Advent of Joy

Last week we looked at the beginning of Jesus earthly ministry. John the Baptist was coming out of the wilderness at the Jordan river preparing the way for the Messiah to come onto the world scene. He was born to be the Herald for the Messiah.

We now are called to be the Herald for the Messiah, we are called to prepare a road for people to come to Christ. We asked the question, how are you daily not only preparing your own heart to meet Jesus, but, how are you preparing the way for Christ in other peoples life?

Today we are looking at Gabriel’s proclamation to Mary that she is going to carry for 9 months and give birth to the son of God. Now, Gabriel, first went to Zachariah and announced that Mary’s cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy that ties the two very closely together and means the five-month seclusion was meant to prepare Elizabeth for her encounter with Mary and the baby. When Mary arrived the time of hiddenness ended.

Luke 1:26–38 ESV

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Note: notice that Gabriel was specifically sent “from” God, stressing the heavenly origin of the message. Heaven directly involves itself in the affairs of earth, and the birth that all of history has been awaiting is about the be announced.

Gabriel is sent to deliver the most significant message that has ever been sent to mankind. The place that he is to bring this announcement is a small backwater town of no consequence, as seen in Nathanael’s response in John 1:46, “Nazareth! can anything good come from there?”

The angel is sent to a young virgin girl, Mary, from that village. I think many times we forget how young Mary was when she received this good news. Notice that in verse 27 it is mentioned twice before naming her that she is a virgin.

Why? I think the miracle of God is the most significant thing that the angel wants to draw our attention to, it is the fact that He did for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Why is the message that the angel brought Mary such Great Joy?

Joy: Great happiness or pleasure, joy is a person or thing that causes happiness. The only one who has the ability to bring us true joy and happiness is Jesus Christ.

We chase after so many things in this life that will never bring us true joy and happiness. The phrase I use in my message at weddings as I have the bride and groom look each other in the eyes, I say something to the effect, If you are not most satisfied and find your greatest joy in your relationship with Christ you will never be satisfied with each other or this marriage.

It’s not like the Jerry Mcguire move where Tom crews uses the iconic line, “you complete me.” No, you do not complete me, you do not complete my joy and happiness, God does. Don’t buy into Satan’s lie that you need something or someone else to fill that void in your life.

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BIG IDEA: Don’t follow the worlds Decoy experience the Lords Greatest Joy.

How can we truly experience the kind of Joy that comes with the incarnation of Jesus Christ? The kind of Joy that made Mary proclaim in verse 47 “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” So, many people at this time of year buy into the lie of the worlds definition of joy at Christmas.

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1. We Experience the Joy of God’s Favor

vs. 28 “Greetings to you of favored one.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FAVORED ONE OF GOD

Many have either mis-represented, or mis-interpreted what the angel was referring to when he called Mary “the favored one.” I do not want to downplay that mission that she was given, however, we must come to an understanding of what it means to be favored by God.

Favor: is tangible evidence that a person has the approval of the Lord

Note: Consider those in scripture that God used in incredible ways, there was tangible evidence, or fruit in their lives that they had received the favor of God.

WE SEE GOD’S FAVOR EXPRESSED IN TWO WAYS IN SCRIPTURE

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*God’s favor is Shown Through His Grace Alone

Favor is closely related to the word Grace in the Greek. Therefore, Mary is the recipient of God’s grace. Some have tried to claim that Mary was chosen because she some how had earned this great honor by being found of greater character or more worthy than anyone else in History. However we know that grace comes through faith and is not a result of anything we deserve or have done to deserve such an honor.

I was in Chochabomba in Bolivia some years ago and one evening saw a procession moving down the road towards the Catholic Church. I noticed that some men were carrying a glass case on their shoulders. I moved closer to get a better look at what they were carrying and found out to my amazement it was a statue of Mary sitting on a throne. People throughout the centuries have tried to elevate Mary to a place that is frankly unbiblical.

The Catholic church makes a practice of praying to Mary. However, any good professing Catholic would vigorously deny that they are worshiping Mary. They would profess that they are taking James 5:16 which say’s “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and greatly effects.” Therefore, they confess why would we not go to the most righteous saint of them all; namely, our blessed Mother - sinless virgin - who will love and care for us and pray for us. They see praying to Mary is a way of being drawn to Jesus. Just as protestants might go to a pastor and say, “pray for me” with the assumption that the pastor will point you to Jesus.

