“According to God’s Promise (Christmas)”
Lesson Text: Luke 1:46-55
Background Scripture: Luke 1:26-56; Galatians 3:6-18
Devotional Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
Luke 1:46-55
46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
OBJECTIVES
To examine Mary's stirring offering of praise to God for His activity.
To show that God is worthy of praise for the way He cares for His people and works through them.
To stress that God should be praised for the powerful works He does for and through His people.
INTRODUCTION
Are you ready for Christmas? That is a question people frequently ask or are asked at this time of the year. In most cases, this question relates to gift buying, decorations, food preparation, and entertaining friends and family.
By the time Christmas Day arrives, many people are totally worn out from all the additional activities they have participated in during the weeks preceding Christmas. Since most retailers have their largest sales volume during this time, they seem to be trying to make the Christmas season start earlier each year.
Of course, many of the aforementioned activities have little or nothing to do with the birth of Christ. While most of the church activities during this season do revolve around the true meaning of Christmas, there is a danger that the world's values will creep into our celebrations of Jesus' birth. To avoid this, Christians must diligently examine all activities to make sure they truly honor the Lord. As has been said so often, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Not What You’d Expect
Have you ever had to wait a long time for a promise to be fulfilled? Do you remember as a child wondering if a special day would ever come? Can you remember a time when a promise was fulfilled in an unexpected way? Maybe you got what you wanted, but not from the anticipated source. Or maybe what you received was better than what you expected.
The Bible is filled with situations where God kept His promises in unexpected ways and when His blessings came at unexpected times. The Christmas season is the ultimate example of a promise fulfilled in an unexpected way at an unanticipated time.
LESSON BACKGROUND
Over the past several weeks, we’ve looked at God’s covenant promises to Abraham. In Genesis 12, God promised to make Abraham a great nation if he would leave his home country and follow God’s leading. Years later, God reaffirmed this promise by telling Abraham that he would have numerous descendants, even though at that time he had no children (Genesis 15:1-6). Last week, we saw how God tested Abraham’s trust by asking him to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac. Because Abraham was willing to obey even this mystifying command, God promised once more that all people would be blessed through him (22:18).
By the days of Mary and Joseph, over 2,000 years had passed since the time of Abraham. The hope of the promise seemed to be nowhere in sight. The Jews had indeed become a large people group, but centuries of internal strife, political turmoil, and idolatry had resulted in generations of exile and domination by foreign nations.
At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Roman Empire, under the brilliant leadership of Emperor Octavian (Augustus), was just entering the apex of its power and had taken control of almost the entire Mediterranean world. The only chance for freedom lay in the ancient hope that God would remember His covenant with Abraham. The promise had been a long time coming by human standards.
Exuberant Praise (Luke 1:46-55)
The context of “Mary’s Song” in today’s text largely explains its content. Luke’s Gospel opens with the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. After years of infertility, the aged couple are enabled to conceive a child and are promised that their son will turn many people back to the Lord (Luke 1:13-17). This is the first of many surprises in God’s plan to fulfill His promises to Abraham.
Six months into Elisabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and informs her that she will give birth to a child who will reign on the throne of David—this despite the fact that she is a virgin (Luke 1:26-35). Mary then leaves her home in Nazareth to visit her close relative Elisabeth. As the two women greet each other, John leaps in his mother’s womb, inspiring Elisabeth to praise God and to bless Mary and her child (1:41-45). Mary’s hymn of praise follows this incredible sequence of events. The song focuses on how God often acts in unpredictable ways.
MIGHTY SAVIOR (Luke 1:46-48)
1. What is the section of Scripture containing Mary's song traditionally called?
Luke 1:46-55 is often referred to as “Mary’s Song.” A more traditional designation is the “Magnificat” on the basis of the verb magnify that Mary uses here. Magnify means to “glorify” God, to praise Him for who He is and what He has done.
In response to what Elisabeth had just said, Mary began to magnify the Lord. As previously stated, traditionally, this portion of Scripture is called the Magnificat, which is Mary's first word in the La Vulgate, a widely used Bible translation dating from the late fourth century.
As Jesus’ mother, Mary served as the focal point in the arrival of Israel’s long-promised Messiah. Her praise is a magnificent song of adoration from a humble servant.
2. How does Mary's song worship God (vs. 46-48)?
Being chosen to bear the Messiah led Mary to "magnify the Lord" (Luke 1:46). These were not mere words coming from her lips, however. They came from her "soul," or "spirit" (v. 47). This meant that she praised the greatness of God, when she declared that her spirit rejoiced in her Saviour, God.
