Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: The Coming of the Magnificent Messiah

Go ahead and open up your Bibles to Luke chapter 1.

I've been spending some time looking at everything that leads up. who the birth the proclamation from the angels to Zacharia and Elizabeth John the Baptist in his job then to to carry the word to proclaim the way of the Lord.

We looked at John the Baptist last week. And then what that meant in that miraculous birth and I were looking at foretelling of Jesus and then what what happens there for me and Luke chapter 1 verses 26 through 56. Expect to get caught up emotionally and that's a little video but and it did this morning.

Don't forget me.

Let's go ahead and go to Heaven prayer father. I thank you so much for your word. I thank you for the gift of the savior others we look at this. We Proclaim his name and his glory and in your name in your glory and we proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ this morning. I pray that it'll be just that I put aside and that you were brought for other pray that as we read your words and we can we see the truth. It is in at the even speak to her heart. She would convict us he would move in US.

Father I pray that that that be the case that we see this we have a desire to share with others. tell all that will hear Jesus name I pray

Luke chapter 1 verse 26 doesn't the six-month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to city and got of Galilee name Nazareth the Virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and the virgin's name was Mary who favored one the Lord is with you. She was greatly troubled at the saying. And try to discern what sort of greeting this might be an angel said to her not be afraid Mary for you found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your room and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus and 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 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom and of his kingdom there will be no end. And Mary said to the angel, I will this be since I'm a virgin. An angel answered her the holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you there for the child will be born to be born will be called. Holy the Son of God behold your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived the Sun and this is the 6-month with her. It was called Baron or nothing will be impossible with God. And Mary said behold, I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word and the angel departed her. And in those days Mariah Rose went to the went with haste up until the Hill Country the town in Judah where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she explained that the loud voice 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 in 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. And Mary said my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God. My savior burritos looked on the humble estate of a servant for behold from now on all generations will call me blessed for he who is mighty has done great things for me. And is and holy is his name. And his Mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation is shown strength with his arm. Is scattered the proud in the thoughts of their heart and he's brought down the mighty from their Thrones and is exalted those of Humboldt State. He has filled the Hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped the servant Israel and remembrance of his mercy and you spoke to our fathers Abraham and his offspring forever and Mary remain with her for about three months and returned to her home.

This story this this truth. This is The Greatest Story Ever Told. It's the story of the Messiah the Lord God Almighty and his entry into the world to be the savior of the world in the magnificence of this miracle is beyond all measure. And is really it's mind-boggling to think that the god descended from Heaven God the sun descended from Heaven spent 9 months in the womb. right spent a lifetime growing up amongst the sinful people who he had watched for all of eternity reject him and reject him and reject him. He's still had enough. Love to say I'll be the sacrifice you. This story is so amazing.

Here is the foretelling of the coming of the Messiah the begotten of God, who is the Redeemer of the world? Write God in human form tempted in every way that we you and I are tempted. Yet never sending. Said to be the perfect sacrifice For All Mankind sins Jesus the savior of the world. This is him, right? He was born to die.

But in that born to die, he also died to rise again. right tide to rise again. Then he ascends into heaven 40 Days Later.

So that he may return triumphant redeeming his creation. How amazing is this story?

So when we see what's going on, we we we got to we got to kind of wrap all of this year. But this is all taking place in this one little chunk is this is the beginning of all of this. This happening the plan was in place from the beginning. Was never not God's plan to have Jesus come redeem us but here we see it starting to unwrap unravel unfold unwrap as you would say maybe this time of year. In verse 26 the angel Gabriel shows up to this young girl from a very small farming Village to tell her some incredibly shocking news. I can't even imagine.

Can't imagine what Mary must be going through but then I'm trying to think of it from the perspective of a dad. Right how okay my daughters of Mary Mary Mary gerbil age puts her somewhere between about 15 and 18 somewhere in that neighborhood in this in this culture and she says an angel has appeared to her and said that she is going to conceived by the Holy Spirit the son of God. I've already made the time to go out and have an arranged marriage with her with Joseph. The Carpenters kid, right? This is this is a done set boy. Oh, you know that the weight that must have come. To the family, you know unfriended by 23 people we saw on the little video. I would have been bigger than that. This would have been the talk of Martinsville. Gossip spreads fast was smaller. It's going to get there quick the weight of this. But here she is.

