Luke 1: Now the Sun Rises in Your Heart.

Class Outline:

Sunday December 15, 2024

There is nothing but rejoicing in the heart of Elizabeth for her “companion.”  

 

Mary travels to Elizabeth. 

 

LUK 1:39-45

Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." 

 

They see their own blessings and praise, rejoice, and thank God and do not want to deny the same joy to another over their blessings, though they are different from their own. 

 

Praise, joy, thanksgiving (for actual blessings from God) are the path of peace.  

 

Theology Corner: F/HS - temporary ministry in the OT. They were not indwelt by the Spirit (New Covenant blessing).  

 

The Holy Spirit’s filling results in revelation and expression of divine truth and that results in praise, joy, thanksgiving - the path of peace. 

 

God has visited us to give us His life. 

 

We cannot attain salvation or life: too barren, too old. Virgin birth - Only God is able.  

 

PSA 113:9

He makes the barren woman abide in the house

As a joyful mother of children.

Praise the Lord!

 

Man cannot produce his leader. 

 

Magnificat:

 

LUK 1:46-55

And Mary said:

"My soul exalts the Lord, 

47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 

48 "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;

For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 

49 "For the Mighty One has done great things for me;

And holy is His name. 

50 "AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION

TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. (PSA 103:17) 

51 "He has done mighty deeds with His arm;

He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. 

52 "He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

And has exalted those who were humble. 

53 "HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;

And sent away the rich empty-handed. 

54 "He has given help to Israel His servant,

In remembrance of His mercy, 

55 As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and his descendants forever." 

 

Firsts: Elizabeth - the child is Lord; Mary - the child is Savior. The Status quo is not God’s way. 

 

Praise, joy, thanks is faith in what God has blessed you with.

 

Satan wants you to dwell on what you do not have click in (MAT 6:25). 

 

Mary lists 6 works of God. She sees them, believes them, and praises God for them. Why did so many around her and so many today not see these same works that surround them? 

 

Mary quotes the second line of PSA 107:9: 

 

Look at another line in this beautiful Psalm: PSA 107:14

         

The theme of darkness pervades this revelation and we see how God is going to dispel it. 

 

LUK 1:67-80 Zacharias’ thanksgiving song / prophecy

 

Luke 1:67-79

 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 

68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant — 

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old —  

71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,

And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; (PSA 106:7; The context of that Psalm is deliverance from Egypt)

72 To show mercy toward our fathers,

And to remember His holy covenant, 

73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, 

74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,

Might serve Him without fear, 

75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. (something more than ritual is coming) 

76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High (notice Zacharias’ faith in what the angel announced and what the prophets said);

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; 

77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins, 

78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, 

79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

To guide our feet into the way of peace." 

 

The Sunrise from on high will visit us - an awesome title for the Lord Jesus.

 

(vs. 78) “Tender” literally bowels means compassionate. The compassionate mercy of our God.

 

to “shine upon those who sit …” ISA 9:2. 

 

“Sunrise” - anatole = the rising star or the sprouting plant. 

 

The messianic metaphor changes from “a horn of salvation” to “the dawn from on high” (sunrise). The word translated “dawn” or “Sunrise” is anatole (east) and can refer to the sprouting of a plant and the rising of a star, and its usage gave it a messianic connotation of “branch.” 

 

JER 23:5

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord,

"When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;

And He will reign as king and act wisely

And do justice and righteousness in the land. 

 

ZEC 3:8

I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.

 

ZEC 6:12

'Thus says the Lord of hosts, "Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the Lord.

 

The temple is new (not a rebuilding of the old). Each saint would be indwelled by the HS and the Lord Jesus Christ, and be the holy temple of God. Faith in real blessings. 

 

REV 22:16

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

 

2PE 1:19

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

 

Praise, joy, thanksgiving for salvation by the Messiah

 

Darkness - existential plight of mankind - ignorance and sin

 

Darkness: Man doesn’t know salvation nor can he see a way. In the OT the Law condemned. The promises and sacrifices pointed to a shadow of salvation. The light, the sunrise, dispels the darkness and this is how God delivers you. 

 

Elizabeth, Mary, Zacharias saw the sunrise and their darkness was dispelled. They praised God, rejoiced, were thankful, and then they walked the path of peace. 

 

Even Jesus grew by revelation (light): 

LUK 2:52

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

 

God gifts him with messengers (ROM 10:15; ISA 52:7) will he heed them?

 

Sunrise from on high - the only solution - light dispels the darkness. 

 

Application: 

 

Salvation comes to mankind in Jesus 

Salvation is visitation from God. 

Salvation is the forgiveness of sins. 

Salvation is reconciliation. 

Salvation is a calling to bless others. 

 

The result is praise, joy, and thanksgiving. You have to believe and see that these have been done for you and the magnitude of them like Elizabeth, Mary, and Zacharias did. 

 

Seeing the blessings of God by faith (volitional) gives you to praise God, have joy, and become thankful to Him and those put you on the path of peace. So when your spouse is a louse you have peace with them. 

 

Look intently at the blessings God has given you (prayer and private meditation). 

 

If a believer you are indwelt by Christ, you are in union with Christ, you are the bride of Christ, all of your sins are forgiven, you are forever reconciled to God and a child of God.  

 

Faith is seeing and choosing to trust = real praise, joy, thanks which are the path of peace.