Mary understood from Gabriel's it that she would be giving birth to the Son of God, whose name "Jesus" indicated that He was the Saviour and that He was the Messiah, the promised King of Israel (Luke 1:30-33).
Mary’s Song is similar to the prayer of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, uttered over 1,000 years previously at this point (1 Samuel 2:1-10).
Mary’s prayer is characterized by a spirit of humility, evident in Mary’s description of herself as God’s handmaiden. Hannah twice refers to herself this way (1 Samuel 1:16,18). A handmaiden is literally a female slave. Mary’s use of the term recalls her earlier response to the angel Gabriel after being told that she was to conceive miraculously (Luke 1:38). This is a response of complete submission of one who recognizes her unworthiness to be blessed in such a manner.
3. In what ways was Mary blessed?
The coming birth of Mary’s son demonstrated God’s mercy and compassion. Though Mary was of humble social status, or “low estate,” God had been merciful to Mary personally. He had exalted her by making her the mother of the Messiah.
Mary sang a song of praise exalting the many virtues of God and recognizing that she was being blessed by through these virtues. God is merciful, holy, and mighty, as shown through the blessing of Mary.
As a result of God’s favor, Mary would be forever counted as blessed. While we should not unduly exalt Mary, we should recognize the special place she had in God’s plan and honor her for her faith.
MERCIFUL SAVIOR (Luke 1:49-55)
4. What attributes of God did Mary acknowledge (vs. 49,50)?
That God is "mighty"—literally, "powerful"—is a truth stated many times in Scripture. To enable Mary to conceive the very Son of God was not only a mighty act but a miraculous one.
The word translated "mighty" is the Greek dunatos and is related to another word, dunamis, which is frequently used of miracles (Matt. 7:22; Mark 6:2; Acts 8:13; Heb. 2:4) and of power in general. In Mark 10:27, which says, "With God all things are possible," a truth certainly illustrated in the events surrounding the birth of Christ.
Not only is God mighty, but His name is holy. The concept of holiness is part and parcel with the very nature of God. Holiness has to do with otherness, separation from the ordinary or profane. As one of the Ten Commandments states, because God's name is holy, "the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain" (Exod. 20:7).
Another attribute of the Almighty recognized by Mary is His mercy. Emphasizing God’s power is a good thing to do. But we should not allow an emphasis on God’s power to cause us to overlook His love and grace. Mary’s prayer offers a balanced approach by following the recognition of God’s might with praise for His mercy. Fear in this verse does not refer to “terror,” but rather to the awe and respect that come from a recognition of God’s ability and willingness to save His people. Several psalms combine the ideas of fear/respect and mercy/love to highlight the fact of God’s gracious care for those who trust Him (see Psalms 103:11, 17; 118:4; 147:11).
Generation to generationemphasizes God’s ongoing faithfulness to His promises. In the context of the previous three lessons of this quarter, the phrase reminds us of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants. Mary, as a descendant of Abraham, is now reaping the benefits of a promise that was made to that forefather many centuries before she was born.
That Mary understood God to be mighty, holy, and merciful indicates a depth of understanding and devotion that was unusual for someone so young.
5. What does Mary mean by “he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts” (v. 51)?
We now begin a section of the Magnificat that illustrates what becomes a key refrain in Jesus’ teaching: “the last shall be first” (see Matthew 19:30; 20:16). God, in the mighty strength of His arm, certainly has the power to send His Son into the world in any way He chooses. Thus many expect the Christ to arrive through a king’s house. We remember that the wise men come to Herod’s palace in search of the newborn “King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:1-3). Logically, the Christ should be the son of royalty, not the son of a peasant girl. Mary’s words reflect proud Herod’s agitated reactions to the wise men’s visit (2:3,16).
6. How had God brought down the high and mighty (v. 52)?
Commentators are divided on the specific references of verses 51-53. The nature of the Greek verbs in this section can mean that Mary is referring to ways that God has surprised people in the past by preferring the humble over the proud. Thus Mary may be thinking of specific stories from the Old Testament, such as Joseph’s rise from prison to be ruler over Egypt, Hannah’s miraculous pregnancy, and David’s being chosen as king.
On the other hand, the verb tenses as used here may describe future realities. If this is the case, Mary may be predicting what her son, the Messiah, will accomplish when He grows up and begins to reign. Jesus does indeed exalt those of low degree. Jesus humbles himself to become a man and die on the cross, only to be exalted above all (Philippians 2:6-9).
