Advent 2025 - Part 3 - A Promise arriving through Obedience

GREET EVERYONE-

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

PASTOR INVITES

BIBLE READ through

KAIROS

ADVENT INTRO

Welcome to THE season of Advent our season of Arrival -

Every year - during this time of year - On Sunday Mornings we take this season to join the millions of other believers throughout the world and the hundreds of millions of believers who for the last 1800 years or so have walked together in the season of Arrival - The Season of Advent.

A season where we celebrate the Arrival of HOPE - The Arrival of PEACE - The Arrival of JOY and the Arrival of LOVE into the brokenness of our world.

We join the rest in our setting aside this season of Arrival this season of Advent to prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of the day when in fact God came in the flesh and was born of a virgin to dwell with us - Emmanuel.

The Promise that was Made - The Promise that was foretold - The Promise that came through obedience - The Promised Fulfilled - The Promise that will return.

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to Luke Chapter 1 and verse 26 as we look at the promise of God that came through obedience with great joy.

NOW If you don’t have a bible or simply would like a new one!……..

PRAYER OVER SERIES

Is and will be that as we walk through the messages of Advent that three things would happen to us.

One that we would be deeply reminded of the Love of God - The Love that God has for us who believe and his deep love for the whole world and everyone in it.

and

TWO that we would experience a deep and intense renewal of the Gospel in our hearts.

THREE - That as we are reminded of Gods love for His church and for all of humanity - And as we experience a deep and intense Gospel Renewal. That we would it would be so powerful in our lives that we would live it out, walk it out as never before.

Living for the Child in the manger because the REASON for HIs arrival - is He is the one who died and was raised.

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

That we would see the the Promise of God of Hope that was given in the beginning -

The promise of Hope that was Foretold by God to the Prophets.

Is a Promise that is coming to all of humanity through obedience.

And AS we realize that it is Loving Obedience and Not Begrudging Sacrifice that all of the promises of yes and amen are brought into the world... we would also come to understand the great things that God does through the lives of obedient people are the ones whom the world would never consider great.

and as this becomes more real to us - We would be drawn to the very heart of God’s love for us and our desire to walk in His ways would be the desires of our hearts.

ENGAGEMENT –

Back in the beginning of all things - From the time that God created man and woman - Man kind broke their relationship with God - and in the midst of the Brokenness God Made a promise - A promise of Hope -

Here is what God said:

Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

There was a promise of Hope - In the midst of Darkness and broken relationship there was a promise of HOPE

From that day forward for the next several thousand years - God was choosing a people to bring that promise to fruition.

These were a fickle people - An unfaithful people - A people that we very easily wooed away from the one who loved them and provided for them and wanted so badly to bless them -

They kept turning away and they kept breaking relationship -

and from time to time through out those thousands of years as they would leave and come back leave and comeback - God would remind them of this Promise of Hope - This promise of Peace that was coming.

He would say things like:

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6–7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 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.”

Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

What is interesting about the story there were people who along the way would be the ones who followed God -

They were the ones that were used by God to bring about the promises of God -

These were the ones who Trusted God enough to Obey God.

Here is the Funny thing about all of those people - probably none of them would either of us be comfortable around -

Most of them were people who had issues - Some of them big personal issues -

AS you read the bible you get to this idea that God doesn't choose the biggest personality

God doesn't choose the one that has it all together -

God does Choose the one who can bring something to the table other than themselves.

God simply chooses one who say “YES LORD”

and the time came -

When the promise of Hope that was made - And the Promise of Peace that was foretold - IT came time for the promise of Joy to arrive -

The Advent - The Arrival of The Promise - The Arrival of the Child - The Arrival of the Promised one of ZION -

TENTION

Again as usual God called on a somebody that nobody would think anybody would choose - a young Girl who was simply obedient to GOD

and when we hear the word obedience - we actually can get to the point where we think that we don't really have to be all that obedient to God in order for God to do what God wants to do in our world -

That God CAN do it without us -

and I assure you loved ones - God WILL Do it - He He will do and accomplish without us.

But here is the deal -

God invites us to be a part of what He is doing - He calls us to be the instruments that He uses to accomplish His purposes - and If we pass, because we are so concerned about building our own Kingdom, its not a problem for God - He just leaves us out becasue we asked to be left out.

loved ones - What we will see and hear through the whole time line of Scripture is that there were, time and time again, here; there; a person - Who trusted God enough to be Obedient to the call of God to GO and to DO - and what Happened through this persons life -

God got accomplished what God wanted to accomplish.

and what we will see and hear this morning - is that God was able, God is able and the promised one arrives.

AND for the Promised one to arrive - The Promised one arrives through the Obedience of ONE person who Trusted God enough to simply say YES!

BACKGROUND

The Gospel of Luke is one of the most interesting Gospels of the 4 Gospels.

