The Journey Begins

The Journey Begins Luke 26:26-56

Last week, the message was concerning another miracle, the pregnancy of Elizabeth was foretold by Gabriel the Angel when visiting Zachariah in the Temple.

For the next 3 weeks, we will be on a journey leading up to the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In the book of Isaiah, 700 years before this we read:

Isaiah 7:14 (NLT) “14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Luke 1:26–27 “26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.”

We know that Mary is about to become pregnant right? We have been told all along in God’s Holy Word about the coming of the Messiah.

A few weeks ago, I ordered the DVD’s of the movie “The Chosen” One of the first scenes in the movie is when Andrew, comes running to Simon (Peter) and said “I have seen Him, the Messiah that we have been praying for our entire life.” A very touching scene.

Micah 5:1–3 “1 Mobilize! Marshal your troops! The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. They will strike Israel’s leader in the face with a rod. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. 3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies until the woman in labor gives birth. Then at last his fellow countrymen will return from exile to their own land."

Can’t you just feel it? The excitement of the coming of our Jesus?

Luke 1:28–29 “28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

Could we even imagine? Obviously what faith Mary had to have to even stay and listen. Mary must have shown a little fear, Gabriel the Angel told her:

Luke 1:30–31 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus."

I am visualizing here the two miracles that Gabriel is handing out on behalf of God. What a great job Gabriel has. Blessings and miracles all around.

We read in:

Matthew 1:21–23 “21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.”

Luke 1:32–33 “32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Jeremiah 23:5–6 5 “For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. 6 And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. We read in the book of Daniel approx 600 years before the birth of Jesus:

Daniel 2:44 “44 During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.

Daniel 7:14 “14 He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:27 “27 Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.”

So this Messiah has been told about, talked about, the place of birth, where Jesus would live. God’s plan? Do you think God has a plan? What about for us? Is this sermon touching your hearts?

OK Back to Mary:

Luke 1:34–36 “34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.

Luke 1:37–40 “37 For the word of God will never fail.” 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. 39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.”

Luke 1:41–45 “41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

Luke 1:46–50 “46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.”

The Psalmist tells us:

Psalm 34:2–3 “2 I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. 3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

Are we picking up on “Praises, rejoices, mercy, love, kindness? Our Father loves us, He has had this planned since Adam and Eve. What love.

Luke 1:50–56 “50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.”

So now, we have begun, learning, listening to Scriptures about the Savior Jesus Christ. Like Mary, our hearts should be starting to heat up, we should be praying and praising God and that the Holy Spirit begins the process of softening our hearts, and next week: Lets see what Joseph has to say about all of this Mary being pregnant........

AMEN