7. What contrasts are there in Mary's song relating to the rich and the poor, the mighty and the humble (v. 53)?
As characteristic of how God deals with the needy, Mary's song declared the Lord fills the hungry with good things. Indeed, those who put the Lord first and trust in Him to provide their needs will never be disappointed (12:22-34).
In contrast to feeding the hungry, "the rich he hath sent empty away" (Luke 1:53). As reflected in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12; Luke 6:20-26), what the Lord does is completely opposite of what we might expect. This is particularly significant in our culture, where worldly wealth and success are the primary goals of many people. Especially at Christmastime, many judge their worth and the worth of others by the amount of money spent on gift giving.
If wealth were a sign of faithfulness and blessing, then Mary would not be chosen to bear the Messiah. Many ancient people conclude that wealthy and powerful people have been blessed, while those less fortunate do not enjoy God’s favor. Yet role reversal is a key feature of God’s kingdom (Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:24-26; 16:25). Of course, God doesn’t reject rich people just because they have money, and He does not accept poor people merely because they don’t enjoy worldly wealth. God looks at the heart.
A Different Standard
“Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.... They think, deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are.” That was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s pointed observation about a small, but influential part of the human race. We may also muse on the flip side of that statement: those who are not rich may agree that the very rich are better than they (the not rich) are.
But as Mary says in her reflections, God isn’t impressed by the movers and shakers of the world nearly as much as we humans are. The pages of Scripture tell us how God deals with “the proud,” “the mighty,” and “the rich”—to use Mary’s terms. He cuts them down to size while lifting up the humble and filling the hungry.
The world may think it knows who really counts, but God judges by a different standard. Have you adopted God’s standard as your own? —C. R. B.
8. In what way has God “holpen his servant” (v. 54)?
"Holpen" (Luke 1:54) is an archaic way of saying "helped." In sending the Messiah, God was helping to bring to pass the promises made to Israel, His servant. The reference to his servant Israel indicates that what God has done will benefit not only Mary, but the entire nation. Throughout the Old Testament, God is frequently described as “remembering” His covenant with His people and acting to save them (see Genesis 8:1; 19:29; 30:22; Exodus 2:24; 6:5; Psalm 105:8,42). When God remembers His promises, He takes action.
9. Why was Abraham mentioned in Mary's song?
As our previous lessons in Genesis indicate, great promises were made to the patriarch Abraham and his posterity. What had been promised two thousand years earlier was now coming to pass in the arrival of the Son of God. The plan for God's blessing of the entire world (Gen. 12:3) was even now beginning to unfold through the conception of the Messiah in the womb of the virgin.
Throughout the nation’s history has shown His help and mercy in constant remembrance of His covenant promises to Abraham and his descendants. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the fact that God’s covenant with Abraham and his seed is an eternal one. Mary’s pregnancy was a fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham and through him with all humanity.
Jews think of themselves as Abraham’s physical and spiritual descendants (see John 8:33,37) and thus heirs of God’s promises. That the promises to Abraham and his descendants extend for ever is explicitly stated at Genesis 17:7. In Mary’s day those promises have been a long time coming, but God never forgets. We are truly blessed to be counted as “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
PRACTICAL POINTS
1.Our response to God's revelation should be one of joy and humility (Luke 1:46,47).
2.The more we understand our unworthiness, the greater our praise will be for God's mercy to us (vs. 48,49).
3.Whoever reverentially trusts and obeys God can expect His mercy and grace (v. 50).
4.In His time, God will reward the righteous and judge the unrighteous (vs. 51-53).
5.God will never forget His people Israel (Luke 1:54; cf. Isa. 44:21; 49:3).
6.We can count on God to always keep His promises (Luke 1:55).
CONCLUSION
Mysterious Ways
Nothing about the way that the Savior came into the world was what first-century Jews expected. Some expected that the Christ would be a rebel leader and great warrior to drive the Gentiles out of the land. Others thought the Messiah would be a great priestly prophet, who would reform corruptions of the temple system. Some believed that God himself would appear on earth to destroy evil suddenly. As far as we can tell, none imagined that the Messiah would be born to an unknown peasant girl and laid in a manger!
If somehow Abraham could step into a time machine and visit our world, we can only imagine what he would think about the way that God finally fulfilled His promise to bless all nations! No doubt he would be more than a little surprised by God’s methods and timing. The Lord really has worked in mysterious ways. He still does.
PRAYER
Father, we are thankful that You remember Your promises and are faithful to them. Please teach us to be patient as we wait for You to work out Your perfect plans in our lives. Thank You for surprising us! In Jesus’ name, amen.
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
God is still fulfilling His promises.
