MLJ Trust Logo Image
Search
Sermon #5069

The Magnificat, Part 3

A Sermon on Luke 1:46-55

Originally preached Dec. 27, 1959

Share Share on Twitter Share on Facebook
Play Sermon
btn-play
Download Sermon Add to Queue Add to Playlist

Scripture

Luke 1:46-55 ESV KJV
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and …

Read more

Sermon Description

Have you come face-to-face with the real purpose of the Gospel? Has it made any vital difference to you? It's meant to change everything. Listen in as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches from Luke 1:46-55 and talks about the dangers of being unaffected by the Gospel, and what response and reaction it ought to invoke. "To be a Christian means that we have had an experience of the grace of God; that is essential Christianity.” Diving into Mary’s Magnificat, we see the recounting of her response to God's work; in a sense this was the first Christian experience. More than an amazement that she would have a child was the realization of what God was doing on a larger scale. Christianity is, “the life of God in the souls of men.” It is about what God does to us, not what we have done. The mark of a Christian is the experience of God’s grace, but this does not look exactly the same for everyone. Search yourself to see if, “The One who made you at the beginning is making you again.” Assurance is not in a feeling of entitlement to be forgiven, but rather in one who is immensely conscience of his own unworthiness. God’s mercy is on those who fear Him.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. Mary's experience as described in Luke 1:46-55 provides insight into the elements of a Christian's experience.
  2. The time or manner in which one comes to faith in Christ does not matter. What matters is that one comes to faith.
  3. The first element of the Christian experience is an awareness of being dealt with and blessed by God. Christians recognize God is acting in their lives.
  4. The second element is surprise and amazement at what God has done. Christians are astonished at the change in their lives.
  5. The third element is humility and lowliness. Christians recognize they are undeserving of God's grace.
  6. The fourth element is gratitude and praise. Christians are thankful for what God has done.
  7. The fifth element is fear of the Lord. Christians have a reverence for God and a desire not to displease him.
  8. The final element is rejoicing in Jesus Christ. Christians find their hope and joy in Christ.
  9. Those struggling in their faith should recognize they are dealing with spiritual realities and stop trying to understand everything. They should submit to God's working in their lives.

Sermon Q&A

What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About True Christian Experience?

What are the main elements of authentic Christian experience according to Lloyd-Jones in this sermon?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the main elements of authentic Christian experience include:

  1. An awareness of being dealt with and blessed by God - recognizing that God is actively working in your life
  2. A sense of surprise and amazement at what God is doing in you
  3. Genuine humility and lowliness before God
  4. Deep gratitude and praise to God
  5. A reverent fear of the Lord (not a craven fear but a reverence)
  6. Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the center of faith

As Lloyd-Jones says: "Here, I say, are the salient cardinal features and elements in this Christian experience" that are reflected in Mary's Magnificat.

How does Lloyd-Jones use Mary's experience in the Magnificat as a model for Christian experience?

Lloyd-Jones presents Mary's experience as "in many ways the first authentic Christian experience." He uses her Magnificat as a pattern to examine genuine faith because:

  1. It shows God's initiative rather than human initiative
  2. It demonstrates Mary's awareness of God working in her life
  3. It reveals her process of coming to faith (initially questioning, then submission, then joyful understanding)
  4. It displays her humility, surprise, and gratitude
  5. It shows proper reverence and God-centered praise

As Lloyd-Jones states: "Mary was aware of an undergoing a spiritual experience and she gives us here in her statement what I want to show you are the salient cardinal features and elements in this Christian experience."

What does Lloyd-Jones teach about the timing and manner of Christian conversion?

Lloyd-Jones teaches that there is no standardized timing or manner of Christian conversion. He emphasizes:

  1. Conversion can be sudden or gradual - "it doesn't matter to the slightest extent whether it's sudden or gradual. What matters is that it's happened"
  2. He uses Mary's story to show a gradual process - first doubt/questioning, then submission, and finally joyful understanding
  3. He contrasts John Bunyan's 18-month conversion struggle with the Philippian jailer's instant conversion
  4. He warns against letting the manner of conversion become "a very subtle snare by which the devil robs many people of their joy"

Lloyd-Jones states: "There is no scriptural basis [for a standardized experience] whatsoever" and "there is no standardized experience taught in the New Testament."

How does Lloyd-Jones distinguish true Christianity from false notions of Christianity?

Lloyd-Jones distinguishes true Christianity from false notions by emphasizing:

  1. Christianity is primarily what God does to us, not what we do - "What makes us Christian is not primarily what we do, but what God does to us"
  2. Intellectual interest in Christianity doesn't make one a Christian - "Many a man has gone through life doing that, you know, without being a Christian"
  3. Mere moral behavior isn't Christianity - "Of course, any man who does good is a Christian... That's what makes us Christian, you see, what we do, doing good. But of course, it's the exact opposite of all we find in this book"
  4. Church attendance alone isn't Christianity - "Other people believe it's attending church services... But you see, it's still something that you do"
  5. True Christianity is God's transformative work in a person's life - "It is the life of God in the souls of men"

What does Lloyd-Jones teach about self-examination in the Christian life?

Lloyd-Jones encourages careful self-examination, teaching that:

  1. It's essential to "take stock" of our spiritual condition, especially at meaningful times (like year's end)
  2. We should examine what difference the gospel has made in our lives - "Has it made any vital difference to you?"
  3. Self-examination should focus on the elements of true Christian experience (awareness of God's work, surprise, humility, gratitude, fear, rejoicing in Christ)
  4. We must remember Jesus' warning that we will be judged by our response to His Word - "The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day"
  5. Self-examination should be honest but not despairing - he offers hope to those troubled by his tests

Lloyd-Jones says: "Isn't it a terrible thing that it's possible for us thus to go on listening to the gospel, and yet, in a sense to be so detached and remote that it does nothing to us, and we might just as well never have heard it."

Other Sermons

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.