MINISTRY PARTNERSHIPS-IV—Luke 1:39-56
--Luke 1:46-55[part-2--:51-53](1:39-56)
Attention:
Old Mr. Woodruff loved the game of golf, but his age was making it increasingly difficult for him to play. He complained to the pro-shop staff about his eyesight.
He said, “I can't play with my glasses on, because my trifocals mess up my line of sight so that I lose the ball after I hit it.” “But I'm too nearsighted to play without them.”
One of the staff suggested, “Why don't you play with Mr. Hughes?”
“Him?!”, Woodruff scoffed. “He's ninety-eight if he's a day, & he can't get around without a wheelchair!”
“True,” said the pro-shop attendant, “but he IS farsighted, which you are not”!
So the next day, Mr. Woodruff & Mr. Hughes set out to the first hole together. Mr. Woodruff took a tremendous swing & hit the ball well. He exclaimed, “Boy, that felt good!” “Did you see it?”, he asked Hughes.
“Oh, Yeah, I saw it! That was a beautiful shot!”, old Mr. Hughes replied.
Mr. Woodruff answered, “Well, where did it go?”
Mr. Hughes stammered, “I, I, I can't remember,”
Mr. Woodruff & Mr. Hughes had great potential for a good golfing partnership!...Even though certain obstacles became apparent in the process of that partnership.
Likewise, God’s people have great potential when they work together & face obstacles together, in God’s service!
Need:
Ministry Partnerships bring both challenge & reward!
•Ministry Partnerships teach us about the importance of Christian teamwork, as we work toward common goals. They reveal the significance of depending upon God.
Those partnerships can help us to see the personal weaknesses & strengths that God has blessed us with, & that He works thru & with.
Ministry Partnerships help divulge & complete our passions & giftedness in the Lord.
•Ministry Partnerships show us the power of God to overcome our human weakness.
Elizabeth & Mary shared their experiences as ministry partners in God’s service.
Ministry partnership fosters a sharing of experience in God’s service.
BUT, What exactly do ministry partnerships share?
Previously we’ve discovered that...
Ministry Partnerships share...
1. EXCITEMENT(:39-40)
2. GOD’s BLESSING(:41-45)
3. GOD’s MAGNIFICATION[part 1--:46-50](:46-55)
a. His Regard for the LOWLY(:46-49)
b. His Regard for the FAITHFUL(:50)
Today, we will continue looking at the fact that:
3—Ministry Partnerships share...
GOD’s MAGNIFICATION[part-2--:51-55](:46-55)...
Also comes...THRU—c. His Regard for the WEAK(:51-53)
Explanation:(:51-53)
:51—“He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.”
c. His Regard for the WEAK(:51-53)
:51a—“He has shown strength with His arm;...”
Mary’s God has shown Himself to be worthy & deserving of Mary’s deep respect, because of His mighty deeds(:49) of the past, that were not done in a corner(Acts 26:26).
God had performed His deeds “with His” own “arm.” His “arm” being witnessed by people. The ultimate product or outworking of God’s “arm”, being the man, Christ Jesus.
•Isa. 53:1—“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”....
*God’s people have “believed” the “report”—i.e., those who ‘trust’ in God & are ‘faithful’ to Him!
•And Jesus of Nazareth has been unquestionably shown to be “the arm” of the LORD! That is, He is “the arm”, to those who ‘trust’ in God, & are ‘faithful’ to Him!
Thus Mary’s God needs no real ‘aid’ from others! God acts with all power & all sovereignty, needing no intervention from anyone. “His arm” is the one which designed, initiated & accomplished the deeds.
:51b—WORDS—
“Shown”—poiew—1Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—Strong—To make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct).
“Strength/Mighty deeds”—kratov—Noun Accusative Sing. Neuter—1) Force, strength; 2) Power, might: mighty with great power—2a) A mighty deed, a work of power; 3) Dominion. Kratov is might, relative & manifested power -- in the NT chiefly of God. Strong—Vigor[“great”](literally or figuratively); perhaps a primary word. Used 12X.
“Arm”—braciwn—Noun Dative Sing. Masc.—1) The arm—1a) The arm of God is a Hebrew idiom for the might & the power of God. Strong—properly, comparative of braciwn[(short(of time, place, quantity, or number)], but apparently in the sense of brassw(to wield); The arm, i.e. figuratively--Strength. Used 3X--Lk. 1:51; Jn. 12:38; Acts 13:17.?English prefix = ‘brachy(i)-‘--’brachial’/‘brachiation’(branched).
:51b—“He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.”
As a further testimony to God’s magnification, Mary states that God has “scattered”/divided/dispersed all those who have allowed their human “pride” to control their world!
