The Salvation Announcement

Book Context: Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke. He wrote these things to make sure that we might be certain about the things that have been written about Jesus.

Prior Context: Luke’s introduction gives Theophilus and us a great certainty that the things we will read are true and sought for carefully.

M.O.T: Evangelistic

C.I.T: The mighty one has done great things for his people, our Lord has come.

Thesis: We have a song of praise to sing, because our Lord has brought salvation within himself.

“The Announcement of Salvation”

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Introduction:

1. There are some great announcements that have taken place in this world throughout history. Many of you may not know some of these but that doesn’t mean they aren’t significant. Like the announcement that the United States president JFK had been assassinated on TV. The announcement that man had landed on the moon in 1969. The announcement that the twin towers had been attacked on 9/11. Paul revere came announcing “the British are coming”. There are many worldwide historical announcements that are famous. What about personally? Things in your life that brought about changing your world through an announcement or declaration. My parents announced to me that they were getting a divorce, they announced to me as my new stepparents that they were going to have kids. Told me I was moving schools, many of you can identify with these. Maybe you’ve had someone in your family announce things that have shaken you up. Or encouraged you! Like, we’re going on vacation. There are some small ones as well. I remember going to school through high school, and I always looked forward to the announcement at the end of the day because it meant I got to go home. Or the announcement that school was cancelled because of bad weather, those announcements were great.

2. Public announcements and declarations can change lives, and the greatest announcement ever declared was when Jesus Christ was announced by the Angel Gabriel that he would be born. The savior of the world was announced to a virgin teenage girl who would carry and give birth to a savior. There are three declarations we see from these passages about Jesus. Each come from a different person, one from an Angel, and the other two from these women Elizabeth, and Mary.

#1 Gabriel announces, The Birth of the Savior Jesus. He is great and the Son of the Most High

1. This is taking place in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist. Let’s get the picture in our minds. Zechariah went to do his priestly duty’s; this is when he is met with an Angel who declares to him that his wife Elizabeth will have a son who will prepare the way for the Messiah by announcing he has come. Zechariah doesn’t believe but doubts and is silenced until John is born as his punishment. It has been six months since this happened, six months has gone by and Zechariah can’t speak to anyone with words. Elizabeth is six months pregnant; she is beginning to show, and a baby bump is there. Zechariah is at home working still mute. You getting the picture here? Now another Angel is sent by God to Nazareth which is where Mary is from. Nazareth was a worthless place in all honesty. Nobody cared about Nazareth, it was insignificant, unimportant, and located at a place no one hardly knew was there. Yet God chose Mary who lived in this village, this insignificant place. What does this teach us about God? God uses the things which everyone deems as worthless to accomplish his work. Listen teens, it doesn’t matter how many sins you’ve committed, how awful or great you think you are. If you were born in a wealthy family or not. Jesus was born to this young poor girl from insignificant Nazareth, so that he might die on a cross and be risen from the dead so you and I could be forgiven of our sins and be adopted as Sons and Daughters to God. Don’t think you’re outside the reach of God’s grace, you can be saved by Jesus through repentance and faith in Jesus.

2. The Angel comes and says greetings favored woman! This means it was by God’s grace she was chosen, not because of who she was or wasn’t. The word means “favor was bestowed on”. If you’re saved today do you know it was because God had unmerited favor on you? Meaning it wasn’t because of you that you got saved and forgiven, but because of God and his great mercy and grace. Unmerited, meaning unearned, you can’t earn it!

3. Now he tells her that she will conceive and give birth to a Son. Mary was a virgin, you guys aren’t to young to understand. It takes a man and a woman to make a Child. That’s the way God designed it, that’s the way biology teaches us which God created. Marriage was designed only for one man, one woman, for life. Anything apart from that is not God’s design, it is sin. But she was a virgin engaged to a man but had no sexual relations as the Bible states. In other words, it was biologically impossible for her to be pregnant. But the angel said she will conceive and have a baby that will be called “Son of the Most High”. And this Angel was sent by God so this message is from God, therefore it must be true. What does this announcement mean of this boy that would be born? He would be the highest of all in status. We are a culture that loves status and authority. We love to have authority but don’t like to submit to authority. That why police are hated, presidents, anyone who tells you what to do. Jesus has no authority to submit to because he is the highest. The highest status belongs to Jesus. Jesus is the highest authority, the highest in worth, the highest in glory, holiness, Jesus is great. The Angel said he would be great, I can’t describe this enough or well enough, but Jesus is GREAT! And this great savior has just been announced to this poor servant girl named Mary from little ol’ insignificant Nazareth. The greatest and highest Son of the most High would be born in a poor and humble condition. Why? To be like the least of us so he could live a perfect life and die for our sins.

