Amen. Please take a Bible and go to the Gospel of Luke, chapter one. We'll look at verses 39 through 45. In the previous section, the angel Gabriel came to Mary and gave her a birth announcement. And it was filled with high theology about the incarnation of Christ. And it was filled with practical theology. regarding the importance of humility and despite the mysteries of life, why we can trust the Lord. But our text today directs us to what Mary did after receiving Gabriel's message. She went to see a relative. We start in verse 39. Please stand with me if you are able for the reading of God's holy word. In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah. And she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. Would you pray with me? Oh, God in heaven, like food, would you take this word and implant it within our hearts? that we might be nourished upon the scriptures. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Please be seated. This is the time of the year when for the holidays we visit family or family comes to us. It's Thanksgiving week and some of you I know you've got tons of people coming over to your house or you are going over to someone else's house. Whatever the case may be, people do lots of visiting over the next month or so. In our text, Mary went to visit. She went to visit family. But this was no ordinary visit. Mary went to see her aged relative, Elizabeth, because Gabriel revealed to her that Elizabeth, who was once barren, was now great with child. So Mary went to visit her. To see that God had done the impossible with her relative. And since he had done that, he would do the impossible with her. God would give her a heaven sent child, miraculously conceived in her womb. Mary would give birth to the savior of sinners. And in coming to this text, it is as if Luke is inviting us to come along on the visits, to be a fly on the wall so that we get to know those attending because they have much to teach us. The first character we meet is Mary. Verses 39 through 40 tell us, look there. In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah. and greeted Elizabeth. As we come to these words, we have to admit there is some uncertainty. How long had it been since the angel's words to Mary? How long had it been since Gabriel came and visited her? It's unclear. We know that it could not have been very long, maybe just a matter of days, because verse 39, she quickly packed a bag. It says that she left with haste. for Elizabeth's house. And by the time she arrived, Mary was pregnant. At some point after Gabriel spoke to Mary, before greeting Elizabeth, the spirit hovered over her and created a true body and a reasoning soul in her womb, which the eternal son united himself to. Prior to leaving, Did Mary speak with Joseph about what had happened? We don't know for sure. Matthew chapter 1 tells us when Mary was found to be with child, he intended to break off their engagement. He thought she had been unfaithful. But he didn't want to shame her. Then an angel came to him and told him the child within her had been given by the Spirit. And yet we do not know the exact timeline of all of this. Something else we don't know is when Mary set out on her journey to visit Elizabeth, was she sick? Maybe a little tired? She was in her first trimester. It's possible. That reminds us just because the child within her was God incarnate. didn't mean Mary would not face the struggles of normal pregnancy. Jesus' conception was supernatural, but Genesis chapter 3, the one carrying the child, was still subject to the curse. The pains of childbearing. How much of that was she feeling at this point in time is unclear. Here are some things we do know. She traveled around 70 miles through hilly country to get from Nazareth to Elizabeth's house. Did she do that by herself? Not a clue. That was a long distance and it would have taken about two to three days by foot. Something else we know is this journey was dangerous. Zechariah lived around Jerusalem. He was serving in the temple. Psalm 121 indicates that aid would be needed when traveling to the city because it could be difficult. Luke chapter 10, Jesus told a story about how the good Samaritan and this guy who was beaten up on the way to Jerusalem. On multiple levels, Mary's travel was hard. When she finally arrived, she made a beeline for Elizabeth. How many months pregnant was Elizabeth? Six months. She was showing. What do we learn as we see the two of them visiting together? One thing is about the need for fellowship. The need for fellowship. Mary was desperate for it. So much she was willing to risk the journey. Because she knew it would benefit her soul. Seeing Elizabeth would comfort her and steady her for the tough months ahead. You know how it is. You're going through a trying time, you meet with someone. Someone who maybe is in the same boat as you or has been in the past. And it helped you. That was Mary with Elizabeth. This teenage girl would be encouraged by spending time with her older relative. Because it would have reminded her that just as God had been with Elizabeth through her impossible situation, so also God would be with Mary through her impossible situation. Do you see how important fellowship is? Hebrews chapter 3 says if we don't get fellowship we will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Without fellowship we will struggle even more in the faith. George Swinnick, Puritan. He