Text: Luke 1: 39-55
The Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her certain unbelievable things that will happen to him and through her. At the end of the conversation; Mary surrendered herself to the hand of God to be used for His will. As a confirmation to Mary that the word spoken to her would take place; she was asked to visit her aunt Elizabeth who used to be barren and have passed the age of childbearing, but was then pregnant for three months.
Mary indeed visited Elizabeth and met Elizabeth pregnant as the Angel has said! Both of them became filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and began to praise God from their soul.
Magnify means to extol; make great; to praise; to celebrate.
When we were in grammar school, in Biology class, we use a magnifying glass to make tiny objects become big in order to see them properly and to appreciate their attributes.
God is however too great to the extent that He cannot be made greater. Men/women of God from ages past till now have learnt to magnify God or magnify His name. We must learn to do the same as well. When we say magnify God, we don’t increase Him; what we do is praise Him greatly.
Psalms 48:1 – Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
Psalms 96:4 – For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.
Why did Mary soul magnify God?
– A virgin to conceive and give birth?
– She of all women was to be the mother of the Messiah?
– As poor as she was, and her poor betrothed husband were to be the parents of this holy Child? Not a royal family?
– How can you give birth to your own Saviour? And of course, the Saviour of the world?
There is someone here, God says there will still be a fulfilment of what He has told you before.
What are ways to magnify God
With mouth. By clapping. With instruments. By dancing. From the soul
Of all, the most acceptable way to magnify God is that from the soul which combines the other forms.
Mathew 15:7-8 – Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, These people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
When should your soul magnify God?
– When God speaks to you (Daniel 2: 19-23).
– When God gives you hope in a time of despair (2 Chronicles 20: 14-22).
– When God did something miraculous in your life (Ex. 15: 1-19).
– When God appeared to have come through for you in a timely manner (2 Kings 4:1-7).
– When God appeared to be delaying (I Kings 18:1-2, 41-45).
– When you are suffering because of the gospel (Acts 16: 16-26).
– When God gives you victory over a situation (I Sam. 2:1-10).
– When you feel God has not done anything for you lately (Ecclesiastes 9:3-10).
– When you have just lost someone or something so dear (Job 1:21).
Do you fall into any of these nine categories?
I urge you to allow or compel your soul to magnify God. Make Him greater than anything you may be facing. Watch how He will deliver and yet deliver you.
Prayer
Father, as I magnify your name, let my life be magnified.
This sermon was delivered on April 14, 2019.