1Jn. 2:15-17—the apostle John warns us,—“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, & the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
All “pride” originates, is lodged in, & is decided, resolved, deliberated, & rationalized in the “hearts” of people. *BUT, ironically, the “heart” is ALSO where people can & should harbor a reverential fear—as did Mary!
For those who have built their lives on self-pride rather than godly reverence, God has seen to it that they are “scattered.” That is they are “scattered” from God & from God’s desires.
Such “scattering” is brought about thru man’s own choice. God has given mankind freedom to exercise “their” “imagination”! Using your “imagination” can be EITHER freeing OR damning, depending upon whether it is tethered or untethered to God!
:51b—WORDS—
“Scattered”—diaskorpizw—1Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To scatter abroad, disperse, to winnow—1a) To throw the grain a considerable distance, or up into the air, that it may be separated from the chaff, 1b) To gather the wheat, freed from the chaff into the granary, 1c) To winnow grain. Strong—To dissipate, i.e. (genitive case)--To rout or separate; specially--To winnow; figuratively--To squander. Used 9X.?From—dia—1) Through; By. Strong—Through(in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional); a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act.—&—skorpizw—To dissipate, i.e. figuratively--Put to flight, waste, be liberal.
“Proud/Haughty/Arrogant”—uperhfanov—Adj. Accusative Plural Masc.—1) Showing one's self above others, overtopping, conspicuous above others, pre-eminent; 2) with an overweening estimate of one's means or merits, despising others or even treating them with contempt, haughty. Uperhfanov describes one who thinks too highly of himself, describing a trait which is simply internal, not referring primarily to external manifestation, although this is implied. It means one who is proud, the external manifestation when it appears being in the form of arrogance in dealing with others. Strong—Appearing above others(conspicuous), i.e. figuratively--Haughty. Used 5X--Lk. 1:51; Rom. 1:30; 2Tim. 3:2; Js. 4:6; 1Pet. 5:5.?From—uper—In behalf of, for the sake of; Over, beyond, more than; More, beyond, over. Strong—“Over”, i.e. Above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; Superior to, more than; a primary preposition.—&—fainw—To lighten(shine), i.e. Show(transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative).
“Imagination”—dianoia—Lit.=‘thoroughly thinking’—Noun Dative Sing. Fem.—1) The mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring; 2) Understanding; 3) Mind, i.e. spirit, way of thinking & feeling; 4) Thoughts, either good or bad. Dianoia meant originally activity of thinking, but has borrowed from nouv its common meaning of faculty of thought. It is more common than nouv, & has largely replaced it in its usual meanings. Strong—Deep thought, properly--The faculty(mind or its disposition), by implication--Its exercise. Used 13X.?From—dia—1) Through, With, In, Throughout, During, By, By the means of; The ground or reason by which something is or is not done, By reason of, On account of, Because of for this reason, Therefore, On this account.—&—nouv—1)The mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving & understanding & those of feeling, judging, determining. Nouv is distinctly the reflective consciousness, “the organ of moral thinking & knowing, the intellectual organ of moral sentiment.”(Cremer). Strong—The intellect, i.e. Mind(divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication--Meaning.
“Hearts”—kardia—Noun Genitive Sing. Fem.—1) The heart—1a) That organ in the animal body which is the centre of the circulation of the blood, & hence was regarded as the seat of physical life, 1b) Denotes the center of all physical & spiritual life—1b1) The vigor & sense of physical life, 1b2) The centre & seat of spiritual life—1b2a) The soul or mind, as it is the fountain & seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors, 1b2b) Of the understanding, the faculty & seat of the intelligence, 1b2c) Of the will & character, 1b2d) Of the soul so far as it is affected & stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions, 1c) Of the middle or central or inmost part of anything, even though inanimate. Strong—prolonged from a primary kar(Latin, cor, “heart”); The heart, i.e. figuratively--The thoughts or feelings(mind); also by analogy--The middle.?English=‘Cardiac/Cardio-‘.
:52—“He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.”
Mary’s God has been proven to her in that He has laid low rulers of kingdoms. He has literally removed them from their “thrones.”
•God’s actions of “putting down the mighty from their thrones”, has not in every case been openly miraculous, YET, it has been wrought of God’s sovereignty!
Mary’s God has in turn, “exalted”/lifted up those who were humble before Him, rather than those are proud in themselves. God has taken down entire dynasties & human authorities, which men consider too powerful to move or effect without military might.
2Cor. 10:4-5—“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments & every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
Humbleness or Humility overwhelms pride, by means of God’s hands! Because the humble (“lowly”) allow God to work thru them. The humble therefore possess ‘God’s power’ as He works directly & indirectly thru them!
•Therefore God’s people are “exalted” above those who imagine themselves as powerbrokers in this world!
God’s power & love dwarfs every potentate of earth, revealing the reality of their anemic nature, smallness of power, & limitations common to all created things!
