Luke chapter 1, beginning at verse 39.
Today's sermon text is Luke chapter 1, verses 39 through 56.
This is God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, sufficient, authoritative word for you, His people.
We read in verse 39 that Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said,
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Blessed is she who believed,
For there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Verse 46.
And Mary said,
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
for He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me.
And holy is His name,
and His mercy is on those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.
He has shown the 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.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel.
In remembrance of His mercy,
He has spoken to our fathers,
as He spoke to Abraham and to His seed forever.
And Mary remained with her about three months,
and returned to her house.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
You may be seated.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord stands forever.
As Gabriel said in Luke 1.37,
no word from God shall be void of power.
Let's pray.
Lord, I ask that You will illumine Your Word,
and by the ministry of the Holy Spirit,
that Your Word will go forth with power.
And I ask, Lord, in front of my brothers and sisters today,
what I've been asking You this week,
that through the ministry of the Word,
You will stir our hearts to worship You.
Please do this today, Lord.
Amen.
I've been burdened for You,
and I know there are some who are visiting today,
maybe for the only time.
What I want to make very clear,
my understanding from Scripture,
is that the peace promised at Christmas,
it's not for everyone.
I don't want you leaving here
with a false assurance of salvation.
Would you look at Luke 2, verse 14?
The angels declare peace on earth
among those with whom God is pleased.
It's only on those upon whom God's favor rests.
That's who the peace of Christmas is for.
It's not for everyone.
It is for everyone who will repent and believe.
But it is not unconditional.
The condition is the one that Christ Himself
has already fulfilled.
And your response is to receive it by faith
and worship Him.
For those who don't fear God
and who don't worship Him,
you have no peace with God.
Think about the first coming of Jesus Christ.
It was not peaceful for most people.
At the first coming of Jesus Christ,
the demons trembled in terror.
It's not peaceful for them.
The first coming of Christ was confusing
for the legalists.
Not peaceful.
The first coming of Christ was infuriating
for the self-righteous.
They hated Him to the point of killing Him.
Christ's second coming will only be good news
for you and me
if you first have been convicted
of the bad news
that before the Holy God,
you and I are sinners
and we deserve God's wrath.
The second coming of Christ
will be a nightmare
for anyone who remains unrepentant.
You've been warned.
Now here's the good news.
To be ready for the second coming of Christ,
it's all of God.
It's all God's work in your life
for His glory.
It's all the ministry of the Holy Spirit
to prepare you for His second coming.
Now if you're in Christ,
this is great news.
But don't get a false assurance
and grab something that you don't truly have.
Today I want to talk to you about the Holy Spirit
preparing His people for Christ's coming.
And I believe what we see
in the way that the Holy Spirit worked
to prepare people for His first coming
is instructive for us now
who are waiting for His second coming.
The Holy Spirit.
Luke, inspired by God, the Holy Spirit,
he references the Spirit 110 times.
It's something like 39 times
in this book of Luke,
this Gospel according to Luke,
and then the rest,
you know, whatever that would be,
49 or 50 times or so
in the book of Acts.
Or 69 times.
It's in Luke and Acts
almost more than anywhere else
besides Paul in the New Testament.
It's the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
And we can't miss that
in our sermon text today.
So that's my encouragement for us
in this passage.
It's how the Holy Spirit
gets you, God's people,
ready for Christ.
That's what the Holy Spirit does.
How the Holy Spirit gets you
ready for Christ.
Our confession
summarizes Scripture this way,
chapter 2, paragraph 3,
that the Bible's teaching
on the Trinity,
God the Father,
God the Son,
incarnate,
and the Holy Spirit.
That is the foundation
of all our communion with God
and our comfortable dependence
on Him.
What that means is
we need to understand
how God the Father,
Son,
and Holy Spirit work
in order to have
a comfortable dependence
and communion
with the true God
of the Bible.
So in our sermon text,
let's see this
in five ways.
First,
the Holy Spirit
makes you embrace
God's Word.