A virgin and she says that I am still a virgin to know. I'm I'm to fold kind of in that I'm of young marriageable age and I have never known a man sexually. I don't know what that's like here. She's she's saying all this she's betrothed. This is this is a legally binding agreement between families that ends in marriage. This is kind of an arranged marriage situation probably and and so she's she's got all this and she's she's trying to wrap this around her mind. Verse 28 when Gabriel addresses Mary is favored one and tells her the Lord is with you all that she said she's troubled. But that's only feared or afraid but troubled.

She can't understand why she's being greeted this way. I find it interesting. She's troubled most of the time we read encounters with angels in Scripture. Its first thing is they were afraid they were afraid. I don't know why it was in her the Holy Spirit working in her life already that she wasn't afraid but she was troubled confused. Why?

No other words for probably be there. I think about all the things that must been running through her mind trying to discern what's happening right now. Verse 38 real company says don't be afraid you have found favor with God that he perceives to tell her something that's had to even be more confusing than just an angel showing up right you will conceive a son. You should call him Jesus. He will be great and called the son of the most high and the Lord will give 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.

Can't can't fathom the questions running through this young lady is mine.

What has to be reeling through her head right now?

I just like what did you say what Me By Me Hold on but she landed on how can this happen since I'm still a virgin the answers that happened because you're still a virgin because it's miraculous. That's it. That's why it happened. Mary was chosen by God to be the host of his only begotten son. The child is conceived of the Holy Spirit God overshadows Mary and the child will be called. Holy the son of God. that's why you write in verse 36 Gabriel tells Mary of another miraculous pregnancy one. We looked at last week with Elizabeth Elizabeth's pregnancy with John. And in the first Gabriel gives a beautifully true statement. He says for nothing will be impossible with God.

The statement from Gabriel is so true. Nothing will be impossible with God. I think of of just some of the worries they're hitting our congregation right now. You got some folks that are that are weight weighted down with worry weighted down with frat weighted down with concern.

Life is heavy, right and and sometimes it weighs on his heavily. And we don't even know why they're there are mornings. I'll be honest I wake up and just why I don't want to do today. I guess, you know, that was the phrases I can't adult today. Well, I'm not going to use that as a verb, but I just I can't Verdes. I just I wake up and just I can't that's about as far as I can get I can't. Put on my britches put on my shirt and I go about it anyway, but I I don't feel ready to do it. cheap

we don't turn over all of the things that weigh us down to powerful God the way we should

we don't turn the God allow him to do his work. We we got to put up a wall against against God and and that's what makes Mary's response to a Gabriel is saying here so much more powerful. She says behold. I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word. This is surrender. Not much just compliance. There's a difference between compliance and surrender. All right, this is surrender. Let it be to me as your word. She has surrendered her will to the will of God and is allowing him to guide her life fully here. She doesn't get it doesn't understand any of this we read later and and Luke Chapter 2 that she just Potter's all these things in her heart. He doesn't get what's happening quite fully but she knows God's in charge and she's going to she's going to claim that she's going to hold on to that. Interesting is is there's really nothing particularly special about Mary. Now if that Catholic friends that probably doesn't go well, but there's there's the truth in that that she's just an average girl and an average Jewish Community serving a great God. There's nothing particularly special about her dad chose her because he chose her. It's all we really see him scripture is it you have found favor? Why did you find favor with God because God said you found favor with him. You might argue with God on that. I can't when she realized got a chosen for something special. She did this that her plans for her. We're greater than our plans for self. She responded. So appropriately by surrendering I look at this and I see our call out to God to be the exact same call that Mary has and verse 38 when we have an encounter with the word of God and then the truth in it. We should say just as she did behold. I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word. That should be my response to God as well. now we we get to this point where she's responded to this and Haven't heard anything about Joseph side of the story yet, but what's happening with him? Well, this is where the gospels take justice lightpath difference. Luke continues on to tell the story of Mary bully. Matthew is where we hear the story of Joseph. I was over Matthew chapter 1. Verses 18 through 25 is where we see Joe caecitis right now. I'm not going to flip over there if you want to that's great, but just the summary of it is that

