Christmas Is Christ Series #3

Sermon Notes: Luke 1:39-55^KJV And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; {40} And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. {41} And 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: {42} And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. {43} And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? {44} For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. {45} And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. {46} And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, {47} And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. {48} For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. {49} For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy [is] his name. {50} And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation. {51} He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. {52} He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree. {53} He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. {54} He hath [helped] his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy; {55} As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Audio Of Sermon: 

Christmas Is A Time Of Shared Faith

Mary had been told that she was to have the Christ Child, the long awaited Messiah. But the Angel also told her:

Luke 1:36-37 … thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. {37} For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Mary had asked Gabriel how could she – a virgin – conceive a child. How can this be, seeing I have not known a man sexually? The Angel tells her that God has already done a miracle 6 months before, that Elisabeth – who was barren – is now with child. There is nothing impossible for God.

Beloved, there is nothing impossible for God! Our God is a miracle making God.

Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV) Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

God can do anything that righteousness allows.

• God Cannot LIE: Hebrews 6:18 …. it is impossible for God to lie …
• God Cannot CHANGE: Malachi 3:6 …. For I am the Lord, I do not change …
• God Cannot BREAK A PROMISE: Psalm 89:34 … My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
• God Cannot Be Pleased With FAITHLESSNESS: Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

When Mary heard what God said through Gabriel she rejoiced. Then she showed us her faith by heading to Elisabeth’s house.

Unbelief would have said “Wait”.
Fear would have said “Be Still”.
But FAITH said “Go”!

This was no easy trip. The distance from Nazareth to Hebron – where Elisabeth was – is about 81 miles as the crow flies – and Mary wasn’t flying. Mary was going to offer help to her cousin. In those days family helped family. She was going to help her 6 month pregnant cousin. She was also, I believe, going to share her good news with Elisabeth. If this had happened today maybe she would have called her cousin, or posted it on Facebook. Thank God for the old days! No, there was nothing easy to this trip. This would take her – a young lady – several days of travel over dangerous terrain fraught with thieves and no goods. But she went. God had told her she was having a Baby, the Christ Baby, and God was going to protect her. Elisabeth needed her, so she went.

She went in haste. We are told:

Luke 1:39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country WITH HASTE, into a city of Judah;

Faith moves WITH HASTE. It does not dawdle. When we procrastinate the things of God, we often do not do them. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac what did that faithful old man do? The Bible says:

Genesis 22:3 (NKJV) Abraham rose EARLY in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

Faith has feet. It prays. It seeks God’s Word. But once faith has God’s Word, faith moves. It does as God says. Mary moved, and went to Elisabeth.

Luke 1:40-44 {Mary} entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. {41} And 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 {Spirit}: {42} And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. {43} And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? {44} For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

I always love this section. The PRO CHOICE crowd has held for years that “The baby in the womb is not a baby, just a piece of unfeeling tissue”. Hogwash! When Mary entered the home of her cousin the baby leapt in her womb, and Elisabeth was FILLED with the Holy Spirit. God made Himself known to His servant – and out of this Filling or Empowerment or Anointing – She said “the baby John LEAPT in my womb FOR JOY”. Though John was still embraced by his mother’s flesh he knew His Savior – and Yours – was in Mary. Think on this for a moment. Mary had been pregnant only a FEW DAYS. That which was within her was a tiny fetus. Yet John sensed the Lord in Mary. Elisabeth sensed the Lord in Mary.

Luke 1:42-43 (NKJV) … Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

The Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ stood in her home. What an honor this was for Elisabeth! Not because of who Mary was, but because of Who Jesus was. Here is the tiny fetus Who will be born the Savior of all Who believe. What a miracle God wrought in Mary. What a miracle God brings in us who have believed in His Christ!

There is no jealousy or envy in faith. Elisabeth is not belittled because God chose her to carry John and Mary the Savior. Nor is there pride in faith. Arrogance and Faith cannot occupy the same home, for one will take the other in hand.

What is a mark of faith? Humility. A lowliness of self.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: {7} Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

With humility comes blessing. God cannot save the prideful, nor can He bless the arrogant. Notice also that faith – as expressed by Elisabeth – will trust the Promise of God. Elisabeth tells Mary:

Luke 1:45 And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Elisabeth says “blessed are you, Mary, because you believed God”. There is no blessing without belief. Mary believed God, just as Abraham our father believed God. Jesus told Doubting Thomas:

John 20:29 (NKJV) … because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Mary had no physical evidence as of yet that Christ was in her. And yet, she believed. Mary had no physical evidence that Elisabeth was six months pregnant when the Angel told her so. She had to go 81 miles to see the evidence. She believed without having to see. She trusted God, and was blessed for it. Have faith in God (Mark 11:22). Trust His Word. What He has said, He will do. Man may fail, but God will not.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Humble Faith Produces A Song In The Heart

Luke 1:46-49 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, {47} And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. {48} For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. {49} For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy [is] his name.

Mary’s Song begins by praising and lifting up the Name of God. God has been good to Mary. He has been good to all of us. Do we praise Him as She does?

