The Great Savior, the Son of the Most High
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
(NOTE! Next Sunday is Christmas Sock day!)
Missionary- GOING AND OBEYING! (Lottie- Went to China as a 33 year old- worked for the LORD for 39 years!)
“Please say to the new missionaries that they are coming to a life of hardship, responsibility and constant self denial. They must live, the greater part of the time, in Chinese houses, in close contact with the people. They will be alone in the interior and will need to be strong and courageous. If the joy of the Lord be their strength, the blessedness of the work will more than compensate for its hardships. Let them come ‘rejoicing to suffer’ for the sake of that Lord and Master who freely gave his life for them. - January 9, 1889, P’ingtu, China” (Not always easy, but always worth it!
God calls us to OBEY, not always to EASY THINGS!
The PROMISE OF THE MESSIAH REMINDS US OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE CALLED TO OBEY GOD AND TO TRUST GOD THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE AND THAT GOD WILL GO BEFORE US!
Main Point: We need to Obey and Trust God
Main Point: We need to Obey and Trust God
Point 1- God’s Commission of Mary
Point 2- How to Respond to God
Body
Body
Last week we saw how Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and promised Zechariah a son.
Zechariah’s son was to be named John and he was coming like Elijah- to proclaim the coming of someone else who would save Israel!
Now- here’s the catch- Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were too old to have children and they had never had a child!
But that did not stop God. Instead, we saw: Luke 1:24-25
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”
Elizabeth becomes pregnant and she GIVES ALL THE GLORYT O GOD!
At the same time, she stays in “seclusion” or by herself for five months.
And now as we pick up in verse 26 we are going to see Luke again give us a clear date.
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
It is the 6th month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and Gabriel is again sent by God to appear to someone.
Gabriel is sent to Galilee, specifically to the town of Nazareth.
Nazareth was a small town that was rural and was not well thought of. Nazareth was more like Macomb than Chicago- it was known for being small! (And I say that with no offense meant to Macomb. I used to live in that area and I always loved going to Macomb! The big difference between Macomb and Nazareth is that Macomb is nice and Nazareth was not considered a GOOD PLACE TO EVEN VISIT!) In fact, in John 1:46 we read:
46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him.
“Come and see,” Philip answered.
Gabriel goes to a young woman- a virgin, someone who is not yet married- named Mary
Mary is engaged to a man named Joseph who is of the line of David.
Before we go any further, let me just remind us of something with the line of David.
David’s line is promised kingship- starting all the way back in Genesis 49:10-11
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah
or the staff from between his feet
until he whose right it is comes
and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him.
11 He ties his donkey to a vine,
and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine.
He washes his clothes in wine
and his robes in the blood of grapes.
Notice though- there’s something more promised in Genesis 49:11- there’s this reference to washing his kingly garments in wine and his robes in BLOOD of grapes. THAT’S A PROPHECY ABOUT JESUS GIVING HIS LIFE! THAT PROPHECY TAKES PLACE BEFORE THE ISRAELITES ARE EVEN SLAVES IN EGYPT!
See- this kingship is going to be unlike any other king on earth.
Then, in 2 Samuel 7:15-16 David is promised that his descendants will reign forever!
15 But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’ ”
As I said- it’s a kingdom like none other! No earthly kingdom lasts forever! (Alexander the Great, Rome- including the LATE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST, EVEN THE HUNS, THE MONGOLS, THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, THE ENGLISH EMPIRE!)
This promise is continued on in Haggai 2:23
23 On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you.” This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.
God promises that A descendant of Zerubbabel will be like HIS signet ring- in other words- A DESCENDANT OF THIS LINE WILL REIGN AS KING AND WILL BE THE SEAL FOR THE WHOLE WORLD! And what will this descendant seal?
If you were here with us when we were studying Haggai, then you know the answer! The promised seal will seal OUR SALVATION!
Just remember all of that. Mary and Jospeh are a part of this line!
Yet, at this time, the line of David is kind of forgotten! I think we could summarize Israel like this- they are politically Israelites and they claim their relationship to God, but spiritually they are uninterested.
