Sermon Notes

“Magnify Him!”

LUKE 1:46-55

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see Hail the incarnate deity Pleased as man with men to dwell Jesus, our Emmanuel

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

LUKE 1:46-55

MARY’S SITUATION

She was a poor, powerless, teenage, engaged, pregnant virgin who was going to be responsible for raising the Savior of the world.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… Luke 1:46-47

TENSION QUESTION

How can we praise the Lord and rejoice in God this Christmas season even if we don’t feel like it?

BURDEN

Everyone doesn’t have the Christmas spirit just because we are in the Christmas season.

BURDEN

For many people, the Christmas season intensifies feelings of loss, loneliness, pain, and failure.

BURDEN

It’s much easier to magnify our mess than our Messiah.

"Of course, God cannot be made any bigger, but he can be enlarged in ones life. We magnify or enlarge God when we take into thinking some new aspect of his greatness." R. Kent Hughes

MESSAGE OUTLINE

2 Components of Mary’s Praise

3 Aspects of God’s Greatness

1 Reasonable Response

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… Luke 1:46-47

“Soul” and “spirit” simply refer to the inner self, the I. This combination is a powerful, emotive way of saying, “My total self, all that I am, magnifies and praises the Lord.” R. Kent Hughes

To magnify God’s greatness and grandeur fully, we must engage our mind and spirit completely.

MESSAGE OUTLINE

2 Components of Mary’s Praise

3 Aspects of God’s Greatness

1 Reasonable Response

3 ASPECTS OF GOD’S GREATNESS

God’s Eyes

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. Luke 1:46-48

For behold, from now on 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 for those who fear him from generation to generation. Luke 1:48-50

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed… Luke 4:18

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:3

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

GOD’S EYES

God looks at the lowly!

3 ASPECTS OF GOD’S GREATNESS

God’s Eyes

God’s Arms

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;  Luke 1:51-52

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 1 Peter 5:5-6

he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. Luke 1:53

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35

GOD’S ARMS

God empowers the powerless and triumphs over the powerful!

3 ASPECTS OF GOD’S GREATNESS

God’s Eyes

God’s Arms

God’s Memory

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Luke 1:54-55

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20

GOD’S MEMORY

God remembers his covenant to save the sinner!

God’s eyes look on the lowly, God’s arms empower the powerless and triumph over the powerful, and God’s memory remembers his covenant to save the sinner!

MESSAGE OUTLINE

2 Components of Mary’s Praise

3 Aspects of God’s Greatness

1 Reasonable Response

OUR RESPONSE

Magnify GOD!