Sermon Text: Luke 1:39-56
Scripture Reading: John 4:1-26
Introduction
Mary goes immediately to her relative’s side. She had
been told of Elizabeth’s condition (Luke 1:36) and now travels to see God’s sign of
encouragement. Her journey is made with haste into the Judean hill country, to
a city south of Jerusalem. The journey, covering 80-100 miles, would take three
or four days.[3] In this account (vv. 39-45) Luke records the response of John the Baptist to the
coming of Christ (Luke 1:43-44) and Elizabeth’s blessing of Mary (Luke 1:45).
As we have mentioned, there are many parallels in the
birth announcements of John the Baptist and Jesus. However, Luke is careful to
show distinctions within the parallels in order to emphasize the superiority of
Jesus to John the Baptist. Mary’s meeting with Elizabeth highlights another
distinction since the elder mother of the elder (humanly speaking) John the
Baptist blesses Mary.
John the Baptist’s
leap in the womb suggests an initiation of his role as Jesus’ forerunner.
Another contrast is drawn in Luke 1:45 between Mary and
Zechariah. Elizabeth delivers the first beatitude in the Gospel according to
Luke, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what
was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45). Happy are those who trust God’s
Word. Mary is happy indeed as is evidenced by The Magnificat. True lasting joy and blessings come to those who live like
they believe God does what He says.
To encourage Mary’s faith, Gabriel sent her to witness
what God had already done in Elizabeth’s barren womb. To encourage Theophilus’
faith Luke records the fulfillment of God’s Word to Mary. Our faith is greatly
strengthened to believe what God will do by thinking deeply about what He has
already done.
“Happiness communicated doubles itself. Grief grows
greater by concealing” (Ryle).[5]
The truth of God’s Word and His unwavering faithfulness
move Mary and Elizabeth to fellowship, which then moves Mary to offer a song of
thanksgiving and praise to her God. Mary is happy because she lives like she
believes what God says. Mary’s song of praise is the first of five associated
with Christ’s birth that Luke records (Luke 1:46-55, 67-79; 2:14, 25-32).[2]
The Magnificat
Mary offers praise to the Lord through song. The song has
been named by commentators as The Magnificat, a Latin translation of “magnify”
from the opening line (v. 46).
Five Observations
- Mary’s Worship was in Spirit and Truth (vv. 46-56)
- Mary praises God for His grace towards her (vv. 46-49)
- Mary praises God for His actions towards all people (vv. 50-53)
- Mary praises God for His grace towards Israel (vv. 54-55)
- Mary’s understands the basis for God’s grace is His covenant (vv. 54-55)
- Mary’s Worship was in Spirit and Truth (vv. 46-56)
Read Jesus’ interchange with the Samaritan woman in John
4:20-26. What did Jesus mean by Spirit and Truth?
The two words, Spirit and Truth, correspond to the how
and the whom of worship.[6]
Together the words "Spirit and Truth" mean that
real worship comes from the spirit within and is based on true views of God.
Worship must engage your emotions and worship must engage
your thought. Truth without emotion produces dead principles. Emotion without
truth produces empty frenzy and cultivates flaky people who reject the
discipline of rigorous thought.[6]
In Spirit
“Continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that
is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). True worship is prompted and empowered by the Holy Spirit
and begins inwardly (soul and spirit in vv. 46-47) before it is every expressed
outwardly.
What did Jesus mean in John 4:23? Perhaps the water is
his teaching. The closest parallel to verse 14 is John 7:37–39, "Jesus
stood up and proclaimed, 'If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. He
who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow
rivers of living water.' Now this he said about the Spirit which those who
believed in him were to receive." Just like John 4:14, this passage speaks
of a drinking in and a flowing out. But here John makes plain that Jesus is
speaking about the Holy Spirit. It's the presence of God's Spirit in your life
that takes away your frustrated soul-thirst forever and turns you into a person
who overflows with life for others.
Jesus kept the Word and Spirit together. For example, in
John 14:26 he says, "The Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he
will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have
said." The work of the Spirit of Christ is to make the Word of Christ
clear and satisfying to the soul. When we come to Christ to drink, what we
drink is truth—but not dead, powerless facts.
In Truth
“The two great hindrances of worship are ignorance and
pride” (Macarthur).[2]
Mary’s praise is remarkable for its theology and use of
the Old Testament. She was a young girl, perhaps about thirteen years old who,
like all the people of her day, had no personal copy of the Scriptures. Her
familiarity with the Word of God must have come from hearing it read regularly
in the synagogue (Luke 4:16). It settled in her heart and was readily on her mind
when she opened her mouth in worshipful praise. What a benediction it would be
for the church today if the young could be so biblically literate and devout.[2]
Almost every line of Mary’s praise is a quote from the
Old Testament. Clearly, Mary’s mind was full of Scripture. If we are to experience
“true” worship, we must strive to become deeply acquainted with Scripture. “Let
the word of Christ dwell in your richly, teaching and admonishing one another
in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness
in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).
Jesus taught that the mouth speaks out of that which
fills the heart (Matthew 12:34). True worship is an outflow of the heart
steeped in God’s Word.
We must study Scripture, search it, dig into it, think
deeply on it, memorize it, pray it, discuss it, and learn it. We should strive
to know Scripture better than our profession, hobby, children, or spouse.
The Magnificat is
rich in describing God’s attributes. Mary’s praise is rooted in God’s power,
holiness, justice, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, mercy, compassion,
might, goodness, and covenant faithfulness.
Fuel, Fire, Furnace, Heat
"I should think myself in the way of my duty, to raise the affections of my hearers as high as I possibly can, provided they are affected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with."
~Jonathan Edwards
The fuel of worship is the grand truth of a gracious and
sovereign God; the fire that makes the fuel burn white hot is the quickening of
the Holy Spirit; the furnace made alive and warm by the flame of truth is our
renewed spirit; and the resulting heat of our affections is worship, pushing
its way out in tears, confessions, prayers, praises, acclamation, lifting of hands,
bowing low, and obedient lives.[6]
Sources:
- Sproul, R.C. The Reformation Study Bible. Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries, 2005.
- MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Luke 1-5. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009.
- Brock, Darrell. Luke 1:1-9:50. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994.
- Brock, Darrell. The NIV Application Commentary: Luke. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
- Ryle, J.C. Luke. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1997.
- Piper, John. Sermon: God Seeks People to Worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Delivered at Bethlehem Baptist Church April 8, 1984. Full sermon manuscript can be found at http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/god-seeks-people-to-worship-him-in-spirit-and-truth.
Please include the following statement on any distributed
copy: By John Piper. ©2012 Desiring God Foundation. Website: desiringGod.org
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