Good News Of Great Joy Part 2 Series

“Good News of Great Joy”

Luke 1 part 2

In this first chapter, Luke tells us how God’s wonderful news came to different people and how they responded to it. You will discover four different responses.

The first response was that of Unbelief.

There was the Unbelief of a nation when we read that, “He came unto His own and His own received Him not”.

The unbelief of Zacharias that he and his wife Elisabeth were to have a son this late in their life.

But despite his unbelief, Elisabeth conceives. Six months later there is another announcement of a Son.

The second response in this first chapter is that of Faith!

When Mary hears that she will have a Son even though she was a virgin, she submitted herself as the LORD’s handmaid.

Tonight we read about the third response:

3. Joy (Luke 1:39-56)

Now that Mary knew she was to become a mother, and that her kinswoman Elizabeth would give birth in three months, she wanted to see Elizabeth so they could rejoice together. “Joy” is the major theme of this section as you see three persons rejoicing in the Lord.

The Joy of Elizabeth (vv. 39-45).

“39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

As Mary entered the house, Elizabeth heard her greeting, was filled with the Spirit, and was told by the Lord why Mary was there. The one word that filled her lips was “blessed.” Note that she did not say that Mary was blessed above women but among women, and certainly this is true.

While we don’t want to ascribe to Mary that which only belongs to God, neither do we want to minimize her place in the plan of God.

The thing that Elizabeth emphasized was Mary’s faith: “Blessed is she that believed” (Luke 1:45).

We are saved “by grace . . . through faith” (Eph. 2:8-9). Because Mary believed the Word of God, she experienced the power of God.

The second experience was:

The joy of the unborn son, John (vv. 41, 44).

“41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:… 44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”

This was probably the time when he was filled with the Spirit as the angel had promised (Luke 1:15).

Even before his birth, John rejoiced in Jesus Christ, just as he did during his earthly ministry (John 3:29-30).

As John the Baptist, he would have the great privilege of introducing the Messiah to the Jewish nation.

Then we have:

The Joy of Mary (vv. 46-56).

“46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. XX 50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. XX 54He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.”

Hers was a joy that compelled her to lift her voice in a hymn of praise.

The fullness of the Spirit should lead to joyful praise in our lives (Eph. 5:18-20), and so should the fullness of the Word (Col. 3:16-17).

Mary’s song contains quotations from and references to the Old Testament Scriptures, especially the Psalms and the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10.