Sunday Service

Lord we sit in silence now. to hear your word And Lord, we have no power to make anything happen. I have no strength. No power to change. Anybody's Heart by Your Word to see anybody say by Your Word.

But our eyes are on you. Our attention is on you. Our focus is on you we sit in silence.

That we might hear your voice spoken through your work. Let us be true to it. Let us be accurate with it. Let us be filled with your Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit. Come upon us to hear to understand to know it more than ever before and a strengthened me to speak it. According to your truth according to your word and in your power and we pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.

I saw this morning. We're going to take a break, of course from our study and John to look at the birth of Christ last year. We we looked at the manger scene and we talked about why was it that Jesus was laid in a manger and what some of the symbolic significance of that was when The Good Shepherd and the bread of life came to Bethlehem the house of bread and was laid in the very place where the Sheep go to find food statement a statement of what his life would entail of what he came to do. There's a lot more that could be set on that. There's a lot more that could be said and what we're going to go through this morning, but we have hopefully I pray got many many Christmases together to go through these things this morning. I want us to look at the announcement of Christ's birth in Luke chapter 1 verses 26 through 38 and I've title this Greetings. Oh Grace one, the announcement of a child to be born is an absolutely beautiful thing. It's a beautiful thing. We always try to make a big deal of it when we have a child born in our family and making that announcement but the announcement of the birth of Christ is a miracle of unmatched beauty that is situated in the midst of common life. a Jewish reader seeing this scene reading this text seeing what is taking place would drop his job in amazement that Gabriel passed over Judea and Jerusalem in the temple for an undesirable town in Galilee. You would think that the mother of Christ would come from Noble stuck in Jerusalem. Perhaps the daughter of a priest. But God chose a poor girl in Nazareth. No doubt in early teen giving her life situation too young to have made a name for herself yet her accomplished much to be recognized or known not a Jerusalem girl with nobility but a Nazareth girl from a halfway. Stop Town between the port cities of sidon and tear. full Travelers full of Gentiles full of drifters rather than coming to the temple Gabriel comes to the home of this poor girl betrothed to a poor man. And what we see here is the greatest news news saturated saturated with Old Testament. Hope and Promises fulfilled we can even we're going to see a lot of that this morning. We can't even scratch the surface of it though. Not in the time we have for a service. And this news came to the poor and humble. Antichrist birth nine months later the news came to poor and humble Shepherds a beautiful picture of who Christ came to serve humble people who cannot make it without him. Cuz that's all we are regardless of our Earthly background regardless of our education or our social status.

Until we recognize our weakness and spiritual lack. We have no part in the promises of Christ. At least not the good ones.

So as we walked through this text the main point is this. The birth of Christ reveals that he comes to the poor and humble to create a people who are fully submitted to following him. So let me read with you Luke chapter 1 verses 26 through 38.

In the 6-month, that's a 6-month of Elizabeth's pregnancy carrying John the Baptist in the sixth month. The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee names Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and the virgin's name was Mary and he came to her and said greetings favored one or literally in the Greek greetings also graced one with favor. The Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled the saying and try to discern what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her. Do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God. You have been graced with favor from God. And behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus meaning salvation. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high and the Lord. God 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 winds. Mary said to the angel. How will this be since I'm a virgin? The 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 called. Holy the son of God. And behold your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived the Sun and this is the 6-month with her who was called Barren for nothing will be impossible with God. And Mary said the whole on the servant of the Lord, let it be according to your word and the angel departed from her.

So as we walked through this text. Point number one out of verses 26 through 30 is this Christ comes to the humble and lowly is a child of promise. child of promise

verse 26 in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee called Nazareth. So this is the sixth month of Elizabeth pregnancy carrying John the Baptist as the previous narrative text as shown and a verse 36 very clearly reveals and Gabriel serves as an angel of great faithfulness and great responsibility and he gives his credibility back in verse 19 does Zechariah saying what is announcing the the pregnancy of John the Baptist the birth of John the Baptist. I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and some credibility and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you good news. Is he being in and being aware of the presence of God leads us to be faithful because we see things in perspective.

If we don't value God's word and we don't value God's truth. The real problem is a lack of being in the presence of God.

