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Call to worship: Advent reading on Love

Text: Luke 1:46-56

Sermon Outline:

1. The primary means of Mary's praise, 1:42-45
2. The ultimate goal of Mary's praise, 1:46-47
3. The personal cause of Mary's praise, 1:48-49
4. The global instruction of Mary's praise, 1:50-55

Prepare

Questions:

1. Read Luke 1:39-45 throughout the rest of this week. As an encouragement to family worship and personal preparation, use the questions that follow:
2. Mary's praise is in response to something. To what? Be specific. Is it just the Word of God? Or is the Word of God . . . about Jesus and God's grace towards her? The more specific, the more clear we can be when it comes to equipping ourselves for worship. What's the relationship between God's Word and our worship?
3. In 1:46-47, what's the ultimate goal of Mary's praise? Is true worship me-centered or God-centered? What does worship do? How does grace differentiate Christian worship from non-Christian 'worship'?
4. In 1:48-49, what's the personal cause of Mary's praise? Is her hymn of praise to God first about His saving grace or His providential care? Should such reassurance of God's gracious working in our lives be a major part of our worship? Is it?
5. In 1:50-55, Mary's praise turns away from God's work in her life to what it means for the rest of human history. Things get big in this section! What does Mary offer as instruction for the world? Have we thought that our worship has global implications, that the truths we believe are for the world? How is Jesus at the center of Mary's instruction as it relates to God's method of mercy and His faithfulness to His promises?