The Story of Christmas: the Blessings of Elizabeth

The Story of Christmas: The blessings of Elizabeth Luke 1:39-45

There is nothing like having someone you can confide in, look to for personal and moral support, and when it comes to spiritual matters, find inspiration and encouragement. And that is exactly what Mary, the teenager mother of the Messiah wanted, and so desperately needed. And what made her trip to visit her relative Elizabeth, after her encounter with the Angel Gabriel, so special is that Elizabeth would be and do more that just listen to Mary’s Amazing Angelic account. She would identify with it, being six months into a radical encounter of her own with God. She would celebrate it because after such a long silence - God had suddenly moved again in the midst and lives of His people Israel.

So, look with me in your bibles to Luke 1, beginning with verse 39 as we continue in our series The Story of Christmas: the blessings of Elizabeth. PRAYER

One of the first blessings that Elizabeth reveals after encountering the Savior, even in Mary's womb, is literally shouted out in vs. 42 as (1) The blessing of being touched by God. (42) Mary went to Elizabeth to possibly assist her in her final 3 months of pregnancy. Mary who had been touched by God seeks out another who has Likewise been touched by God. There is a message here BETWEEN "the babies" telling us that if we have been touched by God, the first thing we need to do is SEEK OUT FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS WHO CAN APPRECIATE WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING SPIRITUALLY. People, that is the church!

I mean you can get together with family and have a holiday meal, you can gather with family and sing some Christmas carols, you can gather with family and open wonderful gifts, BUT IF YOU WANT TO FEAST SPIRITUALLY ON WHAT THIS SEASON IS ALL ABOUT, IF YOU WANT TO SING WORSHIP-FULLY TO THE ONE WHOM THIS SEASON IS ABOUT, IF YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL TIME THEN YOU BEST MAKE YOUR WAY TO, ENTER INTO, AND CELEBRATE WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST!

BECAUSE PEOPLE, THIS IS WHERE THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS GOING TO BOUNCE THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST'S SPIRIT IN YOU! 

I mean imagine, Mary being present when "John the Baptist" comes into the world. John, who would one day "prepare the way for HER lord." John, "who would one day awaken ALL of Jerusalem from its Spiritual Stupor with his preaching." John, "who would confront the people of God with their SIN and call them to REPENTANCE and BAPTISM! John, who would one day BAPTIZE "the other child in the room!"

You see when you are touched by God there is always something to do, somewhere to go and someone in which to celebrate with, and by you being here this morning God is seeking to cause His Spirit in you to JUMP! Even though THIS STORY BEGAN OVER 2,000 years ago - THE CELEBRATION IS STILL JUST GETTING STARTED! AND WHENEVER ANOTHER CALLS OUT TO JESUS AND SAYS, "SAVE ME LORD!", the celebration reverberates.  WHENEVER ANOTHER FOLLOWS JOHN, JESUS AND YOU IN BELIEVERS BAPTISM THE CELEBRATION pulsates! WHENEVER ANOTHER JOINS THE LOCAL CHURCH AND BEGINS GROWING, GIVING AND GOING IN HIS NAME THE CELEBRATION ESCALATES!

And it continuously builds because of Elizabeth's second blessing she pronounces (2) the joy of Christ in YOU! (Look at vs. 43) Now we speculate about some of the negativity that surrounded Mary's pregnancy. After all, she was considered married because of her engagement to Joseph! And no doubt once she began showing, people would notice and start wondering, thinking and talking!

So we postulate that there was some social stigma that set in on Mary, perhaps Joseph, but mostly Mary. I mean you know how people can be sometimes. You know how people can talk, act and behave sometimes! [AND I KNOW THAT LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY HERE IN THIS ROOM] And I have no doubt that Mary, at some point, sensed it, heard it and felt it! BUT I ALSO HAVE NO DOUBT THAT MARY WAS REMINDED WITH EACH KICK, PUSH AND ABDOMINAL THRUST OF AN UNSPEAKABLE JOY OF CHRIST IN HER! The Gospel writer Luke writes of it in vs. 41..., but Elizabeth speaks it in vs. 44...!

You see there is an unexplainable JOY you invite Christ Jesus into your life! Mary told God, "May it be done to your bondservant." You probably said something like, "I invite Jesus to come into my heart or life." And in response the same Spirit of God that filled Mary, then Elizabeth and John, ALSO entered into your life as well!

And the Ap. Paul tells us that the Spirit enters in and does great things. He Seals you in the Lord (NOTHING CAN HENCE SEPARATE YOU FROM THE LORD YOUR GOD). He Steers you in the Paths of righteousness. Even when you on occasion walk into the pit of depravity and sin, He is there to lead you back out! He Gifts us with not only Salvation but the Fruits of His glorious residency, according to Gal. 5:22-23, "...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control..."

And that leads us to the third blessing which Elizabeth proclaims, (3) The presence of God's anointed in our midst. (43-44) The story of Christmas is not a mythological event that happened in a "Galaxy Far, Far Away." No, this Christ, this Messiah lived a brief life to make an eternal impact. This infant Jesus split the very timeline of man, between B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (anno Domini) which is Latin for "in the year of our Lord."

So quit fretting about 2020 and remember you are living since the birth of Christ. And since the birth of Christ, the Holy Spirit does not come over or upon you but HE INDWELLS YOUR VERY PERSON, MAKES YOU BORN AGAIN, AND ABIDES TO GIVE YOUR VICTORY EVEN OVER DEATH!

People, remember Christ Jesus' LIFE RESOLUTION FROM John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world."

And that brings us to Elizabeth's fourth and final pronouncement, (4) The blessing of Faith! (Look at vs. 45) Elizabeth's words are in response to Mary's acceptance of God's plan and will for her life, which Mary then testifies to in vss. 46-47. She speaks similar words of another Mother of Faith, Hannah, who lifted up similar praise upon the dedication of her child, the prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 2:1, "My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord." Their praise echoes and is echoed by the Psalmist David in Ps. 34:2, "My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice."

The Story of Christmas is about a promise in which to place our faith, a purpose in which to LIVE by faith, and a plan in which we ultimately get to celebrate for eternity because of our faith in Jesus the Christ! Hey, I want to encourage you to make Elizabeth's blessings your blessings, and let Mary's blessings be your blessings, and ultimately let Jesus blessing be your blessing! Would you pray with me?