Yet Another Surprising Birth Foretold

Open your bibles and turn with me to the book of Luke 1:26-38

I hope you have been encouraged and challenged by the gospel of Luke thus far!

I pray you to have been encouraged to look to the Lord

for direction and guidance in life and,

more specifically, to know that God speaks to us through his word!

This is the basis and ground of our life and the basis and grounds of life within the church!

That our desire is to live in accordance to the truth of God word!

Not what we think, not what we feel,

but what we SEE in the biblical text!

To say it another way, to live in a way based on what God has spoken!

And part of my argument last week is that we know what God has spoken,

not because it feels good or gives us logical reason,

but because it is found in God’s word – THE BIBLE

We shouldn’t expect God to come to us in a vision of an angel.

God spoken to his prophets and here in Luke through a special revelation

through the angel Gabriel,

but that shouldn’t be taken that God would do the same for us!!

He was speaking clearly of the things revealing the plan of God, to send the messiah!

And now, the Canon of scripture is closed!

God has spoken – SPECIAL REVELATION  through THE BIBLE!

And because God has spoken, we should be wary of OTHER claims of God speaking

outside of His word or about things outside of his word!

We can have very little confidence that God is speaking to us through a dream or a vision!

That is NOT the means of the way God speaks to us!

He speaks to us through the revealed word of Christ!!

And we should, instead, HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE in God speaking through His word!

You know, when you consider this week’s passage and last week’s passage.

There are many similarities

Gabriel – the angel, gives a message to humans

They response in both passages is one of fear!

The message is a message about a child,

a son who is coming as a part of God’s plan for the world!

There is a similar of family – Mary and Elizabeth are relatives (v.36)

Both reveal a message of God’s redemptive plan and speak of God’s sovereignty and providence.

BUT there are also many differences we should and will consider!

From Jerusalem to Galilee …

the scene is different – from the temple to a remote and undisclosed location.

One is a message given to a father (Zechariah) and the other to the mother of Jesus (Mary)

One advanced in years, and the other a young virgin

One married, the other betrothed

One wrestling through infertility and the other wrestling with fidelity

The family vocations are different – one a priest, the other a lowly carpenter

Their family heritage is different.

One of the priestly lines and the other of the Davidic or kingly lines!

One child is to be a prophecy, and the other is the Messiah!

A different response –

of Zechariah’s doubt to Mary’s question of how these things will be so!

what is the Lord teaching us through Luke?

I think there are several things rising to the surface to Luke’s point –

God is at work – And he works beyond human reasoning

God is Sovereign – He does all that he pleases!

God’s work is a work of grace is always towards those who are undeserving!

More pointedly –

If John’s birth and announcement was spectacular 

How much more will the announcement and birth of Jesus be!!

And Finally – hopefully, bringing all this intro home –

Trusting God’s plan….means taking God at HIS WORD!!

Sermon Summary: Faith is more than thinking; it’s living!

And that may be best summarized in v.37 “Nothing is impossible with God.”

And seen in light of Mary’s response!

So, what is it that we see in light of this – YET, another Surprising Birth for told!!

Here, within these verses, we are introduced to God’s work among the humble!

God is concerned with those who live in humility – not pride!

We know from James 4 and 1 Peter 5-

that the Lord opposed the proud, but give grace to the humble!!

God is never impressed with our accolades or accomplishments!

But he is always pleased with our faith!!

And he is most concerned with the heart of the humble

than he is noble according to this world!!

According to the world’s standards –

with this announcement of the messiah – It comes in a rather humble and lowly way….

and the news, the message is given first among the humble,

rather than the SOCIETAL ELITES!

a. The Place could be overshadowed (v.26)

Luke 1:26 ESV

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

The angel Gabriel – the same angel who appeared to Zechariah, is back in action!

And He comes – again, sent from God…and a messenger of God!!

He comes in the 6th month of Elizabeth’s Pregnancy (as reference in v.24 and now v.26)

And He comes – not the city of Jerusalem, not to the temple,

where incense was to be burned!

He comes to the city of Galilee called Nazareth!

Now, in many ways – we’ve gone from Washington D.C.

to the city of Morgan Co. - Falkville! …..I trust you get the point!

Nazareth was a small – little agricultural village located southwest of the Sea of Galilee.

Now, Nazareth is going to increase in popularity, especially as it is the birthplace of the Messiah!

But it was considered a forgotten place, one of nothing significant.

You get a little bit of a picture of that in John’s Gospel when Jesus is calling His disciples –

John 1:45–46 ESV

45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

And it was to this little, nothing of a place – not one of much earthly significance!

It wasn’t a place of worldly success….

far from being the place of commerce! Or importance!!

