It's Not Me, It's You

Merry Christmas! I pray that your season is going very well and I pray that Jesus Christ is the center of your celebration. I know Christmas can be a difficult time for some for one reason or another and I want you to know that you are in my prayers and you are not alone.

Today’s message is titled It’s Not You, It’s Him. I’m sure many of you have heard or even used the phrase “It’s not you, it’s me,” when you were breaking up with someone at some point. Or, even worse, someone breaking up with you.

This message is not about someone breaking up with someone else. This is about the story where The Someone will do everything to not have a broken relationship with you.

Have you ever felt unqualified for something? I have! I’m not qualified to giving this message. That is why it is not my message, it is His message.

Luke 1:26–27 NIV

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:26-28

Luke 1:26–28 NIV

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

vs. 27 Luke uses the term virgin twice to emphasize the miracle that was about to happen. Luke knew what he was talking about that Mary was a virgin and not able to be pregnant. Luke was a doctor.

vs. 27 Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. They were engaged. To be engaged in this culture meant that you would need to get a divorce to end the relationship. See

Luke 1:28–30 NIV

28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:28–29 NIV

28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

Luke 1:28

I have always found this interaction between Mary and the angel very interesting.

vs. 28 Often throughout scripture when an angel appears it instantly says “Do not fear.” In this interaction the angel begins with “Greetings.”

vs. 29 Luke does not mention anything about Mary being scared. Now, Mary was troubled but she was troubled at what the angel said to her.

vs. 28 The angel says that Mary is highly favored. This troubles Mary as she knows she is not worthy to be “highly favored” and to have the Lord with her. She knew It’s not me, it’s you.

In Mary’s life she was favored because of the Lord’s undeserved grace. That is very much the case for you and I here today. It’s not me, it’s you!

vs. 30 The angel does get around to telling Mary not to be afraid.

Luke 1:31–33 NIV

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

The angel explains to Mary exactly what is going to be going on.

vs. 31 Jesus is equivalent to the Hebrew Yehoshua meaning “the Lord is salvation.

vs. 32 “Son of the Most High” means that Jesus was the Son of God himself. It was God who created life in Mary’s womb.

vs. 32 Joseph was a descendant of David

Luke 1:34-

Luke 1:34–37 NIV

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

vs. 34 Mary is making sure the angel understands who he is talking to. “Do you understand that I am a virgin. There is no humanly way that I can be pregnant.”

vs. 35 God the Holy Spirit will create life in her womb.

vs. 37 Please pay special attention to this verse. Every thing in the Word of God is true. Everything that God says will happen, will happen. Everything that God says you can do through him…it’s all true!

Luke 1:38 NIV

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary surrenders to the Lord’s will. She steps into the next chapter of her life acknowledging… “It’s not me, it’s You!”