The Holy Spirit
is the one working
and actively
causing you
to receive
and embrace
and hold on
to God's Word.
Last week,
we saw how
the Word of God
came to Mary
through the angel Gabriel
who stands
in the presence
of God
and then how
the Holy Spirit
promised
through Gabriel
that Mary
would be overshadowed.
Her womb
would become
the Holy of Holies
and in her body
she would carry
the Son of God,
God the Son Himself.
We continue
in verse 39
how Mary then,
after hearing
this glorious announcement,
we're told in verse 39,
Luke 1, 39,
she arose
in those days
and went
into the hill country
with haste.
In other words,
after receiving
this announcement,
right away,
she starts to travel.
She did not go
as some say
to hide her pregnant tummy
because she went
with haste.
Right away,
she got going.
It was likely
not yet visible.
We can only imagine
what would have been
going through
Mary's mind
as she traveled
from Nazareth
further north
in Galilee
all the way
to the hill country
we read in verse 39
to the city of Judah
so the foothills
around Jerusalem
most likely
and this distance
is about 90 miles.
I calculated
how long would it take
for a person
to travel that distance
by foot
on those roads
and it's about six days
if you don't take
too many breaks.
Six days of travel.
There's a lot of questions
we don't have answered
in the scripture.
I'll admit to you
I got a little bit lost
and spent way too much time
with so many questions
I was trying to understand
and work out.
We don't know
if Mary traveled alone
or with help
and companion.
We don't know
for sure
when was the last time
that she had been there
to visit Jerusalem
and to see Zacharias
and Elizabeth.
Most likely
she had been there.
If you look in
Luke chapter 1
verse 10
it's when Zacharias
goes as the priest
and he's offering
the incense to the Lord
and the great multitude
is gathered at the temple
that's most likely
Yom Kippur
the annual
day of atonement
where all the believers
from Israel
would come
and from around the world
to Jerusalem
and because
they're close relatives
she would have most likely
stayed with Elizabeth
and heard
of why Zacharias
is now mute
and not able
to hear or talk.
And so
this makes sense
in my mind
that this is why
it's the place
where Mary should go back
after hearing from
the angel Gabriel
she just heard
this wonderful report
that's also terrifying
about Zacharias
and so here's a couple
most likely
in their 60s or so
or 70s
that would understand
this miraculous
revelation
that the angel Gabriel
gave to her.
We read in
Luke chapter 1
verse 7
it was
Elizabeth
and Zacharias
who had no children
because they were both
well advanced
in years.
Well when God
promised
to this barren
older couple
that Elizabeth
would become
pregnant
the angel Gabriel
gave to Zacharias
this glorious promise
I want you to see it
with your own eyes
look at Luke chapter 1
verse 15
your son John
will be filled
with the Holy Spirit
even
in his mother's womb
why is it that
God
through the angel
and through
what's kept in scripture
for us
would make sure
we know this
that John
as a fetus
inside of Elizabeth's womb
would be filled
with the Holy Spirit
he wants us
to know that
because
even before
John can be born
and speak
he's already
prophesying
he's already
doing the work
of declaring
here's the Messiah
look at verse 41
in our sermon text
Luke 1
41
and it happened
when Elizabeth
heard the greeting
of Mary
that the babe
leaped
in her womb
the word is
jumped
like a gazelle
in the mountains
leaping
and jumping
and that's
John the Baptist
in the womb
filled
with the Holy Spirit
already prophesying
someone said
he is the most
weird looking prophet
in all of the Bible
transparent skin
about six inches long
already leaping
filled with the Holy Spirit
from Mary's perspective
this would have been
a tremendous encouragement
God
the Holy Spirit
can work
physically
miraculously
in the womb
of a mother
he did for
barren Elizabeth
and he can
and will
for me too
