Luke, Part 4: Mary’s Song

Text: Luke 1:46-55 (opens in new window)

Previous to this passage, Mary had visited Elizabeth and was greeted with warm words of encouragement.  Mary responds to that greeting with a song of praise that is recorded in this text. 

Interestingly, this song is rather similar to the song of Hannah, recorded in 1 Samuel 2.  Also, the song shares similarity with many of the Psalms.  Mary was evidently familiar with the Psalms, and the same Spirit was working in her, in Hannah, and in the Psalm writers, so it’s not surprising that there are similarities.  Hannah’s song ended with the prophecy of a coming King, and Mary’s song ended with an acknowledgement that this prophecy had been fulfilled.

Two major themes of this song are: God’s accomplishment of His promises at their beginning are as sure as they are at the end.  And, God does not work through the civil and religious power structure; instead, He works through humble individuals.

This song can be looked at as being composed of four sections: (1) What God has done for Mary, (2) What God has done for His people, (3) Mercy and Judgment, and (4) God is faithful to His Word.

Looking at the song verse by verse, in verse 46, Mary says that her soul “exalts the Lord”.  God is already highly exalted – how can she, or we, exalt Him?  By speaking of who God is and the works He is performing.

In verse 47, Mary refers to “God my Savior”.  How is God her Savior?  Because God has done great things for her and through her.  In verses 48 and 49, Mary continues to exalt God and proclaim what He has done for her.

In verse 50, we are reminded that God’s blessings are ongoing,  from generation to generation.  God is holy, all-powerful, and mighty.  He is the Savior of mankind; this blessing is only for those who fear Him.

The next section of the song, from verses 51-53, is a comparison of two peoples: the the humble and weak, whom God uses, and the self-satisfied, the rich, and the powerful, whom God will tear down and destroy.  Humility is a prime component of Christianity – God is opposed to the proud, but exalts the humble.  Christ, our example, humbled Himself beyond measure by taking upon Himself the form of a man.

We must come to God in humility.  If we embrace Jesus in humility and brokenness, we will be received, but if we trust in our own self-sufficiency and self-righteousness, we will be rejected.

The last two verses of this song, verses 54 and 55, are a proclamation of God’s mercy.  Throughout all of God’s judgments, He still remembered, and will remember mercy.  His mercy is (v.55) forever – there is hope for yet more people who will seek Him today; and His mercy is “to the seed of Abraham”, the father of the faithful.

God’s Gracious Dealings with Remnants

Throughout the Bible, we see that God deals frequently with remnants.  What is a remnant?  The dictionary definition is “that which is left over”, “residue”, or “remainder”.

We see God dealing with a small portion and rejecting another portion throughout Old Testament history.  God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain, dividing humanity in half.  In the Flood, God saved only eight people out of the mass of humanity at that time.  In the case of Abraham, God chose one man out of Ur of the Chaldees to be the patriarch of His particular people.  He continued to reveal Himself exclusively through that small nation.  Or take the example of Gideon.  God whittled down his strong army to just 300 men, and used them in winning a great victory.

Sometimes we might see the corruption and lack of reality in mainstream denominations and feel as though we are all alone, the only ones truly following God.  Elijah, after killing the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel, fled to a cave and twice came before God claiming that “he alone” was left.  God responded that there were 7,000 in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal.  Romans 11:5 reminds us that there is a similar remnant today.  Whenever we follow God completely, we are not alone – we are part of His remnant in the world.

Although we may seem like a part of a tiny group of believers today, at the end of the world (Rev 7:9), God’s people through the ages will amass as a great multitude, too vast for any man to count.  Therefore, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32).

Luke, Part 3: Mary Visits Elizabeth

Text: Luke 1:39-45

In the previous section of Luke, the angel came to Mary and told her she would bear the Messiah.  Although she did ask, “How can (literally “shall”) this be?” she – unlike Zacharias – had faith in the word that God had sent her and believed the angel, understanding that “nothing is impossible with God.”