Because the more were in his presence if we love him the more we will value his work the more we will value his truth the more faithful we will stay to it and that's exactly what Gabriel did Gabriel has a proven track record already. This is the Angel who appeared to Daniel in Daniel chapter 9 and spoke to him on behalf of God prophesying world events. That would come any laid out a pattern of how the world would operate as the World rides in the labor pains have seen New Life bursting forth with God's Redemptive plan.

Laid out this pattern. Is Kings of the earth exalt themselves against God? And against God's people and persecute the Saints off and bring some sort of abominable desolation.

Amendments enemy becomes defeated this the pattern that we've seen throughout the intertestamental. From the end from the time of Daniel up to this time in Christ. The pattern is picked up in Revelation been this enemies defeated God brings Deliverance. We see this pattern historically it's taken place over the last few hundred years since Daniel.

When the prophecy of Daniel leading up to Christ the people have been oppressed they were heavily persecuted by the Greeks and anticus epiphanies had desecrated the temple slaughtering a pig on the altar in desecrating God's temple with an abominable desolation. And God brought Deliverance. He took him down the people ended up winning back the religious freedom the story of Hanukkah.

But now they lived under Roman rule. Where they have some freedom in Rome, but it was far from ideal as a weary Isreal waited for their savior. Saint Gabriel shows up to bring a message. We see reliability and significance as to how God is going to carry out his Plan of Salvation for his people. That's something that we can see with the aerial view. We have looking at this scripture verse 27. We can anticipate this becomes sent from God to a city called Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David and the virgin's name was Mary.

So the message comes to a virgin woman in Nazareth is betrothed to Joseph which is a legally-binding engagement the required a divorce to break off and then we often hear that being engaged was like being married at that time. But how does that work? And I want us to take a moment and dig a Little Deeper here so that we're not satisfied just a surface level of this so that we know for ourselves so that we're not just Taking what we've heard over and over again, but we're actually understanding this. Because I want us to see to truly understand this text and understand the situation that Mary and Joseph were in I want us to better understand the birth of Christ and Abby a more well-informed church so that we're growing because the more we understand these things clearly we develop the capacity to know Christ better and more intimately. So here's how the first century Jewish betrothal would work is how it happened. It's not that uncommon from other ancient day but Robles so you have a father who's seeking for a wife for his son? Okay, and so is son comes of age to marry and so he goes looking for a wife to find for a son to son gets some say more than the daughter gets better than the Sun. So once he finds her do you start negotiating with the father of the potential brought in Savannah in this negotiation? They said a dowry price because the reason is every person of working age in a household in those times. Was very important financially to that family and soda lose a member of that household to lose a working member of that household was a pretty big financial and so the Father of the Bride was going to take a big Financial hit if he marries off his daughter while the father of the groom would gain a valuable worker for his household and increase his income. So it would be financially beneficial for him. So what they would do was they would agree on a dowry price to try to even out those finances for the sake of the bride's family. I'm so

that's that's the Dowry lanceolate work out a deal to settle that difference and then the groom sets illegal Dothan agreement. And so at this point, they're legally married. They're legally married and it would require now you got money involved. You got legal documents involved. It requires a formal legal divorce to separate and break off this betrothal. And so then that's the first stage. The next stage would happen in a Jewish wedding is there deal wedding ceremony where the procession of the wedding party ushering in the couple to the bride and groom's Chambers where they would they would go and they would consecrate consummate the marriage? And you have the best man standing outside waiting for a shout and when the groom would let out the shout it seems kind of awkward but this is how they did it in that day. The groom would let out a shout and then the best man would inform everybody that the marriage is complete and then if there'd be more celebrating now all stages have been done. The marriage has been consummated and now we celebrating feast and drink wine and be merry and that's kind of how they would how they would perform a Jewish wedding. That's what John the Baptist explains and John 3:29 by saying when he sees Christ people coming to him the one who has the bride is the bridegroom the friend of the by bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at The bridegroom's Voice. Therefore this Joy of mine is now Complete because he sees Christ being bonded with his people. Just what he came to do in his job is now done. He must increase but I must decrease

so that's what Christ would come for to redeem. His bride is church. And so at this stage with Mary and Joseph she was a virgin the marriage was in place, but the wedding ceremony and consummation had not yet taken place. She's legally set to marry him. And this is who God chose to be the fleshly mother and adoptive stepfather. And Lucas careful to note that Joseph was from the lineage of David and this is very interesting. It's Joseph's lineage that traces back to David which we know the Messiah was going to come through David where God was going to stablish and eternal Kingdom. This is the Fulfillment of God's covenant with David that there would always be a ruler from his lineage on the throne established through David 2nd Samuel. 7:16. God says to David in your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me your throne shall be established forever.

