Mary & Elizabeth’s Joy!

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The Joy of Elisabeth (vs 39-45).

(2). The Joy of the unborn son, John (vs 41):

(3). The Joy of Mary (vs 46-56).

SERMON BODY:

• The passage in Luke’s gospel contains Mary’s song;

• It is one of the most famous songs in Christianity.

• It has been whispered in monasteries,

• Chanted in Cathedrals,

• Recited in small churches by evening candlelight,

• And set to music with trumpets and kettledrums by Johann Sebastian Bach.

• Which is a song of joy, a song of praise!

• And as we start the month of Advent it is a fitting song to sing.

• Like these other songs that are fitting songs/Hymns to sing (tongue in cheek of course!)

Ill:

• The Dentist’s Hymn:..... “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

• The Weatherman’s Hymn..... “There Shall Be Showers of Blessings”

• The Builder’s Hymn:..... “The Church’s One Foundation”

• The Tailor’s Hymn:..... “Holy, Holy, Holy”

• The Golfer’s Hymn:..... “There’s a Green Hill Far Away”

• The Opt-om-e-trist’s Hymn:..... “Open My Eyes That I Might See”

• The Tax man’s Hymn:..... “I Surrender All”

• The Electrician’s Hymn:..... “Send The Light”

• The fisherman's hymn – “Shall We Gather At The River”.

• The car accident hymn – “We Saw Thee Not.”

• The salesman's hymn – “Almost Persuaded”.

• The watch repairman's hymn – “I Need Thee Every Hour”.

• The day you find out you're pregnant hymn – “O Happy Day”.

• The day you find out you're NOT pregnant hymn – “O Happy Day”.

Ill:

• Hymnals might seem to have been fixtures in churches since time immemorial,

• But they haven't!

• Traditionally it was psalm singing, not hymns,

• That formed the main musical component of church services in the English-speaking world.

• One day around about the year 1694 a young man living in Southampton;

• Complained to his father about the dull psalm singing in their local church.

• His father encouraged him not to moan about the situation;

• But to be positive and see what he could do to solve the problem.

• The young man went away and wrote his first hymn, "Behold the Glories of the Lamb,"

• He would go on to write approximately six hundred and fifty hymns,

• Among his better known songs are, "When I survey the wondrous Cross",

• “Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past,” “I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath.”

• The young man’s name was Isaac Watts (born on 17th July 1674);

• And he has been called 'The father of modern hymns'.

Ill:

• It was Isaac watts who in 1719:

• “Joy to the World" the hymn/carol we will sing at the end of the service.

• It is one of our most loved Christmas carols;

• Because it really captures the essence of Christmas, which is joy.

• Watts was right when he titled his carol "Joy to the World",

• For Christmas is not just joy to the United Kingdom - it is not a national joy.

• It is not joy to the white, the black or the yellow skinned person - it is not a racial joy.

• It is not joy to the West--it is not a cultural joy.

• It is not joy to the rich - it is not financial joy.

• It is not joy to the educated - it is not intellectual joy.

• It is not joy to the happy - it is not emotional joy.

• It is not joy to the healthy - it is not physical joy.

• It is joy to the world. It is universal joy.

• TRANSITION: Mary’s song is a song of joy, a song of praise!

• It is one of the most famous songs in Christianity.

• It has been whispered in monasteries,

• Chanted in Cathedrals,

• Recited in small churches by evening candlelight,

• And set to music with trumpets and kettledrums by Johann Sebastian Bach.

• In Luke chapter 1 verses 39-56:

• We discover two women who choose to surrender their lives to God’s will;

• And note that they surrender to do so - in joy!

"Joy" is the major theme of this section as you see three persons rejoicing in the Lord.

(1). THE JOY OF ELISABETH (VS 39-45).

Verse 41-42:

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!

• As Mary entered the house,

• Elisabeth heard her greeting and was filled with the Holy Spirit;

• And she was told by the Lord why Mary was there.