what an encouragement
to her faith
well this messenger
is the promised
forerunner
of Messiah
all of the
expectations
of God's people
in the old covenant
are put on Messiah
the anointed one
and those who knew
those messianic prophecies
know that there's
going to be one
coming before him
leading the way
preparing the path
Malachi 3.1
says behold
I send my messenger
and he will prepare
the way
before me
says God
the forerunner
is preparing the way
for God himself
well what does that say
about this baby
in Mary's tummy
I picture Luke
the physician
the historian
going back
and interviewing
Mary much later
decades later
when she's
most likely
an elderly woman
and now turn in your Bible
and see Luke chapter 2
verse 19
Luke notes for us
that Mary
treasured up
all these things
pondering them
in her heart
and then look at Luke
chapter 2
verse 55
his mother Mary
treasured up
all these things
in her heart
so as he's
listening to Mary
recount these
glorious events
and tell from her
perspective
this is something
that struck Luke
the historian
there's a sign here
to help Mary
embrace God's word
and ponder
the glorious truth
that God has revealed
in her heart
receive God's word
as true Mary
now turn back
to Luke chapter 1
verses 3 and 4
here's what Luke
is seeking to do
with this account
of these historical events
his standard
is complete
certainty
by faith
he writes
to Theophilus
which means
lover of God
I'm recording
these events
including these signs
and these
first hand
eyewitness accounts
because these
are gifts
for you
that you can have
a certainty
on the things
that happened
about the incarnation
of God the Son
and it's recorded
in the scripture
for us
as a gift
as well
we hear
the word of God
we can go back
in our imagination
and picture
Mary and Elizabeth
and John the Baptist
and this glorious
encounter
and this sign
we receive
as true
we believe it
by faith
just like Mary
and Elizabeth
did
see isn't God
so gracious
he gives us
these details
in his word
even these signs
like John the Baptist
leaping in the womb
that sign
is an encouragement
of his promise
his word
is true
that's what signs
do
we carry around
if you're married
a sign on your finger
you made vows
and it's a visible
reminder
of a marriage
a bond
that you share
so God
gives us
in his word
signs
and an interpretation
of the sign
and he makes it
so clear in the Bible
so that we can receive
his word
as a gift
and embrace it
by faith
so my invitation
to us
is to do just that
ponder
these things
exactly how God
acted in
redemptive history
ponder them
in your heart
because that's how
the Holy Spirit
makes you his people
ready for his second coming
he trains you
more and more
and more
to receive
and embrace
his word
the second way
the Holy Spirit
prepares you
for God's coming
the second time
is that he makes you
embrace Jesus
his son
as God
it's that simple
there are children
here today
the Holy Spirit
God the Spirit
who is active
he wants to make you
receive Jesus Christ
as God
who he is
you would want to
reject Jesus as God
if you were left
on your own
but if he's
giving you that faith
to receive Jesus
as God
that's the work
of the Holy Spirit
in your life
be encouraged
well we saw
how even in the womb
John the Baptist
was filled
with the Holy Spirit
but the Holy Spirit
is not done working
look at what happens next
at the end of verse 41
Luke 1 41
and to get the context
go back to verse 40
Mary approaches Elizabeth
with this ancient Jewish greeting
the example would be like
when Jacob comes back
with caravans and gifts
going before
and then he makes himself low
to make it very clear
in this relationship
I'm below you
you're above me
I'm here to pay you honor
and so this greeting
would have taken
hours of conversation
and an exchange
if it's done
the polite
traditional way
so Mary comes
most likely 13 or 14 years old
and then here's Elizabeth
the wife of the priest
who presided over the
day of atonement
for all of Israel
months ago