For 400 years as Israel has walked in open rebellion to God, God has been silent. But now, GOD SENDS GABRIEL AGAIN!
SOMETHING IS HAPPENING!
As we continue to see the PROMISE OF JESUS, let’s look at verses 28-33!
Luke 1:28-33
Luke 1:28-33
28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”
The angel Gabriel- who serves as a messenger-which if you recall is the meaning of ANGELOS, or angel- comes to Mary with word from God!
Gabriel greets Mary and calls her “Favored Woman.”
This is the only time that this phrase is used in scripture to describe a person.
Gabriel then says that THE LORD is with Mary!
Think about how incredible this is! Your people haven’t heard from God for 400 years! You’re a teenager living under foreign occupation. You’re just focused on getting married and now an ANGEL APPEARS AND TELLS YOU THAT THE LORD IS WITH YOU AND THAT YOU ARE FAVORED BY GOD!
THAT’S INSANE! I don’t even have the words to describe that!
And understandably she’s deeply troubled!
I think that her confusion also shows some of her humility. Mary doesn’t seem to think that she’s worthy fo this. She isn’t a priest, she isn’t a leader in the temple. She’s just Mary!
And there’s something else going on here- this is the only time in all of the NT that this word for deeply troubled is used.
I think this really matters- see, what’s going on here is unlike anything that has ever happened!
Further, it is unlike ANYTHING that will EVER HAPPEN again!
It’s hard to even have the words to explain Mary’s response! It’s confusion, it’s a little fear, it’s SO MANY EMOTIONS MIXED TOGETHER!
Gabriel mirrors the greeting to Zechariah instructing Mary NOT TO BE AFRAID!
And why should she not be afraid?
BECAUSE SHE HAS FOUND FAVOR, or GRACE WITH GOD!
Notice that- Mary is not sinless, Mary has sinned- but she has found FAVOR, which can also be translated as GRACE- with GOD!
Gabriel keeps telling Mary what is to come.
Mary is going to conceive and give birth to a son. And a name is given for this son- remember- in scripture if a name is given before a baby is born then we need to take note of it because there’s something significant going on!
John the Baptist for instance was just given the name JOHN and now Mary is told that she will name her child JESUS!
In Hebrew and Aramaic it would have been pronounced YESHUA, much like another famous man of faith- JOSHUA!
JOSHUA’S NAME IS THE SAME AS JESUS! JESUS IS THE GREEK TRANSLITERATION OF THIS NAME.
Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land and now JESUS is going to lead the WHOLE WORLD INTO A NEW COVENANT WITH GOD! Guys- that’s a COOL CONNECTION THAT GOD DESIGNS!
In verse 32 we see a series of statements made about JESUS!
Let’s talk about these:
First, Jesus will be GREAT!
Jesus will be ABOVE ALL ELSE! HE WILL BE THE LITERAL GREATEST OF ALL TIME!
And unlike Michael Jordan, or Tom Brady, there will never be an argument- JESUS IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE GREATEST!
There’s something else going on here- See, this is an adjective with no qualifier. Here’s what that means- there’s ABSOLUTELY NO LIMIT TO JESUS’S GREATNESS!
HIS GREATNESS IS SO INCREDIBLE THAT WE CAN’T EVEN FULLY PUT IT INTO WORDS!
OUR SAVIOR IS THAT GREAT!
And Luke gives an interesting contrast- see, in Luke 1:15, Gabriel says that JOHN WILL BE GREAT BEFORE GOD!
BUT HERE WE JUST SEE THAT JESUS WILL BE GREAT!
THERE IS NO QUALIFIER!
Second, Jesus will be called the SON OF THE MOST HIGH!
Jesus will be called- because HE IS- the SON OF GOD!
THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD WHO MADE EVERYTHING!
This is actually another contrast- in Luke 1:76 we will see that John is called the PROPHET OF THE MOST HIGH! Luke 1:76
76 And you, child, will be called
a prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare his ways,
BUT JESUS IS NO PROPHET! JESUS IS THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH!
Jesus isn’t just a good man or a prophet, JESUS IS THE SAVIOR, THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH!