Mary is told Joseph of her pregnancy. Write Daniel in this will be the first one to drop that news cuz the angel has to do some convincing of Joseph. Stay with Mary right? So so Mary just told you some of the pregnancy and he's upset. I could see that at that would that would make some sense. You're my wife or soon to be my wife and now you're telling me you're pregnant and

Roll a die. We know how this works, but if it's not been me. something wrong here understandably, so And in what I think is interesting about Joseph said he looks very quietly to keep both families from facing shame. And the way he goes about doing things quietly divorce her right a betrothal was was very contractual very Covenant based. He had one out and that was if she had been in Unfaithful there been infidelity on his part of her part. The divorce Could Happen, he's doing this this way he's going to quietly do it. Try to not bring is there's already shame to bring his little shame as he possibly can by doing it quietly not making a stink about it.

And in so he does this but in this time for the angel of the Lord comes to him in this dream.

And explain the situation to him and I like what Matthew 1:24 says it says when Joseph woke up from his sleep. He did his Angel the Lord commanded and he took his wife, but he knew or not until she had given birth to her son a call his name Jesus. Joseph's response to the word of the Lord was the exact same as Mary's. I'm your servant by the beatle me as you have said. According to your word he doesn't he doesn't shirk any duties. He doesn't stand back and go. Well. Okay. I'm not sure I'm ready for this guy. I want to argue with you. But no he surrenders. He does what Goddess it from to do again.

It wasn't like Joseph was particularly special.

I'm thinking you know, you and I are probably never going to have a direct Encounter With An Angel giving his commands from God. That's probably not likely to happen in our lives.

We do have his holy word and we can spend time and it daily we can look at it as we read the word of God. We are convicted by the word of God and as we are convicted by the word of God, we need to be obedient to what the word of God has commanded and that's what Joseph was. He was simply an obedient man to the word of God.

If we go back to verse 39 of Luke chapter 1 we see more of the Mary story. So Joseph has been made aware. Mary might have gone off to see Elizabeth because of the upsetness, but there was between her and Joseph and just all the all the Goodness, what now in our lives? I need somebody I can see counsel with so she goes off to Elizabeth and older relative that she knew she loved and she was going through some upheaval to I can't imagine being the woman is as it was earlier described in scripture is too old and Barren to have children now all the sudden pregnant while we do we're having miraculous babies. We're the only two people in the world have a miraculous babies at this point. We got to have each other so she goes to be with Elizabeth

And she's there in as Mary enters into the home the infant John leaves inside of Elizabeth swim love that John's whole purpose in life is to proclaim the coming of the Lord and he's doing it from the womb when Jesus is in the womb.

That works in such a spreadable amazing way that that they knew. Indian Elizabeth gets filled all the spirit and she calls out and cries out this blessing on Demaree and the blessing unto Jesus and the woman and verse 46 Elizabeth is blessing Mary. She recognizes her faithfulness and obedience and she says I'm blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord?

You believe the word of God and you will be blessed by it. But Mary is Elizabeth the same here to marry. I love that because it is a reminder that the Lord is faithful. He was to fulfill his word at that that's that's hard for us to sometimes. I understand. We have a lot of people Our Lives who don't fulfill what they say. They're going to fulfill Usher. I'll take care of that and then three months later she never done or six months later or whatever. We have people Our Lives who fail us and whatever reason our own sinful mind. We want to want to project their failure on to the failure of our God who never fails We we forget he's a guy to doesn't fail.

But we see this pattern throughout all of scripture. God is faithful to fulfill what he says he will do the faithfulness of God is is what should make our obedience to his word an easy decision. We see it we do it

I'm amazed with it. No matter how deeply I read scripture. And I see that God completes all of his tasks and he is faithful to keeping his word and he is faithful to fulfill his promises. I still don't find it easy personally to be obedient. It's tough. I don't know why it is my sinful nature, but my response should be going back 2 verse 38 just like Mary's behold. I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word. I don't. Don't do that.

upon hearing Elizabeth blessing Mary herself then burst out into this powerful prophetic song that we see in versus 46 through 55. And in his memory is is is praying this out loud singing this out loud. This this him.