See reading through the Old Testament. We see first in Genesis 3 that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the seed of The Serpent and set things aright. We then learn this going to come through Noah and Abraham Isaac Jacob. We learn it's going to come through Judah then we saw the promised one would come through David and sit on the throne forever. That's why Matthew traces the lineage of Jesus Through Joseph to begin his gospel. To reveal all of this. What's fascinating the Jesus was born of a virgin woman? But the daviduk lineage came through Joseph the Earthly adoptive father. So what's that say about adoption in the eyes of God? Share this before adoption is a covenant as thick as blood and Christ chose to have his Earthly lineage come through a man who would not be his biological father, but who would have dumped him and raise him in the human sense? And this has a profound impact on the way that we should do adoption of children. It should have a profound impact on your sense of belonging to a family if you are an adopted child. It also shows the Deep validity of our own salvation. Because when we surrender Our Lives to Christ. How do we become children of God? Dumped it. Is Ayers Ayers of God's promised that he believed that he delivered through Christ Galatians 4 4 through 7, but when the fullness of time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who are under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons and because you are Sons God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba Father. So you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son than an air through God We are heirs by adoption as God's children just as Christ chose to be an heir to the throne of David through adoption by Joseph. verses 28 through 29 and he came to her Gabriel comes to Mary and said Greetings. Oh favored one or old graced one. The Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be some areas grated in a way that's kind of similar to Gideon in judges 6:12. The address was awkward for Gideon to be called a mighty man of Valor because he's in hiding on this threshing floor at night hiding from the midianites who are oppressing them and he was from a seemingly insignificant Clan kind of timid. Mary finds the phrase in a similar way just awkward and troubling because she's thinking how am I highly favored and graced by God? I live in this. Little small town a poor young girl is not really made any kind of name for herself in society and you're speaking to me. Like I'm some person who's just God is just extravagantly lavish disgrace on

What's fascinating to I think I should note this.

The Catholic church is created an entire Doctrine. based on a botched translation from the Greek into the Latin on this text. It's been very well-documented that it was botched where they were the angel they bought it and say that the that Mary is a dispenser of Grace that didn't even become a Catholic Doctrine until under Pope Pius the 9th and 18 and it was fully based on an error that was made in translation.

Very sad mistake, that's let a lot of people to put their hope in the wrong things because the text is very clear that throughout this whole thing. Disgrace this favor. It's fully Mary being.

a recipient of God's grace figured I should share that Lourdes put that on my heart.

And so she's thinking I'm just a poor insignificant girl. How is God graced me so much. verse 30 And the angel said to her. Do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor. You've been graced with favor with God.

So she's shown favor and both times this word appears here. It comes from the Greek word Charis meaning Grace. But she's favored with Grace from God this type of statement calls to my Noah in Genesis 6:8 besides but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord Moses and Israel in Exodus 33:16 for how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight. I am your people is it not in you're going with us so that we are distinct and your people from every other people on the face of the Earth God showing Grace to his people and bringing great works of Deliverance and here is married under God's grace getting to have a part in the greatest work of Deliverance to ever happen the Deliverance that both the Ark in the flood and the exit pointing forward to all alone. The Deliverance that would come through Christ.

I noticed this is not because of some great works performed by Mary herself. She's covered in God's grace. And even startled when the angel addresses are this way cuz she's sitting there thinking would have I done. What have I done to even get this kind of Grace? That's what Grace is, right? And when you live under his grace his Destiny his tasks for you is his to choose and that's what we see with Mary here and you're to follow him be obedient to him and if you live without that perspective. What's up seeking God's path in God's will for you. You live in Rebellion to God. By embracing his grace you find yourself blessed beyond what we can measure and Mary was truly blessed. Think about this think of a bond that a mother has with her child as she carries her in the womb. Can you think of a more sacred and safe should be safe place a more Sanctuary like placed in all of the earth than the womb of a mother. It's a beautiful thing. God actually designed a woman for their body to physically transform for the purpose of him knitting together a child and bringing life into that child. It's amazing and think of the bond that that woman gets with the child while that's happening and Mary. Simply because of God's grace on her got to have that kind of connection with Jesus. That's amazing.

