BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

Lesson 2

God’s Amazing Grace

Luke 1:39-80

As I have reflected on this passage of Scripture, I have looked back over my life and thought of the amazing love and grace that God has extended to me.  Everything that I have been allowed to do is because of Him.  As simple as it may seem even the perseverance to read His word everyday comes from Him.  Over the years I have asked the question, why He would give me the drive to do a particular thing.  One thing in particular that comes to mind is all the personal Bible Studies and writing I have done over years.  Little did I know that one day He would allow me to write Bible study lessons.

I have come to believe if I do not use the gifts and abilities that He has given me it is not His fault if I fail.  If He can put the words into the mouths of Elizabeth, Mary and Zacharias that could have only come through the Holy Spirit working in their lives who I am I not allow Him work through me as He desires. I need to be careful not to limit myself by thinking too small.  My God can do the impossible even through me.

God used ordinary people to bring about His purpose for the world.  Churches often do not accomplish all that God desires for them because their God is too small. If we will just open our hearts and make ourselves available to Him, He wants to use us to proclaim to the world the good news of His Son.  We all too often indicate a lack of faith in Him by our inaction. Mary and the others spoke of things that they could not totally understand.  We have the full revelation of all they spoke about.  Isn’t it time we shouted it from the housetops?  Isn’t it time we said, “We are your humble servants, use us as You wish?”  The three in our lesson today said yes to God, are we to do less?

Luke 1:39-40

Upon hearing about her cousin, Mary went to visit Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah.  Luke does not tell us the reason for the trip.  There may be a couple of possibilities. The first may have to do with Mary’s own situation. Although it was early in her pregnancy those in Nazareth would soon become aware that she was going to have a baby.  This would present a major problem.  In that society and according to the Jewish religion any woman who was pregnant and unmarried could be subject to death.  Mary needed to have time to think what she was going to do.  It also has to be remembered that at this point she was only engaged to Joseph and evidently, he knew nothing of her circumstances.

The second would have been to be an encouragement to her cousin and also receive the same from her. Elizabeth was an example of God working out a miracle in the life of someone who was beyond childbearing age.  They would understand each other. 

1. Why did Mary decide to go and see her cousin, Elizabeth?
2. Why had the angel told Mary about what was taking place in the life of Elizabeth?
3. What was Mary’s predicament?
4. In what way would Elizabeth be able to help Mary?

Luke 1:41-45

As soon as Mary greeted Elizabeth as the Scriptures say, “the baby leaped in her womb.”  Elizabeth responded by telling Mary how blessed she was carrying the Lord in her body.  She indicated that the baby had leaped in her body for joy at the presence of the future Messiah. Her final greeting to Mary was the affirmation of her position in the history of mankind.  She was blessed because of her faith that God was going to fulfill His word through her. Such proclamations could have only come through the Holy Spirit.

1. What happened when Mary arrived in the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth?
2. What did it mean to Elizabeth and Mary?
3. What do Elizabeth’s words indicate about her understanding of what was taking place?
4. Who gave her the words spoken to Mary by Elizabeth?

Luke 1:46-55

Hearing all that Elizabeth had to say brought such joy and encouragement to Mary that she began to speak of things that were in her heart, but were still beyond her complete understanding of what was about to occur.

She began what is called the Magnificat by praising God for allowing her to be a part of His grand plan for the world.  She realized that it was nothing in her but His grace that was going to make the recipient of the blessings of generations to come. It was not because of who she was, but how God was using her that this would be true.

Although she could not completely understand what everything that was taken place meant, she saw in the events a pouring out of God’s mercy on all those who feared Him.  His actions included:

• Scattering the arrogant
• Bringing down kingdoms
• Lifting up the humble
• Providing for the hungry
• Removing the wealth of the rich

She then turned to her own nation.  God had been faithful to His covenant given to Abraham by showing mercy to Israel.

1. How did Mary respond to the words of Elizabeth?
2. How did she see God working through the events that were taking place?
3. How could she speak words that would be fulfilled in the future?
4. Why would she believe that God had been faithful to His covenant?
5. When God speaks to us through His word, how are we to respond?