On a map – there wasn’t likely much there to behold!!....

but there was a plan that God was orchestrating!

b. The People were of the least suspected (v.27-29)

Luke 1:27–29 ESV

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

We are introduced to both Mary and Joseph!

Mary is said to be a virgin – 3 times in the text! -

She is betrothed – or pledged to be married to Joseph.

Mary is first not even mentioned by name – she’s just referred to as “a virgin”

She’s described – by her relationship with Joseph!

Who Luke communicates of his descent from the house of David!

Of the prophets of old spoke that from the line of David,

who come forth the savior of the world!

Isaiah 11:1–2 ESV

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

In which David was promised – in 2 Sam 7 that the Messiah would come from His lineage!

And Luke is intention to connect Joseph – to the house of David!!

Joseph – who as you will see through the gospels, isn’t made much of!!

We don’t have any words spoken by him;

we don’t hear much of him throughout Jesus’ life!!

By all standards – his role in the story takes a back seat!

Just - The carpenter from Nazareth.

And He and Mary – both wouldn’t have been any people of earthly significance!!

Just normal, common, ordinary people!!

A young man and young lady – who was likely around the age of 12-14….

She was of the lowly – just from a small country town,

and she was a female in a culture that often discounted women!

Kent Hughes – said it this way –

“she’s likely a nobody in a nothing town in the middle of nowhere!”

And God is announcing through this young humble girl in a nothing town –

that God looks favorable in that direction!

And so, upon the news – that the Lord is with HER!

She, much like Zechariah was – is greatly troubled!!

Trying to discern!

WHAT in the world are you talking about, Gabriel?

You are talking to a young virgin living in Nazareth –BETROTHED I’m not even married yet!! What do you mean, I’m favored by the Lord….the Lord is with me!!

c. The plan was intentionally beyond human greatness (v.30-34)

Luke 1:30-34

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Now, in the same way there – 8 things I pointed out. Gabriel said Zechariah….

There are at least 10 things spoken to Mary here in this verse….

some 13-14 in the remaining verses of this passage.

Let me walk through the 10 – in the same way that I did last week….

1. v.30 – Mary is told just like Zechariah was told – she is not to be afraid.

That in the middle of her great trouble – she is given great comfort!

Do not be anxious – do not fear! Do not be TROUBLED!!

2. He tells her why - “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

This harkens back to v. 28 –

where Gabriel first said “Greetings, o Favored One, the Lord is with you!”

In both instances – Gabriels connects grace or charis in the Greek with Mary –

No, I want to be very clear – This is not communicating that Mary is somehow a means of grace!

Or that she is the bestower of grace!

Roman Catholics wrongly teach – the idea of “hail Marys,” in which Catholics

pray to Mary and worship Mary!!

That’s IDOLATRY –idolatry is very sneaky!

Many good things can be come ultimate things and make shipwreck of our life and faith!!

This is NOT communicating that Mary is the source of grace

but is rather the receipt of Grace!

She’s found favor with the Lord!

She didn’t deserve this – she didn’t earn this….she has no credit to give to herself!

But in total Grace the Lord has come near to her….

And given her a child though she is a virgin!

3. She will conceive – (4) she will give birth to a son!

How this will be is a profound mystery…..but it cannot be denied.

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son!

Isaiah 7:13–14 ESV

13 And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

And to deny this reality is to deny the faith….

this fact of the virgin birth is one of the mysterious essentials of Christianity!!

That Mary will conceive a child before she had intercourse!

Do we believe this or not?

If we don’t, we are either saying Mary is sexually immoral or Luke is a liar!

But here, we see that neither is true!

And it was prophesied as such – the VIRGIN will conceive and bear a SON!

And here is Mary – the virgin – she is told she will conceive and bear a son!

5. V. 31 – and you shall call his name Jesus –

Which means – “God saves” or “Yahweh is help”

And this is the first small hint that Jesus is the savior of the world!

Just as the Prophets foretold that God his name would be called Immanuel,

Luke is going to make that connection more clear in Chapter 2,

but even here….he is pointing in that direction!

By revealing his name is Jesus!!

God is salvation! - God saves…..

and he has come in flesh and blood, to save His people from their sin!

6. 32 He will be great

In describe Jesus as great –

especially against the backdrop of this much Old Testament prophecy

would have almost certainly alluded to the greatness of God!

God is described in the OT as Great in wisdom, great in power, great in mercy!

God is great in every way – there is no limit to His greatness!

And yet, also sets us up to the type of greatness we seen displayed among Jesus!

It is a greatness – not according to this world!

But a greatness in the kingdom!

It is a greatness that doesn’t exalt himself but is humble!

His greatness and strength are displayed through humility – through LOWINESS!!

Not might!!

A greatness not measured by status, but his service!