In this section, Mary came to visit Elizabeth.  Mary wanted to get together with someone else who had experienced God.  This is natural – people who have experienced God want to be together.

In verse 40, we see that Mary entered the house and “greeted” Elizabeth.  What was this greeting?  It was probably more than just a “hello”.  Mary must have been telling Elizabeth about the news the angel had given her because, in verse 41, we see that the baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb.

When the baby leaped, Elizabeth was “filled with the Holy Spirit”.  Much could be said about the filling of the Holy Spirit.  We remember that Elizabeth had “kept herself in seclusion” for five months.  She was thinking of the Lord and walking circumspectly.  Walking with the Lord allows us to be filled with the Spirit.  Ephesians 5:15-20 describes how we are to walk carefully and use our time wisely, and to give ourselves over to the Holy Spirit, in comparison to how one who is ruled by drink gives himself over to wine.

It is interesting to note that Elizabeth was already regenerate, what we today would call “a Christian” before this filling of the ?Holy Spirit occurred.

The filling of the Holy Spirit caused Elizabeth to “cry out”.  She is excited, emotionally engaged.  She had been told that her baby would grow up to be the forerunner of the Messiah, but she did not know when the Messiah would come, until this point.

In the following verses, Elizabeth encouraged Mary, showing great humility (v.43) even though she was older than Mary.  She encouraged Mary by telling her what God had done.

She proclaimed Mary to be blessed in v. 44.  Mary was blessed in the same way as we are – she was saved through the work of Christ.  She also had a special blessing, in the service she performed in carrying Jesus.  For her, as well as us, blessedness is obtained through service.

Luke, Part 2: The angel visits Zacharias

Text: Luke 1: 5-25

The first incident that Luke relates is the angel’s visitation of Zacharias and the subsequent birth of John the Baptist.  This section demonstrates Luke’s inclination to describe events in careful detail and the emphasis he places on people as individuals.

Zacharias, we see, was a priest who was married to the daughter of a priest.  From this, he would expect to be the recipient of a double blessing, according to the Jewish tradition.  Zacharias and his wife were both faithful and righteous before God.  Although they had no children, they continued on faithfully worshipping and loving God.  They had no idea what blessings He had in store for them, but they pressed on regardless.

Judea had fallen into a state of deep decline, as had been detailed in the book of Malachi, written 400 years before Christ.  In the silent years after Malachi, the decline surely became deeper.  Judea was being ruled by a horrible, evil king, Herod.  Things couldn’t seem to get any darker for those who followed God truly.  Yet it was in this dark time that God sent His Redeemer.  Likewise, we today should not be discouraged by the state of the world around us – God is able to break through in any situation!

Zacharias had been chosen, by lot, to enter the temple and burn incense.  This was the highest position of service that a regular priest could perform.  He stood next to the Holy of Holies and offered incense that flowed over the whole temple – and into the Holy of Holies as well.  The position of presenting the incense was so highly regarded that each priest was allowed to perform it only once in his life.  It was during this service that the angel came to Zacharias.

The angel came to Zacharias and spoke ten different things to him:

1. Their prayer had been answered!  What prayer?  Both their prayer for a Redeemer, who was to come, and…
2. They would have a son.
3. His name would be “John” (a gift from God), meaning he was to be the gift of God and filled with the grace of God.
4. He would be greatly used by God.
5. He would drink no strong drink.
6. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.
7. He would turn many to God.
8. This son was the one prophesied who would be coming in the spirit of Elijah.
9. He would reconcile families.
10. He would prepare a people for the Lord.

John’s ministry would be like ours – we cannot save anyone, but we can lead men to  Him who can.  We can cry out against sin in the world and point to the Redeemer.

Sadly, Zacharias’s response was one of unbelief.  He was hearing a word directly from an angel, but it was not sufficient for him.  He was staggered by the thought that God would use him and his wife to bring this great prophet.  But God, then as today, does use ordinary people to do his work.  Why do we doubt that God will use us to work out His promises?