What makes it incredibly interesting is that Luke was not one of the Original 12 disciples -

Many say that Luke was not an EYEWITNESS - of Jesus.

I would argue that Luke Being a Doctor - more than likely was an eyewitness of Jesus -

Luke Lived in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus -

Luke would have certainly heard of Jesus like many people did as Jesus had certainly gone Viral back in those days.

For the Older crowd - gone viral meant he was very very well known - Everyone was talking about Jesus the Miracle Worker - both Jewish person and gentile.

There are Early Church Fathers who would have known people who knew Luke a generation or so before them who tie Luke to the 70 disciples -

In the Gospels there is this story of Jesus sending 72 disciples out as a test drive for what they will be doing later - Early Church fathers report that Luke was in that group.

It is Certainly reasonable to assume that Luke was in the Upper room at Pentecost when the Spirit fell and the Church was kicked off

He was a also a traveling companion with Paul and team on the mission of making disciples and planting churches across the region for the first 60 years of the church.

He was martyred for Making Disciples through spreading the Gospel claiming Jesus was raised from the Dead.

He begins His Gospel by explaining that He has taken on the task of compiling a narrative of things that have been accomplished among us.

and He gathers this information form “those who were from the beginning were eyewitnesses.

and He says He writes this orderly account so that the person who read this may have certainty in what they have been taught.

That includes us today.

I often Imagine that Luke wrote so specifically becasue He interviewed people to compile His story.

and all of Chapter One kind’a Read like LUKE has done some interviews with Jesus family so he could capture how this phenomenal Jesus story started.

In verses 5-25 Luke records for us the record of what He discovered by Interviewing Jesus cousins side of the family.

and When we get to verse 26 - The Interview turns to Jesus mother Mary.

and Luke compiles this narrative - Reciting for us the Story that Mary - The Actual Physical mother of Jesus about how Jesus came into this world.

UNPACKING

Vs26

Luke 1:26 “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,”

The sixth month is on the Jewish Calendar - For US this is Late August or September.

An Angel named Gabriel was Sent by God to the city of Nazareth.

Luke 1:27 “to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.”

The Angel is sent to a young woman - that is what the word virgin means in the original language of the new testament.

and she was “betrothed” meaning she was ENGAGED to be married to Joseph - whose like 42nd great grand father was King David.

Luke 1:28 “And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!””

The angel Greets Her and Calls Her “Favored One” and then He says to her “the Lord is with you”

Luke 1:29 “But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.”

and Mary reacts like any young girl that is about 14-15 years old would when greeted by an angel -

The Text says “She was greatly troubled”

and while Mary is trying to figure out what kind of greeting this is, Gabriel then unfold To her the calling of God on her life.

Luke 1:30–33 “And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.””

Watch and Listen to Mary’s Reaction:

Luke 1:34 “And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?””

You see this invitation - This call Of God it made No sense to Mary - It didn't connect How God was going to do this in and through her life.

You see she was “a virgin” and in this context of Mary’s reaction what Mary is declaring by her question is: “How can this happen to me as I am not doing nor have I done the one thing needed to do to be pregnant!

So Gabriel Explains the HOW!

Luke 1:35–37 “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. 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. For nothing will be impossible with God.””

Nothing will be impossible for God - Here is what that means - God will accomplish what God is going to Accomplish

VS38 -

Mary Says YES

Mary could have said no - Mary could have said - Ahh NO! That situation would ruin my life - AHH No this will be too inconvenient - Ahh know do you know wat this will do to my relationship for me to be pregnant with another's baby?

Ahh no this unplanned pregnancy will ruin the plans I have for my life.

But that is not what Mary Says: Mary surrenders what ever plans she has for her life and gives them up -

She then takes on the plans that God has for her life.

Listen Loved ones - Mary could have said NO - and you know what God would have done - God would have left Mary out of His plans He had for her and you and I would be reading about some other person - Maybe someone named Jo Anna or Tabitha or Mindy Lou!

You see God has a plan - God Gave a calling - God sent the message, here is the life I have for you!

Mary says:

Luke 1:38 “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.”

VSS39

The Scene of the Narrative Changes -

Luke's interview with Marry Continues and Mary shares with Him her experience with her cousin Elizabeth

Vs 39 begins with “in those days” indicating during this same time of year.

Mary goes to visit her Cousin and When Mary Greets her cousin Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and watch what She Says:

Luke 1:42–45 “and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.””

VSS42

Blessed are you among women - Happiest are you among women - and happiest is the baby that is coming -

Watch and Listed to verse 45 -

“Blessed is she who believed” Elizabeth says!

“Happiest is she who Trusted” is what Elizabeth just said about Mary!

Luke 1:45 “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.””

Happiest is She who Trusted God, said yes, and now God is going to bring to the fullness of HIS plans in her life.

Mary then begins to Sing - She begins to WORSHIP GOD IN SONG.

