INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• When is it the easiest to offer praise to God?
• Is it when great things happen or when circumstances work out in one’s favor?
• As we get to this final message in this series, we must take note of one thing.
• Mary has had quite a wonderful journey thus far. Today we conclude the final message of our three-part series, Mary Christmas, where we have been sitting next to Mary as she been seeing the course of her life change forever.
• The Angel Gabriel has appeared to her, to tell her what God has in store for her, she has made the 50 plus mile journey to see her aged relative Elizabeth, who is six-months pregnant with her son, John the Baptist.
• Mary has listened in awe to the prophetic message from Elizabeth, and now, we see are seating in the room with her, Mary is about to respond.
• The message title is Mary’s Magnificat. The word MAGNIFICAT is a word that comes of the Latin Vulgate, which is a 4th century Latin translation of the Bible, which was largely the work of Jerome.
• The word MAGNIFICAT means PROCLAIMS THE GREATNESS, it is where we get our word MAGNIFICENT.
• This outpouring of praise from Mary is exclaiming the greatness of God.
• Why is Mary pouring out praise to God at this point? Is it simply because she has been blessed in a big way, or is there something more to it than that?
• Mary’s Magnificat has some of its basis in the tremendous blessing Mary has received; however, Mary’s praise goes deeper than, THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING GOOD TO ME.
• As we listen to and examine Mary’s Magnificat, there is application for us today as Mary sets an example of WHY our praise to God should be much deeper than praising God because we received some sort of great blessing.
• Let’s begin in Luke 1:46-49
• SLIDE #2
• Luke 1:46–49 (HCSB) — 46 And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, 48 because He has looked with favor on the humble condition of His slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
Mary praises God for…
I. His mercy extended to her. (46-49)
• So much has happened to Mary in such a short time. How many times in one’s life does and Angel of the Lord visit you and tell you that you are going to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah? NEVER!
• Mary is full of joy and humility concerning her calling from God.
• Mary understands that she has not had this honor bestowed upon her because she DESERVED it, but rather, she knew it was by God’s grace and mercy that opened the door for her to be able to have this honor.
• It is true that Mary is praising God in part because He has blessed her in a big way; however, notice the praise is all about God, and how God looked down on her with favor, and how, because of God, she will be called blessed in all the generations.
• Notice she realizes people will see her in this light because of what GOD has done for her.
• She could not get pregnant along, God had to make that happen for her to have a virgin birth!
• It is easy to see that Mary is not caught up in herself, that she is all about God.
• How easy would it be to get a develop a big head and a big ego over the fact that God chose her?
• People have developed ego issues over a lot less, yet Mary knows it is all about God.
• When you serve the Lord with any amount of success, it can be easy to lose sight of why you succeeded. In ministry one MUST keep that thought in the forefront of one’s mind. Once one thinks they are the only reason for whatever they call success, they will soon find out that that it is God who has blessed them.
• Biblical Scholar’s debate whether Mary is speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, personally I do not think she is. I believe she is pouring the joy of her heart to Elizabeth because of what God has done.
• What she says has some resemblance to Hannah’s praise in 1 Samuel 2 as well as some things written in the Psalms. This would not be unusual because Mary would be very familiar with all those writings.
• We have touched on this before concerning God’s choice of Mary. If God were taking applications from ladies to be the one to give birth to and raise His Son, how many would people would pick Mary?
• She was poor, she was going to marry a man who was poor. WE know this not only from what Mary is saying about herself, but later in Luke 2:22-24 when Jesus was presented in the temple, the family offered doves instead of the usual lamb. Their offering would be acceptable if they were too poor to offer up a lamb.
• APPLICATION
• As we look at Mary’s position in life, one must once again see that God is not concerned with one’s status in this world before He uses a person for His glory.
• Too many people think that they are too damaged or in some way are too messed up for God to love them.
• Mary shows us once again, that God does not look at people the people look at people.
• Mary was living life, she was most likely devoted to God, then God taps her on the shoulder at a very young age.
• Mary’s example show us we need to always be willing and ready to serve the Lord!