and Mary makes herself low
and greets her
and tells her
I'm here
I've traveled
all this way
to tell you about
what also happened to me
the angel Gabriel showed up
now look at Elizabeth's
part in the dialogue
at the end of verse 41
we're told
Elizabeth was now
filled with
the Holy Spirit
see in Acts 2
the Holy Spirit
is poured out
on every believer
but up until this point
in redemptive history
the Holy Spirit
moves in a measured way
and the Holy Spirit
will fill a person
for example Samson
and take Samson
on like a garment
as someone said
and accomplish what God
needs to do
and then release Samson
that's how the Holy Spirit
fills a prophet
to do his mighty acts
in the Old Testament
and so the Holy Spirit
will fill Elizabeth now
so that she can give
an interpretation
to the sign
in verse 42
Elizabeth spoke out
in a loud voice
something out of the usual
is happening
in the middle of this greeting
and this exchange
when a person
is filled by the Spirit
and then speaks
in a loud voice
in the Old Testament
it's so that
you will hear
what they have to say
for example
Deuteronomy 27
14 and 15
God says
the Levites
shall speak
with a loud voice
now the Levites
were the ones
in charge of
slaying all those
who turn to false gods
and what are the Levites
to declare to God's people
in a loud voice
cursed is the one
who makes an idol
an abomination
to the Lord
and all the people
shall answer
and say amen
well now
it's Elizabeth
being filled
with the Holy Spirit
and saying loudly
blessed are you
among women
and blessed
is the fruit
of your womb
she blesses
Mary
blessed are you
and then she blesses
God the Son
taking on the flesh
Jesus
blessed is the fruit
of your womb
in verse 43
she blesses
herself
for being part of this
verse 43
why is it granted
to me
the mother
that the mother
of my Lord
should come to me
for indeed
as soon
as the voice
of your greeting
sounded in my ears
the babe
leaped in my womb
for joy
that's her interpretation
of what just happened
she tells us
why it was
that John
in her tummy
leaped
do you see that
at the end of verse 44
he leaped in my womb
for joy
see what the Holy Spirit
does
even in the womb
fills a person
with joy
at the sound
of Jesus
this continues
in John's ministry
in John chapter 3
verse 29
John the Baptist
says
the one
who has the bride
is the bridegroom
the bride
is the church
and the one
who has the church
God's people
is God himself
God the Son
John the Baptist
said
the friend
of the bridegroom
who stands
and hears him
rejoices greatly
at the bridegroom's voice
therefore
this joy of mine
is now complete
the joy
that the Holy Spirit
put in John the Baptist
in the womb
began
and it kept growing
and when he finally
got to see Jesus Christ
being ready
to be filled
by the Spirit
and begin his ministry
now his joy
is complete
there's another reversal
that's happening
in this greeting
remember when the angel
Gabriel greets Mary
she's shocked
at what kind of greeting
this is
because here's Gabriel
who stands in the presence
of God
telling her she's blessed
well the same thing
happens again now
in verse 43
Elizabeth is making
herself low
and she's saying
I'm so blessed
to even be near you
and look at what she says
specifically in verse 43
why is this granted
to me
that the mother
of my Lord
should come to me
she calls Mary
the mother
of my Lord
when a priest's wife
the high priest's wife
refers to the Lord
you only mean one thing
you mean God
26 times
in chapters 1
and 2
of Luke
the word Lord
is used in reference
to God alone
for example
Luke 117
you can turn there
it's close to where you are
Luke 117
make ready
a people
prepared for
the Lord
a people
prepared for God
Luke 1
verse 28
rejoice
highly favored one
the Lord
is with you
God
is with you
so now Elizabeth
says
you are the mother
of my Lord
you are the mother
of God
now that expression
mother of God
has been used wrongly
by the Roman Catholic Church
because God is eternal
he has no beginning
he has no mother
but Mary is