She was truly blessed she got to carry him in that womb with a special intimate Bond. And even after he was born think about this the human DNA that God chose to place on himself was human DNA that was patterned after her with a person would look into the face of God made flesh. They would see features of Mary's face. That's amazing. What an amazing recipient of Grace

Talk about adorned and true beauty.

She even got to share physical features some of the physical features of God made flesh. That's amazing and it's all because of God and it's all because of his grace. She's truly blessed among women not because of something special. She's done. But because that is just the way God's grace works and it is amazing.

And this kind of Grace is offered to you because Christ came in the flesh and because he died for you. I mean, this is how amazing God's grace goes to such extent that we can't even wrap our mind around it. We can't even dream up the things that God has in store for us for what no eye has seen what year is heard great things that God has in store for his children. That brings us to point number two out of verses 31 through 38 Christ came to make a new creation with a people fully submitted to him. Look at Mary's submission to him as we get to it verse 31 first and behold you will conceive in your room and their assigned and you shall call his name Jesus. Literally you shall name him salvation. This is the long-awaited savior and Messiah and elsewhere. We see Joseph declare that name there by legally setting himself up as the adoptive father verses 32 to 33.

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 others Kingdom. There will be no end. He will be great. Is already declared earlier in the chapter that John the Baptist would be great before God but this one this one Jesus would carry an unmatched greatness an unmatched unique this like this world has never seen. Say John was born when God open the womb of a barren woman and God has done this before many times the loom of an older woman. God has done this before with Sarah. But he was born into a normal birth with normal parents right with Jesus. God opened the womb of a virgin.

And he was born not as the son of Zechariah like John the Baptist not as the son of Joseph, but the son of the god most high. Referring to God as most high is a commonly used name for God in the Old Testament that serves as a reminder in a polytheistic World Polly. Multiple Thoth God polytheistic world that worships multiple gods but there is only one most high one true God and this Jesus married this Jesus Mary. He is the Eternal Son of God most high.

And God will give him the Throne of his father David. This is the promise Son of God and Son of David. This isn't direct fulfillment of the prophecy. We just read that God would establish his throne of David forever from 2nd Samuel 7:16 in your house. All remember this is such a significant passage in the Old Testament and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me your throne shall be established forever. He shall reign forever that Echoes that verse that passage Daniel chapter 7 13 through 14 this become so famous as we've studied through John right when the son of man comes to the Ancient of Days and dominion and a kingdom is given to him and for the Saints to rain forever. A child born to redeem God's people and establish Eternal rain through the seed of David. Just as God promised and Isaiah 9 verses 6 through 7. See you're seeing multiple Old Testament passages coming to get it. We're just scratching the surface.

Isaiah 9:6 through 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 and of the increase of his government and a piece. There will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish and uphold it with Justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The Zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Here it is. Verse 34 Mary said to the angel. I will this be since I'm still a virgin.

Literally, how can this happen since I've never known a man sexually.

previously when Zachariah questions Gabriel, he was left mute for his lack of face Gabriel left Daniel speechless to Mary doesn't seem to lack face, but She seems to ask a legitimate question because her response at the end is on the Lord's servant so do with me as you please I'll follow so I think she's asking a legitimate question here. And that's a model for how we go about following God's plans for us not with a lack of faith both the question, okay. You're calling me to this. So how do I go about carrying this out? Leave me in this?

Take the next step. That's where God is with a lot of you this morning take the next step and it might be a step of surrendering your life to him. It might be a step of some sort of service to the church service. What's that next step for you? Ask God to give you the strength to do it in the wisdom to know what that is first 35.

Gabriel explains at the angel said to her the holy spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you there for the child will be to be born will be called. Holy the Son of God. So Gabriel explains this by revealing that she's going to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit Exodus 40:34 speaks of the Tabernacle saying then the cloud-covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and now just as the glory of God filled the Tabernacle with an overwhelming presence. So the glory of God Build an Overstock overshadow this Tabernacle. So the glory of God would fill and overshadow the Tabernacle of the Virgin room Square dog would temporarily make his presence like you did in the Tabernacle in redeeming his people through this new Exodus delivering us from the bondage of sin.