I've just giving praise back on to God.

She starts to recognize what God is doing in her life right vs. 46 through 49. She recognized in a humble and lowly State before holy and just God. She's just a humble yourself for a moment. She recognizes and acknowledges. God is our savior. And even though she's blessing will be recognized as by others as bless. This is amazing. She knows her blessing is from God for his glory for His. Holy name. Pepper's 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me and His holy name. Has done great things for me and His holy name. She recognizes that this is for God sake she just happens to be a tool in the hands of God at this moment. I love that. How often do we take a blessing and recognize it as some guy but forget that it was for his sake. Forget that blessing he gave us wasn't just for us but is also for him.

I need to remember these things. Tuning Autumn 53-52 Mary Praises God for his mercy and his strength and how he brings the proud to humility.

I ain't she says that you showed strength with his arm and he has scattered the proud of the thoughts of their hearts.

In doing just those sorts of things as it's recognizing that. We have to remember something though looking for 50, right those who fear the Lord will have this reverent humble obedience and know the rightful place before the creator of all universe and God's Mercy is on them.

We go to God. Are we humble are we are we reverence rehearsal? He is the God of all creation, you know. Get in trouble dad because you don't have a key. I'm parked you into this world. I can take you out and I can make another one looks just like it you needed say that. It what is true is God saying it? any kin

it's merciful upon him and not do that with us.

But it's for those who just follow him and fear Him and love him. And I love it. It says he fills the Hungry with good things and allows the rich to it. Go away empty-handed. That's what that's a tough bit of scripture to read. Sometimes you think about that. Another at the end of a 52 into 53, but I think about that. He fills the Hungry with good things. It's not just food is filling the Hungry with because people aren't just hungry for food.

He's telling people who are hungry for the word with the goodness. That is the word. He's feeling people who are hungry for a peace that surpasses understanding with a piece on their humble before him. He's feeling people who are hungry for comfort with Comfort is filling a people who are desperate for salvation with a savior. All of this is happening.

How he treats the rich when you send them away empty-handed, you know, we come before God thinking we know more than God we're going to get what we deserve.

We don't deserve anything from me. That's the way the rich are approaching him. Verses 54 through 55 Mary sings about God fulfilling his promises to redeem Israel and make his name great among the Nations.

This is this is it is helpful. Servant Israel in remembrance of his Mercy as he spoke to our fathers to Abraham and his offspring forever.

To hear here. We have the proclamation of what God is doing.

Old Testament God was using Israel to be a witness to him and his power and his brightness is salvation among all the nations. They were to be a priesthood among all the people.

I didn't do it it didn't they didn't live up to it. The way God needed him to Jesus now is the great high priest to all people. This is that fulfillment of that through My People Israel still not as making this great high priest this salvation available to everyone right? We see this and here it is. The Fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ the Fulfillment of the law the Fulfillment. Enjoy in a piece all these things coming in Christ.

Luke chapter one is is thick. It's so full of so much here. I look at it and I just

I see so much. Claiming of of John coming and John's job to proclaim the coming Lord get yourselves right for the Lord comes the Messianic age is being ushered in obey the word of God all to it. Get yourself prepared humble yourselves.

Then Mary being told that she's going to be pregnant with with a child conceived of the Holy Spirit. How old I am the servant of the lion your servant?

Let it be to me according to your word and she just humbles herself there before God in this. We see these two miraculous births. I'm too ordinary families.

The first family Zechariah and Elizabeth son will usher in the age of the Messiah.

The second family Joseph and Mary their son is the messiah.

