The Good thing that came from Nazareth

Luke 1:26-38

(Read Scripture)

There is a famous line that was utter by Nathaniel in John 1:46, of all the things that he said, this statement is probably the one he is most known by.

“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth”

When you hear about Nazareth, today it is a town that boasts around 77,000 people. But during biblical times, it was much less than that.

In fact, many scholars believe that Nazareth here in Luke 1, was a town of a few dozen people. Not a booming metropolis, not a town with a lot of commerce. Just a rural, farming town.

With just a few people. I mean if you were to compare it to our towns today, it would be that small town that had that one gas station, that one stop light, and a dollar general.

It was a small town, literally it had one well. So, when Nathaniel said those words, there was a lot of truth in it.

What good can come out of something so small? But then we read this passage, and we find something not good but great happening.

An angel coming and sharing the news to a young girl, that she is going to have a baby. Now for us as parents today, to hear the news that our teenage daughter is pregnant, is not something we would want to hear.

Yet, here is a young teenager, who is engaged to be marry, be told by God that she is going to have a baby, and this is good news!

Now, for most people, if they received this news, they would have been devastated. Because having a child changes everything.

I mean, I was in my mid-twenties when Lisa found out she was expecting. And that changed my life and turned it upside down.

So, I can only imagine what Mary must have been feeling when she hears this news.

Here is a young woman, probably around 14-16 years old, going to have a baby. And not just any baby, but the Son of God.

I mean, talk about some heavy stuff. Now this whole conversation that takes place here between her and the angel, has some spiritual application to all of us here right now. And I want you to notice these main points, when it comes to this story. And the first thing we find is found in verses 26-28

You are not Insignificant in God’s eyes – verses 26-28

· Now what we find here, is that God sends Gabriel to Nazareth. Here is an angel coming to this seemingly unimportant town to find a young girl who lives there.

· And from all the women in the world, he chooses this young woman named Mary. To the world, a nobody. Just another face in the crowd.

· Someone who would have for the most part, lived her life, and no one would have known who she was.

· But to God, she was not just anyone, she was going to be the one who would carry the son of God in her womb.

· Here is someone who seemed insignificant in an insignificant town, being sought after by God, because God saw this woman as important.

· For many of us, we go through life and we feel unnoticed. That no one sees us, that no one knows us, that we are unimportant.

· But that is not how God feels about you. You see God looks at you, and he sees you as someone who matters. Someone he recognizes and wants to work through.

· Mary, would carry the Son of God in her life, and spiritually speaking, that is what God wants to do with you as well.

· He wants His Son, to dwell within your life.

· Now you might say, why would God notice me? There is nothing special about me. Well, the bible says these words in Isaiah 55:8-9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

· God looks at you and friend you are important in the eyes of God.

· A fourteenth-century Italian stained-glass artist was summoned to design and create a huge portrait for the window of a cathedral in Chartres, France, a place well known for its stained-glass work. He laid all of the pieces he was going to use out on the floor of the cathedral. They were beautiful to behold; most of them were large and colorful. Among these awesome pieces of glass was a small, clear piece about as big as your fingernail. As the stained-glass portrait was assembled, that little piece remained on the floor. Only the big colorful pieces of glass were used.

On the day of the window’s completion, the tiny piece of clear glass was still lying on the ground. The entire city gathered to witness the unveiling of the brilliant and beautiful stained-glass portrait. The artist stood in front of the crowd, made his speech, and dramatically pulled down the cloth cover. The crowd gasped at the beauty of the colorful window glowing in the sunlight.

After a few seconds, however, the crowd grew silent. They sensed that something was missing, that the portrait was unfinished. The great artist then walked over to where the little clear piece of glass lay, picked it up, and placed it in the portrait, right in the center of Jesus’ eye. As the sun hit that little piece, it gave off a dazzling sparkle.

The magnificent stained glass window still draws visitors. The first thing they see is that sparkle in Jesus’ eye.

· Friend, you are the sparkle in the eyes of the Lord. He saw Mary and friend he sees you.

· Understand, that no matter where you are at in life, no matter your abilities, talents, gifts, no matter where you live, your education, or the way you look, you are significant in the eyes of God.

God through you can change the World – verses 29-37

· Now Mary has a conversation with Gabriel, and just a side note Gabriel is one of three angels named in the Bible. The other two being Michael and Lucifer.

· And Gabriel reveals to Mary, that the child that she is carrying will change the world.

· He is going to be king over Israel and the world, he is going to be great in his reign, and his kingdom would last forever.

· Now talk about high expectations! Before he is even born, his whole life is laid out. This is what he will be called, this is what he is going to do, this is who he is.

· And Mary is hearing all this, and a question comes to her mind and it is found in verse 34

“How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

· Now Mary asks a legitimate question. How is this going to happen when she hasn’t been with a man.

· In a sense, she is asking how is it possible when she hasn’t done it the world’s way.

· You know, for a lot of people, they don’t think they can be used by God, because they have not done something in life.

· And they give all of these excuses.

o I can’t be used by God, because I haven’t been a Christian long enough.

o I can’t be used by God, because I haven’t been to some Bible school.

o I can’t be used by God, because I haven’t got the talents or gifts like others have.

o I can’t be used by God, because of my past.

o I can’t be used by God, because I of who I am.

· We can come up with every I can’t under the sun, but God says I can.

· Notice what the angel tells Mary in verse 35.

“The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:”

· Mary couldn’t do anything, but God working through her, she was going to have the Son of God be born through her.

· Now you might be here, and you feel inadequate in making a difference in this world. And you would be right in believing that.

· We are inadequate in changing the world in our strength and wisdom, but let me tell you, you can make a difference when the Spirit of God is on your life.

· The Holy Ghost came upon Mary, and God through Mary was able to change the world.

· She was able to share Jesus with the world.

· And friend, God through you can change this world as well.

· You might be saying how is that possible, and the word of God says in Mark 9:23

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

· Now how do we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us? By accepting Jesus into your life.

· Friend, when you allow the Spirit of God to come on your life through Jesus Christ, God will move mountains, God will change this world through you. And all you have to do is believe in him.

· That is what God did through Mary. Remember, on your own you can do nothing, but God through you all things are possible.

What you must do is yield yourself to God

· Now Mary, basically this unknown woman, from this small town, has been chosen by God to be the mother of the Son of God.

· And she is processing all of this, and she responds to the message, by saying

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

· She agrees to what the angel has said to her, wait a minute Mary, don’t you want to think about this some more??

· Isn’t that how most of us would have responded?

· If God is going to change our life, we want to sit and think about it and then give the Lord an answer.

· But that is not what Mary does, she doesn’t have to wait and think about it, instead she accepts what God wants to do in her life by yielding herself to God.

· She simply says, here I am God use me.

· And friend, that is how it ought to be for us today when it comes to the Lord.

· That we just surrender ourselves to the Lord and say here I am Lord, use me.

· I mean, Mary’s life would never be the same from this point on, but she makes the decision to trust God.

· I’m sure this young woman knew that she might be rejected by people, that others would see her differently, but none of that matter to her because she knew she could trust God.

· So, she yields herself to the Lord. In essence she does what Matthew 16:24 says she took up her cross and followed Jesus

· And today that might be what you need to do. Give yourself to Jesus. To trust in the Lord and the plans he has for you.

· Our text concludes with it saying the angel departed from her. But you know who didn’t depart from her? The Lord.

· From that point on, God was with her, because she made the decision to give her life to Jesus.

· And friend you can do the same. That today, you can have the Lord remain with you when you leave this church, and have him with you forever, if today you would give your life to Christ.