A greatness that even is willing to lay down his own life!!

Even for his enemies!!

7. v. 32 - and will be called the Son of the Most High.

And in just a few verses – Luke will call Jesus the SON of GOD!

Luke is making it clear – of Jesus’ divinity!

And as he will progressively reveal throughout his gospel!!

Jesus is God’s Son!!

One of David’s favorite expression of the Lord – in the book of Psalms – THE MOST HIGH!

Of whom Jesus is linked next.

8. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

Again, pointing to the reality that Jesus is the fulfillment

of the awaited King from David’s lineage!

Luke has already helped make that connection for us in

showing Joseph’s connection with the house of David!

And this son, who is born within his house, to whom Mary is betrothed!

Jesus – will be given the throne of HIS FATHER DAVID!

2 Samuel 7:12–14 ESV

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. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,

And King HE WILL BE!!

9. 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,

This Jesus – from the womb of Mary – from the town of Nazareth!

The Son of the Most High!!

Will be the king of the people of Israel!! – FOREVER!!

10. and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

He rule and reign will not end and fade away like of earthly kings!

His reign will be forever!!! And He will reign over them FOREVER!!

Again allusions to Isaiah 9:7

Isaiah 9:7 ESV

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

And allusions to Dan 7:13-14 of the ancient of days!!

And here are all these great promises – given to Mary by the Angel Gabriel!

They are just soaked in Old Testament promises and expectations

of God doing something amazing!

In a small town, through ordinary people!

And will fulfill extraordinary promises through an extraordinary savior,

who will display his greatness through lowliness and humility!

In which God displays his power through human weakness!

Not strength!

And you see Christ being born later in a feeding trough!

But even here you see – the announcement didn’t come to

Caiaphas, the high priest’s daughter in Jerusalem!

But instead – to Mary, the humble virgin, in Nazareth!

Betrothed to the carpenter Joseph,

And Jesus himself wouldn’t come through might, power, or nobility!!

But through the poor, meek, and humble!!

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Upon hearing this incredible News – Mary questions in some ways, just like Zechariah did!

YET – there is one primary difference! Note the text –

Luke 1:34 ESV

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Do you remember what Zachariah said back in Luke 1:18 –

I think the difference will be noticeable to you.

Luke 1:18 ESV

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Compared to Mary’s response – HOW WILL THIS BE SINCE I AM A VIRGIN?

It’s the difference between wanting infinite knowledge….and having confident trust!

It’s the difference in seeking to obtain knowledge of God!

The knowledge that the psalmist writes in

Psalm 139:6 ESV

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

And takingGod at His word!

It’s the difference in – as we said last week….living by SIGHT….and living by FAITH!!

Zechariah wanted to know if these things could happen!

Mary wanted to know how this would happen!

And Mary’s response is not an objection.

HOW CAN KNOW MORE so that I might believe it?

But, YES, I BELIEVE – BUT HOW in the world can this happen!

SINCE I’m a virgin!

And the Lord responds to Mary through Gabriel!

Luke 1:35–37 ESV

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Now, let’s just consider – if there is anyone who understands biology!

Of the million-dollar question – Mom, Dad – where do babies come from!!

Dr. Luke knows the answer!

And yet – writes to the contrary!!

And the answer to Mary’s question of how can these things be!

IS YOU MUST believe them in FAITH!!

And you believe in the power of God!!

And the answer is that Jesus was not conceived through

natural or physical means but the supernatural working of God!

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit will come upon and power of the Most High Will OVERSHAWDOW you!

That is to say – that the Same Spirit who has been since the creation of the world!

When the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters

The same Spirit that came and indwelt the Tabernacle and rested in the Temple!

The Spirit of God that overshadow Jesus in his earthly ministry…

that by whom He is raised from the dead!!

The Spirit of God, working among His people,

accomplishing the work of God in the world!

Will now, come in power and overshadow Mary –

v.35therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Luke continues – I mean, consider the reality you know of your relative, Elizabeth!

Luke 1:36 ESV

36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

This really points us in the direction of faith!

Do we, too, believe this to be true!!

Again, to deny this is to deny the Faith of the Christian faith!!

Because to deny this reality is to deny the deity of Christ!!

Jesus had to be born of Man!

In that His mother was the virgin Mary!!

But also because His conception is by the Holy Spirit – He is the Son of God!

It’s the mystery of the Incarnation!

God in the flesh!!

If he merely had two parents – then he would be nothing more than another man!

But He is not just another man….He is the GOD-MAN!

The GOD-MAN Jesus CHRIST !

FULLY MAN – and FULLY GOD!!

Human, and yet- divine!!

In which, as a human, he understands the world we live in,

the brokenness, and suffering of our world because of sin!

