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Christmas Service 2021 : “My soul magnifies the Lord”

Text: Luke 1:46-55
25 December 2021

INTRODUCTION

1. Mary had to process a number of things

a) The visit from the Angel Gabriel
i) His lofty greetings
ii) His words of exhortation
b) The visit to Elizabeth
i) Her lofty greetings
ii) Her words of encouragement

2. What was needed?

a) Understanding
b) Enlightenment
c) Faith
i) Strengthened
ii) Renewed

THE MAGNIFICAT OF MARY

Luke 1:46-56

1. A Personal Response

a) Magnifying the Lord
“My soul magnifies the Lord”   Luke 1:46b
b) Rejoicing in the Lord
“And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour”   Luke 1:47
c) Humble gratitude
i) For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.   (Luke 1:48)
ii) For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.   (Luke 1:49)

2. A Profound Knowledge of God Displayed

a) The mercy of God
“His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation”   Luke 1:50
b) The strength of God evidenced
“He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.”   Luke 1:51-52
i) The proud are scattered
ii) The mighty are put down
iii) The lowly are exalted
c) The paradox of God’s actions
“He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.”   Luke 1:53
i) The hungry are given good things
ii) The rich are sent away with nothing
d) Divine help for Israel
“He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”   Luke 1:54-55
i) He has given help to Israel
ii) He has remembered mercy
iii) He has fulfilled what He has spoken to Abraham
iv) And to his seed forever

THE CERTAINTY OF FAITH

1. Tentative Faith

a) Faith in many is often uncertain
b) Finding answers to many questions

2. True Faith

a) Facts
i) An angelic visit
ii) An uplifting visit
b) Focus
i) On God
ii) On His Word
c) Filled with the Holy Spirit
i) His work in the mind
ii) His work on the heart
iii) The Enlightenment that comes
iv) The Certainty that brings a desire to magnify God’s name

CONCLUSION

1. Remembering the Words of the angel Gabriel

a) Rejoice   (Luke 1:28a)
b) The Lord is with you   (Luke 1:28b)
c) Favour (Grace)   (Luke 1:30)

2. Remembering who the Lord Jesus is

a) He will be great   (Luke 1:32a)
b) He is the Son of God   (Luke 1:32b)
c) He is given a Divine throne   (Luke 1:32c)
d) He shall reign forever   (Luke 1:33)

3. Blessing of believing

“Blessed is she who believed”   Luke 1:45a