Sunday December 20, 2009 Luke 1:39-55

This text is for the fourth Sunday in Advent. It is from the gospel of Luke.

V39 Mary leaves quite close to the time that the angel had announced to her that she would bear a son. She traveled about three to five days (80-90 miles) to get to the Judean town.

V40 She arrived in the hill country at the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who was her mother’s cousin.

V41 Upon Elizabeth hearing Mary’s greeting her child leaped in her womb and the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth. At that time it was thought the Holy Spirit only filled the prophets and kings plus a few others, most people did not have the Holy Spirit.

V42-43 The Holy Spirit reveals to Elizabeth the mystery surrounding Mary and her pregnancy and Elizabeth pronounces her blessed and her child blessed. She questions why Mary has come to her.

V44 The “mother of my Lord” is a profound profession, however we don’t know how much either Mary or Elizabeth understood of the coming events, the full implication of what was to happen. Somehow the child in Elizabeth’s womb was aware of the unfolding story and leaped for joy.

V45 Elizabeth calls Mary blessed for believing the message the angel had told her from God.

V46 Mary responds to the blessings by Elizabeth by saying a psalm with profound implications. It is called the Magnificat and is based on the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. This is how Hannah gave praise to God for giving her a son in her old age as a result of her plea in the temple. At this point she is giving her child, Samuel, back to God, to be raised by the priest Eli at around the age of 3 years old.
“My soul magnifies the Lord” Psalm 34:2-3. PRAISE

V47 “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” Psalm 35:9. SALVATION

V48 “for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant” Psalm 138:6 LOWLY
“Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; Exalted.

V46-48 Focus on what God has done for Mary and reflects on her awe.

V49 “for the Mighty One has done great things for me and holy is his name.”
Psalm 71:19. SALAVATION/PRAISE

V50 “His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”
Psalm 103:17. MERCY

V49-50 Focus our attention of attributes of God

V51 “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. Psalm 98:1. SALVATION

V52 “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones (kings) and lifted up the
lowly (threatening). Job 5:11 (justice is coming) HUMILATION/Exaltation

V53 “he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”
Psalm 34:10, Psalm 107:9. EXALTATION/Humiliation

V51-53 In the Messiah, God will turn the world upside down.

V54 “He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy.” Psalm 98:3,
Isaiah 49:6. SALVATION/MERCY

V55 “according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his
descendants forever.” Genesis 17:19. To Israel

Kenneth Bailey has done a wonderful reconstruction of this psalm and noticed that in verse 54 Mary left something out. According to the construction of this Psalm after “He has helped his servant Israel” it should read something like “and cut off the hope of the Gentiles.” The balance for aiding Israel would be opposing the Gentiles. Mary left this judgment of the Gentiles out of her psalm. This becomes very significant in the ministry of Jesus as he includes the Gentiles in his mission. He heals some of them and they come to him for teaching.
In the first chapter of Acts, which Luke also wrote, Jesus tells his disciples to take his message to the whole world, which included the Gentiles. His message is for everyone including you. As this psalm indicates the Messiah ushered in a whole new way of thinking and being, a world upside down from what we think it should be. To be a part of the world of Jesus, we must become last; a servant of all people. As the time of the celebration of His birth draws near let us ponder this in our hearts just as his mother pondered it in hers.