‘At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!’’ (Luke 1:39, 41-45)
Summary: The Holy Spirit’s filling results in praise and joy and overflows in the encouragement of others.
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The gospel of Luke is full of the work of the Holy Spirit. Luke, through his gospel and the book of Acts, wants us to expect to be empowered by God’s presence and so live as God wants us to.
At the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary, we are told that Elizabeth was ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’. When we are filled with the Spirit, there are always good things that happen.
The filling of the Spirit brings praise
In Elizabeth’s case, we are told that ‘she exclaimed: Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear…’ When one is filled with the Holy Spirit there is an overflow of praise.
The word ‘exclaim’ means to shout with a loud cry. We don’t have to shout but there’s nothing wrong with it, in fact, the Bible is full of it! Shouting out the glory of God is a good thing and something that we should be open to.
The filling with the Spirit brings joy
Mary's loud shout of praise and her testimony, 'As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy,' implies that Elizabeth was filled with joy as she was filled with the Spirit. An encounter with God, as we've seen in this chapter, can evoke fear and awe, but also joy. Joy is a good thing. It's okay to desire more joy.
The Filling with the Spirit overflows in encouragement
One who is filled with the Spirit praises God and, as in this case, praises and encourages people. Spirit-filled people uplift God and others. Elizabeth is effusive in her encouragement to Mary. A person who is filled with the Spirit will seek to strengthen, encourage, and comfort God's people. God loves His people, and this love is expressed through a Spirit-inspired person.
Response
In response, the filling of the Holy Spirit results in praise and joy, which overflow in encouragement for others. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you each day and throughout the day. Let Him inspire praise and joy that overflow in encouraging others.
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. NOTICES
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. ICEBREAKER
What has God been speaking to you about from His Word this week and how has this helped you / affected your life?
3. STUDY AND PRAY TOGETHER
Please read Luke 1:39-80
On Sunday, we saw that when the Holy Spirit is working in someone, this will, as with Elizabeth, Mary and Zechariah, result in praise and joy which overflows in encouragement for others.
Did anything particularly strike you from Sunday's message?
In Luke 1:39-45, how does Elizabeth encourage Mary and what does this result in?
When we are filled with the Spirit, we will encourage others, why is this so and why is this important?
In Luke 1:46-45, we overhear Mary's song of worship as she is inspired by the Spirit. How could you develop your personal and corporate worship?
In Luke 1:67-80, we overhear Zechariah's 'prophetic' song of worship as he, like Mary, is filled with the Spirit. What does this 'prophetic' song teach us about God and hope?
SIV - This section is full of the work of the Spirit. If we are full of the Spirit, what will happen regarding our witness?
SIV - How could you serve, invest and invite this week and let’s pray about this.
Prayer - How would you like prayer as a result of today’s study?