Reflections on "overflow" blessings that take place when we enter into the blessing of another as seen in the story of Elizabeth and Mary

2. ELIZABETH AND MARY : LUKE 1: 39 – 45 MSG
“Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in
Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah’s house, and greeted
Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her
womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out
exuberantly,
“You’re so blessed among women,
and the babe in your womb, also blessed!
And why am I so blessed that
the mother of my Lord visits me?
The moment the sound of your
greeting entered my ears,
The babe in my womb
skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.
Blessed woman, who believed what God said,
believed every word would come true!””

3. I’M BLESSED BECAUSE YOU’RE BLESSED!
In the passage, Elizabeth shares her excitement
concerning Mary’s blessing. Four times in this
text the word “blessed” is featured:
• “YOU’RE so blessed…”
• “The BABE in your womb is so blessed…”
• “Why am I so blessed…?”
• “Blessed WOMAN who believed what God
said…”

4. ENTERING IN TO THE BLESSING OF ANOTHER
Have you ever had an experience like Elizabeth’s where
YOU were blessed by entering into the blessing of
another?
“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the
baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with
the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly…”
One of the greatest joys of the Christian life is when we are
“eyewitnesses” to the blessing of another.
Have you ever “caught the overflow of someone else’s
blessing? Please share your story…

5. I CORINTHIANS 12: 25, 26
“ The way God designed our bodies is a model for
understanding our lives together as a church:
every part dependent on every other part, the
parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the
parts we see and the parts we don’t.
If one part hurts, every other part is involved in
the hurt, and in the healing. If one part
flourishes, every other part enters into the
exuberance.” (MSG)

6. WHEN WE SAY “YES” TO BEING BLESSED…
…others are blessed, too! (they get the overflow)
When we rejoice in the blessing of others, as in:
- Their prosperity of body and soul
- The fulfillment of God’s promises to them
- Their healing, growth, or recovery
- Their promotion, uplifting, or advancement
We get the overflow and find ourselves being blessed. (Think of the Joseph
story, the Ruth story, or the deliverance of the Gaderene demoniac)

7. WAVE YOUR BANNERS OVER SOMEONE ELSE’S
BLESSING!
Psalm 20: 5 (MSG)
“When you win, we plan to raise
the roof and lead the parade
with our banners.
May all your wishes come true!”