Because Zacharias spoke his unbelief, he was struck dumb for a time.  Yet God was merciful and later restored his ability to speak.  May God forgive us for doubting His ability to use us to accomplish all He has for us to do!

Luke, Part 1: Introduction

Text: Luke 1:1-4

Some controversy exists about when the book of Luke was originally written, but it was probably written around AD 60-63 or so.

Who was Luke?  Interestingly, Luke was not one of the twelve disciples, and was in fact not an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry at all.  Luke was a Gentile.  Luke was a doctor, a physician.  He was familiar with Greek, as is evidenced by his writing style, a style of Greek written by the educated for the educated.

Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.  They may be seen as a set, and this text serves as an introduction to them both.

One key point Luke makes in his introduction is that he was not an eyewitness.  He identifies his sources as eyewitnesses and “servants of the word”, probably corresponding to the Gospel of Luke and Acts, respectively.  Luke had contact with the original sources.  His detailed account of Christ’s birth would indicate that He had contact with Mary.  We know that he was one of Paul’s traveling companions.

Luke states that he has carefully investigated everything in this book and identifies what he has written as “the exact truth”. The word translated “exact truth” might be rendered “infallible truth.”   He is reminding the reader that the things written herein are truthful and that they are the Word of God.  This is a story that really happened and it changes lives because it is the story of Christ.

The things in this book are things “accomplished” (v.1) or fulfilled.  Luke contains many examples of fulfilled prophecies: that the Messiah would be from Judah, from the seed of Isaac, and born in Bethlehem.   He details the time of Christ’s birth, as foretold in Daniel.

This book was written to “Theophilus”.  These things were written to give him knowledge and certainty.  Luke’s objective was that Theophilus would have both factual understanding (“head knowledge”)  and real relational, experiential knowledge of  the things of God.

Who is Theophilus?  To whom did Luke write?  It’s generally accepted that he was writing to a real person.  Luke uses the title, “most excellent” in referring to him, the same title was was used for Roman governors Felix and Festus.  So Theophilus is thought by many to have had some relation to the government.  The word “Theophilus” means “lover of God” or “one loved by God”.  Luke is writing to someone who has been instructed in the Word of God and want to know more of Him.  We can put ourselves, then, in the place of “Theophilus” because this describes all the children of God, and we have also been made to be “most excellent” members of a royal priesthood through Christ’s death and resurrection!

Thoughts from Ecclesiastes

The book of Ecclesiastes, as mentioned previously, can be a tricky book to read.  The key to understanding it lies in the phrase “under the sun..”  When Solomon writes of the world “under the sun”, he is referring to the world from a humanist view; the world without sight of God.

Ecclesiastes is full of a number of pictures and proverbs.  These are written to show us where our attention and focus in life should be.  A few of these pictures and proverbs are discussed below:

1) The Oppressed and the Oppressors – Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

In this section, oppression is discussed.  There are oppressors all around us: wicked governments, greedy businessmen, corrupt bosses, and so on.  Oppression is universal in the world, and severe and harsh oppression is not uncommon.  The unique thing Solomon points out in this passage is that not only the oppressed need a comforter, but the oppressors do too.  The brutal prison guard, for example, is oppressed by his brutal commander.  All men suffer, and all are without a comforter from the “under the sun” perspective.  It is such a grim existence that Solomon declares that the living should envy the dead, or those who have not existed.  Yet this all from the worldly view – there is a Comforter for those who know Christ!

2)  The Benefit of Adversity – Ecclesiastes 7:1-6

There is a benefit to adversity.  Difficulties can make us sober and rescue us from a life of frivolity.  The general attitude of men today is that of children who have never grown up – everything is frivolity, joking, and silliness.  But life is serious; the deep questions of life demand our full thought and grave attention.

