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God has made promises to us, but some promises are yet to be fulfilled. Will God be faithful? Today’s teaching will remind us that God’s faithfulness to fulfill past promises is good reason to continue trusting God’s promises for the future.

PRAY IT. 

Start your day praying...“I am the Lord’s servant. Whatever You ask and whatever the cost, whatever You want is what I want. I don’t understand it all, but I trust You. Use me to accomplish your plan.”

LIVE IT. 

Attempt to BE the Lord's servant throughout the day. Serve Him with each decision & situation.

CHECK IT. 

Before you go to sleep, ask yourself: "Have I been the Lord's servant TODAY?" 

Then wake up tomorrow and Pray it, Live it, & Check it again.

Mary takes this long trip from Nazareth to Judea (3-4 days) because she wants to see if God’s promises are TRUE! The town that Zechariah & Elizabeth live in is not named but it is likely near Jerusalem as Zechariah since most priests made their home near Jerusalem because of their priestly duties. 

How does Elizabeth KNOW who Mary is carrying in her womb? The Holy Spirit who filled her had revealed this to her.   Out of all the women in the world, this young girl from Nazareth is the most blessed among all women of all time.‌ The older cousin calls her younger cousin the mother of my Lord - Elizabeth doesn’t know this because of Mary’s belly - Mary isn’t showing yet. Mary hasn’t told her anything yet. But the Holy Spirit who has filled Elizabeth has told her.

• Warren Wiersbe 

“Mary’s womb became a holy of holies for the Son of God!” 

This is the great message of the Gospel - God has put on skin - the Creator clothed Himself in humanity. You don’t have to go find Him hiding. He comes to find YOU!

Elizabeth and the unborn prophet (John the Baptist) in her womb,- by the power of the Holy Spirit - both sense the joy of this moment. The promise that Israel had been waiting for was now growing in Mary’s womb, in the mother of my Lord. Up until this point, every use of Lord by Luke is in reference to Yahweh God alone. (Luke 1:6,9,11,15,16,17, 25, 28, 32,38).

But now the One who will be born to Mary is referred to as Lord. In fact, more than any other Gospel, Luke describes Jesus as Lord numerous times after that (Greek = kurios = Lord Lk 1:76; 2:11;7:13,19; 10:1,39,41; 11:39; 12:42; 13:15; 17:5f; 18:6; 19:8, 31,34; 20:42,44; 22:61; 24:3,34).

Elizabeth is old, yet Elizabeth is humble. She recognizes the hope for her people is found in this unborn child - the child who is her Lord - the One who is to be named ‘Yeshua’ - Jesus - ‘Yahweh is salvation’.

Do WE believe that the Lord will fulfill His promises to US?

Mary had believed what the angel said. Now Elizabeth’s words & belly further confirm that what God has said will come to be. Mary’s joy is heard with these powerful words of praise.

Mary is a humble servant grateful for God’s grace to her. 

• Mary is righteous, but NOT self-righteous. 
• Mary is quick to give God the credit for what He has done. This is why God has chosen her.
• Mary understands the story is bigger than her. She is not the star of the show - HE is. ‌

Long before Gabriel’s visitation or Elizabeth’s encouraging words, Mary heard the stories of God’s faithfulness in the past and her prayer to Him that is overflowing with Old Testament teachings.‌ Mary had no personal copy of the Scriptures like WE have, but God’s words & works saturated her soul!!!

• Mary’s words echoes those of Hannah’s prayers (1 Sam. 1:11; 2:1–10) as well as prayers throughout the Law, Prophets, & Psalms. This young girl has a deep appreciation for God’s Word.
• Oh that WE would read & treasure God’s Words as Mary did.
• Mary knew of the Exodus & how God rescued the Jews from 430 years of slavery. Do YOU know of those things?
• Mary knew how God overthrew powerful kingdoms, raised up & destroyed mighty kings, & how God honored His humble servants. Have you listened or read of those truths?
• Is that WHY some of us don’t trust God with the future - because we don’t know or believe what God has done in the past?

Mary’s BEHAVIOR demonstrated her BELIEF that what God SAID would happen, WOULD happen.

‌Mary could trust God with the future, because she knew of His faithfulness in the past. She behaved like she believed God’s promises were true. She was grateful for what was about to happen...even though it hadn’t happened yet. As Elizabeth had said, “she…believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.” (Lk 1:45)

• So too, God has made us some promises that we have yet to see fulfilled, promises we can either question...or trust. 
• Will you Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true? Have you turned from sin & trusted Jesus with your life?

Followers of Jesus can trust that:

• Your Sin is forgiven. Sometimes we still FEEL guilty for past sin that we have repented of. Will you trust your feelings that change like the wind or trust God’s promises which are true? 
• Jesus will never leave you...even when you can’t feel Him. He has promised you His presence. Will you trust your feelings or God’s promises? 
• Jesus will return. His people have been waiting for 2000 years...and could be waiting much longer. Jesus promised to return and restore all things so we BELIEVE the words the Lord has promised and live like He will return.
• Check your life this week: Words, Actions, Thoughts, Attitudes, Relationships... If WE believed WE were REALLY forgiven, we REALLY believed He was with us, we REALLY believed Jesus will return! What would THAT look like?

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. Which one of these promises from God do you most struggle to believe and why?: Your sin is forgiven. Jesus will never leave you. Jesus will return.
2. Read Luke 1:41-44 about the significance of Elizabeth calling Mary “the mother of my Lord.” What reason is given regarding how Elizabeth knew this?
3. Take a moment to read Luke 1:6, 9,11,15,16,17,25,28,32,38 and answer this question: Up until verse 43, who is Lord speaking of in Luke’s Gospel? Based on this usage so far, how should Lord in verse 43 be understood and why is that important?
4. Read Luke 1:45-49. What can we learn from young Mary’s faith, gratefulness, & humility - to apply in OUR lives? 
5. Read Luke 1:50–55. How does Mary’s knowledge of God’s actions from the Scriptures help her to trust His future promises? How might YOUR knowledge of God’s Scriptures help YOU to trust His future promises?
6. Today’s BIG TRUTH is Behave like you Believe God’s promises are true. What carries more weight - what we SAY we believe or what we SHOW we believe (behavior)? Explain your answer. 
7. Ask how you can pray for one another. Then do it!