Simply Christmas pt 1

Simply Christmas pt 1

Simply Mary

Luke 1:26-38

The arrival of Jesus is filled with simple people and simple moments that become extraordinary, because God chooses to make them so. As we enter the Christmas season, we are confronted with a lot of complexity and worry. Many of us are trying to figure out how to do things as normally as possible. Others, already pre-disposed to being depressed during the holidays, face an even more daunting task this year- how to muddle thru the holidays when even regular daily life seems barely manageable.

And in this time, more than any other, we can overlook what Christmas is truly about. As Linus reminded Charlie Brown, this isn’t about the tree or the lights or the presents, it is about a stable, a manger, and a Baby- “That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.”

So this year we wanted to talk about the simple stories of Christmas in the Bible. How they start and even more excitedly, how they end, and what that means for us. And we can’t start anywhere else than with Mary, because she is the person in the story whose life is turned the most upside down by the arrival of Jesus.

(Read Luke 1:26-38)

Some simple facts about Mary:

Lived in Nazareth

Never had sex

Betrothed to a man named Joseph

Favored by God

The condition of being “favored” by God calls to mind a lot of emotions. We like to think that God treats everyone the same. But that isn’t true. God favors different people in different situations for different purposes. He has REASONS for His favor. It is not something He just randomly throws out. It has purpose.

Luke Mary and the Angel’s Arrival (1:26–28)

It must be emphasized, however, that despite all these qualities, God’s choice of Mary to bear this child springs from his grace, not from any inherent merit that she possesses. She is the object of God’s unmerited, graciously provided goodness. Her description as one who has found favor with God (kecharitōmenē, v. 30) makes it clear that God has acted on her behalf and not because of her

And the word “favor” here means to “show kindness towards” to “graciously and freely give to”- so in other words it indicates a gift, a blessing is being given that has not been earned but where the recipient has been chosen by God’s eternal calculus

God may favor you in business. He may favor someone else with marriage. He may favor your children in certain areas. Why does He extend favor in different ways?

And more, it means God is WITH her- not aware of her but side by side with her in this endeavor

The Gospel according to Luke The Birth of Jesus (1:26–38)

It assures Mary of a factual condition: God is with her. It does not direct her attention to a what (a set of outcomes), but to a whom—to the personal agency of the Lord who is with you, recalling perhaps God’s revelation to Moses in Exod 3 as the God who hears and sees and knows, the “with-you-God” who breaks into the human arena. Like Moses, Mary is the recipient of God’s unexpected, undeserved, and overwhelming grace

Because His favor has a purpose- to expand the Kingdom- and in this case, more importantly, to bring about the arrival of the Kingdom and the King on earth. (v31-33)

And our reaction to this favor can be very mixed:

For some it makes us afraid- we are advancing and we do not know why

For some it makes us greedy- how can I use this to my advantage and make myself even greater (you can’t because this came from God)

But the proper response is to be grateful- recognizing that success and advancement come from God and asking Him how do I use this for your glory?

God favors Mary in this case, and the response shows why: her answer in vs 38. “I am the Lord’s servant.” (Her asset is that she is faithful)

There is so much caught up in that one passage. To be a “servant” in this case is the word “doule” which means “bondservant” This is a person who has been born into servitude. When Mary calls herself this, she acknowledges that she is God’s from birth and that what He calls her to do she will do because she is His first and foremost.

Stop for a minute and think about your own life. You are God’s. What has God done for you?

Some of you would immediately say nothing. And I would respond, let’s talk about that. Even if you do not yet trust Jesus as your Savior, God has done much for you:

1. Given you life

2. Provided a planet for you to live on

3. Gives you oxygen to breathe

4. Food to eat

5. A place to live

6. Kept you alive to this day

Why would I say those things are from God? Did you create any of them?

The sustaining of life should give all of us pause, when we consider who God is. What He is like.

And then there is Jesus. Why does God send Him? Why go to all of this trouble with a young woman in Nazareth? Because God knew what had to be done for a Savior to be born. He knew what we needed and how it needed to be done- from the conception of Jesus to the nails of the cross. All of it.

So in considering what God has done for you, would you consider this morning the claims of Jesus, and respond to Him- ask Him to be your Savior. Commit your life to Him, as His servant?

And those of you who know Jesus, can I ask you, what more could He do for you?

He took your sin. He took your shame. He took your hopelessness. He took the whips. The thorns. The nails. He bore the wrath of God for you. If He did nothing else for you, that would be enough. And yet He lavishes us with more- more grace, more mercy, more hope, more joy…and yes, more favor.

Can I ask you something this morning Christian, where has God favored you? (give people a moment to think about that)

What has He asked you to do with that favor to build the Kingdom?

Are you doing it?

Why not, this Christmas season like no other, make a present of yourself to God. Submit the areas of your life where He has favored you, to Him, and ask Him, what would You have your servant do?