that travels alone is easily made a prey. Without fellowship, the flesh, the world, and the devil can more easily snatch us up. For some of us, fellowship comes a little more natural. Others, not so much. have their own set of problems. Some selfishly make fellowship about themselves because they dominate conversation. Others selfishly pull away and don't work hard at relationship building. And still more are hesitant to connect because they've been hurt in the past. Do you see the problem? That's letting fear keep us from what we need. We need fellowship. We need relationships. Without them we are in trouble. There is no such thing as do-it-yourself Christianity. We will needlessly struggle without fellowship. Mary was willing to make herself uncomfortable. for fellowship. What about us? As one writer said, let us seek the face of God and then let us seek the face of God's friends. Be careful about the company you keep. Seek holy friends. Seek fellowship. And as we see here, don't just fellowship with folks your own age. Decades separated Mary and Elizabeth. Both benefited from a relationship with one another. Differences in age should not be a barrier to fellowship. Older folks, go out of your way to fellowship. with younger folks and vice versa. There are tons and tons of opportunities here at CPC for relationship building. Sunday school, Wednesday night prayer meeting, small groups, youth and college gatherings, men's and women's studies, fellowship meals, hospitality, And don't forget about morning and evening worship. There is nothing wrong with being the people the deacons have to wait for to lock up. Because you're fellowshipping. It's important. Fellowship is needed. That's something we learned from Mary in her visit with Elizabeth. The Lord helped us to learn that lesson. They go hard after fellowship to pursue fellowship with people in the church. Another person we meet here in this visit is baby John. What do we learn from him? He was in Elizabeth's womb. It was around 24 weeks. But we see in the text, he was very active and more than the average infant in utero. Normally babies are kicking at this point. Sometimes it might feel as if the child is using the mama's ribs as a jungle gym of some sort. But John did something out of the ordinary. Because as soon as Mary entered Zechariah's house and Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, verse 41, baby John leaped in her womb. And this was not a sudden whack to mama's stomach. The word used for leaped means repeatedly skipping or jumping. It's what baby calves do when playing with one another. They bounce around like Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. That's what baby John did. Verse 44, as soon as the sound of Mary's voice was heard, Elizabeth's little one jumped with joy. One thing this tells us is life clearly begins at conception. Psalm 139, baby John was fearfully and wonderfully made in his mother's womb. He had a soul. He was a living person. Who at this point, yes, was dependent upon his mother for life. But he was a living person nonetheless. In some ways, he even had emotions to express joy. Surely this text says something to us. About how abortion is the taking of life. It also says something about how God gives life, specifically that he gives spiritual life. Why did baby John react the way he did? In chapter 1 verse 15, Gabriel told Zechariah, John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. And that started from the womb. Because when Mary walked in the door, baby John recognized the Messiah was in her womb. The Spirit opened his eyes, so to speak, to recognize Christ. When commentator Phil Riken put it this way, John was the greatest prophet of the old covenants because he was the one called to announce the coming of the Christ and the establishing of the new covenants. When Mary met Elizabeth, the covenants connected. Both sons were joined under one roof and like an electrical contact between two power stations, the results were explosive. John the Baptist was the only child ever to use a womb as a pulpit. His leaping was his preaching. The child in Mary's tummy was the promised one. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, baby John testified to it. The spirit awakened him to gospel truth. And that's part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Some might think. What in the world are we doing here talking about the Holy Spirit? We're not charismatics. This is not a Pentecostal church. The sign out there reads Cherokee Presbyterian. Presbyterians don't talk about the Holy Spirits. Well, they should because it is biblical to believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirits. The problem comes in outlining that ministry. That's where some get off track. Here we see part of the core work of the Holy Spirit. As we confessed earlier about effectual calling, the Spirit convinces us of our sin and misery. He enlightens our minds in the knowledge of Christ. He renews our wills. He persuades us of gospel truth and he enables us to embrace Christ. He can do that in the womb. Like with baby John? He can do that with the elderly. Such as a lady named Millie Mahoney. She was in her 60s. Not a Christian. Her next door neighbors loved her and served her. They invited her over to their house for an evangelistic Bible study that they were doing in their neighborhood. For several weeks, she came. She learned about