Sermon draft: Joy in the God Who Keeps His Promises
Main passage: Luke 1:39–56
Big idea: We can rejoice in God—even while we wait—because he sees the humble, saves through Jesus, and keeps every promise he has made.
Introduction
Advent is a season of waiting. We remember that God’s people waited for the promised Savior, and we look ahead to the day when Jesus will return and make all things new. Waiting can be hopeful, but it can also be hard. We may be waiting for healing, for a loved one to come to faith, for peace in a strained relationship, or simply for strength to get through this week.
So where does joy come from when we are still waiting?
The third Sunday of Advent is often associated with joy. But Christian joy is not the same as pretending that everything is fine. It is not a demand that we smile through grief, and it is not a reward for having an easy life. Biblical joy is deeper than a passing mood. It grows from knowing who God is and trusting what he has promised.
That is the kind of joy we meet in Luke 1. Mary is young, humble, and facing an uncertain future. She has received the astonishing news that she will bear the Son of God. Now she goes to visit Elizabeth, her relative, who is also expecting a child through God’s extraordinary kindness. When Mary arrives, Elizabeth blesses her, and Mary responds with a song of praise.
Mary’s song is sometimes called the Magnificat, from its opening words in Latin, “My soul magnifies.” It is a song of personal joy, but it is not only about Mary. She sings of God’s mercy to his people, his power over the proud, his care for the hungry, and his faithfulness to his promises. Her joy is rooted in the God who is acting to save.
Let’s hear the passage.
Luke tells us that Mary went to a town in Judah and entered the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth called Mary blessed because she believed God’s word. Then Mary praised the Lord:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46–47, ESV)
We’ll see three reasons for joy in this passage: God gives joy as he visits his people; God gives joy as he shows mercy and overturns our expectations; and God gives joy because he keeps his promises.
1. Joy recognizes that God has come near
Mary has just received the angel Gabriel’s message that she will conceive and bear a son, Jesus. Gabriel has also told her that Elizabeth, who had been unable to have a child, is now expecting a son. Mary sets out to visit her.
Luke writes:
“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah.” (Luke 1:39, ESV)
Mary goes “with haste.” Luke doesn’t tell us every thought that went through her mind, and we should not pretend to know what he has not told us. But we can see that she goes to Elizabeth, and that this meeting becomes a moment of confirmation and joy.
When Mary greets Elizabeth, the child in Elizabeth’s womb leaps. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and she cries out:
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42–43, ESV)
Elizabeth understands that Mary is carrying someone more than an ordinary child. She calls him “my Lord.” The Holy Spirit makes clear that God is at work in this meeting. Even before Jesus is born, his presence is bringing joy.
Elizabeth says that the baby in her womb leaped for joy when Mary’s greeting reached her. This is not a claim that an unborn child understood every detail of God’s plan. It is Luke showing us, by the Holy Spirit, that the arrival of Jesus is already surrounded by joy. The promised Savior is near, and the people who recognize God’s work respond with gladness.
Then Elizabeth says:
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:45, ESV)
This blessing points to something important. Mary is not blessed because she has earned God’s favor, or because she is somehow the source of salvation. She is blessed because God has been gracious to her, and she believes what he has said. Her faith receives the promise. God is the one who will fulfill it.
That is a helpful picture of Christian faith. Faith is not pretending we can make God keep his promises by believing hard enough. Faith trusts the God who has spoken. The strength of faith does not come from how impressive our trust feels. It comes from the faithfulness of the one we trust.
Mary’s circumstances have not suddenly become simple. She is still facing an unexpected pregnancy and an uncertain future. But God’s word has come to her. Elizabeth confirms what God is doing. The presence of the Lord becomes a reason for joy, even before all the questions have been answered.
There is a difference between having everything resolved and having reason to hope. We often want the first before we allow ourselves the second. We might think, “I will rejoice when the diagnosis is clear, when the grief is over, when the relationship is repaired, when the prayer is answered.” But Christian joy can begin before the situation changes, because it is founded on God’s character and his promise.
That does not mean we must feel joyful every minute. The Bible gives room for lament, tears, and honest cries to God. Some of us come to church carrying grief that cannot be set aside by a seasonal song or a cheerful greeting. The message of Advent is not that we should deny the darkness. It is that God has entered the darkness in Jesus Christ. His coming gives a real hope that suffering does not get the final word.
Imagine a family waiting at a hospital for news. The uncertainty is still there; nobody can honestly say that everything will be fine. But someone they trust comes and sits beside them. That person cannot solve the situation simply by being present, yet their presence matters. The family is no longer alone in the waiting.
