The Lord Is With You
Luke 1:26-56 ·December 11, 2022· Joel Passmore
Part of: Luke
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We're going to start a new sermon series today. We wrapped up our sermon series on the core values. We're going to start in Luke today. We're not going to start at chapter 1, verse 1. It's the Advent season, the Christmas season. We're going to skip ahead just a little bit so we can talk about this week and next week two amazing stories that lead up to the birth of Jesus. Next Sunday, we're going to take a look at Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, the one who doubted what Gabriel was saying to him.
This week, we're talking about Mary, talking about Gabriel's visit to Mary and how she responds. Now, if someone wants to ask you to do something for them, they might ask you, would you do me a favor? But there are some people in this world, in your life, that are so important, either because of the position that they occupy or because of just their significance to you, that if they ask you to do something for them, you feel like it's you who's getting the favor.
And if that's true about another person, it's certainly true about God. When God asks you to do something, it's favor towards you. It's a gift. It's a blessing. When he draws near to us and asks us to do something, we've been shown favor, and we should respond to him that way. That's what happens today in today's passage. When we talk about Mary, that's exactly how she responds. God draws near to her with an announcement. It's a miracle that's going to happen in her life, and it's a role that she's going to play in his plan.
And she responds with something beautiful, something that we can learn from. So turn with me in your Bibles, or turn with me in your bulletins, or just look up at the screen. We're going to read from Luke chapter 1. The sermon really is on the whole 26 through 56, but we did the first part of it in the scripture reading earlier, so I'm going to pick up with Luke 1, verse 39. This is the word of God for us today. It's completely reliable. In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.
She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
And blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed. For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud and the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his offspring forever. And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Pray with me. Father, will you please bless the going forth of your word today? Lord, we need your work in our lives. We need your work in our hearts. Please do that work by your spirit through the word. Lord, we are grateful to be called together to receive from you. We know that you have something for us today. Please speak to each person what they need. Jesus, we pray this in your name, and Lord, by your spirit.
The title for today's sermon is The Lord is With You. It's what Gabriel said to Mary. The Lord is with you. Here's the point. God's promised salvation comes to the humble and the faithful. God's promised salvation comes to the humble and faithful. Let's start with a surprising announcement. You'll have to turn back to the scripture reading in your bulletin earlier. I'm actually going to start there. I'm sneaking in this whole passage here in my sermon.
The angel Gabriel was sent by God. All of these events, they're put into motion by God. He's the one who initiates. He's the one who moves in to this situation. But where he goes is completely unexpected. It's shocking. Nazareth is completely unimportant. It's hard for us to get our heads around that because we associate it with where Jesus is from. All through the gospels, Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus of Nazareth. It was nowhere's ville. Nobody was thinking about Nazareth.
It's an obscure place. There's no prophecies about anything special happening there. It's not mentioned once in the entire Old Testament. Not only that, it's located in Galilee. Galilee was a region that was looked down upon by other Jews. Jews from Judea in the south. Jews from Jerusalem. They looked at the people of Judea. They looked kind of down on their noses at them. They made fun of them. The way they spoke had an accent to it that was an object of ridicule.
The Galileans were thought of as unsophisticated. They were thought of as too influenced by the Hellenistic Greek culture around them. They were thought of as being too far away from Jerusalem to really be participating in the things that are happening, the important temple practices. So Nazareth is an obscure place in an area that was kind of looked down upon. Galilee. And who does Gabriel come to in Nazareth of Galilee?
A young, unmarried woman. Raise your hand if you're between the ages of 12 and 17. Show of hands. Raise them high. You can put them up there. All right. We've got a few people reluctant to raise their hands. I know who you are. All right. I ask that because scholars believe she was almost certainly in that age range between 12 and 17 when all this happens. So young people, I want you to keep all this in mind that I'm preaching on today. All this is about someone that's your age.
Something amazing happens to them and they respond in an amazing way. In the ancient Near East, a young, unmarried woman would have almost no social capital. They would have no buying power. They would have no influence, no agency. Young people, whether or not you know it, you have a hard time relating to Mary on this count. There are advertisers all the world around that are meeting in rooms talking about how can we get your attention. Really. Seriously.
