Celebrating Promises Fulfilled

                                                               Sunday School Lesson
                                                                  December 25,2011
Lesson Focus:
God's promises are
fulfilled in Jesus
Lesson Scripture:
Luke 1:46-55

Introduction:

Mary's magnificat is one of three major hymm-like pieces found in Luke.Mary's song spilled out of her heart when she visited her cousin Elizabeth.The angel Gabriel announced that she,a humble, obscure peasant girl,had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.When she walked in the door of  Elezabeth's house,the child in Elizabeth's womb (John The Baptist) leaped.Mary continued her praise by shining the spotlight on God's goodness.Her desire was to lift God up as someone greater than great.She was a servantand God was her Master.Although she was carrying the Savior of the wold,yet she acknowledged her own need for a Savior.

Mary Glorifies God

Luke 1:46-49KJV

 ⁴⁶And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

   ⁴⁷And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
   ⁴⁸For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
   ⁴⁹For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Footnotes:
Gabrie told Mary she would give birth to the Savior,the Son of God,the Holy One of Israel.Her reply was "I am the Lord's servant".Mary then went to visit her cousin who was also pregnant.Unable to contain her joy,Mary offered up a song of praise unto God.Her gratitude over God's willingness to choose her almost overwhelmed her.Her soul glorified God, and her spirit rejoiced.We too have been chosen to give birth to Jesus in our lives,we to should glorify God in our lives,by walking worthy of that to which we have been called.

Every Generation
Luke 1:50-53KJV
 ⁵⁰And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
   ⁵¹He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
   ⁵²He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
   ⁵³He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away
Footnotes:

Mary then focused on the mercy and great deeds of the God of Israel,for his mercy extends to those who fear Him.The fear of God does carry an element of healthy alarm.God is holy,and we are sinful. The fear of God also entails a deep respect and reverence for God's sovereignty,and it is out of the fear of God that we allow Him to take us wherever He leads.God extends mercy to those who fear Him,but scatters those whose inner thoughts rarely focus on God.He gives and takes away authority at will.Those who hunger after God, He fills them up.But those who are rich and indifferent to the plight of the poor will themselves be emptied of their riches.At His birth Jesus was announced first to the poor shepherd then to the humble servants in the temple.Later he would tell His disciples "you cannot serve both God and money".We must first realize that we need Him then humble ourselves to receive Him into ourt lives.

God's Promise Fulfilled

Luke 1:54-55KJV

⁵⁴He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

   ⁵⁵As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Footnotes:

Mary ended her praise by remembering God's promise to Abraham,that all nations would be blessed through him.Mary understood that Jesus would  fulfill God's promise to Abraham.No wonder she was full of praise and thankgiving.Today ,more than two thousand years after Mary's angelic visit and Christ advent,we see how the fulfillment of God's promise touches our lives through salvation in Christ.Jesus is indeed God's promise fulfilled.