Two Faithful Women

These are my notes from Erik's sermon on October 19th. I may have added my own thoughts as I listened so for the most accurate understanding go to the Four Oaks website and listen to the sermon.

TWO FAITHFUL WOMEN
Luke 1:39-45 The Visitation. Traditional name given to this meeting.
Luke's Focus:
1. transition from Mary's confession of faith to Mary's song of praise
2. the importance of godly women FULL OF POWER, noble godly wives and mothers
This is not egalitarianism but complementarianism – the interdependence of man and woman under God's leadership. We must affirm this.

How does God confirm His word?
1. Through faithful obedience: Mary went with haste… moves from confession to action… walking by faith (in Mary's case literally!) and radically. Mary is the counterpart, the second Eve. She states categorically, "I am the servant of the Lord" and then backs it with her deeds.
2. In His providential care – God's provision confirms His word and will (His providential will shown from day to day)
3. By prophetic exhortation
Erik's prophetic exhortation regarding the sanctity of life: the embryo that lept is a person, Jesus at 1 week post conception is a person!
Word of God spoken and taught confirms His moral will – speaking to one another for edification
Heb. 3:13; 4:12; 10:13 The Word of God alive and active among us so use for instruction, correction, exhortation as we keep meeting together.
4. Guardianship of the Word
We keep His Word as He keeps us in the word
- in reputation - against slander and false accusations
- our physical needs – provide for one another out of God's provision for us
- our spiritual needs – use what God has given you to train others
discipleship in love. Elizabeth and Mary examples of Titus 2:3-5 The interaction of older women and young women "that the word of God not be blasphemed".

God's Design for a Process for Praise
1. Revelation from God
2. Fear – anxiety – sorrow "Sorry and worry keep both soul and spirit from celebrating the goodness of God." (Calvin)
3. Grace in discipline – the terrible face of grace
4. Faith – Submission and trust - Psa. 94:12 "…thy consolations delight my soul…"
5. Obedience – God's Grace in Action
6. Confirmation in fellowship of believers – local body
7. Provision for everything we need for life and godliness
8. Joy burst forth in
9. Worship and Praise and we glory in our Lord and Savior!

The Lord is My Strength and My Song

I woke this morning "feeling low" as my mom would have put it. Sort of moped around for a while, feeling sorry for myself and so on. I decided to work with the Old Testament references for Mary's song in Luke 1:46-52 Jill Mattox had put together for us for the Luke study. The first passage I read is 1 Samuel 2:1-10 - Hannah's song and from there I went to Isaiah 12:2-5 quoted again in Psalm 89:17-18. "Behold God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord is my strength and my song and he has become my salvation." What a soul lifter!
Do you need to be lifted up today? Go to God's Word and let his consolations delight your soul.
Here is the list of references:
Luke 1: 46-55; I Samuel 2:1-10; Isaiah 12:2-5; Psalm 34: 2,3; Habakkuk 3:18; Psalm 35: 9; Habakkuk 3:18; I Samuel 1:11; Psalm 138:6; Psalm 71:19; 126:2,3; 111:9; Genesis 17:7; Exodus 20:6; 34:6,7; Psalm 103:17; Psalm 98:1; 118:15; Isaiah 40:10; Psalm 33:10; I Samuel 2:7,8; Psalm 107:9
Isaiah 41:8; Psalm 98:3; Jeremiah 31:3; Genesis 17:19; Psalm 132:11; Genesis 17:7