How can we get your attention? No one is thinking of Mary like that. No one. This person and this place are not on anyone's radar except for God. He sends his most important angel to tell Mary something even more important. You have found favor with God. You have found favor with God. Let's look at this. You can put it up on the screen, Grayson. You have found favor with God. She is called O favored one. The word favor here is charis which is otherwise translated grace.
Favor and grace they're synonyms. Favored one it's passive. That's what this means. Favor or grace is something that she receives. What Gabriel is telling her is that she is an object of God's grace. God has moved into her life. She's done nothing. Before she's done anything God moved in and said I'm extending my grace to you. You are favored. He says the Lord is with you. God moved towards her. She's not favored because God saw something in her but because God chose to draw near to her and love her.
Now what she receives is the grace of his presence and the grace of his calling. His presence and his calling. This is the role that God has for her to bear a miracle. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David. Now this is exactly what God said he would do. It's not the way that anyone expected it to happen but it's exactly what he promised. The prophet Jeremiah said this behold the days are coming declares the Lord when I will raise up for David a righteous branch and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely. But here's the thing this is not just another human king this is the part that surprised everyone. It's the part that's surprising Mary right now. What Gabriel tells her is that what is happening is an unprecedented miracle. This has never happened before. This king is not merely divinely appointed or ordained this king is divinely conceived. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you therefore the child to be born will be called holy the Son of God.
This is unique and it had to be unique. This king would not be a political deliverer much to everyone's confusion. He would be a spiritual deliverer. God is working salvation beyond human expectation but right precisely at human need. To do it he's performing a miracle that's beyond any previous experience. The king needed to be not just David's son but God's son. It had to be this way to bring the salvation that the Lord intended. the fact that this was unprecedented makes what happens next even more remarkable.
Let's talk about how Mary responds starting in verse 38. The amazing response. Mary's been told that this is God's will for her. Just imagine for a moment what this is going to mean for her in her life. She's just been told that her whole life has changed. Every expectation that she had for her life is out the window.
She doesn't know how Joseph will respond. How her family will respond. How the community will respond. Will anyone believe her? She's going to be an unwed mother.
She's conceived a child out of wedlock. For the rest of her life she's going to be seen differently. There will be whispering. She might be ostracized. It's no exaggeration to say that her whole life has been changed in this moment. And yet look at how Mary responds. Look at verse 38. Behold I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word. This is the humble response of faith. She doesn't ask for more information. She doesn't ask for a guarantee that everything is going to turn out okay.
She takes God at his word and she says my life is in your hands. We are right to be struck by Mary's faith and obedience. What an amazing incredible response from this young woman.
Again 12 year olds through 17 year olds imagine yourself saying yes to God on something so incredible something you've never heard of before something that you don't even know how it's going to impact your life but you know that it's been changed and you say yes Lord this is how it should be for all God's people when God comes into your life he's going to change your direction he gives you a role to play you can't have him and have your way at the same time that's just not how it works sometimes we act like God's grace is given to us so that we can achieve our life goals thanks for your forgiveness God it's going to be really helpful as I go do this and this and this that I have planned for myself we think of it like winning the lottery a winning lottery ticket gives you incredible resources and asks nothing in return there's no additional responsibilities there's no obligations you just show up and get your check and you do whatever you want with it you pursue your own dreams you live out your own desires church you can't accept God's presence in your life without accepting God's purpose for your life when God calls you to him it's an invitation to a new life but a reordered life a life that's centered on him now there's meaning and there's purpose but he's the ruler there's work that he calls you to do and it is disruptive to your plans and yet church listen to me it is still a gift it is still with your rearranged life that's centered around God than your self centered life
that goes in your own direction it's better I'm telling you this because sometimes you're going to walk out this door and you're not going to feel like it's better you're going to feel like it's worse now God why have you gotten in the way but it's better that's what Mary knew from the very beginning it's better God that you have showed up in my life that you have involved me in your work that you showed me favor and grace it's better now we don't know what's going to happen when we follow him what will he ask of me how will things turn out how will this go what's going to result Mary didn't know either but she knew that he's good she knew that he loves her and we know those same things even clearer than Mary did because we know we know what God did to save us we know the salvation that he worked through her child he can do amazing things with a humble now Mary she obeys the first thing that she does is she gets up and she goes to Elizabeth she wants to see what God has told her is God though he not taking his first breath yet together they marvel at the saving work of God though Elizabeth is older than Mary there is no spirit of rivalry or competition within her only joy because God is at work and he's graciously chosen to use them in his plan she calls Mary blessed blessed are you this is how Christians ought to talk with one another about God's work in our team guys we're on the same team when God shows up in your brother or sister's life calls them to something gives them
