The Song of Mary

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER 2021

LUKE 1 VERSES 46 - 56 - THE SONGS OF CHRISTMAS

Here is a song sung 2000 years ago by Mary the mother of Jesus.

There is the glory to God that Mary shares.  When we stop and think - do we give God the glory and praise just for what he has done for us?  Verse 46 "my soul doth magnify the Lord."  We looked at the meeting of the 2 women, Mary and Elisabeth.  Both were expecting babies.  Elisabeth would give birth to John the Baptist and Mary to Jesus  Notice the joy they had in coming together.  Remember what Jesus himself said "where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst."  When we come togeher he condescends to come into our midst.  He sees the terrible strife and burden we carry, knows all about it.  This is why Peter could say "cast your care upon the Lord for he careth for you."  This meeting brought joy.  2 people doing the will of God.  They had so much to talk about.  When Mary heard that word from the angel off she went to tell her story.  When we come to Christ we are filled with that same desire to tell others about Christ and his message for the world.  Elisabeth was so full of praise - that Mary had made the journey to come to visit her.  Verse 42 "and whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me."  Elisabeth was awestruck that Mary came to visit her and bring God's presence into her home.  Imagine visiting someone this week - you are taking the life of the Lord into that home as a witness of what Jesus has done in your life.  Here was Elisabeth looking at Mary.  Chosen of God but Mary takes none of the glory to herself.  Our lives must be a daily tribute of what God has done for us, that we come to magnify the Lord, to praise him.  Not puffed up or boasting, thinking we are someone special.  She came away with a humble attitude.  Remember Uzziah as king in Isaiah's day.  Isaiah was a young man, 16 years of age when Uzziah came to the throne of Judah.  The Lord helped him and he saved him.  He helped him to put down his enemies.  The Lord helped and strengthened him.  He gave hm the power over his enemies but he became puffed up.  He thought this is all my work, I did it all.  The Lord had to bring him down.  He was struck with leprosy until the day of his death.  Paul writing to the Corinthian church who were proud of their talents and abilities.  They never thought God had given it to them  Mary was with her cousin Elisabeth.  Elisabeth was so thrilled to have her in her house.  Mary realised what was happening.   them.  "who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou dist receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4 verse 7)  Mary glorifed God that she was given the opportunity to carry his son - verse 48. God could have chosen a princess or someone from a high profile family but God chose Mary.  Verse 49 and 50 are we praising God for what he had done today?

The grace God had bestowed on Mary.  1 Corinthians 15 verse 10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me"  Mary sees the grace God has bestowed on her - verse 49.  It is all because of God we are what we are.  She was rejoicing in her Savour.  Are we looking at our lives today and seeing the grace of God?  It is a tremendous blessing to be saved, to know the Lord as Saviour and Lord.  Mary makes it clear such was her estate.  She was in need of the Saviour.  She wasn't born in some state of being without sin.  She received the fallen nature of Adam whereby one man sinned.  She was a sinner.  She needed a Saivour just like us.  Remember the shepherds on the hillside.  The angels came down to them and said "fear not for behold I bring you great tidings of joy which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David which is Christ the Lord."  The world didn't need a teacher or a psychologist but a Saviour.  Like Mary, Paul felt he was the chief of sinners.  "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the chief." (1 Timothy 1 verse 15)

Mary speaks of the goodness of God.  Verse 50 - from that moment on her life would be different.  She would be recognised by all women as "blessed among women"  She was not raised to a position of any prominence or equal with God but now she has been placed in the position of a sinner saved by grace.  Verse 48 such a great privilege God takes the weak things in our lives to do things for himself.  Think of the little boy with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.  He sat in the crowd listening to the word of God.  God worked something mighty by his gifts.  He was in God's eyes something special.  We are his children bcause of his son who died on the cross of Calvary.  Gideon was taken from the poorest in the families of all of Israel.  Think of what Saul said "am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of  the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?" (1 Samuel 9  verse 21)  God wants to use you and me.  Have you stopped to reflect on what God has done for us, to think "I am what God has made me, there is nothing in me that could ever save me but I am on my way to heaven because God has saved me.  I have talent God can use - have we asked God to use that for his glory?  We have been blessed today with a home and family - a sign of God's goodness to us today.

Mary reflects on the greatness of God - verse 51 and 52.  Nebuchadnezzar said "all that I have is what I have done, I have built it all myself, by my power and intellect."  God brought him down.  Remember how he took David from the sheepfold and made him king.  "But Mary pondered all these things and kept them in her heart."