The Life of Christ

• Mary and Elizabeth were undoubtedly close friends and may have been distant cousins (how far back we do not know), just as Paul was a distant cousin with the Israelites he wrote of.

Lk. 1:37-38 “For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

If Mary had not declared her willingness, the angel would most likely have dismissed her from this assignment and looked for another.

• God’s preference is to never override our free will to accomplish His purpose.

One of the great lessons we learn from Mary is to jump on any opportunity that comes unexpectantly from God, no matter how daunting it may appear at first.

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Lk. 1:39 Now at this time Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

Mary was probably two or three months pregnant; Elizabeth was closer to eight or nine months pregnant.

Lk. 1:41 And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

This precious moment was created by the exchange of two fetuses in the womb. • Those who deny that life is present within the unborn child are proven wrong by this example.

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth prophesies to Mary, “Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

• She has no natural knowledge that Mary is even pregnant.

• Such a thought would conflict with her mind, knowing Mary’s godly character.

• The prophetic word can come so forcefully that it sometimes bypasses a person’s natural thinking.

• In 1 Sam. 19:24, when the Spirit of God came upon King Saul, he prophesied the demise of his own kingdom.

SECTION 8

Lk. 1:58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.”

The word “rejoiced” is a very rare word, used only five times in the New Testament.

• It literally means “to leap or dance for joy.”

• It’s the highest level of happiness known to man in this life.

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