ARE YOU READY TO BE USED?

Week 51 (3rd Sunday) 

This Week’s Theme: When Your Understanding Falls Short

Word for the week is: Purpose: God’s divine intention working through your life story.

Memory verse: Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

Sermon Focus: God can do great things through you.

Sermon Passage: Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:38 NKJV

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

INTRODUCTION: ARE YOU READY TO BE USED BY GOD?

THAT QUESTION SOUNDS SIMPLE,

BUT IT CUTS DEEP.

DO YOU WANT GOD’S BLESSINGS,

GOD’S DIRECTION,

AND GOD’S DELIVERANCE—

YES’S COME QUICKLY, BUT

MANY ARE NOT PREPARED FOR

GOD’S DEPLOYMENT.

BEING USED BY GOD IS NOT ABOUT TALENT, TITLE, OR TIMING;

IT IS ABOUT POSTURE.

GOD DOES NOT FIRST LOOK FOR ABILITY—

HE LOOKS FOR AVAILABILITY.

HE DOES NOT SEARCH FOR

THE LOUD,

THE POLISHED,

OR THE SELF-CONFIDENT,

BUT FOR THE HUMBLE, THE DISCERNING, AND THE SUBMITTED.

BEFORE GOD WORKS THROUGH US,

HE WORKS IN US.

SO THE REAL QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER GOD IS READY TO USE YOU,

BUT WHETHER YOU ARE READY TO BE USED BY HIM.

I. GOD USES THE UNASSUMING 

Luke 1:26 NKJV

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

SHE CAME LIVED IN 

NAZARETH WAS A SMALL 

INSIGNIFICANT VILLAGE  (likely under 500 people).

IT HAD NO SCHOOLS 

IT WASN’T A PLACE OF POLITICAL POWER

IT WASN’T A PLACE OF SOCIAL PRESTIGE 

UNLIKELY PLACE 

[NEXT VERSE]

Luke 1:27 NKJV

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

MOST LIKELY MARY WAS A YOUNG GIRL 

WHO COULD NOT READ OR WRITE 

YET HAD A LOT OF THE SCRIPTURES MEMORIZED 

SHE WAS UNASSUMING 

YET LOOK AT VERSE 28

Luke 1:28 NKJV

28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

THE ANGEL CALLED HER 

HIGHLY FAVORED ONE 

ANGEL SAID TO HER

THE LORD IS WITH YOU

BLESSED ARE YOU

Luke 1:29–30 NKJV

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

SHE WAS MEEK AND MODEST 

SHE WAS HUMBLE AND QUIET 

YET THE ANGEL CALLED HER 

HIGHLY FAVORED ONE 

SHE WAS 

Luke 1:31–33 NKJV

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give 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.”

YOU WILL CONCEIVE

YOU WILL BRING FORTH

Promise Declared (vv. 31–33)

The child’s name (Jesus)

The child’s identity (Son of the Most High)

The child’s kingdom (eternal reign)

WE LEARN THAT GOD PICKED HER

NOT TO PROVE HER WORTH, BUT TO PROCLAIM HIS WORTH

NOT TO SHOW WHAT SHE COULD DO, BUT WHAT GOD CAN DO

GOD EXALTS THE LOWLY FOR HIS GLORY.

GOD ENTRUSTS HIS WORK TO THE HUMBLE.

GOD POURS HIS GRACE ON THE LOWLY.

GOD EMPOWERS THOSE WHO BOW BEFORE HIM.

GOD LIFTS THE HUMBLE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES.

ARE YOU READY TO BE USED BY GOD? ARE YOU HUMBLE? ARE YOU UNASSUMING?

II. GOD USES THE UNDERSTANDING 

Luke 1:34 NKJV

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

YES SHE WAS

Young, but responsible

Poor, but faithful TO THE WORD

She was legally married,

though not yet living with Joseph

Breaking the betrothal required divorce

Sexual faithfulness was assumed

and strictly enforced

MARY SAID I DON’T UNDERSTAND. 

SHE WAS NOT GULLIBLE, BUT DISCERNING 

SHE HEARD THE IMPOSSIBLE 

SHE DID NOT SAY IT COULD NOT HAPPEN

SHE WANTED TO KNOW HOW?

WHAT ABOUT YOU DO QUESTION WHEN THINGS DON’T LINE UP WITH SCRIPTURE?

ARE YOU SEEKING UNDERSTANDING? BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD

THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS SAINTS 

TO TEST

TO DISCERN

AND EXAMINE WHETHER SOMETHING IS REALLY FROM GOD.

JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 7:15FF

TO BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS… YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM BY THEIR FRUITS.”

PAUL INSTRUCTED THE CHURCH IN COLOSSIANS 2:8

Colossians 2:8 NKJV

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

NOT EVERYTHING THAT CLAIMS TO BE SPIRITUAL 

IS FROM GOD. 

TESTING IS A CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY, 

NOT A LACK OF FAITH.

