Sermon Tone Analysis

*Intro* – A cartoon of Calvin and Hobbs shows Calvin, a mischievous little boy, saying, “Happiness isn’t good enough for me.

I demand euphoria!”

We’ve got a lot of people demanding euphoria these days – many spurred on by the false prophets of wealth and prosperity that flood our TV screens.

Then we have the other side of the equation represented by a guy lying on a psychiatrist’s couch, looking very unhappy.

The doc says to him, “Look, making you happy is out of the question, but I can give you a compelling narrative for your misery!”

We want euphoria or a good excuse why not!

What is happiness?

How about the movie “A Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart that shows up each Christmas?

If you’ve seen it, you know that the message is that a wonderful life consists of appreciating the things we have instead of longing for what we don’t have.

Great film.

Good message.

But I’d like to go a step beyond happy this morning to ask, how about a blessed life?

Our passage has two blessed women – “blessed” is repeated three times.

Interpretive principle – look for repeated words as a clue to the meaning of a passage.

So what does it mean to be blessed?

Often it is translated “happy.”

That’s okay.

But I’d suggest that “Happy is how you feel; blessed is how you are.”

Happiness is outward.

Blessedness is inward – deep inside.

Can’t always be happy, but we can always be blessed.

It describes a life that has been favored by God and recognizes and revels in that favor.

That’s blessing.

And this morning I’d like us to see 4 elements of blessing.

What characterizes a blessed life?

*I.

Basks in Fellowship*

Gabriel has just left Mary after turning her life upside down.

Lu 1:39, “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.”

Unlike Zechariah, Mary asks for no sign – but God gives one.

Lu 1: 36 says Elizabeth is miraculously with child in her old age.

Implied is that Mary should pay a visit, and she quickly complies.

This shows 2 things about Mary – she is quick to obey, and she seeks Godly fellowship to share the joy and challenges of her new situation as the unwed mother-to-be of Messiah.

Mary’s emotions must have been all over the place – reveling in the unprecedented honor of bearing the anointed One, but wondering how her pregnant status will play with her fiancé, family and community.

She’s learning service comes with a price.

So, she quickly seeks God’s solution – fellowship with other believers.

There she found the affirmation, comfort, assurance, and help.

Zechariah, still can’t speak, so Elizabeth greets her in Lu 1:42 “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

Not everyone would see it that way.

Even Joseph was initially going to divorce her until an angel assured him of Mary’s fidelity.

But in Elizabeth and Zechariah she found comfort.

She didn’t try to tough it out on her own.

This is exactly why God created the church.

Christian living without fellowship is like your right arm saying to other body members – You guys go ahead.

I’m going it alone.

Crazy, right?

But that’s a Christian operating in solitude.

John Wesley said, “There’s nothing more unchristian than a solitary Christian.”

[Repeat].

I know you don’t like everyone at church.

I realize there are hypocrites among us.

We’re not the coolest gang around, and we have as many flaws as the rest of the world – but we are united in this: Christ is our head.

We have a common purpose, a common destiny, a common outlook and sooner or later you are going to discover that you need us, and we need you.

Believers going it alone end up being lonely failures.

Usually they just throw in the towel at some point.

They check out.

Togetherness is God’s plan for His people.

The early believers in Acts 2:42, “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

That’s the bare minimum for Christian living, and fellowship is right in the middle of it.

Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

“Be together.”

The teaching, love and empathy will keep you on track.

Without fellowship you will compromise.

We all need encouragement to hold the line!

Paul needed it!

Romans 1:11-12, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

Paul needed them as much as they needed him.

If Paul needed fellowship, think we might?

During World War II, the Japanese experimented to find how best to extract secrets.

Know what they found?

Solitary confinement!

After a few days of solitary, most men would tell all.

Similarly, believers who skip church are easy prey for temptation and abandonment of values.

We are not meant to go it alone.

Blessing is in being together.

The blessed life is like a wheel with all kinds of activities around the perimeter – work, recreation, volunteering, clubs and so forth.

But the hub – the thing that can’t be let go – the thing that makes it all function in a Godly manner is the fellowship of other believers.

Without that, you forfeit much blessing God intends for you.

*II.

Based in the Lord*

Every person here is blessed based on their proximity to Jesus.

Mary is blessed.

Why?

Because she is carrying the Lord in her womb.

She’s with child by now.

We know because Elizabeth mentions the fruit of your womb!”

No one was closer to Jesus than Mary – and her life was immeasurably blessed by her proximity to Jesus.

Elizabeth is joyously blessed.

Why? Lu 1:43, “And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Two things strike me about Elizabeth.

Her humility.

She’s had a miraculous conception herself.

And, she is the older of the two.

Yet, she joyously defers to Mary.

Her humility is a wonderful blessing in itself, isn’t it?

So, she’s blessed with humility, but second, we see her great joy at the presence of Jesus.

Proximity to Him has marked her out for blessing.

How about John?

This is remarkable.

John is 6 months along at this point -- not independently conscious.

But he is a prophet in-utero, and the Holy Spirit causes a reaction in him because Jesus is present.