Luke 1:56

Mary returned home after spending three months with Elizabeth.  Luke does not say whether she was there until the baby was born.  From the way the text reads it would appear that she left before the birth. If she did, she was able to return home with the full assurance that God was going to work out everything according to His plan.  Her time with Elizabeth gave to courage to face whatever lay ahead for her including telling Joseph about her pregnancy. (See Matthew 1:18-22)

1. Why would Mary have returned home before John was born?
2. What had she received from her time with Elizabeth?
3. What assurance did she have that God was going to see her through all that she might face?
4. What was going to be the most difficult thing she was going to have to do?
5. What are some difficult situations you have had to face?
6. In those situations how have you shown that you either trusted in yourself or God to help see you through them?
7. Why would telling Matthew be so difficult?
8. How does Matthew 1:18-22 show that God was helping Joseph and Mary in the situation?

Luke 1:57-58

The day came for Elizabeth to have her baby.  She would now be vindicated and able to put the shame of not having a child behind her.  Her emotions would have been of both relief and joy.  The reaction of the neighbors who rejoiced with her was understandable.   They saw it as evidence of God’s mercy being shown to her and Zacharias in their old age.

1. Why was the baby’s birth a particular time of rejoicing?
2. Although not expressed in words, how do think Elizabeth felt?
3. How did the people see the hand of God working in the event?
4. Why do we rejoice at the birth of a child?

Luke 1:59-63

When the baby was eight days old he was brought to the priests to be circumcised.  It was at that event that he would be named.  Knowing that he was going to be the only child that the couple would ever have because of their age those at the ceremony suggested that he be called Zacharias, after his father.  Elizabeth in obedience to the command of God through Gabriel insisted that he be named John, which meant, Jehovah’s gift or God is gracious. Her decision took the relatives and neighbors completely by surprise because they knew of no one in the family that went by that name. In disbelief they turned to the father to see if he was in agreement with his wife.  They gave him a tablet and he wrote on it that the boy’s name would be John.  Luke says that “they were all astonished.”

1. Why was John taken to the priest on the eighth day?
2. Why did the relatives and neighbors expect the boy to be called Zacharias?
3. What was the reaction to Elizabeth wanting to call him John?
4. What does it show about her that she did not give into the pressure of her relatives?
5. Why did they turn to Zacharias to verify the information?
6. Why do we give the names that we do to our children?
7. How different is the practice today as compared to the time of Zacharias and Elizabeth?

Luke 1:64

Once Zacharias performed this last act of obedience, God opened his mouth and he was no longer mute.  The first words out of his mouth were to praise God.

1. Why did God wait until Zacharias wrote down his son’s name before opening his mouth?
2. What does it show about him that the first words of his mouth were those of praise?
3. What were the reasons he able to give thanks?

Luke 1:65-66

When the people experienced all of these events the fear of God felt upon them. John was a topic of discussion all over the hill country of Judea. They wondered what all of it meant. Because of the miraculous birth, surely God was going to use John in a special way.

1. Why should the people be struck with fear?
2. Why did the child just born become a subject of discussion among the people?
3. What was their conclusion?
4. What drove them to believe that God was going to use him in a special way?

Luke 1:67-79

Finally after over nine months, Zacharias was able to express his feelings.  His words came from a heart filled with the Holy Spirit.  Those were not ordinary words, but one’s that were beyond the ability of man to know in his own wisdom.  He spoke of things that were to occur of which he could not have complete understanding apart from the empowering of the Holy Spirit.  As Mary had done he began by acknowledging and praising God for his favor toward Israel. He spoke of what God was going to do as if they had already been accomplished.  God had

• Visited His people
• Redeemed His people
• Brought about salvation through the descendent of David.  By saying this he would have been expressing John’s role as forerunner and not savior.

The next section spoke of God’s promises through the words spoken by the prophets concerning the salvation to come.  God would    

• Bring them freedom from their enemies and all who hate them.
• Provide mercy to their fathers
• Remember His holy covenant which He had made with Abraham.
• Rescue them from the enemies that they “might serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness all of” their days.

Then Zacharias turns to the role that John would play in all those events. He would be:

• A prophet of the Lord most High
• One who would prepare the way for the Lord’s coming
• Give God’s people the knowledge of salvation as he taught them about forgiveness of their sins.

Finally he speaks of the One to come because of God’s mercy.  He called Him the Sunrise from on high.  This One would:

• Visit mankind
• Shine His light on those in darkness and “the shadow of death.”
• Lead us into a life of peace.