1 John 4:1 NKJV

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

PAUL TOLD THE SAINTS IN THESSALONICA 

1 Thessalonians 5:21 NKJV

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

DISCERNMENT INVOLVES BOTH EXAMINATION AND DISCERNING RETENTION.

AS PAUL WAS PREACHING AND TEACHING TO THE BEREAN

THEY, ACCORDING TO ACTS 17:11 

Acts 17:11 NKJV

11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

WHAT’S MY POINT

EVEN APOSTOLIC TEACHING WAS TESTED BY SCRIPTURE.

Isaiah 8:19–20 NKJV

19 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

GOD’S WORD IS THE STANDARD FOR TRUTH, 

NOT EXPERIENCE OR CLAIMS.

PAUL TOLD THE SAINTS IN GALATIANS 

Galatians 1:8–9 NKJV

8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

ANY MESSAGE THAT DISTORTS THE GOSPEL IS TO BE REJECTED

NO MATTER THE SOURCE.

THEREFORE THE ANGEL EXPLAINED

Luke 1:35–37 NKJV

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

BASED ON VERSE 37

GOD PLACES RESPONSIBILITY IN DISCERNING HANDS.

GOD ADVANCES HIS PURPOSES THROUGH SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION.

GOD MOVES THROUGH THOSE WHO SEE WITH SPIRITUAL CLARITY.

GOD USES THOSE WHO TEST, JUDGE, AND HOLD FAST TO TRUTH.

III. GOD USES THE UNDIVIDED 

Luke 1:37–38 NKJV

37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

ARE YOU WILLING TO? 

…which will pay the price, however much that may be... 

...which will go the distance, however far that may be... 

NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE.

ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD, LET IT BE.

DIRECT MY STEPS ACCORDING TO YOUR TRUTH.

SHAPE ME FOR YOUR GLORY.

ANSWERS TO GOD’S CALL

Abraham ANSWER: “HERE I AM.” (GENESIS 22:1) TRUTH: IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY AND OBEDIENCE, EVEN WITHOUT FULL DETAILS.

Moses ANSWER: “HERE I AM.” (EXODUS 3:4) TRUTH: GOD USES THE RELUCTANT WHO YIELD TO HIS CALL.

Samuel ANSWER: “SPEAK, LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS.” (1 SAMUEL 3:10) TRUTH: A HEART POSTURED TO LISTEN AND OBEY.

Isaiah ANSWER: “HERE AM I; SEND ME.” (ISAIAH 6:8) TRUTH: WILLINGNESS FLOWS FROM A LIFE CLEANSED AND TRANSFORMED BY GOD.

Mary ANSWER: “BEHOLD, I AM THE SERVANT OF THE LORD; LET IT BE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.” (LUKE 1:38)

H – Humility before God U – Utter dependence on God M – Mind shaped by God’s Word B – Brokenness and repentance L – Lowliness in hidden faithfulness E – Eternal focus (God’s glory first)

The Outward Life God Uses

S – Submission through obedience E – Endurance through suffering R – Readiness and availability V – Vision aligned with God’s purposes E – Exaltation of Christ, not self

ARE YOU READY TO BE USED BY GOD?

CONCLUSION: ARE YOU READY TO BE USED BY GOD?

HE USED NOAH TO PRESERVE HUMANITY

AND DISPLAY OBEDIENT FAITH IN A CORRUPT WORLD

HE USED ABRAHAM TO BEGIN GOD’S COVENANT PLAN

THROUGH FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

HE USED JOSEPH TO PRESERVE GOD’S PEOPLE

THROUGH WISDOM, SUFFERING, AND FORGIVENESS

HE USED MOSES TO DELIVER ISRAEL

AND REVEAL GOD’S LAW

HE USED JOSHUA TO LEAD GOD’S PEOPLE

INTO PROMISED POSSESSION

CAN HE USE YOU

ARE YOU

UNASSUMING?

UNDERSTANDING?

UNDIVIDED?

THIS IS NOT A QUESTION ABOUT PERFECTION,

BUT ABOUT SURRENDER.

GOD HAS ALWAYS USED ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO WERE WILLING TO YIELD THEIR HEARTS, RENEW THEIR MINDS, AND ALIGN THEIR LIVES WITH HIS WILL.

WHEN PRIDE IS LAID DOWN,

WHEN DISCERNMENT IS SHARPENED,

AND WHEN OBEDIENCE BECOMES OUR RESPONSE,

WE POSITION OURSELVES FOR GOD’S PURPOSES.

GOD IS STILL CALLING,

STILL COMMISSIONING,

AND STILL WORKING—

THE ONLY ISSUE THAT REMAINS IS OUR READINESS.

SO THE INVITATION STANDS:

EMPTY YOURSELF,

HUMBLE YOUR HEART,

SEEK UNDERSTANDING,

AND PRESENT YOURSELF TO GOD.

BECAUSE WHEN A LIFE IS FULLY SURRENDERED,

IT IS ALWAYS FULLY USABLE.