Christmas 2023 (1)
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Marys faith. Gods love
Marys faith. Gods love
Intro: It is Christmas time.
It is a time where people give gifts.
There is no greater gift them the gift that God gave, through His son Jesus.
Mary would be the one that God would have to bring this gift to life.
Mary was a women of great faith.
She would bring the gift of love
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by 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. The virgin’s name was Mary.
It’s six months after Elizabeth had conceived. Now we’ve moved from Jerusalem north to the region of Galilee to a city called Nazareth.
We’ve switched from the religious capital of the country to a small, town with a bad reputation. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
We’re told in verse 27 that this young woman, Mary, was a virgin engaged to Joseph, a descendant of King David.
To be engaged in those days was stronger than in our day. You couldn’t break an engagement without getting a divorce for sexual immorality.
Zechariah and Elizabeth are at the end of their long lives, while Mary and Joseph are beginning theirs.
What God does in the world has nothing do with our ages or our hometowns. God uses whomever he wills.
Mary.
Some worship Mary.
Some completely ignore Mary.
Let me begin this morning by giving you a quick list of the facts that we know about Mary.
1. Her father was Eli.
2. Her cousin was Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the mother of John the Baptist. This means John and Jesus were cousins.
3. Mary was very young. Some Bible scholars say she could have been as young as 14
4. She was poor.
5. She was a strong woman of faith and was full of God’s grace
6. She was promised to Joseph.
7. She was a virgin.
The angel Gabriel is sent to bring the good news.
Luke 1:28–29 (NKJV)
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
Mary was a godly woman who is worthy of being honored. She was chosen to bear the Son of God.
The Bible says she was highly favored. But Mary was not a mediator between God and man.
Paul himself tells us “there is but one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1st Timothy 2:5.
Gabriel has a message for Mary.
First it is a message of encouragement. VS 28
“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
The New Testament: An Expanded Translation (Chapter 1)
“Be rejoicing because you have been encompassed with favor. The Lord is with you.”
29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
Jews at that time would have been well aware of the prophecy of the coming of Jesus.
They had been waiting a long time.
Mary, however would have been the last to imagine that God’s purpose would be fulfilled through her.
700 years before the birth of Jesus the prophet Isaiah said, “therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son.”
Those are amazing words. The virgin shall conceive. Impossible. But that’s what the text says. The Bible clearly teaches the virgin birth and belief in the virgin birth is essential to the sinless nature of Jesus Christ.
Mary Questioned (vv. 30-34)
30 Then 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 bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give 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 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
Luke 1:30 (NKJV)
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
The night of the birth of Jesus, the angels would tell the shepards “Do not be afraid”
With Mary we learn that God is not limited by what is physically impossible.
If God can through the virgin Mary, have her conceive a child, He can do anything, through anybody.
But what stops us? FEAR.
What should keeps us going? Love
“With God all things are possible”
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
The New Testament: An Expanded Translation (Chapter 1)
Be rejoicing because you have been encompassed with favor
“favor” Speaking of grace.
Mary was not perfect. But she was filled with grace.
The angel’s greeting to Mary reveals she is chosen solely as a matter of God’s grace.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give 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.”
VS 31 His name would be Jesus, but He would be called, “Son of the most High”
VS 32
VS 33
Mary knew the scriptures. And now the scriptures were being fulfilled through her.
Gabriel promises she too will conceive. (Marys faith)
She should name him Jesus, which according to Matthew 1:21 “He will save his people from their sins.” (Gods love)
Mary’s son will actually be “the Son of the Most High” (v. 32). He will be God’s own Son.
This Son will fulfill the promise made to King David hundreds of years earlier (2 Sam 7).
This will be son of David who rules over Israel forever in an everlasting kingdom.
Luke 1:34 (NKJV)
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
Now Mary sounds a lot like Zechariah when she replies in verse 34, but apparently there’s no unbelief in her question.
Zachariah was a question with a lack of faith. He could not speak until his sons was born.
Marys response:
“How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
She’s not asking, “Can you do it?” She’s asking, “How will you do it?” Her question builds on faith, not unbelief. This is why Gabriel does not rebuke.
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
35 Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.
36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary was going to give birth to the Son of God.
Was would by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus. Who would one die on a cross.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Marys faith, Gods love.
Ephesians 3:14–19 (NKJV)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Mary knew the Love of God. In the OT we see the love of Love. But now the Love God would come in the form of a baby. Who grow to be a man. He would show His love through all He did. ELAB.
He would show His love of the cross.
If you are a born again believer in Jesus, you have Gods love.
Do you have God’s love?