#2 Elizabeth announces, Jesus is Lord

1. Mary leaves to go see Elizabeth within a few days after the Angel leaves her. She knows that Elizabeth is going to have a child because the Angel told her, and so she makes her way in a hurry to Judah where Elizabeth is. Now she is six months pregnant, John the Baptist is inside her growing well and is full of the Holy Spirit as was said last week. Mary enters their house and greets Elizabeth, and when Elizabeth hears the greeting of Mary John the Baptist does a double back flip inside of her. He is a professional gymnast. John hears the voice of Mary. At this point Jesus Christ is being woven together in her womb because the Holy Spirit has conceived Jesus within Mary. The savior of the world is being crafted together in Mary’s womb just like you and I were in our mother’s womb. Jesus is being born just as we were, but his Father is God the Father. Elizabeth explains to her that when she entered and greeted her that John heard it, and leaped for joy inside her. But she says something very important before she tells her about the baby leaping.

2. First she says, “blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed”. Why was she blessed? She was chosen to carry the Son of God, the one who would die for the sins of anyone who would trust in him for mercy and forgiveness, and the one who would defeat death and rise from the dead. She was blessed. Let me tell you something today, if you know Jesus Christ as savior, if you have repented and placed your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are blessed. You are very blessed. You have your sins paid for in full by the blood of Jesus! They no longer are on your record because they have been placed on Jesus, both past, present, and future sins they are gone because of Jesus. You are blessed. No matter what goes on in life, through sickness, death, depression, anxiety, school, family trouble, issues with friends, it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus died for your sins if you are saved today. You are blessed. Blessed to have the Holy Spirit dwell within you, like Mary carried the Son of God by the grace of God, so you and I carry the Holy Spirit within us as a believer to help us live the Christian life.

3. If you’re lost today, you are blessed. How? Because you are being allowed by God’s grace to hear this message. You are blessed to hear and can be saved today, knowing your sins are gone and the guilt removed. Jesus wants you to call out to him in sorrow over your sins and trust in him for forgiveness. You can be saved today, don’t miss this opportunity to be blessed through salvation in Jesus. I’m not telling you this salvation is to remove your depression or give you a better life here on earth No! But that you can be forgiven and adopted as a son or daughter to God and be with him forever when you die. Otherwise you must pay for your sins forever, in a place called Hell.

4. Elizabeth says, “the mother of my Lord”. What is she saying? Jesus is God. He hadn’t been born yet but Elizabeth knows the baby that is being knit together in Mary’s womb was not just any ordinary human, but God himself wrapped in Human flesh. Jesus Christ is God, he is not like God, or kind of like God, He is God as a man. The God-man. So she says the mother of my Lord. MY Lord. You see Elizabeth knew that Jesus was her Lord! Not only her savior, but her Lord. Her God. This means the one who she serves, and obeys, out of thankfulness because of her salvation. Have you called Jesus your Lord? Is Jesus your Lord, your God? Do you serve Him? And is it evident by your life that you serve Him? Everyone has a God, and I’m not talking about what you say is your God. But what your life shows is your God, what you worship, serve, and live for. Let it be Jesus today, is Jesus your Lord?

#3 Mary announces, God has done great things

1. Verse 46 begins Mary’s song of praise to God for the things that He has done for her. She begins to pour out her heart before God as she thinks about what He is doing and will do. What is something that has been done for you that you appreciate? Probably all of us in here at one point went out to eat with someone thinking we were going to pay for ourselves, and when the check comes at the end, they hand it to one person that isn’t you, and you get no check. You realize that it was because someone at the table paid for your meal, and you didn’t have to. Almost everyone’s immediate response is to say, “thank You for buying my meal, I appreciate it”. Maybe some of you can recall something bigger that has been done for you. I remember needing help one time because my truck got stuck in mud because I was stupid. And I called my friend, and him and his dad came out and pulled me out. It even cost them a tire. And they didn’t expect anything from me, not gas money, or money for a new tire. They said glad we got you out and left. I didn’t deserve that, and I kept telling them thank you, and still do. Why? Because I realize what they did for me, and what it cost them. Mary understands what God has done for her.

2. And she begins, “My soul praises the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. Why? She explains, “because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant”. God is great to send us a savior, he is great to show us favor meaning it is because of Him we are saved and not ourselves. But this only comes to those who humble themselves and see their need for Jesus. You see Mary needed a savior! She was a sinner! Catholicism teaches that Mary is like Jesus, our advocate that helps atone for our sins. But that is impossible because Mary was a sinner, that’s why she calls God her savior. Jesus is the only one who atones and pays for our sins because he is God and Man. She says the humble condition of his servant. One of the greatest sins we commit as humans is pride, thinking that we do not need God. I want to make this clear, you cannot be saved if you are proud. I’m not talking about the pride that says, “I am the best ever and don’t need God” that is obviously prideful, and God rejects the proud. I am also talking about the pride that says, “I know I need a savior, but I am too embarrassed to admit it, I am too embarrassed to say the I need Jesus, I am too embarrassed to cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness because everyone might think I am a loser because I have claimed to be saved but am not”. That’s a form of pride. The Pride that says, “Jesus can’t die for my sins because I have sinned too many times, I am just to awful to save”. You’re telling the God who made everything you see, including you that he can’t save you. That he isn’t enough, that is pride. The pride that says, “I don’t think God is real, I think evolution is how we were created, I don’t see God therefore he isn’t real”. God proved himself to be real by creating this complex thing you see called life, making the sun and water, sky, birds, fish. You think of all the planets we know, which is infinite the universe is. The one planet we know that can house us as people, give us oxygen and food is earth. Out of the millions and millions we have studied, there is only one. God has proven himself time and time again. To deny him is pride. God despises the proud but gives grace to the humble. You must humble yourself, not caring about what others think, and be willing to follow after Jesus to be saved. Cry out to him in mercy no matter what anyone says about you.