Even that comparison is limited, because God does not merely sit beside his people as a powerless observer. He is the Lord who acts to save. In Jesus, God has come near in the most profound way. The eternal Son took on our humanity. He entered our world of sorrow, sin, and death, and he came to rescue sinners.
So when life feels uncertain, Christian joy does not ask us to deny our fears. It directs our eyes to the Lord who has come near and who will not abandon his people. We may not know how every part of our story will unfold. But in Christ, we know that God has acted for our salvation, and that he will complete what he has begun.
For children and adults alike, the question is not, “Do I understand everything that is happening?” Mary did not understand everything. The question is, “Can I trust the God who has spoken?” Elizabeth calls Mary blessed because she believed there would be a fulfillment of what the Lord had said.
We can learn to say, “Lord, I do not see the whole way ahead. I do not know when this will change. But you have shown yourself faithful in Jesus. Help me trust your word and receive your presence today.”
Joy recognizes that God has come near. And Mary’s song gives us a second reason for joy: God’s mercy reaches the humble.
2. Joy rests in God’s mercy, not our importance
Mary answers Elizabeth with a song:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46–47, ESV)
Mary’s praise is directed to God. She does not draw attention to her own greatness. She magnifies the Lord.
To magnify something is to make it larger in our sight, to give it greater attention. Of course, we cannot make God greater than he is. But we can praise him in a way that helps us and those listening see more clearly who he is. Mary’s song turns our attention away from the smallness of our own strength and toward the greatness of God.
Notice also that Mary calls God “my Savior.” This is a humble confession. Mary is highly favored by God, and she is blessed among women, but she also needs a Savior. Her hope is not in her status or her goodness. It is in the God who saves.
That is the heart of the gospel. Every one of us needs mercy. We have sinned against God in what we have done and in what we have left undone. We have not loved God with our whole heart or loved our neighbors as ourselves. We cannot make ourselves right with God by good intentions, religious activity, or moral improvement. We need a Savior.
And God has provided one. Jesus came not merely to inspire us but to save us. He lived in perfect obedience, died on the cross for sinners, and rose again. We are forgiven and brought into God’s family by grace, received through faith in Christ—not by earning it. Mary’s words, “God my Savior,” point us to the same hope.
She continues:
“For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” (Luke 1:48, ESV)
Mary recognizes that God has seen her. Her life might look unimportant in the eyes of the world. She is not a ruler or a military leader. But God has looked on her humble estate and chosen to do great things through her.
That does not mean Mary is the hero who saves the world. God is the Savior. Yet he graciously involves Mary in his saving work by making her the mother of Jesus. She responds as a servant of the Lord, receiving a calling that is far beyond her own ability.
Mary says:
“For he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49, ESV)
The reason for her joy is what God has done. He is mighty. He is holy. He has shown kindness to her. Her song holds together God’s majesty and his mercy. He is not a distant power who cannot be approached, nor is he a warm feeling without authority. He is the holy, mighty God who stoops to show mercy.
Then Mary widens her view beyond herself:
“And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.” (Luke 1:50, ESV)
Mary’s experience is personal, but God’s mercy is not confined to her. It is for those who fear him from generation to generation. “Fear” here is not a cowering terror that drives a person away from God. It is reverent trust—knowing that God is holy, taking his word seriously, and turning to him for mercy.
This verse also helps us understand the shape of biblical joy. Joy is not built on the claim that we are more important than other people. It grows as we discover that God is merciful to the undeserving. The Lord sees the lowly, welcomes those who depend on him, and gives grace to people who cannot boast in themselves.
That is good news for every age. A child can depend on Jesus. A teenager can depend on Jesus. A person who has spent a lifetime in church can depend on Jesus. A person who has wandered far from God can turn to Jesus. None of us needs to pretend that we are strong enough, good enough, or impressive enough to deserve salvation. We come with empty hands and receive the mercy of God.
Mary’s song does not teach that every humble person will become famous, wealthy, or socially powerful. Nor does it promise that every hungry person will immediately receive the food they need. The rest of Scripture teaches us to care for the poor and hungry, and it shows us that God’s people can suffer deeply in this present age. Mary is praising God’s great work of salvation, a work that overturns the values of a world that trusts in status and wealth. The fullness of that work will be seen when Christ returns.
This brings us to the remarkable reversals in the next verses:
“He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:51–53, ESV)
Mary sings of God’s strength, but it is not the kind of strength human rulers usually celebrate. God opposes proud hearts. He brings down the mighty who use power as if they were accountable to no one. He lifts up the humble and gives good things to the hungry.