• Mary’s praise was prompted by what God was going to do through her. There is nothing wrong with that; however, as we see from Mary, we must always give God His due!
• The next part of Mary’s Magnificat says…
• SLIDE #4
• Luke 1:50–53 (HCSB) — 50 His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him. 51 He has done a mighty deed with His arm; He has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; 52 He has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
• SLIDE #5
Mary praises God for…
II. His mercy offered to all. (50-53)
• Mary continues her praise of God by reminding us that God offers His mercy to all people.
• She tells us that God’s mercy to all who fear (RESPECT) God.
• Mercy is leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency of authority.
• To receive mercy, one must be an offender, or as we would say, a sinner.
• Mary knows she is a sinner in need of God’s mercy. We too are sinners who need God’s mercy so that we can have our sins forgiven so that we can experience eternal life.
• God has shown mercy to mankind since the Garden of Eden. We need to praise God for His mercy that allows us to be forgiven through the blood of Jesus for our sins!
• People who reject god do not believe they need God’s mercy because they do not believe they have an issue or they just do not believe in a God to whom they will answer to one day.
• God has displayed His power through His mighty arm which represents His ACTIVE power (Psalms 71:18; 77:16; Isaiah 52:10), and His mercy dictates that he used that power to help us have a way to salvation.
• We also see that those who have tried to stand against God have been humbled. Throughout history the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Babylonians were all eventually scattered.
• Mary tells us it was because they had an inflated view of themselves.
• We see the theme that God is no respecter of persons from verse 52 where we are told that God toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. Within Mary’s family tree, King David comes to mind.
• David was such a lowly shepherd that when Samuel asked his father Jesse to parade his sons before him so he could let God name the new King, Jesse did not even bother to call David to join them.
• Verse 53 continues the theme of this part of the praise by telling us that God satisfied the hungry and sent the rich away empty.
• This goes back to one’s attitude, those who do not think they need God, God allows them to be empty. Those who delight themselves in the Lord, He satisfies!
• SLIDE #6
• Psalm 37:4 (HCSB) Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.
• When you think about what Mary is saying in this section, it is so true, those without the Lord are empty, they have nothing more than this world.
• When you look at those who are hostile toward God, do they look satisfied or do they just look…HOSTILE?
• When you take stock of your life, you do not have to think you are disqualified because you do not think you are special. Love God, delight yourself in Him and He will use you for His purpose!
• SLIDE #7
• Luke 1:54–55 (HCSB) — 54 He has helped His servant Israel, mindful of His mercy, 55 just as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever.
• SLIDE #8
Mary praises God for…
III. His mercy displayed toward Israel. (54-55)
• This closing thought may not seem to connect with you today, God showed mercy toward Israel, what does that do for me now?
• Israel is an object lesson for each one of us. Mary praises God for being there for them, even as the nation was on many occasions obstinate and disobedient toward God.
• The nation tested Gods patience with them. God allowed other nations to take them over time and time again; yet in the end, God was always there for them.
• We need to realize that we are never too far gone to turn back to God, or to turn to Him the first time!
• This is why we have Christmas, so that we could have the opportunity to have eternal life through Jesus! No matter how far we walked away, God has always been there with open arms waiting for you to come back!
• The other touchpoint with us from this section of Mary’s Magnificat is the fact that God keeps His promises!
• Over time, when one makes a promise, it can be easy to forget that promise, or if a Politician makes a promise… . Well never mind.
• God never forgot His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Long after they were dead, God kept His promise, and God will keep His promise to you.
• God delivered on His promise with the birth of Jesus!
• He will keep His promise to you to give you eternal life if you will give your life to Jesus.
• Jesus will fulfill His promise to return. God will fulfill His promise that that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!
CONCLUSION
• I hope you have both enjoyed and learned something as we have looked at roots of Christmas through the eye of Mary.
• When you are gathered with your loved ones this Christmas, let us never forget how God used as young, poor, humble girl to usher a new age, where we can have eternal life through Jesus Christ!
• Everyone have a MERRY Christmas and I will see you next year!