Third, God will give him the throne of David!
This is the FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISES IN GENESIS 49, 2 Samuel 7, and Haggai 2! THE PROMISED FULFILLMENT HAS ARRIVED!
Fourth, Jesus will reign over the house of Jacob FOREVER!
Jesus will reign over Israel- and also gentiles- FOREVER!
Fifth, His KINGDOM will have no END!
It’s repeated again- JESUS’S KINGDOM WILL NEVER END!
NOTICE HOW THIS IS REPEATED- there’s a reason for this- The kingdoms of man always end, but JESUS’S KINGDOM IS DIFFERENT!
IT WILL NEVER END!
I want to add one more to this list that an angel tells JOSEPH in Matthew 1:21
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus is not just coming to earth to reign as a king, JESUS IS COMING TO SAVE MANKIND FROM OUR SINS!
Those 6 statements show us so much about WHO JESUS WLL BE and they transition us to the second part of our passage- How to RESPOND to God!
How to Respond to God
How to Respond to God
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”
Notice what Mary does- Mary asks a question. It’s a logical question, it makes sense. How can she have a kid?
But I also want to challenge that there’s something different between her question and Zechariah’s question of God.
See, Zechariah approached God with a heart attitude of “THERE IS NO WAY THAT IS POSSIBLE! NO WAY GOD!”
Mary is approaching God with a humble attitude saying, “Ok God, I just want to understand.”
Luke 1:38 will make this attitude difference very clear.
Luke 1:35-37
Luke 1:35-37
The angel replies and we read Luke 1:35-37
35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
There are four statements that Gabriel gives to Mary.
First- the HOLY SPIIRT WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN!
How will Mary become pregnant? THE HOLY SPIRIT!
The Holy Spirit doesn’t appear much in the OT but it is highlighted right here.
And Cornerstone fam, listen to me- if you know Jesus, then you have that SAME HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS FULLY GOD AND IS THE THIRD PART OF THE TRINITY DWELLING IN YOU!
Second- The HOLY ONE- THAT IS JESUS- WILL BE CALLED THE SON OF GOD!
Think about this- MARY’S SON IS GOING TO BE CALLED AND KNOWN AS THE SON OF GOD!
This is the THIRD DIRECT REFERENCE TO JESUS BEING GOD IN THIS ANGELIC VISIT!
Can i tell you why this keeps getting referenced?
BECAUSE JESUS IS GOD AND IF HE WASN’T THEN HIS SALVIFIC MISSION NEVER WOULD HAVE MATTERED!
If Jesus wasn’t God then WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY EXTRA HOPE BECAUSE OF JESUS!
Third- The angel tells Mary to consider the example of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth- her relative- sometimes called a cousin- is now pregnant!
Elizabeth who was FAR TOO OLD TO HAVE A CHILD IS NOW PREGNANT!
And remember what Elizabeth said about her pregnancy?
“THE LORD HAS DONE THIS FOR ME!”
Elizabeths Pregnancy and her declaration of GOD DOING THIS IS A SIGN FOR MARY!
Fourth- GABRIEL SAYS- NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!
Gabriel is not referring to me having a career change and becoming a superstar athlete. Gabriel isn’t saying that you can skip studying for finals because NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE! Gabriel isn’t saying that you can go climb a 14er in Colorado without training for it.
Gabriel is saying that if something is in GOD’S WILL THEN NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Notice that word- NOTHING!- This is the same word as his kingdom will have no end in verse 33 and as Mary saying she has NOT been with a man! Earlier I mentioned that unqualified adjective- this is a similar thing! THERE IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS WORD!
You may have heard, “NEVER SAY NEVER,” but, GOD CAN SAY NEVER AND THAT IS WHAT GOD IS REPEATEDLY SAYING IN LUKE 1! JUST AS JESUS’S KINGDOM WILL NEVER END, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH AND FOR GOD!
THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS! Want an example of God’s POWER? THIS IS IT!
Specifically, the angel is saying- “MARY, THIS WILL HAPPEN! WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN BECAUSE NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!”
And now let’s see how Mary responds!