:52—WORDS—
“Put down/Brought down”—kayairew—2Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To take down—1a) without the notion of violence--To detach from the cross, one crucified, 1b) with the use of force--To throw down, cast down; 2) To pull down, demolish—2a) The subtle reasonings(of opponents) likened to a fortress, i.e. To refute, to destroy. Strong—To lower(or with violence) Demolish(literally or figuratively). Used 9X.?From—kata—1) Down from, through out; 2) According to, toward, along. Strong—Down(in place or time), in varied relations(according to the case [genitive case, dative case or accusative case] with which it is joined); a primary particle.—&—aireomai(including it’s alternate)—To take for oneself, i.e. To prefer, choose; To choose by vote, elect to office; To (forcibly)seize or remove.
“Mighty”—dunasthv—Noun Accusative Plural Masc.—1) A prince, a potentate; 2) A courtier, high officer, royal minister of great authority. Strong—A ruler or officer. Used 3X--Lk. 1:52; Acts 8:27; 1Tim. 6:15.?RWP—Our word ‘dynasty’ is from this word. It comes from dunamai, to be able.?English=‘Dynasty’.
“Thrones”—yronov—Noun Genitive Plural Masc.—1) A throne seat—1a) A chair of state having a footstool, 1b) Assigned in the NT to kings, hence, kingly power or royalty—1b1) metaphorically--To God, the governor of the world, 1b2) To the Messiah, Christ, the partner & assistant in the divine administration—1b2a) hence--Divine power belonging to Christ, 1b3) To judges i.e. tribunal or bench, 1b4) To elders. Strong—A stately seat("throne"); by implication--Power or concretely--A potentate; from yraw(to sit).
“Exalted”—uqow—1Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To lift up on high, to exalt; 2) metaph.—2a) To raise to the very summit of opulence & prosperity, 2b) To exalt, to raise to dignity, honor & happiness. Strong—To elevate(literally or figuratively). Used 20X.?From—uqov—Elevation, i.e. abstractly--Altitude, specifically--The sky, or figuratively--Dignity.
“Lowly”(See N.f. :48)—tapeinov—Adj. Accusative Plural Masc.—1) Not rising far from the ground; 2) metaph.—2a) As a condition--Lowly, of low degree, 2b) Brought low with grief, depressed, 2c) Lowly in spirit, humble, 2d) In a bad sense--Deporting one's self abjectly, deferring servilely to others. Strong—Depressed, i.e. figuratively--Humiliated(in circumstances or disposition). Used 8X.
:53a—“He has filled the hungry with good things,...”
Thruout man’s stay on this earth, God “has” “filled” those who are “hungry.” Not because they are “hungry”, but because they are FAITHFUL & “hungry”! And He has filled them with “good things.”
*“Good things” are relative to the context of a person’s particular need. God’s “good things”—even though they are truly “good”—CAN be ‘perceived’ wrongly as ‘bad things’! U you find yourself whining about what others have in comparison to yourself, THEN your perception of God’s abundance & care for you is off-center!
Physical “Hunger” is a real experience, even among God’s people. And He calls His people to be alert to, willing to, & surrendered to, meeting their brother’s & sister’s need, so they may be “filled” “with” God’s “good things”!
*God walks us thru ALL difficulties with His “good things.”:
Js. 1:17—“Every good thing bestowed & every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.”
Isa. 43:1-2—“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia & Seba in your place.”
:53a—WORDS—
“Filled”—empiplhmi, OR--emplhyw—1Aorist Active indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To fill up, fill full; 2) To take one's fill of, glut one's desire for, satisfy, satiate. Strong—To fill in(up), i.e. by implication--To satisfy(literally or figuratively). Used 5X--Lk. 1:53; 6:25; Jn. 6:12; Acts 14:17; Rom. 15:24.?From—en—1) In, by, with etc.. Strong—“In, “At”, (Up-)On, By, etc.; a primary preposition denoting (fixed)position(in place, time or state), & by implication--Instrumentality(medially or constructively), i.e. A relation of rest(intermediate between eiv[into, unto, to, towards, for, among] & ek/ex[out of, from, by, away from]).—& the base of—pleistov—The largest number or very large; irregular superlative of poluv.[many, often, mostly, largely].
“Hungry”—peinaw—Present Active Participle - Accusative Plural Masc.—1) To hunger, be hungry—1a) To suffer want, 1b) To be needy; 2) metaph.--To crave ardently, to seek with eager desire. Strong—from the same as penhv[starving, i.e. indigent](through the idea of pinching toil; "pine"); To famish(absolutely or comparatively); figuratively--To crave.
“Good things”—agayov—Adj. Genitive Plural Masc.—1) Of good constitution or nature; 2) Useful, salutary; 3) Good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; 4) Excellent, distinguished; 5) Upright, honorable. Strong—“Good”(in any sense, often as noun); a primary word.
