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The text for this lesson is Luke 1:39–56

Key Point

  • God remembered Mary, filling her womb with the world’s Savior. God remembers us and, through His Word and Sacraments, fills us with Christ Jesus, granting us full salvation. Like Mary, we offer our humble praise.
  • Law: No one is righteous before God.
  • Gospel: God sent His Son, Jesus, the Righteous One, to be born of Mary, so He could give me His righteousness, granting me full salvation.

Discussion Points

  1. How would you react if the president of the United States wanted to come and stay in your home for a time? Would you refuse the offer and say, “Absolutely not,” or would you be humbled and honored and thus open your home to him?
  2. Look at Luke 1:39–45. This event is called the Visitation and is celebrated by the Church on May 31. Why does Elizabeth greet Mary with such joy and lavish her with such high praise?
  3. Look at Luke 1:46–55. This song is called the Magnificat, after its first word in Latin, and finds a prominent place in the Church’s worship. Western Christians sing it at every Vespers (Evening Prayer) service, and Eastern Christians sing it at every Matins (Morning Prayer) service. In this song (canticle), how does Mary sing of her humility and of God’s greatness? What words teach us to rejoice in God’s “great reversal” of salvation in His incarnate Son?
  4. The Virgin Mary was truly favored by God in His grace to bear our Savior in the flesh. How well do we modern Christians honor the Virgin Mary? How does the following stanza from the hymn “Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones” (LSB 670) teach us to honor Mary without idolizing her? “O higher than the cherubim, More glorious than the seraphim, Lead their praises: ‘Alleluia!’ Thou bearer of the eternal Word, Most gracious, magnify the Lord: ‘Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!’”
  5. In Luke 1:41, 44, how does Elizabeth’s unborn baby testify to the sanctity of human life?

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