Elizabeth is invited to believe
Luke 1:39-56
Introduction
- Advent is a wonderful time of year for all Christians to celebrate
-- However, there is something that gets lost in the hustle/bustle of the holiday
-- APP: It is the love we should show others for the God that we serve every day
- “advent” means: an appearance or an occurrence of something; a revealing
- “invitation” means: the action of inviting someone to go or to do something
- What’s critical for us to see in this study is simple:
-- Before someone can do something … an invitation is always required
- Today’s message is titled, “Elizabeth is invited to Believe”
- Read Luke 1:39-55 / Pray
- Background on our story:
- Mary, the mother of Jesus, was with child and visiting her cousin Elizabeth
-- Who was at the time pregnant with John the Baptist
-- Upon her arrival, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy
-- Why? Because even the life in the womb knew the Messiah
-- Different sermon … but to the point: YES … there is LIFE in the womb!!
- Elizabeth exclaimed (Luke 1:45), “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”
- This morning, can we exclaim the same? Can we give thanks and glorify Him who has said that in all things He will be faithful?
- If we are ever to invite others to Him, we should live to glorify the Lord
∆ Point 1 - Glorify the Lord! (46-49)
- Mary, animated by Elisabeth's address, and being also under the influence of the Holy Ghost, broke out into joy, admiration, and gratitude.
-- She had to rejoice in God; she rejoiced in what He was doing … Psalm 103:1, “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
- This is a Psalm of joy, of exclamation, in rejoicing who God is …
-- Need to rejoice more? Take a look at Psalm 103 in your spare time
-- “… for as far as the east is from the west, He remembers our sin no more"
- When we come in contact with the Spirit of the Lord, we too must rejoice
-- We must be willing to proclaim who He is in our lives to anyone we meet
-- Christmas is the perfect season to invite others to the gift of Christ
- Consider who you might invite; do you know someone?
-- APP: Is there not someone that could rejoice IN the gift of Christ?
- Mary praises God; and confesses that God knows everything about her
-- Her soul is rejoicing at who her God is, at how wonderful He is (46)
- Why? Because in her womb she bears the greatest gift for ALL of us
-- Luke 1:31-33, "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end."
- ELIZ/OUR INVITATION: (v46) - Does your soul believe in /glorify the Lord?
-- Does your soul cry out to the One who has paid it all for you?
-- Do others know that even the reason you are alive is because of God’s mercy?
-- APP: To glorify Him means the focus is not on you; it IS what others need
- TRANS: To glorify God privately is one thing, and we must show Him to all
∆ Point 2 - God’s Mercy is for all (50)
- v50, “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.”
- This is a VERY pivotal verse that all must understand its application
-- APP: Jesus Christ was born into this world to save all – that is His mission
-- There is no division in races, or economic value, or social status in Heaven
-- In God’s eyes we were created for one purpose: to worship/exalt Him
- We are commanded to worship, to honor, and to live fully for Him
-- Note the phrase “from generation to generation” in v50
-- IMP: Someone told YOU who Jesus is, too!
-- APP: We must take the time to teach it to the generations around us
- CHAL: Even in the face of our own sin we can see God’s profound love
-- Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Mary exclaims that the mercy of God is for all, and then she testifies to it
-- APP: At this time of year, what better time to declare Him to everyone!
- Let’s personalize this …
-- Why is it important that we declare Jesus? It is our VICTORY song!
-- We sing: "Better is one day ..." But do we mean it by living it?
- When we live for Him, we are able to testify to His mercy towards us (50)
-- IMP: Must stress: The saving/forgiving has always been HIS, not ours!
-- Jesus was never lost, we didn’t find Him, He rescued us … it’s humbling
- TRANS: When we show Him to all, He will fulfill what He declares
∆ Point 3 - God’s Promises are Fulfilled (51-55)
- Look at the profession of God’s deeds from the words of Mary:
1) He has already performed mighty deeds with His arms (51)
-- Who can look at the creation and not stand in awe of all He has done?
-- Consider our respiratory system, or a sunset, or all of creation as a whole …
2) He has removed rulers from places where they shouldn’t be (52)
-- Isaiah 24:21, “In that day the LORD will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.”
-- APP: This a tremendous lesson of patience for all of us to know/consider
3) He has lifted up the humble (52)
-- Consider what Jesus did for one man who was next to Him on the cross
-- Luke 23:42-43, "Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
-- APP: Forgiveness was freely offered; because the cross extends to all
4) He has filled the hungry with good things (53)
-- Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
5) He has helped His servant Israel (54)
-- How could anyone argue that Israel is not protected by God?
-- Consider the wars, challenges, hatred, and violence pointed at them today
-- If it were not FOR God, this land (size of RI) would be long gone
-- IMP: We must stand with this nation and with its people; they are God’s
6) He is merciful to Abraham’s descendants (55)
-- Friends, that would be all those who follow Jehovah as the only true God
-- Not Allah, not Buddah, not the great speakers; or even religious teachers
-- God, Jehovah, period. The world belongs to Him, and we must declare it
- EX: Moses experienced this as well, and he reacted properly when he heard it
-- Exodus 3:4, “Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”
- So, what's it look like to invite others to God? How is Mary inviting Elizabeth?
- APP: Are you rejoicing at what God has done like we see Mary doing?
-- Are you willing to turn to Him for everything you need?
-- Are you willing to unashamedly proclaim all that Jesus is to you, too?
-- He has already promised care for His own – so why are you avoiding Him?
∆ Big Ideas
- Perhaps this morning something in your heart has been moved
-- Something within you has said, “Hey! That one was for you!!”
- I urge you this morning if God is calling out to you then you must respond
-- We cannot continue to live in a way that glorifies ourselves
-- Even Mary, the very mother of Jesus, proclaimed how great her God is
-- HUGE: Not how great she is … but how great the Lord is!!!
Take a look at and re-Read Luke 1:41-45
Let’s make this really personal this morning:
- Mary did not get caught up in the compliment that Elizabeth paid her
-- IMP: Instead, she magnified the Lord and humbled herself to His will
- God works through us IF we live for Him; there is a cause and effect here
- We must declare His glory to everyone we come across, no matter what
-- If we really want to see Christ this season; we will invite others like this
- Very short prayer ... Let us testify and invite others to Christ!
∆ Lord’s Supper
- The invitation is available to you to come when your heart is ready
-- But ... the Bible warns us about taking the Lord’s Supper improperly
- 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
- God's word stands as a warning to us to take communion properly
-- So, this is your time to confess where you need forgiveness in your life
-- But also, to rejoice and celebrate what you've been freely invited too
- The Lord’s Table is open to all who are believers in Christ
-- But if you’re not, I’d love to introduce you to Him this morning
-- The table is set and when God prompts you, please, come and partake ...