2. And she begins, “My soul praises the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. Why? She explains, “because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant”. God is great to send us a savior, he is great to show us favor meaning it is because of Him we are saved and not ourselves. But this only comes to those who humble themselves and see their need for Jesus. You see Mary needed a savior! She was a sinner! Catholicism teaches that Mary is like Jesus, our advocate that helps atone for our sins. But that is impossible because Mary was a sinner, that’s why she calls God her savior. Jesus is the only one who atones and pays for our sins because he is God and Man. She says the humble condition of his servant. One of the greatest sins we commit as humans is pride, thinking that we do not need God. I want to make this clear, you cannot be saved if you are proud. I’m not talking about the pride that says, “I am the best ever and don’t need God” that is obviously prideful, and God rejects the proud. I am also talking about the pride that says, “I know I need a savior, but I am too embarrassed to admit it, I am too embarrassed to say the I need Jesus, I am too embarrassed to cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness because everyone might think I am a loser because I have claimed to be saved but am not”. That’s a form of pride. The Pride that says, “Jesus can’t die for my sins because I have sinned too many times, I am just too awful to save”. You’re telling the God who made everything you see, including you, that he can’t save you. That he isn’t enough, that is pride. The pride that says, “I don’t think God is real, I think evolution is how we were created, I don’t see God therefore he isn’t real”. God proved himself to be real by creating this complex thing you see called life, making the sun and water, sky, birds, fish. You think of all the planets we know, which is infinite the universe is. The one planet we know that can house us as people, give us oxygen and food is earth. Out of the millions and millions we have studied, there is only one. God has proven himself time and time again. To deny him is pride. God despises the proud but gives grace to the humble. You must humble yourself, not caring about what others think, and be willing to follow after Jesus to be saved. Cry out to him in mercy no matter what anyone says about you. Think about the humility of Mary. She was pregnant before her wedding ceremony. That was disgraceful in that culture! And she willing humbled herself, understanding that God is the one who knows best and can provide salvation, and was willing to accept the great task of carrying the savior, remember she said in verse 38, “may it be done to me according to your Word”. Knowing that carrying this Baby would cause her ridicule, shame, disgrace, and potentially getting kicked out of where she lived. Think about it, she is going to tell everyone that she hasn’t had sexual relations with a man, but that the baby is the savior God’s blessing to man. She is going to tell them that the Holy Spirit is the one who impregnated her. But yet everyone can see the bump. It would cost Mary a lot to obey God, but she was humble. And if you humble yourself and realize God is the only worthy of your affection and devotion and you choose to serve him, you can expect the same ridicule and shame as Mary. But don’t be sad, Mary wasn’t sad, she sang to God with praises because she understood what God had done for her. She knew that the savior she was carrying would soon carry the cross on his shoulders, and not only the cross but her sins, my sins, and your sins. She had joy in her heart and was willing to follow God no matter what because God had given a savior to redeem us!

3. Mary’s song of salvation has many great truths. It talks about God’s faithfulness, his goodness, his power, his mercy, his satisfying hand, his great deeds. But Mary says one thing that stands out in verse 48-49, “from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is Holy”. She says God has done great things for ME! Not for all people, even though that is true, but for ME. God has done great things for YOU! He has given you a home, friends, family, food, school, some of you a car, jobs, even if many times these things are hard. But the greatest things by far that makes everything else look like nothing, the greatest thing he has done for YOU is send his Son to live the life we couldn’t. To be born in a poor family, to work hard to live, then for 3 years to be hated, rejected, beaten, ridiculed, blasphemed, slapped, punched, bloodied, and killed by suffocation on a cross so that YOU could be forgiven. His suffering was for your sin, it was in your place! He died not as an example, but to be a payment for your wrong doings, your sin. And he rose again victorious meaning your sin can be paid for. You can know Jesus. And if you trust in him today, like Mary you can say I am blessed because the Mighty One, God himself, Jesus Christ, has done great things for ME! My sins are gone, they have been forgiven because Jesus has died for them. Surely, I am blessed.

4. Will you leave this place trusting in Jesus? Don’t worry about what others will say, Jesus is ready to forgive you. Will you lay down your pride and run to him for mercy? Cry out to him in sorrow for your sins against him and ask for forgiveness? Let’s pray.

Will you leave this place trusting in Jesus? Don’t worry about what others will say, Jesus is ready to forgive you. Will you lay down your pride and run to him for mercy? Cry out to him in sorrow for your sins against him and ask for forgiveness? Let’s pray.