My soul doth MAGNIFY the Lord

That doesn’t mean that she places a magnifying glass on a little god to make him bigger. No, God is BIG anyway. God is awesome.

Psalm 47:2 (NKJV) For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.

Deuteronomy 10:17 (NKJV) For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

Some of you worship a false god, a little god, a god you keep in your pocket. For some this god is a ring of beads that you touch and pray to. To others it is a statue, or a fantasy of your making. I have heard of the alcoholic who was told to just worship something higher than himself. He staggered drunk to a tree one summer day, sat down, looked up and saw a little squirrel perched on a limb. “Why little squirrel, you are higher than I am, so you can be my god”. The squirrel looked at him, then sensing this was a nut bigger than it could crack, ran away. Some of you like Laban of the Old Testament have lucky charms you call your gods.

If your god is small enough to be stolen, and hid by a small girl, then your god is useless and certainly NOT the God of the Scripture. Mary had no little god but the God of Scripture, the God of Truth, the God Who is. Mary lifted up God’s Name, praising Him, glorifying Him. “My Soul Magnifies My God!” The great preacher C.H. Spurgeon said:

“IT is very clear that Mary was not beginning a new thing; for she speaks in the present tense, and in a tense which seems to have been for a long time present: “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” Ever since she had received the wonderful tidings of the choice which God had made of her for her high position, she had begun to magnify the Lord; and when once a soul has a deep sense of God’s mercy, and begins magnifying him, there is no end to it. This grows by what it feeds upon: the more you magnify God, the more you can magnify him. The higher you rise, the more you can see; your view of God is increased in extent; and whereas you praised him somewhat at the bottom of the hill, when you get nearer and nearer to the top of his exceeding goodness, you lift up the strain still more loudly, and your soul doth more fully and exultantly magnify the Lord.”

my spirit hath REJOICED in God my Savior

For Mary God was her Savior. Mary loved God, and He loved her. There are many who profess to be Christian who are no more Christian than a cloud. For Mary the Lord was Lord of:

her tongue
her time
her treasure
her talent
her testimony
her toil

Because He was her Lord she trusted Him and trusted Him still. Joy overflowed from her heart, and radiated outward in her countenance and in her song. Mary is not immaculate, as many believe, but like us a sinner in need of a Savior. God saved her so that He could use her. God saves us so that He can use us for His glory and majesty. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Luke 1:48 For HE hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

God loves us though He regards our LOW ESTATE. He is immense, but we are tiny. Yet in His immensity He loves us.

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Oh how God loves us, though we often be unlovable. He loved Mary though she were small. Our God Who is everywhere at once – for in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28) and is immense in power. And yet this immense Creator loves us, and calls us to His side.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 … My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. {2} [There is] none holy as the LORD: for [there is] none beside thee: neither [is there] any rock like our God. {3} Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let [not] arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD [is] a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. …”

It is God Who blesses, God Who strengthens, God Who has given you your sustenance, your salvation, the very air you breath. Praise Him! Glorify Him! King David, a man who was after God’s own heart, said:

Psalms 28:6-7 Blessed [be] the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. {7} The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Hasn’t God blessed you? Then praise Him! Share what He has done with those around you. Speak of His great blessing, of the salvation which has been given to you.

God Humbled Himself – And So Must We

Luke 1:51-55 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. {52} He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree. {53} He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. {54} He hath [helped] his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy; {55} As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

The entirety of Mary’s song is humble, surrendered to our Father. To those who come to God with open but empty hands God blesses. God scatters the proud in their imagination and puts down the mighty from their seats. But to those who humble themselves, God blesses.

God humbled Himself. God came from Heaven to earth. The Eternal God the Son was willing to have a beginning in flesh. He would be born of water and blood, coming forth from Mary. He did this so that He could fill the hungry with good things. Jesus lowered Himself for you and I.

As Mary humbled herself and waited on Elisabeth for the next three months, and humbled herself to go with her husband to Bethlehem, her Son would humble Himself. He would humble Himself by being born in a manger. He would humble Himself by growing up in Nazareth. And His ultimate humiliation would be went He went to the Cross of Calvary for you and I.

Philippians 2:6-8 (NKJV) {Jesus} being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus humbled Himself for us. We therefore humble ourselves to receive Him. The great writer and theologian C.S. Lewis said:

“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the life of Christ. If we do, we shall then be sharing a life which was begotten, not made, which always existed and always will exist. Christ is the Son of God. If we share in this kind of life we also shall be sons of God. We shall love the Father as He does and the Holy Ghost will arise in us. He came to this world and became a man in order to spread to other men the kind of life He has — by what I call “good infection.” Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.”

God became incarnate so that we could be saved. God came from Heaven so that He could take us to Heaven with Him. This is the wondrous message of Christmas.

So this season as you look at the Christmas Tree with all its lights, remember this. Out of the dead tree of the Cross God offers us His Light and His life. The present that matters most is not what is UNDER the tree, but He Who hung on the Tree. The greatest gift God can bestow upon any was given in the manger and on the tree. The greatest gift of all is Jesus! Receive Him. Love Him. Care for Him. Walk with Him.

May God touch your hearts with His Word!