Luke 1:39-45
Luke 1:38 tells us that Mary readily accepted Gabriel’s words. That took a great deal of faith on her part, but I imagine that the days following required a great deal of faith too. You know how it is: you make a big decision and shortly thereafter you have second thoughts.
Mary was just a teenage girl from a little town, living a very ordinary life. Suddenly, her whole world had been turned upside-down. Mary had a lot to process. Wisely, she took the angel’s hint and traveled to see the one person who might understand what she had to deal with: her cousin Elizabeth, whose life was also upended by a miraculous pregnancy. Mary must still have wondered what kind of reception she would get there.
When Mary arrived, we get this wonderful scene where entered the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth. As we read, Elizabeth saw Mary; her son, leaped in her womb; filled with the Holy Spirit Elizabeth exclaimed,
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
Suddenly, I imagine, everything was okay in Mary’s world because she found someone who blessed her. That was all that Mary needed, whether she knew it or not.
Context (Luke 1:5-25): Elizabeth was married to Zechariah, a priest in the order of Abijah. Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron (v. 5). This was quite a pedigree!
Both of them were RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES, being CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL of God’s laws (v. 6). Even so, the two of them had not been blessed with children. At this time, they were too old for that apparent sign of disfavor to change. In that culture, childlessness was a stigma; people assumed it was a sign of God’s punishment of the sin. That was certainly how Elizabeth saw it. In v. 25 she talked about the DISGRACE OF HAVING NO CHILDREN.
On the day when Zechariah’s career as a priest reached its proudest moment, the angel Gabriel appeared and told him something otherwise impossible was going to happen he would be a father (vs. 8-15). More than that, the baby would have power akin to the greatest OT prophet, Elijah. He would be the forerunner of the Messiah (vs. 16-17).
The message to us is clear: God uses people whom the world deems least qualified. If you feel inadequate to do God’s will, that’s a good place to start!
Through the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth confirmed the true nature of the unborn baby Jesus.
1. The Hill Country of Judea.
Name = “Judea” is the Greek version of the Hebrew name “Judah.” Judah was the fourth son of Jacob, father to the tribe named after him. The name Judah means “praise” and “thanksgiving.” To distance the region from its Jewish roots, t Romans renamed the region “Palestine” in 132 AD.
Location = The hill country of Judea T is an area well defined, about 35 miles long and some 15 wide, and is protected on three sides by natural frontiers of great strength. It has been associated with a succession of defeats inflicted by those holding the higher ground. Parts of the hill country of Judah are distinguished from other parts of Palestine are well suited to the growth of corn and olive trees; in the sheltered valleys and on the terraced hillsides to the West of the water-parting, vines, olives, figs and other fruit trees flourish. Jerusalem is situated near a lower and more expanded part of the plateau.
Reputation = The hill country of Judea is the most characteristic part of Judah's territory; it was on account of the shelter of these mountain fastnesses that this people managed to hold their own against their neighbors and hide away from the conquering armies of Assyria and Egypt. No other section of the country was so secluded and protected by her natural borders.
Role in Jesus’ life = When you consider that both Bethlehem and Jerusalem are located in the hill country of Judea, this area played a very important role in Jesus’ life. Second only to Galilee, where Jesus grew up, this section of Judea was essential in the life and ministry of Jesus. (Luke 2:41 tells us that Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem EVERY YEAR for the Passover.)
2. Elizabeth’s witness about Jesus. (Luke 1:39-45)
Mary had just been visited by Gabriel and A FEW DAYS LATER she HURRIED TO THE HILL COUNTRY OF JUDEA, to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s house (39-40). This was a journey of 100 miles, an immense undertaking, especially for a young, unmarried woman. Why did she go there?
- It might’ve been to get away from Joseph to be sure that he was not blamed for her conception.
- It might’ve been to escape the scorn of her family and friends as her pregnancy became increasingly obvious.
- As faithful as Mary has been, the best guess is that the Lord told her to. In this case, the word HURRIED should not seen as an act of panic, but an eagerness to do God’s will.
Notice what came to pass at the sound of Mary’s voice (v. 41). The first thing that happened was the child growing in Elizabeth LEAPED WITHIN HER. This movement was obvious, not an ordinary kick or shift of position. In the Old Testament, this verb “to leap” is associated with the knowledge of salvation. BUT FOR YOU WHO FEAR MY NAME, THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL RISE WITH HEALING IN HIS WINGS. AND YOU WILL GO FREE, LEAPING WITH JOY, LIKE CALVES LET OUT TO PASTURE. (Malachi 4:2)
Elizabeth knew, by means of the Spirit, that the reason for the baby’s sudden movement was JOY at the sound of Mary’s voice. This means that John The Baptist was acting in his role as forerunner even before birth! The word for JOY here is a delight, a gladness that diffuses through the whole person. It is profound and unmistakable.