who is Jesus. What did he come to do? What does it mean to follow him? And then she started coming to her neighbor's church. And over time, the Spirit regenerated her. He drew her to Christ through the proclamation of the word. He took out her heart of stone and gave her a heart of flesh. He empowered her to come to Christ, which she irresistibly did. Millie was made new and followed Jesus. Are you a Christian this morning? If so, that is what has happened to you. The Spirit unlocked your chains. He set you free from Satan, sin and death. He caused you to be born again. He opened your eyes to the gospel. You were blind, but now you see. He turned your heart away from self and to the Savior. He altered your wants. so that you now desire Christ. He awakened your will so that you could follow Christ, and you did. The Spirit affectionately worked in you. That is what has happened to you. May it blow your mind. May the Spirit's work in you wow you. We easily get wowed by the things of this world. But this is infinitely better. If baby John jumped with praise unto Christ, how much more should we? We know more of Christ than baby John did. He recognized Christ in Mary's womb. We have the crucified risen and ascended Christ. And we have more of the Spirit's work than baby John did. We are further down the Spirit's sanctifying road. We should be more wowed, more in awe, more grateful. Pray for greater amazement over what the Spirit has done in you. Pray for it now. If you are not a Christian. Or if you are uncertain, if you are a Christian. Pray for the Spirit's work in your life. Ask Him right now. Ask Him. Would you make me alive on the inside? Would you pray for the Spirit's awakening work in your heart? Baby John teaches us about the Spirit's activity. There is another person, though, that we've talked a little bit about but not really focused on. As we scan the room, we see Mary. We learn of baby John, but how about Elizabeth? We saw how baby John responded when Mary greeted. What about Elizabeth? What did she do? Three things. First, she cried out. Look at verse 42. She exclaimed with a loud cry, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. How did Elizabeth know about baby Jesus? Mary hadn't told her. It's not as if Mary texted her before leaving. Hey, I'm pregnant. How did she know? The Holy Spirit revealed it to her. He made known to her about the promised child that Mary was carrying. Today, the Spirit does not give new revelation like this. Revelation, chapter 22, verses 18 and 19. The biblical canon is closed. The truth the Spirit makes known is the truth in Scripture. The Spirit illumines us to Bible truth. He helps us to understand it and to apply it. But notice the fact that Elizabeth cried out. Her heart exploded with joy. And don't forget, she was an older woman who was now six months pregnant. Any of you older ladies want to sign up for that? I can't speak from personal experience, but I watched my wife go through pregnancy with four children. It wasn't easy. That was no doubt the case with the age of Elizabeth. And yet, what did she do? Joy flooded her soul. Why? Because of Christ. Mary carried Emmanuel, God with us. And that caused Elizabeth to erupt. Her joy was determined by the presence of Jesus. What often determines our joy? Good health. Peaceful relationships. Fat bank accounts. Everything being great in life. We let our circumstances dictate our joy. Perhaps we can learn from Elizabeth in the visit we see here. She was an older woman who was pregnant and yet she was filled with joy because of Jesus. Do you need joy today? Has something in life sapped you of joy? Maybe it is a health issue. Conflicts in relationships. Difficult days at work. Just the hardships of life. Give more attention to Christ. It's not as if we can totally ignore all of the trials that we face east of Eden. But how do we have joy in the face of them? Give more attention to Christ. Yes, at times we do need to focus on our troubles. But we should not be fixated on them. Give more attention to Christ. He is where your joy is found, not your circumstances. Elizabeth cried out in joy, may we. Second, though, Elizabeth humbly asked a question. Look at verse 43, and why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Do you see Elizabeth's humility? She was much older than Mary. Culturally, the kind of deference and reverence shown here was supposed to be expressed to Elizabeth, not Mary. But Elizabeth understood Mary was the most blessed of women because she was chosen to bear the Messiah. And Elizabeth was not envious of the grace shown to the younger Mary. She was not discontent with what God had given her. Elizabeth was humble. What a lesson for us. When we look at what God has kindly given to others, sometimes we can be jealous. They have money, family and good looks. They're athletic, smart, musical. They have believing children. A happy marriage, a peaceful life. When we compare ourselves with them, we become discontent. Elizabeth teaches us to be satisfied. with what God has given, to praise the Lord for what he has graciously bestowed upon others, and to not lust after our neighbor's life, but be content with our own. Elizabeth teaches us to be humble. We don't deserve the life we have. We deserve the wrath and curse of God. Anything less than that is his kindness. Which really should lead us to do the last thing we find with Elizabeth. She blessed the