All believers have access to the throne of God through our favored status as His children. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, once you were not a people now you are God’s people.” Yes Marry was favored by God just as you and I are favored to receive the grace of God.

In the aspect of praying to the departed. There is nowhere in scripture do we find anyone praying to those who have passed on into the kingdom of heaven. There is no indication in scripture of asking intercession from those who have departed.

Paul’s argument in Philippians contradicts this idea by trying to decide whether it is better for him to “depart and be with Christ” or to continue and labor with them. Paul states that it is better for him to go be with the Lord but better on their account that he stay here on earth. If he could intercede for them from a heavenly position would that not be better.

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*God’s Favor is Shown to Those Who Love and Obey Him.

God seeks out those who love His commands so that He can bless, guide, and protect them. 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose hear is blameless toward Him.”

Psalm 37:23 ESV

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

This does not mean that everyone who is prosperous or healthy has found favor in God, nor does it mean that those whom the Lord favors will never suffer difficulties. Many people in the Bible had the Lords favor and suffered greatly. Heroes of the faith such as Noah, Moses, Daniel, and also Mary who were favored by the Lord also struggled with difficulties like no one else.

Note: it is interesting that Mary does not appear to be shocked by the coming of Gabriel but rather at what he implicates in his greeting. It is the meaning that vexes her not necessarily that an angel is speaking with her. Nothing like this has happened for centuries and now Mary is placed in a long line of biblical heroes of the faith in the Old Testament. Anyone would have been perplexed about this visit from heaven.

THE LORD IS WITH YOU!

Why do you think that the angel 1st wanted Mary to know that she was favored by God, i.e. shown the Grace of God, and 2nd Gabriel wants her to know that the Lord is with her.

You can imagine how heavy and great a burden this responsibility must have been for Mary. Look at Mary’s initial response, first, she was “greatly troubled,” and second, she was trying to discern what kind of greeting this must have been.

The angel responded to Mary telling her not to be afraid and again told her that she had found favor in God’s eyes.

Why do you think he had to tell her twice about her favored status?

Consider for us the first part of coming to faith in Christ is that we realize and understand that we are sinners in need of God’s grace.

Perhaps the angel understood that this announcement would be difficult to fathom or even receive. Who was Mary, a young girl of little if no financial status or upbringing, uneducated, not from a royal family who is now being called to carry and give birth to the son of God.

How often do we feel unqualified or unworthy of God’s calling on our lives? Following this announcement Mary went with hast to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Listen to the beginning of Mary’s worship when the full weight of what God is doing has set in on her heart. Luke 1:46-49

Luke 1:46–49 ESV

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Mary’s great humility in realizing that God has looked on her not because she deserved this great honor but because he is a mighty God who does great things through ordinary people.

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2. We Experience the Joy of God’s Greatness

How Great is Our God?

Christ's Birth Was at Perfect Time

In a debate with the atheist (and now deceased) Christopher Hitchens, William Lane Craig noted how Christ's arrival on earth occurred at the perfect time. Craig said:

Human beings have existed for thousands of years on this planet before Christ's coming. But what's really crucial here is not the time involved; rather, it's the population of the world. The Population Reference Bureau estimates that the number of people who have ever lived on this planet is about 105 billion people. Only two percent of them were born prior to the advent of Christ. Erik Kreps of the Survey Research Center of the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research says, "God's timing couldn't have been more perfect. Christ showed up just before the exponential explosion in the world's population."

The Bible says in the fullness of time God sent forth his Son, and when Christ came, the nation of Israel had been prepared. The Roman peace dominated the Mediterranean world; it was an age of literacy and learning. The stage was set for the advent of God's Son into the world. And I think in God's providential plan for human history, we see the wisdom of God in orchestrating the development of human life and then in bringing Christ into the world in the fullness of time

“And He will be Great”

vs. 31-33 the task is given to Mary encompassing 6 things that point to God’s greatness.

(1) His Birth will be great.

Jesus Birth will be unlike any other birth in human history.