What is amazing is that when you read this neither family had done anything prior to the miraculous announcements in their lives to really Garner any favors God. We don't see a story of Joseph in any of these gospels. Other than the obeyed God when the angel spoke to him. There's nothing leading up to this moment. Just before this prophecy happens in this life. We don't see anything about Mary leading up to this moment before this prophecy happened in her life. You don't receive anything about Zechariah and Elizabeth other and we know he was a priest and he was doing his Priestly duties and it she came from a line of priest. She was serving him and serving the temple. We don't see any of this. Plain Ordinary People Who if if we were a people who believed in circumstance are people who believe in chance rather than the Providence of God, we would have them to say that they were just in the right place at the right time.

Hearing God's place in God's time.

And they were chosen by God. Or his own namesake for his own Glory. Do this task?

I love it when they were confronted by the word of God, they were spotted with obedience and willingness to serve no Zacharias struggled a little bit with that, you know until after John was born it is how it worked. How to wake you up I woke him up the prophecy that he made about John about Jesus after John was born and they were presenting him to be to be named and circumcised was was great.

But they responded with obedience and willingness to serve God. To both of these families recognize our place before the Lord God Almighty and they remain humble and remain quiet and they reflected deeply on the word of God and acted on what they heard. Calling them God calling them to do.

We've been in and small group reading through the book of Nehemiah and we got into chapter 8 and 9 and chapter 8 and 9 is is when the seven eight nine or a really love the people in the book of Nehemiah. You're the word of the Lord for the first time coming out of the Babylonian captivity and in in that There's crying out and there's weeping and there's this greatness that going on and there's repentance and the people say we're not obedient to the word of God. The word of God says we are to do this. We have 11 days to get this prepared and do it. We're going to do it and I do it may celebrate a command of the Lord in the insult during the Feast of booths. Coming out of the Feast of booths. They've been at this time of of public confession. As the body of Israel, they're all standing around in Jerusalem in Judea in injured and they're in their they're proclaiming their failures before a holy and just God.

They're making the way for the Lord to work in their lives.

Mary and Joseph Ryan Elizabeth made way for the Lord to work in their lives. They reflected upon the word of God and I acted on what they heard God calling tonight.

You don't act on the word of God too often. We certainly don't act on the word of God often enough.

I'm I'm guilty. I am I'm as guilty as is anybody on this cuz I have used the phrase. Let me pray about that as a way of trying to deny what I already know. God wants me to do.

I'm not it really admit it like for you to let me pray about that.

But I know what the word says. I know what I'm supposed to do. I'm back peddling. Let me not be a back-pedal Jesus. Let me not do that. I cannot imagine, you know of the things that I know God is is is brought into my life. God has given me opportunities to do doors that God is open for me. None of them have ever been nearly as confusing as being a young teenage girl virgin pregnant by the Holy Spirit carrying the Messiah and I want a back pedal.

And she says behold I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word.

Why am I not that courageous? Why am I not that brave to just understand that God is in control? And if he said it I need to do it.

Why am I not that way?

Very statement there in verse 38 beyond all of our hearts. All of our lips so very often. It should be the call out for us every morning. It should be our response to God always behold. I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word when we wake up tomorrow morning. I wake up for my afternoon nap behold. I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word. I should be saying this I should be believing this.

Here's the simple statement. Of what we should not just say, but we should do in our lives. As followers of Jesus Christ as Believers Christ. We are called to surrender to Jesus the king.

This week is what is reflecting. We're thinking about Advent. We're thinking about the coming of Jesus were thinking not just us as they were preparing the here in the scriptures the way for his birth, but we people of Christ be preparing others for the second coming of the great king the return of our King. We should be preparing them. Are we waking up every day saying ourselves in our hearts and our minds behold? I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word and my preparing the way for the Lord of my life that way. Are you preparing the way for the Lord in your life that way?

Is my conviction over the scripture this week? That was my my prayer for myself. Let me be the guy saying that.

I'm going to ask her to be your prayers. Well, that's my challenge is what challenged me. Are you saying to God behold? I am the servant of the Lord let it be to me according to your word.

Father I thank you.

Thank you that you allow us to be your servant that that you choose Ordinary People to do extraordinary things for your name for your glory for your might.

Father is we enter into this time of reflection and we enter this time of invitation. What's up be our hearts? We want to truly surrender is your servant. Let It Be according to us

As it is in your word.

Speak to us challenges convictus. Jesus name I pray amen