Is the Word of God Reliable
Notes
Transcript
Is the Word of
God Reliable?
Luke 1:26–38
A Physical Improbability (Genesis 18)
• God increased the improbabilities (Rom 4:19–21).
• God promises a son for at least the 7th time (10).
• God confronts Sarah’s dismissive laughter (11–
15).
“Is any word too wonderful for the Lord?”
(i.e., “Is my word too good to be true?”)
A Geopolitical Improbability (Jeremiah 32)
• God has promised the certain exile of Judah.
• God has promised the certain return of Judah.
• God highlights the reliability of his “word” (1, 6, 8,
17, 24).
• “Is any word too wonderful for me?” (17, 27)
Old men and old women shall again sit in the
streets of Jerusalem…Thus says the LORD of
hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the
remnant of this people in those days, should it
also be marvelous in my sight, declares the
LORD of hosts?
Zechariah 8:4–8
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that
the word of the LORD by the mouth of
Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up
the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he
made a proclamation throughout all his
kingdom and also put it in writing…
Ezra 1:1
A Messianic Impossibility (Luke 1)
• God sends Gabriel with a message for Mary (26–
27)
• Mary questions: “How…since I man a virgin?”
(34)
• The Holy Spirit will come upon you (35)
• Your barren relative will conceive in her old age (36)
• For “no word of God will be too wonderful” (37)
• “Let it be according to your word” (38)
Closing Applications
1. God protects his Word because it is his
trustworthiness.
2. See God’s reliability in the impossibility of
Christmas.
3. Bring your doubts about God to His Word.