KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF MIRACLES || Lesson 2 

KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF MIRACLES – Lesson Two

Text:  Luke 1:46-55 – “Mary’s Song” (The Magnificat) – (Cont’d.)

⁴⁶And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord ⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, ⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is his name.  ⁵⁰His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  ⁵¹He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  ⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  ⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  ⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful ⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”

“Mary’s Song” was in response to the announcement of the “miracle of the Incarnation,” as had been prophesied:  Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

V.48-49 – for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant – Application: 1 Peter 5:6-7 – ⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

(AMP) – 6 Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, 7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

From now on all generations will call me blessed – Example:  Luke 11:27 – As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

[As Jesus was saying these things – Luke 11:14-26 – ¹⁴Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.  ¹⁵But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”  ¹⁶Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.  ¹⁸If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub.  ¹⁹Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.  ²⁰But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

²¹“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.  ²²But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.

²³“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

²⁴“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’  ²⁵When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.  ²⁶Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”]

Note Luke 1:39-45 – ³⁹At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

Application:  Ephesians 1:3 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me – Parallel passages:

Psalm 71:19 – Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?

Psalm 126:2-3 – ²Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” ³The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Holy is his name – Note:

Psalm 99:3, 5, 9 – ³Let them praise your great and awesome name–he is holy.

⁵Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.

⁹Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

Psalm 111:9 – He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever–holy and awesome is his name.

Application:  1 Peter 1:15-17 – ¹⁵But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

¹⁷Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

(MSG) 15 As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. 16 God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” 17 You call out to God for help and he helps–he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living. Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.