An Unknown Miracle Found in Nazareth

The Miracles Before Christmas • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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The miracle before Christmas began in the tiny town of Nazareth with a virgin named Mary. She receives a favorable meeting from Gabriel, who announces Immanuel is coming. The surprising news consists of how God will come to his people - through the womb of a young virgin Mary. She will supernaturally conceive the Son of the Highest and bring our Savior and King into the world. The Christmas miracle is now dwelling with humanity and awaits to meet us.

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The Voice of a Stranger

Walking my children through Bronner’s Christmas store, I received a compliment for my children’s behavior from a stranger. Lydia and Isaac knew to hang onto the shopping cart and stay with me.

The unexpected voice of praise from a stranger brought me a great day. Her spontaneous compliment affirmed I was doing something good and validated that my kids get their behavior skills from their mom.

Whenever we place ourselves in public, we know we will hear the voices of all kinds of strangers surrounding us, and perhaps one of those strangers will begin to start up a conversation.

However, there are occasions in which we expect silence from a stranger. We do not anticipate hearing their voices in our homes or alone in a private place.

And yet, the miracle before Christmas begins with a stranger's voice to an unknown place and unknown face if you have your bibles open with me to Luke chapter one starting in verse 26.

The angelic announcement of Immanuel

Luke 1:26–33 ESV

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Allusions, Old Testament

Luke 1:28 The Lord is with you Recalls “Immanuel” (“God with us”) from Isa 7:14, which was already alluded to in Luke 1:27 (compare Matt 1:23).

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

2 Samuel 7:11–13 ESV

11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

This child is the Lord from heaven who will receive an everlasting kingdom from God the Father. He will be the fulfillment of the promise made to King David that his descendent will reign forever. This child will be known as Immanuel, as Gabriel announces to Mary.

The grand announcement astonished Mary because she had no idea how the angel's words would come to pass. So Mary ask the big question?

A miraculous event was done in secret

Luke 1:34–37 ESV

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

God choose a tiny town and an unknown face to perform the greatest miracles in human history. This miracle was done in secret compared to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s blessing.

The Lord intends to use this world's small, obscure, overlooked people to bring lasting change. And this child would be brought into our world through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Nothing is impossible with God alludes to when the Lord overheard Sarah's laughing concerning her bearing a child at an old age. After she laughed because of her unbelief, the Lord said, 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Gen 18:14)

Is it possible for God infinite in his presence, knowledge, and power to be brought into the tiny womb of a virgin? Yes. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Now the Lord is closer to us than ever before. This is the miracle before Christmas.

Before the miracle took place, Mary had to consent to the Lord.

Embracing the Son of God

Luke 1:38 ESV

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary became a slave for the Lord and accepted her responsible for embracing the Son of God.

The appropriate response to hearing this message is for Believers to know we have the opportunity to draw closer to God and to embrace Jesus as Mary did by accepting the Lord's will.

Flesh out what it means to accept Jesus and draw closer to him? You draw near to Immanuel by remembering the miracle in Nazareth. God coming to us should resonate with you in your mind as you live out your normal life. Knowing even you needed a Savior. God sent an unknown miracle just for you.