The language is bold. Mary is not saying that every wealthy person is automatically condemned, or that every poor person is automatically righteous. Scripture speaks to our hearts, not just to our bank accounts. The rich can receive Christ with humble faith; the poor can also be proud. The issue is whether we depend on ourselves, treat others unjustly, and imagine that we have no need of God—or whether we come to him in need.
The proud imagine their own greatness. They may speak as if they have nothing to learn, nothing to repent of, and no one to answer to. But before God, every human being is a creature in need of grace. Wealth, reputation, education, and influence cannot purchase forgiveness. No one can climb high enough to escape their need for a Savior.
And the hungry? They know what it is to need food. Mary’s words remind us that God sees those who are vulnerable and in need. They also invite us to ask whether our churches and our homes reflect the mercy of God. If God cares for the hungry, his people must not be indifferent. We cannot sing about mercy while refusing to show mercy. We cannot praise the God who sees the lowly while choosing not to see people who need our care.
This passage is also a warning to the comfortable. We can have enough food, enough money, and enough security that we start to think we have no need. We can fill our lives with possessions and still be spiritually empty. The answer is not to despise everything we have, but to receive it gratefully and use it generously, remembering that everything comes from God.
A simple illustration might help. A child who has fallen and hurt herself does not need a lecture about how little she should have needed help. She needs someone to lift her, clean the wound, and care for her. In a much greater way, God’s mercy meets people who cannot rescue themselves. We are not saved because we are impressive. We are saved because God is merciful.
That mercy should produce humility, not pride. It should also produce joy. If salvation depended on us, we would always have reason to fear that our performance was not enough. But our hope is in Christ’s finished work. Jesus took the judgment our sin deserved. He died and rose again, and all who trust in him are forgiven and welcomed by God. That is a reason for deep joy, even when our circumstances are painful.
So let Mary’s words lead you to ask: What am I trusting in? Do I think my goodness can save me? Do I assume that my success proves God’s approval? Do I look down on people with less power or fewer resources? Or will I come to God as someone who needs mercy?
And if you have received that mercy, where might God be calling you to share it? Could you notice someone who is lonely? Could you help a family in need? Could you speak with kindness to someone who is often overlooked? Could you use your influence not to protect your own importance, but to serve?
Joy rests in God’s mercy, not our importance. Mary’s song also looks farther back and farther ahead: she rejoices because God keeps his promises.
3. Joy trusts the God who keeps his promises
Mary’s song moves from what God has done for her, to how he deals with the proud and the humble, to his faithfulness to Israel. She sings:
“He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (Luke 1:54–55, ESV)
Mary understands that the child she carries is part of a much larger story. God has not suddenly decided to become merciful. He is remembering his covenant promise to his people. This does not mean God had forgotten and needed a reminder. In the Bible, when God “remembers” his covenant, he acts faithfully to bring about what he promised.
God promised Abraham that through his offspring blessing would come to the nations. As the story of Scripture unfolds, God makes promises to his people and teaches them to hope for a King, a rescuer, and a renewed future. Now the promised Messiah is coming. Mary’s child is the one through whom God will fulfill his saving purposes.
The first hearers of Luke’s Gospel knew that God’s people had lived through long seasons of waiting. They knew what it was to live under foreign rulers and to long for deliverance. The world did not look as though all God’s promises had come true. But Mary sings as if God’s mighty saving work is already happening.
Some of the verbs in her song describe what God has done, and some describe what he is doing and will do. The arrival of Jesus is the decisive beginning of God’s promised salvation. In Jesus, the King has come. Through his life, death, and resurrection, God defeats sin and death and opens the way for sinners to be reconciled to him. And we still wait for the full completion of all things, when Christ returns and every enemy is finally put away.
That “already, but not yet” reality is important for our joy. We do not claim that every injustice has already been put right in the way we can see, or that every prayer has already been answered. We do not say that grief, illness, or conflict has disappeared. Instead, we say that God has acted in Jesus, that his promises are sure, and that his work will be completed.
That is why Christian hope can survive a difficult season. It does not rest on the idea that life will always go the way we want. It rests on the God who has already given his Son and who will not abandon his people. At the cross, we see that God’s saving love is not a theory. Jesus gave himself for sinners. In the resurrection, we see that death does not have the final word. And in the promise of his return, we look toward a world where God will wipe away every tear.
