1. The Life of Christ Lesson 1
Luke’s Preface/Dedication & John’s Introduction – Luke 1:1-4; John 1:1-18
The Genealogy of Jesus – Matthew 1-17; Luke 3:23-38
Prophecy of Birth of John the Baptist – Luke 1:5-25
Annunciation of the birth of Jesus – Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38
Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-56
Birth and early life of John the Baptist – Luke 1:57-80

2. Mary’s Visit To Elizabeth
Luke 1:39-56

3. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-45
Mary traveled from Nazareth (in Galilee) to a city in Judah in the hill country.
More than 70 miles. 3-4 days?
Verse 41 – The baby “leaped” in Elizabeth’s womb.
Zacharias told John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:15)
Focus on Mary and who her child would be.

4. The Bible Views the Unborn as “Children!”
Genesis 25:22-23, “The children struggled together within her …”
Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you …”
Luke 1:41, “The babe leaped in her womb,” cf. Luke 2:12.
Pregnant women were described as being “with child,” Genesis 16:11; I Samuel 4:19; Genesis 19:36

5. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-45
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Verses 41-42
This is the first of five remarkable poetic statements from those involved in the beginnings of the New Testament story:
Elizabeth (1:42-45)
Mary (1:47-55)
Zacharias (1:68-70)
The angels (2:14)
Simeon (2:29-32)
Elizabeth was glad to see Mary and in her enthusiastic excitement spoke with a loud voice revealing a wonderful message from God. (Caldwell, Truth Commentaries)

6. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-45
makaria – “blessed, happy: joined to names of God, 1 Timothy 1:11; 6:15; cf. Titus 2:13” (Thayer) cf. Matthew 5:3ff
Elizabeth’s blessing. Verses 43-45
Elizabeth focused on Mary and who HER child would be.
“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.” Luke 1:42-45; cf. 1:38

7. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s response of praise. Verses 46-56
Verses “My soul exalts the Lord” NASU
Exalting God – to “esteem highly, extol, laud, celebrate” (Thayer) in her soul/spirit. Rejoiced in “God her savior.”
Verse 48 God’s “regard for the humble state of His bond slave.” Psalms 8:3-9; 1 Chronicles 17:16ff
Ps 8:3-9
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord,How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
1 Chron 17:16-20
Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17 "This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 "What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 "O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 "O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Isa 41:8-10
But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

8. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s response of praise. Verses 46-56
Verses God’s blessings for:
(1) Mary
(2) “generation after generation” of those who “fear Him”. (Matthew 1:21)
Verse 49 “the Mighty One has done great things for me”
Powerful being … able to perform great things. cf. Luke 1:37
cf. Psalms 8:3-9; Psalms 148
Verse 50 Mercy upon them that fear Him. Psalms 103:17-18
Ps 8:3-9
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord,How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
1 Chron 17:16-20
Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17 "This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 "What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 "O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 "O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Isa 41:8-10
But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

9. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s response of praise. Verses 46-56
Verses She speaks of God’s affairs in the nations of men.
The arrogant shall perish. (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6; Psalms 12:3-4; :5-6; 147:6; Proverbs 16:5, 18; cf. Romans 1:18ff).
Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.” NASU
Verse 53
Hungry – to be filled. cf. Matthew 5; John 6
Rich – sent away. Matthew 19:23; cf. Revelation 3:17ff
Ps 8:3-9
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord,How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
1 Chron 17:16-20
Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17 "This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 "What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 "O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 "O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Isa 41:8-10
But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

10. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth – Luke 1:39-56
Mary’s response of praise. Verses 46-56
Verses She speaks of God’s affairs in the nations of men.
Israel to be destroyed by the Assyrians. Deuteronomy 30:1-10
Assyria to be the instrument of God’s wrath. Isaiah 10:5ff; 2 Kings 17-19
Assyria to be destroyed. Isaiah 10:12-19
Judah to be destroyed by Babylon. Jeremiah 25:8-11; 39:6-8
Babylon to be destroyed. Isaiah 13:1, 17-22; Jeremiah 50-51; cf. Isaiah 44:27
“He hath given Help to Israel” – Isaiah 41:8-10
Fulfillment of all that God promised.
Ps 8:3-9
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! 6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet, 7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, 8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord,How majestic is Your name in all the earth!
1 Chron 17:16-20
Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17 "This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 "What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 "O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 "O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Isa 41:8-10
But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'