And yet, because He is God,

Jesus is NOT corrupted by the sin and guilt of ADAM!!

He is the perfectSON of God and able to make a perfect and atoning sacrifice for our sins!

IN OUR PLACE!!

Do we believe this!!

IS THIS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!!

That’s what at stake here!!

Your sin, guilt, and ETERNAL standing before God is in the balance here!!

CAN GOD, THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST make atonement for MY sin, YOUR SIN!!

THE SINS of the world!!

IS THIS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD??

How can our sins be taken away?

If not by the perfect Son of man, born of a virgin!

The Perfect Son of God, born of God!!

The GOD-MAN JESUS CHRIST – dying in the place of sinner!

Standing in their place as a human!

Interceding on their behalf as a mediator and as God!!

There is no other way that we can be saved!!!

Except through Jesus Christ!

1 Timothy 2:5–6 ESV

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

To I say to you, non-Christian in this room!

This is why you need Jesus!

You need a savior to stand in your place!

And was born in the like US and yet who is without sin!

One who has died in the place of sinners!

And one who stands as an advocate in their place!

Taking our sin upon Himself!

And imputing to us! – His Righteousness!

Who was born, lived, and died!!

And by the power of God was raised to live!!

That wemight have hope after death!

And we might say with the hope of the Psalmist!

Psalm 118:17 17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.

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I isolated this final verse in this text because the response is so practical and challenging!!

Right on the heels of wrestling with this incredible news!

Pondering how these things will be!

In this, the mystery of the virgin and the indication

of the incarnation to come have now been foretold!!

If John’s birth announcement was incredible….how much more is Jesus!!

Yet – will we believe this!

37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

And so Mary Responds in v. 38 with incredible faith!

Luke 1:38 ESV

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary had faith!

Mary not only had faith! – SHE LIVED IN FAITH!!

She was convinced Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Unlike Zechariah, she was unwilling to doubt!

And she wasn’t left speechless!

To the contrary - You see her soon, singing in faith!

And even here, she declares her disposition of living in light of the word of God!

I am a servant of the Lord –

I’m going to do what God ask of me!!

Let it be to me according to your word!

I’m going live in light of what God has said!

I mean, what faith!!

When she could have had every reason not to!

This is not in my plan, what about my reputation,

this will be too difficult, the journey is too dangerous!

I’m too young!

Yet Mary was willing to trust the Lord, with what seem like the impossible!!

And when town began to gossip and murmur about her!

Well, I wonder who the real father is?

She trusted God!

In the face of being presented a decree of divorce – she trusted the Lord!

As she made the journey to Bethlehem –

tired, weary and pregnant!....no room in the inn!

She trusted God!

And when she sees her little boy –

grow up to be hated by His own people,

through he had come to save them – She trusted the Lord!

When she see her son, whipped and beaten through the streets of Jerusalem –

she trusted God!

And when she see him hanging on the cross to make atonement for the sin of the world!

And He’s mocked, and scourged…

and when the sun went dark on the hillside of Calvary – Mary trusted God!!

And that’s not to make much of Mary –

or to venerate her, as Catholics wrongly do, and make an idol of her!

But she is here….a picture of faith!

Of what it means to live in light of God’s truth!

And in light of God’s word!!

Mary believed in God and followed him in obedience!

This is what it means to be a Christian!

To NOT just say – oh yes, I love god!

I believe in god!

But to be willing to - Deny self, Take up your cross, and follow Jesus!!

To say - “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

That as you open up the pages of sacred scripture – you say, that is what I’ll do!

That is how I’ll live!

That when God’s word says – we delight in it and follow Him!!

And we are willing to follow him – even when things are hard and difficult!

When we face reproach – affliction, mockery, ridicule, accusation, and persecution

for simply desiring to live in light of God’s truth!!

We still follow!!

We believe the Lord in faith!

AND WE LIVE THAT WAY!!

CONCLUSION: --------

Are you willing to live this way?

Are you willing to follow the Lord in this way!!

Non-Christian would you consider the beautiful truth of Gospel…

That Christ has come – Fully Man and FULLY GOD

To make atonement for your sin!!

He is the only way to God!!

He is the only mediator….and that you might believe in him!!

Repent of your sin and trust CHRIST today!!

And for believers here….that we might live in humble faith of the truth of God’s word!!

God has spoken; therefore,

I will submit my life and ways to Him!!

Not just in what we profess – but how we live!!

Sermon Summary: Faith is more than thinking; it’s living!

Yet Another Surprising Birth Foretold

I. The Lord shows His favor among the humble rather than the noble (v.26-34)

II. Nothing is impossible with God, but believing requires faith (v.34-37)

III. We must choose to follow the Lord, regardless of what it may cost (v.38)