 

1. What is the progression that Zacharias gives us?
2. How could he know the things of which he spoke?
3. Who did he include in his words?
4. What is the most important message that we can learn from his discourse?

Luke 1:80

Luke gives a short bio of John without a lot of detail.  Under the leadership of his parents and the Holy Spirit he continued to mature is his faith.  Although not said it is evident that he rejected the role that would have his been by birth.  All descendents of Aaron, unless they were unfit for some reason, would have automatically become a priest.  John turned his back on all of that and prepared for the task that lay ahead of him by living in the deserts until he began his ministry.  Look at Matthew 2 for a physical description of John.

1. Why are we not given more detail about the early life of John?
2. What opportunities did he pass up?
3. Why do you think he rejected the life of priesthood?
4. What can we learn from Matthew about John?
5. What example does John give us by turning down the opportunity to follow in his father’s footsteps?

 Chapter one is a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of three people, Zacharias, Elizabeth and Mary.  It has given us the opportunity to see what happens when a person is willing to listen carefully to what He has to say.  As you allow that lesson to sink into your very being think about some of the following.

• Remember that everyday holds something special for each of us.  (Ps 118:24; Jer. 29:11; 2 Cor. 6:2)
• Live with empathy for those around you. (Rom. 12:24)
• Be in constant submission to God, knowing He has a purpose for each of us. (Luke 1:38)
• Always be ready to share what God has done in your life with others. (2 Peter 3:15)
• Live in a way that the title, Christian, fits you.
• Reflect on the things that have occurred in your life to see with God has been truly at work in the things you have accomplished?
• Look at the times you have failed and see if it was because you tried to do them without God.

We are to come each Sunday with an anticipation that God will send His messenger with a message just for us.  It is to be remembered that when He speaks it is for His glory.  If we just approach Him with an ear attuned to Him we might just understand His calling on each of our lives.  Three different people in our lesson heard from God.  Each responded according to their ability to hear what He was saying.  None of us can be the father and mother of the forerunner of Christ, but we can each proclaim His name throughout our sphere of influence.  There was only one mother of Christ, but we can live with the compassion and love for one another that were displayed by Mary and Elizabeth for each other. We are to be a people who worship, believe, share, love and rejoice with each other.  If we do the world will be a better place because of us.

Additional Notes:

GC-God is the One who makes a person righteous in His sight.  They are those who walk blamelessly in all His commandments and requirements He has established. (Luke 1:6)

GC-When one truly sees the glory of God he is troubled and afraid in His presence.             (Luke 1:12-13, 29)

GC-He finds joy and gladness in the proclamations of the Lord (Luke 1:14)

GC-Has the Holy Spirit in his life. Luke 1:15, 66)

RT-Like John the Baptist we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to show others they have strayed in their disobedience to the Father.  As a forerunner going into the places in which we are involved, we are to share the good news of Jesus.  He is the only one who can knit families together, to show what it is like to live a righteous life and to end all disobedience.  To do so prepares the hearts of man to receive all that has for him through Jesus.  John gave all the glory to God for bringing this about, we are to do the same. (Luke 1:15-17; Mal. 4:6)

GC-Like John the Baptist, turns people back to the Lord from an attitude of disobedience to one of righteousness. (Luke 1:16)

RT-Gabriel in describing the ministry of the coming son of Zacharias hit on the key to what ails even Christians.  He said, “And he will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous.”  There it is.  We may have glossed over these words as we have read the narrative, “the attitude of the righteous.” They are those who will listen to and receive the good news.  Throughout Scripture we often see the idea of the right attitude and mindset which leads to true commitment to Christ. (Luke 1:17)

GC-Receptive to God’s will being carried out in his or her life. (Luke 1:38)

GC-Blessed is the one who believes that what God speaks will be fulfilled. (Luke 1:45)

M-He believes that God is able to do according to His word. (Luke 1:45; 5:12)

GC-Exalts the Lord and rejoice in God our Savior. (Luke 1:46-47)

GC-To fear God is to receive His mercy. (Luke 1:50)

GC-Is not proud. (Luke 1:51-52)

GC-Rejoices with others (Luke 1:58)

GC-Serves the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness (1:74-75)

GC-Gives the people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sin (Luke 1:77)

GC-Becomes strong in the Spirit (Luke 1:80)