The second thing that happened was the most significant: ELIZABETH WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. At this point in history, everyone was still under the Old Testament system, where the Spirit was given to individuals on a temporary basis. Once the specific job was done, it was withdrawn again. In this case, Elizabeth’s job was to confirm for Mary all that Gabriel had said would come true. This must’ve been very reassuring for her.
The filling of the Spirit occasioned a prophecy that confirmed Gabriel’s message to Mary (vs. 42-45). First, Mary was BLESSED (vs. 42+45); “GOD HAS BLESSED YOU ABOVE ALL WOMEN,” Elizabeth announced. “YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE YOU BELIEVED THAT THE LORD WOULD DO WHAT HE SAID.” Mary trusted God to see her through a situation she didn’t fully understand.
Second, Mary’s CHILD IS BLESSED (v. 42). “WHY AM I SO HONORED” Elizabeth said (v. 43). This shows a humble heart and a faithful response to what the Spirit revealed to her. The statement, “THE MOTHER OF MY LORD” (v. 43) demonstrated that the Spirit had given Elizabeth insight beyond what could be seen by worldly eyes alone. This insight covered both Mary’s unique role as the mother of the Messiah and the unique role of the unborn Jesus as the Messiah.
According to v. 56, Mary stayed with Zechariah and Elizabeth for about three months, which would be about the time for the birth of John the Baptist. It seems logical to assume that Mary stayed until after John’s birth. Having witnessed with her own eyes the way God did a miracle for her cousin; Mary would be encouraged to withstand any criticism she received for being an unwed mother when she returned to Nazareth.
Through the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth confirmed the true nature of the unborn baby Jesus.
Marie L. Pemberton wrote an article, “A Child Shall Lead Them.” In it, she related the story of the loss of her four-year-old son Jeremy to leukemia. The boy died in June, so when Christmas approached, the pain of loss was so heavy she dreaded the coming holiday.
On a December day she stood at her kitchen window numbly watching the neighbor boy, Chris, rolling snow to create a snowman. Chris had been her Jeremy’s best friend. Reflecting on this, Marie felt a twinge of guilt. The boy had lost his best friend, but Marie had done nothing to comfort him. In fact, she’d avoided Chris as much as possible, so she wouldn’t be reminded of Jeremy.
Even on this occasion, when Chris saw her watching him through the window, he raised a snow-packed mitten to wave at his friend’s mom. When she did not return his greeting, Chris shrugged his shoulders a bit, turned his back to Marie, and went back to creating the snowman.
Marie’s mind went back to a time a few months ago, when Chris surprised her in the backyard. No avoiding him that time, he asked her where Jeremy was. Unable to answer, Marie blurted out, “Ask your mother, Chris – she can explain it better than I can.” She turned away from the window to daub at her tears.
Days later, Chris’ father suddenly appeared at her door. He held a plate of Christmas cookies and handed them to her. When it appeared Marie might refuse them, Joe insisted, “Ellie has given me strict orders. I’m to leave the cookies here and bring you back with me.“
“Me?” Marie said, surprised.
“Yes,” Joe agreed, “please don’t get me in trouble. It’ll be just a bit of your time.”
Marie went across the lawns with Joe. She followed him to a room bright with Christmas decorations, including a big Christmas tree. After giving Marie a warm greeting, Ellie said, “I sent Joe after you so you could see this.” Ellie led Marie to an oversized indoor creche. She knelt beside the manger and pointed out to Marie that it held two baby boys. Ellie explained, “When I set up the manger scene today, Chris ran and got his sister’s doll and tucked him in beside baby Jesus. I asked him what he was doing and he reminded me that last summer you’d sent him home to ask me where Jeremy was. At the time, I said he was with Jesus. Chris concluded that since Jeremy was with Jesus in heaven, he ought to be with Him in our manger scene.”
“Jeremy with Jesus,” Marie thought. It sounded and looked exactly right. “And a little child shall lead them,” ran through her mind as she turned to see Chris behind her. She knelt and gave him a big hug.
The message today is reassuring us that God’s will for our lives is conveyed and confirmed by a variety of means. We can trust Him with everything!
RESOURCES:
Introduction adapted from James Laurence, https://mypastoralponderings.com/2021/12/18/the-gift-of-a-blessing-my-sermon-on-luke-139-45/, retrieved on 17 December 2024.
Messages #1487 & 561
Geographical information from https://www.internationalstandardbible.com/J/judah-territory-of.html, retrieved on 17 December 2024.
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