the mother
of God
the son
who took on flesh
she is the mother
of Jesus
it's through Mary
that Jesus
Jesus the Christ
has his human nature
but divinity
is not confined
to Jesus
the man
because
God the son
is eternal
co-equal with
God the father
but it cannot
be confused
that Elizabeth
has any other
view
of the man
inside of Mary
as God
the mystery
of the incarnation
see how the work
of John the Baptist
even
with the spirit
filling his mom
is being accomplished
to confirm
to Mary
that you can embrace
Jesus
as God
this fulfills
what Isaiah prophesied
in Isaiah chapter 4
verses 3 through 5
this forerunner
of the Messiah
will be a voice
crying in the wilderness
prepare the way
for the Lord
make straight in the desert
a highway
for our God
every valley
shall be
exalted
and every mountain
and hill brought low
the crooked places
shall be made straight
and the rough places
smooth
and the glory
of the Lord
the God
of all
shall be revealed
in this Messiah
and all flesh
shall see it together
for the mouth
of the Lord
has spoken
see this prophecy
about the coming
of God
in the flesh
describes the glory
of the Lord
as being revealed
in this Messiah
this can only mean
the glory of God
himself
Isaiah 42
verse 8 says
in the words of God
the Lord
he says
I am the Lord
that is my name
and my glory
I will give
to no other
God does not share
his glory
with any other
being
and yet the prophecy
about the Messiah
is that the glory
of the Lord
shall be revealed
in him
the only conclusion
we can draw
is that Jesus
in Mary's womb
is God
and the glory
of God
is in Jesus
Elizabeth
ends this greeting
in verse 45
by saying
blessed is she
who believed
that's referring
to Mary
Mary you believe
this is the Lord
himself in your womb
this is God
and his glory
being displayed
for there will be
a fulfillment
of those things
which were told
her from the Lord
do you believe
Jesus is God
filled with the Holy Spirit
this word
from Mary
is for you as well
blessed are you
if you believe
for God
will fulfill
every word
about his son
Jesus came to earth
the first time
according to God's word
and Jesus is coming
a second time
according to the word
of God
believe that Jesus
is God
the third way
that the Holy Spirit
prepares God's people
for his coming
is that the Holy Spirit
magnifies
to your soul
God's attributes
the Holy Spirit
magnifies to your soul
God's attributes
look at verse 46
Luke 1 46
Mary said
my soul
magnifies the Lord
verse 47
and my spirit
has rejoiced
in God
my Savior
to magnify
means to
increase
to enlarge
exalt
elevate
raise
in estimation
Mary's saying
my soul
is swelling up
with the attributes
of God
and what she goes
into
in the verses
that follow
is called
by the Latin phrase
the magnificat
scholars have
pointed out
it's a lyrical
poem
the poet
Wadsworth said
all lyrical poetry
is the spontaneous
overflow
of powerful
feeling
a commentator
named Plummer
commented that
it was neither
a response
to Elizabeth
nor a prayer
to God
rather
it was a
meditation
it was a
psalm
just like we
have in the
Old Testament
of personal
reflection
upon the
incarnation
this
spirit breathed
New Testament
psalm
was uttered by
a Jewish
peasant girl
whose cultural
background was
the Old Testament
scriptures
the writings
of the Old
Testament
is what
she had
been raised
on
and the
Bible
itself
supplies
Mary
the phrases
to use
in this
outpouring
of her
praise
it's the
language of
scripture
that Mary
had known
by heart
by the time
she was a
teenager
that became
the natural
vehicle
of her
praises
I want to
point out
three attributes
of God
in verses
48
49
and
into the
next section
the first
one is
God's
compassion
the Holy
Spirit
leads Mary
to magnify
the compassion
of God
in verse
48
he has
regarded
the lowly
state
of his
maidservant
God
regards
the lowly
slave
God
who is
on the
throne
over all
creation
has
compassion
on the
lowly
the
bondservant
for behold
henceforth
all generations
will call me
blessed
this is similar
language to what
we read in
