Today I preached Luke 1:39-45 – the story of Mary and Elizabeth meeting and introducing their unborn babies to each other. John, Elizabeth’s unborn son, was filled with the Holy Spirit upon their meeting one another.

It’s a powerful, prophetic picture of God seeing, blessing, and finding favor with the “least of these.” It’s a story of two marginalized women, and two unborn babies, being called by name, visited by Angels, and experiencing the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

I made a few significant points today:

1- GOD GIVES WOMEN HONOR, VALUE, DIGNITY & RESPECT

  • Jesus obeyed his mother (Luke 2:51). 
  • You see it in the way Jesus addressed his mother in a respectful tone “my dear woman” (John 2:4). 
  • The Samaritan woman at the well in (John 4:1-42). 
  • Jesus offered forgiveness and acceptance to a sex worker (Luke 7:36-50).
  • He defended the woman “caught in act of adultery.” 
  • Jesus didn’t judge or condemn these women. He treated them with respect.
  • This expression of commitment and compassion toward women began in the womb. 

2- WHEN IT COMES TO HUMAN LIFE, GOD CARES ABOUT EQUALITY.

  • We are all equally made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-28) 
  • “The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both” (Proverbs 22:2)
  • All are born under sin, have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
  • Every human being is the object of the love of God (John 3:16)
  • Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2)
  • Men and women are equal in God’s gift of new life (1 Peter 3:7). 
  • James 2 reminds us not to treat some people better than others.

3- GOD GIVES UNBORN BABIES HONOR, VALUE, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT.

βρέφος – (Brephos)

The same greek word for “baby” is used by Luke each time he references an unborn or post born baby. In Luke 1:41, 1:44, for the unborn, and the same word is used in Luke 2:12, 2:16, Luke 18:15-16, and Acts 7:19.

John the Baptizer in Elizabeth’s womb is the same word used for newborn baby Jesus, it is the same word for the children brought for Jesus to pray over. Pre-school age, infants, unborn, born. All of it.

The big idea? Life begins at conception, and God holds that life with honor, value, dignity, and respect.

Lastly, GOD GIVES SINNERS (of which I am the chief) HONOR, VALUE, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT.

You are forgiven, restored, and saved.

Merry Christmas!