Mary’s song has echoes of Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2. Hannah had prayed for a child, and after the Lord answered, she praised him for lifting the needy and humbling the proud. The words are not identical, but both women see that God is the one who acts powerfully for the vulnerable. Their songs remind us that God’s faithfulness is not limited to a single generation. He has been at work through history, and his purposes do not fail when human circumstances look bleak.
That matters for people who have prayed for a long time. Some prayers are answered in ways and at times we did not expect. Some are not answered in this life in the way we ask. The Bible does not tell us that we can decode every delay. It does tell us that the Lord is faithful and that, in Christ, nothing—not even death—can separate his people from his love.
It also matters for those who are young. God’s story did not begin when we were born, and it will not end when our generation passes away. Mary sings of mercy “from generation to generation.” Children, teenagers, parents, grandparents, and people who have no children of their own all belong within the reach of this good news. We can tell the next generation what God has done in Jesus, and we can learn from the faith of those who have gone before us.
The passage ends quietly:
“And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.” (Luke 1:56, ESV)
After the song, Mary stays with Elizabeth for a time, then returns home. Luke gives us no grand speech about what she thought as she left. The ordinary days continue. There are visits, meals, conversations, and the practical realities of pregnancy. But those ordinary days now sit inside God’s extraordinary promise.
That is often where faith is lived. We may have moments when God’s goodness feels vivid and our praise comes easily. Then we return to ordinary life: the work, the meals, the school run, the bills, the care of family members, the appointments, the routines. We should not imagine that God is present only in dramatic moments. The Lord who began his saving work in Jesus remains faithful in ordinary days too.
A small seed planted in the ground is not the same as a full-grown tree. There is a real beginning, but there is also growth to come. In a greater and more certain way, Jesus’ coming is the beginning of the new creation God has promised. We do not yet see everything made new, but we know the King has come and will return. We can live faithfully in the meantime.
So when you face a long wait, let God’s past faithfulness help you trust him today. Remember the cross. Remember the empty tomb. Remember the promise that Jesus will come again. You may still have unanswered questions, but you are not left with an uncertain God.
And when your joy feels small, do not try to manufacture a feeling by force. Come back to what is true. God sees the humble. God shows mercy. God keeps his promises. Jesus is the Savior. The Holy Spirit helps us trust these truths, even when our emotions rise and fall.
This is why Advent joy is more than holiday cheer. It is the steady confidence that the Lord has come, the Lord is with his people, and the Lord will come again. Mary rejoiced not because every detail of her life was easy, but because the mighty and merciful God had begun to fulfill his word.
Conclusion
In Luke 1, we find a young woman visiting her relative, an older woman filled with the Holy Spirit, and two children still in the womb. There is no great public ceremony. Yet in this quiet meeting, God’s saving work is already bringing joy.
Elizabeth recognizes the presence of the Lord and blesses the woman who believes God’s promise. Mary magnifies God, her Savior. She rejoices in his mercy toward the humble and his opposition to pride. And she praises him for remembering his covenant promises to Israel.
That same reason for joy is offered to us. God has come near in Jesus. God’s mercy is available to sinners. God has begun to fulfill his promises, and he will finish his work.
If you are trusting Christ, you do not need to pretend that your life is free from pain in order to rejoice. You can grieve and still hope. You can be uncertain about the road ahead and still trust the Lord. Your circumstances may be unsettled, but Jesus is not uncertain. The cross stands as the proof of God’s saving love, the resurrection announces Christ’s victory, and his promised return gives us hope for the future.
And if you are not yet trusting Jesus, the invitation is not to become impressive enough to deserve God’s welcome. The invitation is to come to Christ as someone who needs mercy. Turn from sin and trust the Savior who died and rose again. God does not ask you to save yourself. Jesus came to save sinners.
Call to response
Let’s respond in three ways.
First, if you are waiting through a difficult season, bring that waiting honestly to God. You do not have to hide your grief or pretend to understand his timing. Ask him to help you trust his character and remember his promises.
Second, if you have been relying on your own goodness, status, or strength, come to God for mercy. Confess your need and trust in Jesus Christ, the Savior God has provided.
Third, if you have received God’s mercy, look for someone you can serve. The God who sees the lowly calls his people to notice, love, and care for others. Let the joy of his grace make you generous.
Closing prayer
Father, we praise you because you are mighty, holy, and merciful. Thank you for keeping your promises and for sending Jesus to be our Savior. Forgive us when we trust in ourselves or overlook those in need. Help us rejoice in Christ, even while we wait, and give us faith to trust your word. By your Spirit, make us humble, generous, and full of hope. Keep our eyes on Jesus, who died and rose again and will come again. In his name we pray. Amen.