2nd Corinthians
1 3 and 4
praise be
to the God
and Father
of our
Lord Jesus
Christ
the Father
of compassion
and the
God
of all
comfort
second
the Holy
Spirit
magnifies
through Mary's
words
God's
might
in verse
49
he who is
mighty
has done
great things
for me
Isaiah
9 6
he the
Messiah
shall be
called
wonderful
counselor
mighty
God
everlasting
father
prince
of peace
the Holy
Spirit
magnifies
God's
compassion
God's
might
and God's
holiness
also in
verse 49
Mary declares
holy
is his
name
see the
attributes of
God are on
display in the
person of
Jesus
incarnate now
growing in the
womb of Mary
the holy
God
in Luke 4
34 even a
demon
calls Jesus
the holy
one of
God
you see
what the
consistent
effect is
of being
filled with
the Spirit
in John
it's joyful
leaping
in Elizabeth
it's joyful
blessing
in Mary
it's to
magnify
all these
things come
from the
Lord
it's his
generous
outpouring
of grace
when the
Holy Spirit
fills a
person
your only
desire is to
magnify God
never yourself
and that's
how God
prepares us
for his
second coming
the Holy
Spirit
magnifies
in your
soul
the glory
the majestic
attributes
of God
well the
fourth way
that the Holy
Spirit
magnifies
to your
soul
preparing you
for God's
second coming
is to
make it
very clear
to you
that God
is faithful
the Holy
Spirit
magnifies
God's
covenant
faithfulness
see this
in the
verses
that follow
verse 50
is one
of the
bookends
and then
verses 54
and 55
are the
other bookends
they both
have this
similar theme
of God's
covenant
faithfulness
look at
verse 50
God's
mercy
his
compassionate
loving
kindness
is on
those who
fear him
from generation
to generation
he is faithful
from one
generation
to the next
and it's
the Lord
who causes
his people
to fear
him
by his
own
grace
in verse
54
at the
end
of the
bookend
Mary says
that God
has helped
his servant
Israel
in remembrance
of his
mercy
in John
1 14
we read
that God
became flesh
and dwelt
among us
and we
have seen
his glory
glory as
of the
only son
from the
father
full of
grace
and truth
see in the
coming of
Jesus
God
proves
his
covenant
faithfulness
he will
carry out
this
covenant
of grace
in verse
55
she says
he spoke
to our
fathers
to Abraham
and to his
seed forever
and he is
doing the
very thing
he promised
so those
are the two
bookends
the mercy
of God
from generation
to generation
and he
says that he
will be
faithful to
his promise
that he gave
to his
seed
the seed
of Abraham
which is
Jesus
forever
well what's
in between
these two
bookends
what else
fills up
Mary's
song
of magnifying
God
I want to
point out
to you
three
descriptions
of the
people
who are
recipients
of God's
grace
it's the
helpless
the humble
and the
hungry
from generation
to generation
God shows
mercy
to the
helpless
that's what
she declares
in verse
51
God has
shown strength
with his
arm
he has
scattered
the
proud
in the
imaginations
of their
hearts
we've reviewed
how lowly
Mary is
how out of
the way
Nazareth
is
Israel as a
nation is
under the
powerful
Roman Empire
when she
travels down
to Jerusalem
it's run
by the
corrupt
powerful
elite
who are
compromising
and making
money off
of religion
and here
are the
poor
the remnant
the few
truly waiting
for the
coming
of the
Messiah
and God
helps
those who
are helpless
Elizabeth
Zachariah
Mary
Simeon
here comes
God
to show
them
I'm faithful
to my
promise
you are
helpless
I am
your
strength
so God
helps
the
helpless
number
two
from generation
to generation
God shows
mercy to
the humble
look at
verse 52
God has
put down
the mighty
from their
thrones
and exalted
the lowly
this is
confirmed
when the
work of
Christ
is finished
and the
Holy Spirit
is poured
out on
the church
1 Corinthians
1 20
through 24
Paul points
out
has not
God made
foolish
the wisdom
of the
world
it pleased
God
through the
folly
of what we
preach
to save
those
who believe
we preach
Christ
crucified
and it's
foolishness
to the
world
and it
humbles
the proud
it scatters
the arrogant
who are
puffed up
in their
own
imaginations
