Luke 1:39-45 – Christian Friendship

Mary, a virgin engaged to be married, has just been visited by the angel Gabriel who has informed her that some miraculous things are going to happen to her, and that the prayers of God’s people for thousands of years are soon to be answered. If this had happened to you, what is the first thing you would have done? Probably, you would have picked up the phone and told someone. Maybe, if facing scandal and shame, the way Mary is, or dealing with all the fears and uncertainty she must have felt, you would turn to a close friend, one who knows you well and can comfort and encourage you. This is exactly what Mary does. Faced with a complex situation, experiencing a multitude of emotions, she turns to her friend and relative (possibly her cousin) Elizabeth. Even though Elizabeth is much older than Mary, obviously there is a bond between these two. Mary feels that Elizabeth is someone who will believe and help her. How relieved she must have been to hear Elizabeth speak and know that here is someone going through another miraculous situation.

We should give thanks to God for our Christian friends. They are a blessing from God that He uses to encourage us and remind us of what we believe. When we are struggling in life, we should seek out those we know will help and advise us in a Godly way. We should work hard to be a Godly friend to others, patient, willing to listen and to encourage others from God’s Word. Older believers should follow the example of Elizabeth in teaching younger believers the things of God. And younger believers should seek out the wisdom of the older believers in the church (Titus 2).

Questions
1. Why does Mary go to Elizabeth?
2. How can Christian friends help you?
3. Who are some older believers that you can turn to?

Prayer Points
1. Give thanks for your Christian friends.
2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
3. Pray for family matters.