lowly carpenter. That God would choose such an one speaks of His immense grace.

doulos-bondslave, someone who has chosen to be a servant for life of their master. in this case Mary has made herself a lifelong servant of the Lord even before this turn of events on her life. She considers herself a willing servant of the Lord.

She has humbled herself before the Lord and He has seen that humility. He is the one who knows the heart of a person. He has chosen her for the purpose of giving birth to and raising Jesus.

2. Future generations would call her blessed,

this is an explanation of what she meant when she said, God was mindful of the lowliness of his servant. That He made her the mother of the messiah. The child that would save his people from their sins.

So from now on when people think of Mary, they would think her most blessed by God. Her blessedness was not due to anything in her or her own piety, but because of the child she would carry to term and give birth to. It was God's goodness toward her that made her blessed.

3. The Mighty one has done great things to me

v.49 stands in parallel with v.48 in that again it reiterates or expands upon what she meant about God being mindful of her state. He who is mighty has done great things for me.

She uses the word "mighty" to describe God here using the term of Ps. 24:8 where God is described as mighty in battle. When you go back and read and reflect on that Psalm in this context she is clearly speaking of this child she is going to birth. She must be marveling at her fresh understanding of this psalm among the many already mentioned.

Holy is His name-ie. He is holy, his acts of righteousness and justice in his dealings with man as in vss. 51-55 demonstrate His holiness.

Every future mother looked for the day they would give birth to a son in hopes that he would be the Messiah.

As a result, she would be called Blessed by every generation. However, she probably wasn't called that by many in her day. Most thought her a loose woman being pregnant before marriage, especially, the religious leaders of the day. Only those who knew the truth about whom she birthed (like Elizabeth) would actually call her blessed.

to every teenage girl out there God wants to use you. He can use you if you will humble yourself before Him.

Then she shifts in the second part of this hymn of praise to What her child will do during His ministry, v.50-55

II. She praises God for His mercy to Israel

a. he will be merciful to those who fear Him. Here she references

Psalm 103:17 ESV

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

This psalm is another Messianic psalm that begins with Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4  who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5  who satisfies you with good His arm will do mighty things a reference to Ps 98:1 which also speaks of the world of the Lord in salvation. Time doesn’t permit us to read all the verses, but a just a perusal on your part will help you to understand her flow of thought as she pours out her praise the Lord.

b. he will scatter the proud of heart

c. he will remove the mighty from their thrones

d. he will exalt the humble

e. he will satisfy the hungry with good

Psalm 107:9 ESV

For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Another marvelous psalm that fits the birth of this child.

f. he will send away the rich empty

Did you notice the order she puts this emphasizing his mercy toward the humble and hungry and his judgment on the proud/arrogant and rich? God does this in life. He exalts the humble and resists the proud. This child will demonstrate this in the manner with which he relates to those He encounters in life. The rich, proud rulers he speaks in parables and deals in straight up sterile truth. But the poor and lowly, humble folks he shows mercy and compassion to them. Case in point: the rich man and Lazarus; the woman caught in adultery and her accusers; the rich Pharisee and the woman who pours oil on his head and feet;

g. he will remember Israel and come to their aid, vss 54,55

he remembers his covenant with Abraham and his seed. That is Jesus the seed fulfills the covenant. She recognizes that her child is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant of Gen.17;

Psalm 132:11 ESV

The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.

and Paul shows us in

Galatians 3:16 ESV

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

is Jesus Christ. She recognizes this truth, believes it and praise flows off her lips. She had come to faith the same way Abraham did, by faith in the promised coming seed, Jesus Christ. Her faith is no longer in the future Jesus, but in the present one she carries within her. Now you know what she is pondering all those times the gospel writer reminds us that she ponders this in her heart.

conclusion:

Praise flows from her heart for the work God has done and is doing in her and will do through her son Jesus Christ.

Mary’s story is everyone’s story who has believed by faith in Jesus Christ.

We have our own MAGNIFICAT to write and sing to the Lord. If are not amazed at the grace and mercy of God in your life today, I would have to tell you to examine whether you are truly a believer in Jesus Christ or a false claimer. So with Paul I remind you to examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith or not. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.