Dec 1 2024

The Angel Gabriel

Luke 1:26–38 NIV

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

—> Look who’s coming to Christmas.

—> Angel Gabriel, the same angel who appeared to Zechariah

—> 26 —> Sent by God; God started the process just like in Genesis 1/ like in creation God begins it.

—> listen in 2 ways this morning

—> As the one receiving the message

—> As the messenger (we have to be the first before we can be the second)

—> Identifies who God choses to do the work and why…

28 —> Hello, to the one full of grace, the Lord is with you.

30—> Do not be afraid,Mary, for you have found favor with God.

—> Given a job or a responsibility

Luke 1:31–33 NIV

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

(excuse interlude…)

Given the means to complete the responsibility or task

Luke 1:35–37 NIV

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

—> The Holy Spirit gives us the strength and the means to do what God has asked us to do.

—> God is working multiple things in the same direction. We are part of a bigger plan.

—> “no word from God will ever fail.”

—> confidence

—> faithfulness of God