because
Christ
is both
the power
of God
and the
wisdom
of God
and God
shows mercy
to those
he has
humbled
finally
in Mary's
song
she confirms
that from
generation to
generation
God shows
mercy
to the
hungry
look at
verse 53
God has
filled the
hungry
with good
things
and the
rich
he has
sent away
empty
see in
first
corinthians
1 27
we were
among those
fools
those lowly
in the
world
that God
by grace
has chosen
to shame
the wise
God
chose
what is
weak
in the
world
to shame
the strong
God
chose
what is
low
and despised
in the
world
even
things
that are
not
to bring
to
nothing
things
that are
listen
so that
no
one
might
boast
in the
presence
of God
if you
come to
God
full
needing
nothing
you will
go away
with nothing
from God
it's for the
hungry
the humble
the helpless
that the Holy
Spirit has
drawn before
the Holy
God
that's who
he promises
to fill
to help
to sustain
and it's
for those
who approach
God in that
low state
like Mary
that can
say
as God's
people have
said
from generations
to generations
great
is the
faithfulness
of our
Lord
1 Chronicles
1634
give thanks
to the Lord
for he is
good
and his
steadfast
love
endures
forever
as we just
sang
great
is thy
faithfulness
O Lord
from generation
to generation
the Lord
will prepare
your soul
for his
second coming
by magnifying
to you
God's
covenant
faithfulness
there are
many more
generations
we don't
know how
many
and every
generation
can attest
since Adam
and Eve
until Christ's
second coming
God is
faithful to
his promises
and he will
cause you
to trust him
and magnify
him
no matter
what happens
in the world
and you
will be
ready
for his
second coming
well the
fifth and
final observation
from this text
is that the
Holy Spirit
prepares you
for Christ's
next coming
by stirring
your soul
to worship
the Holy Spirit
prepares you
for Christ
by stirring
your soul
to worship
there are four
songs recorded
for us
in Luke
1 and 2
and what
we see
in each
one is
the same
thing
that there
is only
one
fitting
response
when the
Spirit
causes you
to realize
that Christ
came to
save you
and it's
you worship
the first
song
is that the
news that
Christ
was coming
to be
incarnate
in Mary
and she
says her
soul swelled
in worship
in verse 46
my soul
magnifies the
Lord
my spirit
rejoices
in God
my Savior
Mary's
response was
worship
the second
song you
can see it
too in
Luke chapter
1 verse
78
would you
look there
Zacharias
Elizabeth's
husband
worships
God
the Lord
opens his
lips and
what comes
out is a
song of
praise
Luke 178
the day
spring
from on
high
has visited
us
to give
light to
those who
sit in
darkness
and the
shadow of
death
and to
guide our
feet into
the way
of peace
Zacharias
responds
in worship
number
three
it's Luke
chapter 2
verse 7
when Mary
gave birth
to her
firstborn son
as she was
wrapping him
in swaddling
clothes
and was
lying him
in a
manger
in Luke
chapter 2
verse 14
the host
of angels
exploded
in worship
I think
they were
observing and
worshiping from
heaven
and the Lord
allowed these
shepherds to
behold heaven
from where they
were
and the angels
have been
wondering how
is it that
God is going
to accomplish
all that he's
promised
how will it
be
and when
Christ
is born
God the
son
in the
flesh
to fulfill
all righteousness
and save
his people
the angels
burst into
worship
glory to
God in the
highest
and on
earth
peace
among men
in whom
his favor
rests
and then the
fourth song
it comes from
Simeon
in Luke
chapter 2
verses 30
and 31
and it's
at the
sight
of Jesus
Simeon
rests
in joyful
worship
he says
my eyes
have seen
your salvation
God
which you
have prepared
before the
face
of all
peoples
Simeon
responds
in worship
dear brothers
and sisters
dear friends
Christ
came
as he
said he
would
Christ
will come
again
as he
said he
would
the only
fitting
response
for us
is to
worship
him
and rest
in that
comfortable
dependence
on the
Holy Spirit
to prepare
us for
his coming
let's pray
for
your
church
why
did
not
try
or
neither
know
you
this
place
in
飯
or