Birth of Jesus Foretold 12/17/23
Notes
Transcript
The Foretelling
The Foretelling
What do we notice about Gabriel’s announcement of the immaculate conception? The couple was betrothed. The Lord had chosen the very 2 that He wanted to be involved with stewarding this most precious of gifts. They were young, unwed, not experienced parents, yet they had a pure and devout heart for the Lord. They were most willing to serve as commanded, even with understanding the difficulties involved.
They were betrothed, not married yet. The consummation of the marriage had not taken place even though it would still take a certificate of divorce to end the engagement. Even though the pregnancy had the possibility of being mistaken for adultery, there would be no mistaking the miraculous in the minds and hearts of Mary and Joseph.
The virgin, Nazareth, the house of David (vv. 26-28) – this is all in keeping with the promises of God. He can at one time tell us the details and still leave us perplexed as to how all those details will come together. The logistics are not able to be logically reasoned out by men. The author can foreshadow what is going to happen but the reader cannot write the story they are reading. Remember, we are not dealing with a storyline, this is human history. All people, places, and events lining up in the most perfect way to reveal the fulfilling of the promises of God. Human beings are not capable of shaping history in accords with their desires, only God can sovereignly rule in that way. We may be responsible for the acts we commit in history, but it still remains His story. I cannot take you into the mind of God to understand how He does this while humans are still able to function with responsibility for those functions. (Isaiah 40:28 “28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” )
favored - to be or become the beneficent of God’s freely bestowed goodwill
greatly troubled - perplexed, confused
These are her emotions before he tells her what is actually to follow
Do Not Be Afraid
Do Not Be Afraid
grace has come
this is what is meant by perfect love casts out fear
17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
she fears because she knows her unworthiness but the announcement of grace from God casts out that fear by removing the punishment that she and we are due
Jesus
Jesus
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
God saves
great - remarkably out of the ordinary in degree, magnitude, and effect
most high - common name for God in OT, Abraham, David, Psalms, Daniel - John is the prophet of the most high, Jesus is the Son
throne of David - 2 Samuel 7:12-13
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”
the everlasting kingdom is His kingdom
Daniel 2:44 “44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,”
Daniel 7:14 “14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
Revelation 11:15 “15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.””
Response
Response
Zechariah was told exactly how John would arrive
Mary’s circumstance is significantly different and had not been told in detail yet
He is holy because he is the Son of God. Deity came to humanity, His origins are heavenly, He is uncreated, but takes on flesh as we do
you have in this conception what theologians call the hypostatic union - the subsistence or what concretely makes up a person - here you have divinity and humanity - Jesus Christ the Lord
He does not inherit the sinful nature of Adam, He is of the Holy Spirit - but by taking on flesh...
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Mary knows by faith what Gabriel says in v. 37
Genesis 18:10–14 “10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.””
Mary says she is a slave of the Lord, submissive to His word and promise - a true disciple