Journey to the Manger week 2 - Favor
Journey to the Manger • Sermon • Submitted
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· 15 viewsGod's "favor" dosen't always feel like favor!
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Intro -
Welcome everyone! I love Christmas! - something funny
On a journey - We are on an advent journey towards a wonderful celebration of Christ’s birth. Along the way we are stopping to enter into the story of Christ’s arrival.
Powerful story -
human - It’s a very human story. One that relates to all of us at the deepest level.
It’s a scandalous story for many reasons, some of which we will talk about today.
It’s true. And it’s true!!!
Started with promises, next comes the favor — Last week we started this journey by talking about God’s promises, today we pick up the story in
Scripture
Background - The writer of Luke is identified as a first century physician and historian. We also believe he wrote the book of Acts. He starts his book by saying:
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.
God has favored you!
b. God has favored you!
God desires to give you his favor!
My hands have made both heaven and earth;
they and everything in them are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.
The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”
FAVOR? - Can we have a conversation about this for a minute?
Marry Just recieved a promise from God that has the potential to ruin her entire life.
At the very least misunderstood
Jewish law would have said?
Joseph!!!!
Are we sure this is favor?
3 big ideas about God’s favor
Sometimes, God’s favor doesn’t feel like favor at all!
disciplining my kids
story of loosing something
God’s Favor is a weaved together story, not a one time event
The word favor is all the same word translated in the new testament as grace.
- “All things” - vs 29 so that the character of Christ may be formed in us!
To Experience God’s favor fully you must acknowledge and accept it!
Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.
Galatians 4: