Mary Sought Genuine Fellowship
After hearing from God via the the angel Gabriel; and after receiving and believing what he said to her, Mary was pregnant with Jesus. She Immediately Sought Fellowship with someone who would believe her story and understand what she was going through:
(Luke 1:39–41 NKJV) Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, (40) and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. (41) And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb …
The first important point that we see in this passage is that Mary went for genuine fellowship "with haste." This shows that for her, getting into fellowship was a very high priority. The word "haste" means she was undistracted from her purpose, and went speedily to this all-important meeting. In other words, the mother God chose was committed to genuine fellowship—so much so that this meeting lasted for several months:
(Luke 1:56 NKJV) And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Second, we note in the first passage that she "entered the house." This was a home group. For us, this confirms that we can be in fellowship in church on Sunday, or on an online service; but to get the full package of what God has for us, we need to add the small group benefit—connect at home in a Holy Spirit led meeting, or connect with others of matching faith by social media, phone, etc. In other words, connect with other like-minded believers in the place you and/or they live. And remember; you need to keep turning up for this to be effective.
Next, we see that Mary "greeted Elizabeth." The fellowship that Mary sought was genuine fellowship. In other words, she sought to be in very close relationship with someone who could identify with what she was going through. That's why she was so determined, instant, and committed to connecting with Elizabeth; not only was there a family connection, but Elizabeth was also the recipient of a miracle pregnancy and had to live entirely by faith. Their common connection was being pregnant, but what bound them together more strongly was their complete trust in God, their instant obedience to him, and the resultant fight of faith that ensued.
This was a home group/fellowship meeting full of love and led by the Holy Spirit. They both needed each other—their mutual respect, encouragement, strength of faith, prophetic insights, and prayers.
"The baby leaped in her womb."
Elizabeth understood Mary's promised miracle / vision. She had also conceived a promise from God. When her "baby leaped," this confirmed that their connection was much more than mere acquaintance or common friendship; theirs was a deep spiritual connection initiated by God, and confirmed by the Holy Spirit—who entered Elizabeth's baby, John, while he was in the womb (See: Luke 1:15, 45).
Elizabeth's faith was encouraged by Mary's and vice versa. This truly was a faith-filled, Holy Spirit led, fellowship meeting for people who were full-on for God. They both had active, pleasing, receiving faith; and they both understood the fight of faith. So they got together in true fellowship, and they both put their eyes fully on God.
God initiated their fellowship. When they met, they fulfilled a principle Jesus articulated decades later:
(Matthew 18:20 NKJV) "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Truly, the Holy Spirit was present at this meeting, and Jesus was there too—albeit in embryonic form physically, but fully spiritually in his majestic "Living Word." Both Elizabeth and Mary were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak prophetically:
(Luke 1:41–42, 46–47 NKJV) … Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (42) Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ... (46) And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, (47) And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."
They were experiencing the supernatural aspects of authentic Spirit-filled fellowship, which:
- Loves,
- Comforts,
- Encourages,
- Exhorts,
- Prophesies, and
- Prays, etc. … depending on what you need at the time.
This is not merely the interaction of casual or unhelpful acquaintances:
- Not gossiping about others
- Not flattery
- Not "feel good" chatter
- Not co-dependent—relating to you for their own need
- Not manipulative—using you for their own end
- Not glossing over the truth
- Not ignoring the elephant in the room, but …
We all need to fellowship with someone who knows our journey—someone of committed, authentic, pure faith:
(2 Peter 1:1 NLT) … I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. …
A person of "the same precious faith" as you will not criticise your faith; they won't try to talk you out of believing; they will encourage your faith, stand with you in prayer, comfort you when you are hurt, lift you when you are down, and facilitate healing when you are wounded.
All of this is amazing, uplifting, and necessary; yet God's word mentions another aspect of authentic fellowship that is also indispensably essential. You need someone who will get in your face, confront you if necessary, and who will spur you on through the tough times in your apprenticeship with Jesus. This is exactly what the following passage is telling us:
(Hebrews 10:24–25 AKJV) And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.
The meaning of the word, "consider," in this passage is to know fully. This implies that we need some Spirit-filled fellowship with those who know us "fully." Not just some "feel good" new acquaintances, but someone who knows you well enough to be able to pick up on what is going on in your life, someone you trust, and someone who is confident to tell you the truth without you rejecting them. The meaning of the words "provoke" and "exhorting" include: inciting, irritating, admonishing, and persuading. This is what we all need from time to time, if we are to make it to the end of the "constricted path"—our faith gauntlet—successfully.
To this absolutely essential need, the Holy Spirit adds an urgent necessity for us to see an acceleration in this process at this time: "and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." Like Mary, we need to seek this authentic fellowship now, "with haste."
RECAP: Authentic fellowship helps us stay saved—especially now more than ever, as we see the day approaching. To get to the eternal life Jesus made available, we have to enter through a narrow gate, and stay on a constricted path:
(Matthew 7:12–14 DKJV) Therefore, in everything, whatever you want others to do to you, you do the same to them: for this is the objective of the law and the prophets. (13) Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are entering through it: (14) how narrow is the gate and constricted is the way, which leads to life! And there are few who find it (the narrow gate).
What can we learn and apply today from the mother God chose for his son? We urgently need the genuine fellowship that Mary sought immediately she began her faith journey. I encourage you to pray about the person or people you can trust in this process. God will guide you; begin today. This kind of fellowship is mostly amazing and loving, but can be irritating and uncomfortable when God uses it to free you from self-sabotaging mindsets and emotions. But it is absolutely necessary and worthwhile; commit yourself to it.
P.S. Mary had a fiancé at home, but she stayed with Elizabeth for three months; this shows the indispensable priority of genuine fellowship.
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