The child’s name is given as a heavenly decision, and he is to be called Jesus, as Matthew adds because he will save his people from their sins. The name Jesus is the Greek Equivalent of the Hebrew Yeshua, which means “Yaweh Saves.”

(2) His effect on the world will be Great.

John the forerunner of Jesus will be “great in the sight of the Lord,” referring to the effects of his chosen task as messianic forerunner. Jesus will be “great” because he will partake of the greatness of God. Deuteronomy 10:17

Deuteronomy 10:17 ESV

17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.

And through him “all people will see God’s salvation.”

(3) His Divine Status will be Great.

He will be called “the son of the Most High,” an exalted form of the son of God which is one of the major titles of God. The term has royal overtones as the Messiah yet so much more.

(4) His throne will be Great.

As royal Messiah he is to be given by God “the throne of his father David,” recalling the Davidic covenant and pointing to his messianic reign as king. Luke stresses the house throne imagery. Luke 1:69

Luke 1:69 ESV

69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

Luke 2:4 ESV

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

The fact that Jesus fulfilled the Davidic Messianic expectations in the Old Testament was very important to the early church for obvious reasons. It gave validity to the claim of Jesus as the Messiah.

(5) His Messianic Reign will be Great.

The Messianic reign means that the child will “reign over Jacob’s descendents forever.” This reflects what the prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 9:7

Isaiah 9:7 ESV

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Lord of the Rings Series (Return of the King)

The culmination of nearly 10 years' work and conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on the timeless J.R.R. Tolkien classic, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" presents the final confrontation between the forces of good and evil fighting for control of the future of Middle-earth. Hobbits Frodo and Sam reach Mordor in their quest to destroy the `one ring', while Aragorn leads the forces of good against Sauron's evil army at the stone city of Minas Tirith.

Remember that up to the point that God gave Israel a king to rule they were led by God himself, bringing deliverance and battle and anointing prophets and judges to help lead his people. Living by faith in God frustrated Israel, and for this reason they eventually asked for a king to rule over them so they could be like the other nations.

Now the King has returned to claim what is rightfully his and to do battle with the forces of evil. The King of kings and Lord of Lords that Israel had rejected is now coming in flesh to reclaim his rule and dominion.

As Christians today, we need to make sure we do not reject the Lord as being the King of our life. Jesus is the only perfect King, and He will reign evermore.

(6) His never ending Kingdom will be Great.

What is the Kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is referenced multiple places within the gospel and other places in the New Testament. The kingdom of God is synonymous with the kingdom of heaven.

Broadly speaking, the Kingdom of God is the rule and reign of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe.

Basically God is the undeniable Monarch of all creation. The Lord has established his throne in heaven and his kingdom rules over all. And as King Nebuchadnezzar declared, “His kingdom is an eternal kingdom. Every authority that exists has been established by God. Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1 ESV

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

So in essence the kingdom of God incorporates everything that is and ever will be in the universe.

Narrowly, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to His rule and reign.

Those who defy God and refuse to submit to Him are not a part of the kingdom of God. Jesus said that His kingdom was not of this world, and he preached that repentance is necessary to be a part of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven is entered into by being born again. However, Paul brings to mind that the day is coming when every knee will bow and confess that He is Lord and king. Philippians 2:9-10

Philippians 2:9–10 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

We also have another description of kingdom rule in Scripture: the literal rule of Christ on earth during the millennium.

Daniel said that “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed and many of the other prophets also predicted the same thing. Some scholars have referred to the future, open manifestation of the kingdom of God as the “kingdom of glory” and the present hidden manifestation of the kingdom God as the “kingdom of grace.” Both are connected; Christ has set up His spiritual reign in the church on earth, and Hew ill one day set up His physical reign in Jerusalem.

The work that started on earth in the baby that Mary will carry will be completed at the final consummation in heaven. Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 ESV

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

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3. We Experience the Joy of God’s Miracle

“And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Often when humans imagine God, they imagine him to be a really big version of themselves. What if God, our creator, stepped inside his creation, in a way we could understand and find relatable? And amazingly, he did!