3) Value in Contentment – Ecclesiastes 8:14-17

Sometimes, the wicked prosper and the good suffer (v14).  It can be pointless to struggle against this, or against a great oppressive regime.   Also, we cannot know the working of God – we cannot know the future and how all things will turn out.  We should live today in God’s providence and be content in it, enjoying the basic happiness that can be found in living life.  (It is only by being right spiritually with our Creator that we can life a full and joyous life here on earth.)

4) All Shall Die – Ecclesiastes 9:1-4

As mentioned in the previous chapter, bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.  You cannot tell the standing of a person before God by looking at their circumstances (men have incorrectly tried to equate prosperity and rightness with God for centuries.)  And there is one thing that happens to both good and bad men – all men die.  Verse four reminds us that there is hope while a person is living; after you die your destiny is fixed.

5) Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth – Ecclesiastes 12

This chapter begins with a vivid description of the decay of one’s faculties as he is overcome by age, with a reminder: don’t waste your life!  Don’t waste your short time of health and fitness in selfish pursuits, use your life for God’s glory!

To sum up the message of Ecclesiastes, we are all heading to our “long home” – our eternal home.  This will be either a place of eternal glory or eternal damnation.  Let us keep this future in our minds as we walk this world “under the sun”.  Let us be focused on our eternal purpose, rather than consumed by the vanities of a life spend seeking the things of this earth.  Let us see (v.11) the strength of the framework laid out by God’s Word and let us seek to live lives based on the principles of His Word, in loving service to Him for His glory!

Ecclesiastes 2

Text:  Ecclesiastes 1:17 – 2:26

Ecclesiastes can be a difficult book of the Bible to read and understand.  The key to Ecclesiastes lies in the phrase “under the sun.”  Throughout the book, Solomon is writing from a worldy perspective, discussing things as they are for the man without God.  This is the humanist perspective.  It is incredibly common in life today, as men continue to set up their thoughts and lives in a way that is separate from God.

Throughout the book, Solomon describes a search for meaning and purpose in life.  Without God, however, he finds no meaning – all is vanity.  In  the previous section of Ecclesiastes, Solomon discussed the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge for its own sake, surmising in v. 18 of Chapter 1 that the acquisition of much wisdom ends only in grief and pain.

So Solomon takes another approach.  First, he seeks to find meaning in the pursuit of pleasure.  He decides to “live it up”, enjoying laughter and much wine, yet with his mind engaged.  He’s still trying to find a meaning to life within the pleasure.  This might be compared to the philosophy of the 60’s, when people were taking drugs and attempting to find enlightenment.  But in the end, Solomon declares that this too is vanity, futility, madness.

Then, he seeks to find meaning in life through building great works.  He builds houses, gardens, and orchards.  He acquires flocks and servants to tend them.  He obtains gold and silver and many singers and concubines.  In the end, however, this pursuit is also vanity, and is striving after the wind.

The next section (v. 12 through 23) contains a brief reflection on what Solomon has learned up to this point.  He declares that the pursuit of wisdom for its own sake, though bitter, is still better than the mere pursuit of pleasure.  Yet everything is futile for the humanist, because all men die, whether wise or foolish, rich or poor.  For the rich man, what is the profit of his riches when he dies?  He cannot take it with him; they will pass on to another whom he does not know.  For the man who pursued pleasure, what does that profit him when he dies?

The end of this passage contains some final thoughts on where meaning can be found in life.  Verse 24 is difficult to translate, but may be translated, “There is no good in a man on his own to find joy...”  Verse 25 continues that man cannot find true joy on his own.  It is only through a relationship with God that man can be fulfilled and find real joy and happiness in this life.  Verse 26 concludes, noting that God gives happiness, wisdom and joy to His children.

Let us not be like the humanistic world around us, running from our Maker and seeking vainly to find joy in this life.  We must seek Him first, and it is only when we are in a right relationship with God that we can enjoy his gifts in this world fully.