Lord and blessed Mary. Elizabeth declared, look at verse 45, Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. Unlike Elizabeth's husband, Zechariah, Mary believes the angel's words. She trusted the Lord. And Elizabeth gave thanks to God for it. There is a principle here that is very helpful for us. Earlier in verse 42. Elizabeth blessed Christ. Blessed is the fruit of your womb. And that blessing carried over into blessing Mary. The point is, when we bless Christ, we bless others. When we bless Christ, we bless others. When we praise Christ, It ministers to others. Our worship of Christ is not only right because of who Christ is and what Christ has done. Our worship of Christ benefits our neighbor. You've probably experienced how others blessing the Lord blesses you. You know what they're going through. And yet they are singing God's praise. They are suffering, but still delighting in God. Seeing that will delight your soul. Elizabeth teaches us about joy, humility, and worship. Praising God amidst the pressures of life is not only right, but it encourages our neighbor. As you bless Christ for his redeeming work in your life, you will bless those around you. So who do we see on this visit? Mary. We hear about baby John's reaction. There's Elizabeth. There's one more person there. He's actually the one who's most important. He's the reason for Mary's visit. Baby John's leaping and Elizabeth's exclamation. Finally, we have the Lord. It's the child within Mary's womb, baby Jesus, he was there. He was at the heart of why Mary came to Zachariah's house. Think about two rather straightforward things mentioned here about Christ. One is his divinity. Two times he is called Lord. Did you catch that? The Greek word that's used there for Lord is the same one that is employed in the Old Testament for when we read capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D. Yahweh. So when people were reading the Greek Septuagint and they came across the name for God, Lord, they understood that's God himself. And most, if not all, Jews during this time had familiarity with this Greek translation. It's called the Septuagint. Luke chapter 4, verses 17 through 21, Jesus read from the Septuagint in public worship. It teaches us Elizabeth knew exactly what she was saying. She recognized the child Mary was carrying was the in flesh God, the Lord Yahweh himself. But he sure did not look like it. Maybe Jesus was tiny and he was in Mary's womb. Oh, that should lead us to marvel at Elizabeth's faith. She witnessed Christ in his weakness and yet called him Lord. We have Christ in his greatness, resurrected and ascended. We have larger evidence of his divinity in the gospels. Oh, that our faith in Christ. would supersede hers. Because again, who is the one that Mary is bearing? Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity. Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. We learn here of Christ's divinity. But also of his humanity. Because Elizabeth said to Mary, Jesus was the fruit of your womb. The enfleshed God did not zoom down in some celestial spaceship in heavenly form. He assumed our likeness. He even became a baby. As the Protestant reformer Martin Luther said, the eternal Lord clothed himself in the garb of flesh and blood. Greatness became weakness. Which gives fresh insight into how Jesus can sympathize with us in our weakness. The incarnate God became weak to save us. Surely we have a friend in Jesus. Because Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15, we have a sympathetic Savior who understands our humanness. Jesus grew tired. He was hungry. He wept. He was tempted like us, except without sin. He suffered. He died. He knows what it is like to be a person. That means, as Octavius Winslow said, we have a savior who draws near to us in the valley of tears. He does not crush us, but comforts us. He does not run from us because of our sins. He runs to us and he sanctifies us. He soothes us in our sorrows. He sighs with us, weeps with us, and upholds us by his grace. He perfects his strength in our weakness. He is the Lord. Mild he laid his glory by, born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth. Born to give them second birth. Maybe what you need this morning, like me, is a growing faith. A growing faith in Christ. He's the Lord. The enfleshed God. Come to set his people free. Let me ask you, do you believe in Christ? Do you want deeper faith in Christ? Do you want a maturing faith in Christ? Don't let anything distract you from those questions. Do you believe in Christ? Do you want a deeper faith in Christ? Do you want a maturing faith? Let those questions sit with you. Bow your heart again and again to the Lord. Never rest in knowing Christ, seeking Christ, worshiping Christ. Don't let anything keep you from loving Christ and living for Christ. In fact, maybe what we all need to do is cry out, Lord, help me. Help me. Let's go to God in prayer. Oh, Father in heaven. We confess weak is the effort of our hearts and cold, our warmest thoughts. We confess to you that we need your help today. Help us, Lord, to see our need for fellowship. Help us, Lord, to cry out for the Spirit's work in our lives. Help us to be a people filled with joy. Help us. To love Christ and live for Christ more and more each day. Let us have a growing faith. A maturing faith. Faith in Christ more and more. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.