It also tells us a mother's womb is a sacred place. Just as God brought deliverance and Life to his people as he dwelt in a tabernacle and overshadowed that Tabernacle. So he brings life to people as he performs them in the mother's womb and Jesus put himself through this process in order to experience the full measure of human life from conception through a full pregnancy to a Manger to the Cross to the grave and a make a way for us if we follow him to the right hand of the Father in heaven. And woe to the person who would invade the womb to harm a child. And what I think is probably the most sacred place on Earth. We're God intimately knits together people at their most vulnerable time. And what blows me away about Christ hears that he was so humble. But he chose to put himself in that same vulnerable position. We think about this logically this has huge huge ethical ramifications for us. Because it tells us very plainly then at what point God views life as beginning. I'm so you can't get away from this with in a Biblical perspective at conception. Not at 5 weeks not at 10 weeks not at 20 weeks not a partial-birth not outside the womb or when the baby comes out. You see if God didn't just beginning at conception. He would have begun at some other points in order to experience a full true human life. What Society wants to reduce life to a mere location makeup of a human? But you're a few inches over here outside of the woman's belly. So you're a human. But you're a few inches over there inside of the woman's belly. So guess what because of your location. You're not a human what defies common sense it defies logic. Location does not determine species. Location doesn't determine life. Your stories of people being buried alive on this side of the grass doesn't necessarily mean better life is like saying anybody who lives in this location I can kill because that person is not a human.

At least let's be honest. If you trace us out logically what Society is really saying is if it's a 1in child is human if it's not enough if it's an unwanted child if nobody wants this kid. It's inhuman and we can kill him or her.

So, where do you draw that line? Cuz it Doesn't in there it always snow balls and there is no in once you open the door, it continues to escalate and that barometer will always be pushed and history loseit. sister testimony of our sinful nature

That we inherited through Adam. the Christ kept his Purity being born . But Society has proven history has proven that barometer will always be pushed toward increasing brutality toward the most vulnerable people in the society both The Unborn and the born because of our sinful nature once you open that door, there is no stopping. And it will always continue to spiral. Until God intervenes with a great Act of Deliverance in the midst of persecution and desolation being done by Wicked rulers and people that Christ was born without that sinful nature being born of a virgin. He inherited the Throne of David through adoption, but what he didn't inherit was the sinful nature that comes to ride him fully humans but conceived differently. He was truly the beginning of a new creation that he offers to make you by his grace Romans 5:12 there for justice in came into the world through one man and death through spend so death spread to all men because I'll send all men born in Adam send that he continues in verses 18 through 19 in Romans 5. Therefore has one trespassed led to come condemnation for all men. So one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by one man's Disobedience, the many were made Sinners. So by the one man's obedience, the mini will be made righteous.

Can't get away from being born in sin Kenya mice your Christ.

Christ was born fully human. But as the true Son of God rather than the true son of Adam. It truly was the perfect and spotless Lamb of God. Take away the sins of the world inmate make people knew that can be you.

Verses 36 through 38 and behold your relative Elizabeth and 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. Jesus says that too doesn't he? And Mary said behold on the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word of the Angel departed from her. So I'm hearing this message Mary response and total surrender to the will of God a beautiful example of Faith Desiring that God's word comes to fruition in our lives. What praying in the garden shortly before his crucifixion Jesus spoke words reminiscent of this and Luke 22:42 father if you're willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but yours be done. That's what comic becoming a new creation in Christ will do for you. It'll begin changing your desires to follow him because you're So Satisfied in him. Is there anything in this world to satisfy you? Are you sensing the urgent need to follow him now don't ignore that call. Matt Holy Spirit urging you to be safe. Whatever you are today from the Virgin womb to the Cross to the right hand of the father. Jesus is paved the way for you if you'll follow him. So after I close and prayer will take just a moment. Reflect on our own situation with God. If you have a decision that you want to make public you want to join the church. You want to surrender your life to the Lord? I invite you to come talk with me. Let me play with you.

Dear heavenly father. We thank you so much.

But you truly are the promised child.

He was giving us the opportunity to be errors of your kingdom here adoption into your family, but we just pray that you will draw us to Greater appreciation of you greater knowledge of you greater. Awareness of your presence and then of your who were here that aren't in you that you would save them this morning and we pray these things in Jesus name.

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