Luke 1:38
Luke 1:38
38 “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Look at Mary’s response- she says- “I AM THE LORD’S SERVANT- here she uses the word doulos which means BONDSERVANT OR EVEN SLAVE!”
Literally she says- “WHATEVER GOD SAYS IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO! I AM GOING TO FOLLOW IN OBEDIENCE!”
And then Mary says to the angel- “May it happen to me as you have said.”
There’s no hesitation. She doesn’t ask to think on it, or for more information. MARY WALKS IN FAITH RATHER THAN DOUBT!
And listen- that’s a challenge to us today. This is really leading directly into our FIRST application point today.
Application
Application
Walk in FAITH even when it is INTIMIDATING
Walk in FAITH even when it is INTIMIDATING
Mary’s example in Luke 1:38 is so powerful for us! Mary doesn’t hesitate, she doesn’t question, she doesn’t do any of that!
Instead, she WALKS IN FAITH! SHE KNOWS GOD, SHE TRUSTS GOD AND SHE OBEYS GOD!
And that’s really the key to WALKING IN FAITH- it’s a FRAMEWORK OF SORTS FOR US!
We need to first KNOW GOD!
Second, we need to TRUST GOD!
Thirdly, we need to OBEY GOD!
So let’s talk about those:
Know GOD
His Word
A Relationship
Helps us as we DISCERN GOD’S WILL!
TRUST GOD
FAITH!
We have to TRUST THAT GOD IS WHO GOD SAYS HE IS AND WHO SCRIPTURE SAYS HE IS! TRUST THE PROMISES!
Mary KNEW WHO GOD WAS AND MARY TRUSTED GOD!
OBEY GOD
Now we get to action!
We need to know God and trust God, but at some point we have to OBEY GOD!
WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AND LET GOD LEAD! WE NEED TO DO WHAT GOD TELLS US TO DO!
And all of that IS GOING TO LEAD US TO WALK IN FAITH!
One of the biggest things that I want to leave us with today is that Mary’s example was not because she was supernatural. What Mary did is something that we can ALL DO! EACH ONE OF US CAN WALK IN FAITH LIKE THAT!
Let me go one step further- EACH ONE OF US NEEDS TO WALK IN FAITH LIKE THAT!
And let me tell you- sometimes it might be scary!
It may not be having a child who is the MESSIAH, but it might mean talking to a relative about Jesus. It might mean talking to a friend; or maybe it means being different from your friends!
Whatever the exact situation you are facing, one of our takeaways from today MUST BE THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING IN FAITH AND SAYING YES TO GOD, rather than saying, “No thanks God!”
I would also challenge that part of WALKING IN FAITH LIKE MARY IS GOING IMMEDIATELY!
Don’t delay! OBEY GOD!
God has a PLAN for your life!
God has a PLAN for your life!
God has a plan for you!
I want you to hear that today and God’s plan for your life is not done until the day that you go home to be with God!
UNTIL THEN, GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!
So let me challenge you- do you believe that?
Over the last two weeks we have seen two different responses to God’s Plan.
Mary believes in faith!
Zechariah doubted and thought God was wrong!
Let me just challenge you- be like MARY! GOD HAS THE PLAN AND GOD WILL WORK IT OUT!
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Practical: Whether it’s like Lottie (going someplace new and blazing a new trail), or like MARY (deep obedience in a big call), or to be faithful to take Jesus into your workplace and to your family, GOD HAS A CALL ON YOUR LIFE
And Church, we are here for you! If you need help discerning what this is, I know that I’d love to meet with you and walk with you in that! But hear this- GOD HAS A PLAN for YOUR LIFE AND WE WANT TO TRUST AND OBEY GOD’S PLAN!
Christmas is the GREATEST Gift of ALL TIME! (Gospel)
Christmas is the GREATEST Gift of ALL TIME! (Gospel)
It’s the greatest because of what we remember- the COMING OF OUR SAVIOR!
GOSPEL!
Practical: REPENT AND BELIEVE TODAY! ACCEPT THIS GIFT TODAY! AND IT IS A GIFT!
Closing:
Pray
Transition
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