Advent 4 –
Series C
December 23, 1918
Luke 1:39-45
“Blessed is
the Woman”
Elizabeth
extols exalts and praises the blessedness of Mary. Today there is a fight over
Mary. Some want to make Mary equal to God. Others consider her of little value.
Elizabeth considers her blessed. Why?
1. Blessed because Mary was chosen as the
mother of the Lord. V 42 “Blessed are
you among women and blessed is the child you will bear”
Mary is just an ordinary girl. Yet, she is chosen
by the Father to work His will in this world. Jesus is conceived by the Holy
Spirit to fulfill the will of the Father. Jesus is born of a virgin to fulfill
Scripture. Jesus came into this world according to a divine plan. The story of Christmas reminds us that God is
in control of all of these events that lead to the birth of Jesus. He is in
control of the events of this world and especially is He in control of the
events of your life – every single detail!
Christmas is a reminder from God Himself that you
are not alone. The Prophet Isaiah said that Jesus’ name would be called “Immanuel,”
which means “God with us.” (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). The Father revealed in
the life, death and resurrection of Jesus a reconciling love that rescues us
from separation and loneliness.
At this Christmas season you can be assured that
Jesus Christ is here. He is here to give you hope, to forgive your sins, to
give you a new song, to impart faith and to heal your emotional and spiritual
wounds.
Nothing is left to chance. If the Father has so
orders the events of Mary's life, how much more will He be more then able to
order your days and direct you path - to bring them to completion according to
His perfect will?
Transition: Mary is blessed because she has
been chosen to be the Mother of Jesus – this is no ordinary child – He is the
Savior of the world!
2. She’s blessed because Mary’s child is the
Lord! V 43 – “But why am I so favored
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
As soon as she learns from the angel Gabriel that
she will carry Jesus Mary bolts out of town. Mary leaves the tiny village of
Nazareth. She leaves to visit her cousin Elizabeth who too is expecting a baby.
Elizabeth will give birth to John the Baptist. This is not a chance meeting. Everything
goes according to plan; the Father's plan.
Although we might not be able to see it, there is
obviously something miraculous happening here. God is directing these events.
Mary, who at this moment is less than a few days pregnant, is caring the Savior
of the world within her.
When Mary's voice reaches the ears of the Baptist,
John leaps for joy; for he is in the very presence of the holy Son of God. What
a miracle. What a blessing for us today. If John can hear the voice of Mary and
recognize her voice; if John can recognize the presence of Christ before he is
born, should we be surprised that infants too, by faith, recognize the voice of
their Savior?
From conception to grave the Lord’s hand is upon
you. You are never out of His sight or away from His concern. You are constantly under the Lord’s
watchful eye. The Psalmist reminds us, “You
know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I
was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing. Like an open book, You
watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread
out before you. The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.”
Psalm 139:15-16[1]
3. Blessed because Mary believed the Word of
the Lord. V 45 – “Blessed is she who
has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”
Christ came into the world to do the will of the
Father. In faith, we trust the Father to work His will in us. The will of the
Father was simply to do the work of redemption in this world. Jesus came to
break the bondage of the devil, death, and sin. He came to be your substitute.
He came to live under the Law perfectly. He came to take your sin and to suffer
and die for the sin of the world which includes you. Everything you lack is
found in Jesus.
His sad life is your eternal one. His loss your gain.
His shame your righteousness. He left
all He had above to take your sins upon Himself. Left heavenly bliss to suffer
hell in your place. Why did He do all this? Forsake everything He had? To come
into a sad world, suffer, and die? Because He knew, from eternity, that in His
resurrection, His Father would give Him the most amazing of gifts, something
far greater than anything He left behind: you.
Mary is truly blessed. Blessed, because she was
chosen as the mother of the Lord. Blessed, because Mary’s child is the Lord.
Blessed, because Mary believed the word of the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your
paths -. Proverbs 3:5-6
All the Lord asks of you this day place your
confidence in Him. Believe in this plan
of salvation. Trust Christ and none other.
“Blessed are those who believe that what the Lord has said will be
accomplished!”
______________
Words- 970
Passive Sentences –13%
Readability – 79.7%
Reading Level –5.0
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