“Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word’ … (weeks later) and Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior … for He who is mighty has done great things for me … He has shown strength with His arm … He has filled the hungry with good things … He has helped His servant … in remembrance of His mercy’”
Luke 1: 38, 46-47, 49, 51, 53-54.
1. What prompted Mary to worship? She received Jesus. “That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (v. 35).
a. The “of” tells Jesus got his DNA from Mary.
b. Mary’s Son = humanity.
c. God’s Son = deity.
2. She yielded to God. “Be it unto me” (v. 38).
3. She partnered with God. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord” (v. 28).
4. She based her worship on the Word. “According to Thy Word” (v. 30).
5. She emphasized her part. “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” Substitute, “my soul” to emphasis “myself.”
6. She testified receiving salvation. “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (v. 47).
7. She accepted God’s work through her. “For He that is might, has done to me great things” (v. 49).
8. She recognized God’s power in her. “He that shown strength with His arm” (v. 51).
9. Her emptiness was filled with God. “He hath filled the hungry” (v. 53).
10. She was mindful of mercy. “He has helped His servant to plead mercy” (v. 54, ELT).
A. PRACTICING WORSHIP WITH THE SHEPHERDS: LUKE 2:8-20
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid ... ‘For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’ ... So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” Luke 2: 8-9, 11, 15-20, NKJV
1. Their work ethic influenced their worship. “Keeping watch over their flocks by night” (2:8).
2. A worship moment will come when you are where you should be, doing what you should do. “The angel of the Lord stood before them” (2:9).
3. They experienced atmospheric worship, i.e., the presence of God. “The glory (Shekinah) of the Lord shone round about them” (v. 9).
4. Worship experience introduced fear of God. “They were sore afraid” (v. 10).
a. Negative – to be scared.
b. Positive – reverential trust.
5. Instant obedience led them to find His presence. “Let us now go” (v. 15).
6. Can’t separate salvation and worship. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (v. 11).
7. Spiritual insight leads to worship. “See this thing which is come to pass which the Lord has made known to us” (v. 15).
8. Intense seeking leads to worship. “They came with haste and found” (v. 16).
9. Worship leads to sharing Jesus. “When they had seen, they made known abroad” (v. 17).
10. Worship is not about our experience or action, but about Him.
11. The result of worship influences others. “And all those who heard it marveled at those things” (v. 18). Some things of worship are so intimate we can’t share with others. “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (v. 19).
12. Worship can be seen by others. “The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had seen and heard” (v. 20).
B. PREPARING YOUR WORSHIP
1. The effectiveness of worship is not measured by music, your words, or the place.
2. True worship is always begins by the response of the heart to God.
3. True worship is measured when the worshiper is transformed.
4. True worship never allows you to remain the same person.
5. True worship never changes, but it changes us.
6. What is worship? Giving the worthship to God that He deserves.
“Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!”
1 Chronicles 16:29, NKJV
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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