A Normal Christmas in Lowly Times
Part of A Normal Christmas—Luke 1-2
December 6, 2020

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Luke 1:39-56 (New Living Translation)

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

I. A Normal Christmas seeks community in our lowliness (vv. 39-41)
• A normal Christmas coincides with

times.
• A normal Christmas provides for people like us.
• Sympathy is the action of understanding due to experience.
• Spirit-empowered Christianity locates in lowly times.
II. A Normal Christmas propels us to worship in our lowliness (vv. 42-48)
• Emotionally healthy people express the full range of in a normal Christmas.
• A normal Christmas is not just life’s lowly events.
• Spirit-empowered Christianity finds the of events.
• Spirit-empowered Christians at times our souls to align with God’s Word and Spirit.
III. A Normal Christmas strengthens us in The Mighty One (vv. 49-56)
• The Mighty One is God’s name he reserves for .
• A normal Christmas remembers God is warring for us with .
• A normal Christmas finds strength in the fact that the Mighty One
sides with the .
• Spirit-empowered Christianity shows mercy to those who rob us by
us.