purpose even when it's hard we should say blessed are you what grace and favor I'm excited to see what God does in your life I'm going to be cheering you on even when there's hardship involved sometimes especially when there's hardship involved those are someone needs to hear from you blessed are you you're favored by God don't forget that keep going after him Elizabeth is clear why Mary has this blessing it's because she trusted God blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord blessed is she who believed Mary now stands in the Lord she is a true child of Abraham who believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness faith leads to blessing so this big moment has happened with Elizabeth and how does Mary respond let's talk about that next verses 46 through 56 this is the joyous celebration Mary does next what any of us would do she bursts out into song this is why musicals are so realistic no we don't really know that Mary is singing here maybe so maybe not but it's definitely a hymn it's definitely a response of praise from her we don't know whether she's talking to Elizabeth is she talking to herself it doesn't really matter she's saying it for anyone to hear and it's been recorded for our benefit she's rejoicing at God's miraculous intervening grace my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior it's almost like Mary speaking to us right now that's why Luke recorded it for us she's explaining to
us the readers of this gospel what understand it this way this hymn it's a wonderful summary of many of the themes that are found in Luke's gospel and so I didn't really plan it this way but it turns out that this is a the experience of God's grace Mary doesn't belong to the upper crust of society she's not elite she's small potatoes where she lives and even more among the wider group of Jews throughout this time she's small potatoes that's why she's amazed that he's looked upon the humble servant the humble estate of his servant God you have not overlooked me God saw me she says he saw me right where I was and he came close to me and not only that he also worked in my life he who is mighty has done great things for me by his grace I received his presence and his purpose in my life I may not be much in Nazareth Mary says but in the kingdom of God I am set apart for holy use the same is true for anyone who trusts in God you may not be much here on earth but you have a holy purpose in God's kingdom his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation church do you believe that have you forgotten that if you have I want to remind you of that today it doesn't matter what your status is here on earth when God moves into your life he has a holy purpose for you that holy purpose it's I can tell you this it's not going to be like Mary's that's unique it may not be as remarkable all generations might not call you this is a celebration of the revelation of God's power Mary
tells us that God is turning the tables he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate earthly power cannot do anything spiritually significant it can't and earthly power does not endure meanwhile those who are helpless are not going to languish in despair there will be hope he has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away when God's power is revealed the afflicted are comforted and begun with the miraculous divine conception of the great king who's going to reign forever Mary's story is just the beginning as we go through Luke keep an eye out for how God through Christ puts the powerful on their heels and lifts up the lowly the overlooked the marginalized the humble the poor this is going to be one of those themes in Luke you're going to see over and over the third thing that Mary is celebrating is the fulfillment of God's promises Mary proclaims that all of this because God is unfolding his long awaited redemptive plan there might have been some twists and turns some things that people didn't expect but no to Abraham to his offspring forever in the garden way back long time ago God had told the serpent that Eve's offspring would crush his head God told Abraham hundreds of years later that his offspring in his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed hundreds and hundreds of years later God told David that his offspring would rule forever God keeps his word all of these promises are coming true now and
the holy offspring that is coming from Mary Jesus was bruised at the cross but he crushed the serpent's head he defeated sin and death people from all nations are turning to him in faith and receiving life and he is going to bring them into a safe land where he will rule over them in justice and in righteousness forever all of these promises of the offspring are coming true in this offspring that's in Mary now for all of these things Mary praises the Lord and for all of these things too we should praise the Lord what a mighty work of grace he's done by bringing forth Jesus wonderfully unexpected and yet how clearly connected to his character and his promises he is still accomplishing his saving purposes he is still making his kingdom come even today he intends to use you in his story let's say with Mary I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word and then like her we're going to testify my spirit rejoices in God my savior pray with me Lord thank you for the humble obedience of Mary but thank you even more that you did it you moved into her life to accomplish the salvation that you promised Lord we have Lord Lord will you please help us to celebrate your presence and your calling in our lives even when it's hard help us to trust you every step of the way and know that you will praise you you have looked upon the humble estate of your servants you have lifted us up our souls rejoice and praise you Lord may it always be so Jesus we pray this in your name