:53b—“...And the rich He has sent away empty.”
In contrast to those who are “hungry”, there are others who are “rich.” “The rich” are able to provide for themselves by their own means.
It is a characteristic of Christian service to God, for a “rich” person or family, to share generously with the needy, from or out of their “richness.”
But it is NOT expected of them, that their God-ordered & heart-felt generosity should cause them to become poor & needy themselves!
*Human self-delusioned pride, is the root of what causes a “rich” person to be ‘tight-fisted’ & cold, in refusing to aid the plight of the poor! That is, particularly when those truly needing aid are not lazy & sinful, but are industrious & hard working.
•Plenty of able-bodied people in our society are slackers & lazy, & yet they expect you to support them! But such people have absolutely no business living off of someone else’s dime!
•2Thess. 3:10, 11—“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.
*AND it is not up to me or you to decide HOW MUCH “the rich” should supply to the poverty-stricken! To do so, takes away “the rich” person’s personal responsibility for their good or bad reputation as “the rich.”
•To force ‘sharing’ is no more than stealing from the rich to give to the poor! That solution is found in socialism & communism, where human government is trusted to distribute wealth. ‘Robin Hood’s’ solution is NEITHER biblically sound NOR commendable!
Thruout man’s stay on this earth, God “has” demonstrated His ability & willingness to “send” “away” “the rich” from His presence, with absolutely nothing! God “has” exercised His power to “send” them “away empty”-handed.
•Of course in the context of Mary’s statement, “the rich” carries a negative connotation as was mentioned earlier.
•And, like “putting down the mighty” & “exalting the lowly”(:52), God’s ABILITY is highlighted....
•But even more-so, God’s HEART is highlighted thru His actions of making the wrongs, right!
•That God “sends” “the rich” “away empty” also shines a bright light on how precious, man’s voluntary humility is to God!
Mary’s statement also calls attention to the fact that ‘true wealth’ is in the-eye-of-the-beholder.
For every individual, ‘wealth’ is EITHER centered in the LIMITATIONS of this earth, OR ‘wealth’ is centered in the LIMITLESSNESS of the Kingdom of God!
Mat. 6:19-21—“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth & rust destroy & where thieves break in & steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys & where thieves do not break in & steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Lk. 12:29-34—“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, & your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, & all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have & give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
:53b—WORDS—
“Rich”—ploutew—Present Active Participle - Accusative Plural Masc.—1) To be rich, to have abundance—1a) Of outward possessions; 2) metaph.--To be richly supplied—2a) Is affluent in resources so that he can give blessings of salvation to all. Strong—To be(or become) wealthy(literally or figuratively). Used 12X.?From—ploutizw—To make wealthy(figuratively).
“Sent away”—exapostellw—1Aorist Active indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To send forth; 2) To send away. Strong—To send away forth, i.e. (on a mission) To despatch, OR peremptorily--To dismiss. Used 11X.?From—ek/ex—1) Out of, from, by, away from. Strong—From, out(of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote); a primary preposition denoting origin(the point whence action or motion proceeds).—&—apostellw(verbal of ‘apostle’)—Set apart, i.e. by implication--To send out(properly, on a mission) literally or figuratively. From--apo—“Off,” i.e. Away(from something near), in various senses(of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative); a primary particle.—&—stellw—1) To set, place, set in order, arrange. Strong—To set fast("stall"), i.e. To repress; Abstain from associating with.
“Empty”—kenov—Adj. Accusative Plural Masc.—1) Empty, vain, devoid of truth—1a) Of places, vessels, etc. which contain nothing, 1b) of men—1b1) Empty handed, 1b2) Without a gift, 1c) metaph.--Destitute of spiritual wealth, of one who boasts of his faith as a transcendent possession, yet is without the fruits of faith, 1d) metaph.--Of endeavors, labors, acts, which result in nothing, vain, fruitless, without effect—1d1) Vain of no purpose. Strong—Empty(literally or figuratively); apparently a primary word. Used 18X.
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Mr. Woodruff & Mr. Hughes had great potential for a good golfing partnership!...
Likewise, God’s people have great potential when they work together & face obstacles together, in God’s service!
Action:
Ministry Partnerships share...
3. GOD’s MAGNIFICATION(:46-55)[part-2--:51-53]
c. His Regard for the WEAK(:51-53)
1. EXCITEMENT(:39-40)
2. GOD’s BLESSING(:41-45)
3. GOD’s MAGNIFICATION(:46-55)[part-1--:46-50]
a. His Regard for the LOWLY(:46-49)
b. His Regard for the FAITHFUL(:50)
Pt#3[part-2--:51-53] Presented 03/02/2025am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
Pt#s 3-4 Presented 02/13/2011am to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