Loved ones - Here is what is happening -

This young girl has fully submitted to the Plans of God-

Her family knows what going to happen to her.

and before you think to your self “yea great things well happen to her” I want you to think about what is really going to happen.

NO one around her other than He cousin who was filled with the Holy Spirit will understand.

she is 14 maybe 15 - She is pregnant outside of being married - which back then was a socially shameful condition that got you kicked out of every support system you had - Family, Church, friends - you got Shamed and Shunned if that happened to you.

She had no resources to care for her self -

Her relationship with Joseph was at HUGE Risk, in fact she almost ends up divorced -

and in all of that - She has fully submitted to the plans of God - to be the instrument God uses to bring His Promise of Peace into this world -

This is beautiful - In the Midst of all this potential negative she Keeps her eyes on the fulfillment of God plans in and through her life and she sings.

AS Luke interviews Her she recites for him and maybe even sings for him the Song of Praise of the Magnificence of God and what He was doing in her life and what He was going to accomplish through His life.

Listen to the Lyrics to the Song that Mary sang in praise to the Magnificence of God

Luke 1:46–56

“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION

and you know every year we sing the song “Mary did you know?” the answer to that question is “No she didn’t know!”

She had NO Clue what the Child she would bring into this world would do - She simply heard form God - Trusted God - Said Yes and was joyfully obedient to the Plans that God had for her.

All she knew was the Magnificence of God - That He was the Strong one - that He would scatter the Proud -

All she knew is That He would bring down the mighty -

All she knew is that He would lift up the ones in Humble estate of spiritual poverty and hopeless despair -

That He would fill those hungry for God with Good things and those who think they are rich and have no need for Him he will sweep away -

That is all She knew -

But loved ones - The child she bore - The Baby in the Manger - The Promise of Hope, and Peace and love that came into this world through Her becasue she said YES - Changed Everything for everyone -

This Child is the strong arm of the Lord to bring salvation to the world.

This Child is the One who scatters those who are proud and say: “I’ve got this God thing all figured out on my own”

This Child is the one who will bring down the mighty who say “I want to be like God and Control my own life and make my own destiny”

This Child is the one who lift up everyone who struggles in worry and self doubt and fear and anxiety, spiritual poverty and hopeless despair.

This Child is the one who Sweep away the Rich who think they have no need of him and fills the hungry for God with Good things -

How did this Child - This Child in the manger accomplish all that? you might ask!

- He was born with the single purpose of Bringing peace with God to mankind - Reconciling Man and God back together in right relationship.

Fixing what we broke by our rebellion against God - Because God was the only one who could repair what we broke.

This Child did this By HIS Grace through the Gift He Gives called faith!

This child did this because He was Emmanuel God with US - And AS God in the flesh HE Lived a perfect Life - Modeling for all of mankind what Humility and joyfully submitting to God in obedience and faith looks like.

and as a perfectly innocent human being this child joyful accepted the sentence of Roman execution on the cross of Calvary -

and as this child was dying on that old rugged cross and His blood was being poured out - He was receiving upon His body the wrath of God due us becasue of our Pride, mightiness and our perceptions that we are rich and have no need of Him, which satisfied the wrath of God. His poured out blood washing away the stain of our pride and arrogance -

all of which Gives Hope to every who struggles with self doubt, fear, anxiety, worry and an over all sense of Injustice.

This Child in the Manger is the Promise of Hope - The Promise of Peace - The Promise of Joy - The Promise of Love and He himself has promised He will return.

APPLICATION OR IMAGINE - As our music team comes -

God sent this child to reconcile us back into right relationship with God -

For those of Us who have been saved by Grace through faith - God calls us to surrender more -

Ask - Where is god asking me to surrender so the He may do Great things through me?

What calling of God have I been ignoring because of Inconvenience or becasue to the danger and possible turmoil it would bring into my life?

Loved ones - Listen to the Call of God - He is calling you to include you -

Don't be left out - of the plans of God becasue you asked to be left out - God has a plan and a design and He is simply calling you to say “Yes lord”

For those of you who have yet to surrender to God - You have not repented and given your life over to Jesus as Lord and Master.

Loved ones - Hear me this morning

Jesus is savior - GOD sent Jesus into this world to be Just that Savior and so He IS

AND GOD calls us to Surrender to Him as Lord and Master

- so for Him to save us we must, hear the proclamation that He is saviour, act on the faith that He has given, trust the child in the manger, the one who died and was raised , and surrender your life to HIM

Hear the calling of God this morning - Surrender to Him and Be saved -

Abandon all hope in any design you have to live for you and begin the beautiful life He has for you like Mary.

A life filled with purpose - A life filled with His presence - A life that will echo in eternity -

The First step in Surrender - The Initiation step into being a Christian - To being an adopted Child of God by HIs Grace through the Faith that HE gives is…

BAPTISM