While You Were Sleeping: Part 2
Pastor Cole Parleir
Focus
By God’s gift of faith, we can welcome Jesus and begin worshipping him as Lord and Savior this Christmas.
Points
Welcoming The Lord
Worshipping The Lord our Savior
Message
Welcoming The Lord (Luke 1:39-45)
It is the Holy Spirit that works in us to welcome the Lord Jesus in a manner worthy of who He is.
“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary was told by direct angelic revelation that the Savior would be born through her.
*When God is fulfilling a promise He’s made and wants to use you, he won’t let you miss it if you’re waiting expectantly.
*Waiting expectantly means loving God proactively by:
always talking with him in prayer
confessing and renouncing sin as it comes up (Psalm 139:23-24)
reading His Word (your Bible) day and night
hiding His Word in your heart through scripture memorization
obeying his Word
going to church
going to community group
serving in and outside the church
These disciplines keep your heart soft and your spiritual ears and eyes open.
To help Mary believe, Gabriel told her the testimony of her cousin Elizabeth being 6 months pregnant though she was previously barren.
This is God’s perfect timing so that Elizabeth would visibly be pregnant for Mary to discern that God had done what he said…while she was sleeping.
Mary chose to welcome God’s Word by quickly investigating Elizabeth’s condition.
After Jesus’ resurrection we see Thomas quickly, within the first week of the resurrection, investigating (welcoming) the claims of the other disciples who said Jesus had resurrected.
John 20:24-29 ESV
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,[d] was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Timing is important to investigating God’s Words as we are not promised tomorrow. Our eternal destination is based on our faith in Jesus as the Son of God sent to save all who repent and believe.
Question: Have you investigated the promises and claims in the Bible or have you despised them through neglect?
When Mary arrived at Elizabeth’s home in the hill country of Judah, immediately, seemingly before Elizabeth was informed of Mary’s pregnancy, we see the Holy Spirit confirm through Elizabeth to Mary the Word of God through Gabriel.
Because Mary responded to God’s Word in humility and went to investigate, he provided what she needed to move to the next level in her faith.
*We should not say “If only God would speak directly to me I would believe and submit”. Even Mary (in good company with many others in the OT), the highly favored one, needed an older wiser mentor with the Holy Spirit to confirm what God had spoken.
James 2:19
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
*Don’t underestimate the power of church community and one to one discipleship on your personal walk with God.
Question: Are you in a community group or discipleship relationship?
The baby John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb under the influence of the Holy Spirit! This baby was 6 months old and unborn, yet had a name, could leap, and most importantly was moved by the Holy Spirit to have joy. God loves and uses yet to be born babies.
Elizabeth displays great humility as an older woman honoring a teenage girl because of the favor of God on her life. This is a great example of church life: we honor each other because of God’s favor in Christ above all else.
Like Abraham, Mary was blessed not because the Lord had spoken to her, but because she believed He who had spoken to her is faithful to fulfill it.
“The faithfulness of God is the blessedness of the faith of the saints. Those that have experienced the performance of God’s promises themselves should encourage others to hope that he will be as good as his word to them also: I will tell you what God has done for my soul.” - Matthew Henry Commentary on Luke 1:45
Magnifying Our Lord and Savior (Luke 1:46-56)
Those who are most joyful and blessed are those with lives that magnify God our Savior.
It has now been confirmed by the Holy Spirit speaking through Elizabeth that God was fulfilling his Word to Mary AND to all generations past who believed the promise God made to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3, Gen 22:15-18)
A magnificent response to Elizabeth’s confirmation of God’s blessing on Mary: The Magnifcat. This name is from the first word of the song in the Latin Vulgate version.
This song starts small with God’s work for Mary, then expands to Israel, and ends with the whole world in Abraham’s offspring being blessed.
This is a pattern for worship that magnifies God. It starts with God saving us and ends with saving every nation.
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
The promise in the Magnifcat is fulfilled in the prophesied virgin birth, sinless life, sacrifical death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.
This promise if for all of Abrahams offspring through all generations.
Romans 4:20-25 ESV
“No unbelief made him (Abraham) waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
If God has given you faith in his Son Jesus Christ today or you would like to explore the faith the Bible speaks of we would love to speak with you after service today.
Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher