Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Luke 1:46-55 ESV
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
Key Points
- From a young age, Mary’s parents and faith community taught her the Word of God.
- Because of Mary’s strong foundation of faith in God and his redemptive work in the world, she was able to:
1) Replace worry with worship
2) Replace plans with promises
3) Replace ability with availability - When we build our lives upon the solid rock of God’s Word, fixing our eyes on the Author of faith, we are readied to be used by God in miraculous ways.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”
-Luke 1:50 ESV
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: How has God disrupted your plans lately?
2: What can we learn from Mary about how to respond to divine disruptions?
3: Why is worship a better use of our time than worry?
4: Why is it better to build our lives upon God’s promises rather than our own plans?
5: In the hands of God, why is our availability better than our ability?
6: What is the primary lesson God taught you through Mary’s story today, and how will you apply it to your life this week?
7: Who do you know who needs to hear Mary’s story?
· Will you tell them?
Pray
Lord, thank you for showing us who you are. Thank you for the faithful saints who have gone before us, taking the time to teach us how we were created to walk in your better way of life. When we are quick to worry, lift our thoughts and our hands in worship. When our plans fall through, bind up our broken hearts with the truth of your everlasting promises. When we feel unable to face what lies ahead, open our eyes to see you are more than able to carry us through. Lord, make a way for us to teach the next generation these lessons, too.