DON’T MISS THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS

The Miracle of Christmas

We have so many Christmas traditions that seem to include some sort of Christmas miracle. It seems like all Christmas movies find themselves laced with some sort of Christmas magic from, miracle of 34th street, the polar express, it’s a wonderful life, white Christmas, Christmas Carol, and somewhere in there we put the nativity miracle.

What happened in Bethlehem was not just another miracle of fantasy. It was God’s greatest work that has ever been done by choosing to come down to earth and be born in a manger that starlit night.

Since Mary is an unmarried virgin, she sees no way she could possibly conceive. Yet her question does not contain the same disobedience as that of Zachariah’s in 1:18.

She say’s “how will this be?” Mary is thinking about her immediate situation. For her to conceive in the immediate future, it would have to be a virginal conception. All of the Old Testament women had been married, so hers would be the first such birth. John’s birth would be incredible; Jesus would be a Miracle.

Gabriel’s answer to Mary further stresses the supernatural nature of the origins of Jesus’ birth.

“The Holy Spirit will come on you”

The Holy Spirit normally plays a prophetic role, inspiring supernatural wisdom. Here we have a clear picture that He joins the Father and the Son in the role of actively bringing about the source of the new creation: the Holy spirit will “come on” and “overshadow” Mary with the “power of the Most High God.”

Mary will be a passive participant in this whole process. The word “Overshadow” carries with it Old Testament pictures to the Shekinah presence of God in the tabernacle. Remember when Moses and the Israelites set up the tabernacle or tent in the wilderness the cloud that went before them settled in the tabernacle causing the glory of the Lord to fill his temple.

We also get this picture in Isaiah 6 with the smoke filling the heavenly temple with the Shekinah glory of God. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that will descend on Mary, and the Christ child will be the result.

Note: Notice that the child will be called Holy. This connotes that he will be set apart for God more than that he will simply live a holy life. Everything that He does will relate to his relationship to God, and so there is a hint here of the divine status in his holiness.

“The angel say’s oh, and by the way, your cousin Elizabeth is also pregnant. It would appear that Gabriel is trying to give Mary a confidant, someone she can talk with to comfort her in the overwhelming task she was about to undertake. Mary is remarkably young while Elizabeth is remarkably old to bear a child, and the same miraculous power has overtaken her.”

Old age and childlessness are no obstacle for God accomplishing His purposes and neither is the fact that Mary is a virgin.

No Word from God will ever Fail

*Servants of God accept their place in God’s plan.

“I am the servant of the Lord.”

Mary is identifying herself as a servant of the Lord.

How often in opening greetings do you identify yourself as a servant of the Lord?

“Let it be to me according to your word.”

Mary fully accepted whatever the call to carry and give birth to the son of might entail.

Mary knew full well this would mean personal pain, disgrace, rejection as an unwed mother - she is willing to allow God’s purpose to be fulfilled in her no matter what the cost. After the angel left the plan was now in full motion.

How often do we say to God, let it be done to me according to your word?

Salvation is a gift. Before the incarnation of the Son of God, many had tried to bring lasting salvation. But, God’s plan is worked out in his timing, and in his way. The power of God is contrasted with the weakness and powerlessness of human beings to accomplish anything lasting in their own power and will.

The virgin birth is not an isolated doctrine; it is tied closely to the person and work of Christ.

For as by a sinful man comes death by a sinless man comes the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:21).

1 Corinthians 15:21 ESV

21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

CONCLUSION

Jesus Christ as Paradox

Peter Larson

Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: 1) a virgin's womb and 2) an empty tomb.

Jesus entered our world through a door marked "No Entrance" and left through a door marked "No Exit."

Augustine on Christmas

Our Lord came down from life to suffer death; the Bread came down, to hunger; the Way came down, on the way to weariness; the Fount came down, to thirst. —Augustine, Sermon 78

He so loved us that, for our sake, He was made man in time, although through him all times were made. He was made man, who made man. He was created of a mother whom he created. He was carried by hands that he formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, he the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute. —Augustine, Sermon 188, 2

What does the miracle of Christ’s Birth mean to you personally? Is it just a story we tell at Christmas among many other fairy-tales and fables or is it the single most significant story we can tell again, and again, and again.

Don’t follow the Decoy experience the Lord’s Greatest Joy this Christmas!