December 9, 2018
Morning Service

Last week we saw Gabriel announce the beginning of the Christmas story with the announcement to Zacharias that he and Elizabeth would have a son.  That son, John the Baptist, would be the forerunner of Christ by preaching the message of repentance.  God chose an older simple couple who were childless to be the first hear the news that God was on the move.  Today we will look at another simple couple that God chose to be the parents of our Lord.  We jumped ahead last Sunday night and looked at the birth of John, but this morning we will start where we left off last Sunday morning.

Luke 1:26-27  Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by 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. The virgin's name was Mary.

            God continues the theme of choosing people and places that were nothing more than ordinary.  Nazareth was a small rural village with a population of around 400 people.  Like Mary herself, the location is humble and obscure which would be contrary to the person or place that the world would have chosen to host a world altering event.  The incarnation of the Son of God was not going to happen in a great city or to a family of royalty.  He chose a poor, simple, teenage girl and an obscure city for His Son to arrive in human form and we know that theme continues as this story unfolds.  You may view yourself as not having enough experience, ability, education or simply not good enough for God to use; if so you are mistaken.  God tends to choose those who seem less likely to succeed.  He moved mightily in Nazareth, why not in Mitchell?  God plus a faithful follower equals success.

            Gabriel proclaims that through Mary prophecy will be fulfilled.

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

            This a very important verse to us theologically.  We believe that Jesus was God incarnate.  Fathered by the Holy Spirit and bore by the virgin Mary.  Gabriel makes this very clear in his explanation to Mary.

Luke 1:28-33  And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"  (29)  But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.  (30)  Then 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 bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  (32)  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give 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."

            Gabriel quickly informed Mary that she should rejoice and not be afraid for she is favored by God and was about to be blessed by Him.  She is told she will conceive and bring forth a Son and she is to name Him Jesus (which means the Lord saves).  Her child will be the Son of God and sit upon the throne of His Ancestor King David forever.  Okay, Mary was not having the average day for the average girl that she was.  She has just been told that she will be the mother or the long awaited Messiah.  Her response is one you would expect from a young woman.

Luke 1:34-37  Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"  (35)  And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  (36)  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  (37)  For with God nothing will be impossible."

            Mary’s first response is to the fact that she will be having a baby.  It is a fair question for her to ask.  Gabriel answers in a simple, delicate, and effective way. Her offspring will be fathered by the Holy Spirit thus making Him fully man yet fully God.  Gabriel also gives her some reassurance first by getting the revelation that Elizabeth is pregnant as well and then she is told “with God nothing will be impossible.”  Here reaction to this unbelievable announcement is classic.

 

Luke 1:38  Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

            Her humble reaction of submission indicates the reason she was chosen for this tremendous honor.  She says “God I don’t understand all that you just said to me, but I am your servant so do with me as You will.  I trust You and I will walk the road You choose for me.”

            A young unmarried girl who became pregnant walked a road to disaster.  If the father refused to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for life turning to begging or prostitution to support her child. He could also call for her to be stoned to death for her sin. The announcement did not come with instant fame and acceptance.  She would first have to endure the pain and rejection that would come from her small community.  Would Joseph believe her or abandon her?  God had spoken and she believed, but there were so many unanswered questions.  This was certainly a lot for a young teenage girl to deal with.  She chose to believe God.

            Are there times in our lives that we face similar circumstances?  We know where God is leading us, but the road looks dark and dangerous.  Follow Mary’s example and choose to believe God and follow Him

            God in His wisdom and grace knew she could not do this alone.  Not only did He let her know about Elizabeth’s pregnancy, but Matthew tells us that He also informed Joseph of His plan as well.

 

Mat 1:18-25  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  (19)  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  (20)  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  (21)  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."  (22)  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  (23)  "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which is translated, "God with us."  (24)  Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,  (25)  and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

            Imagine the news Joseph had to endure.  His fiancé was pregnant and he was not the father.  To take her as his wife now would be humiliating so that left two choices; a quiet divorce or have her stoned for her sin.  Being a “just man” he had decided on the secret divorce as the more honorable thing to do.  The dream God gave Joseph a third choice and that was to trust Him and marry her.  God’s ways are not man’s ways.  His love for us is the reason for this season.

            Joseph’s decision on what do to with (what he thought was) his unfaithful bride who had sinned against him mirrors the same one God has with us.  We are the church and Christ’s bride.  We truly have been unfaithful and sinned against our Groom to be.  Rather than cast us away and let us die the death we deserve or just cut all ties with us by divorcing us, He chose another path.  A path that man finds very hard to understand.  He chose to become a man, live a perfect life, and then take the penalty for His bride’s sins upon Himself.  Oh how He loves us!

            In our lives there are times that we too have to choose to follow God even when it doesn’t make sense.  We must be just as willing as Mary and Joseph to say; “I don’t understand, but I will follow anyway.”  It is a matter of trusting God for who He says He is.  Stand upon His Word, knowing that He will work out all things work out for good.  It is because of Christmas that we should know He truly loves us!

                        We now have this young couple who have been given a glimpse into the future and have been asked by God to trust Him in a difficult situation.  In the movie “The Nativity” it was a beautiful scene when Joseph first saw Mary after he had seen the vision.  He no longer thinks she is crazy, but now he too is included in the few that God had chosen to make His plans known to.  We are also like them.  We know what Christmas is really about.  We can rejoice fully together knowing the true meaning of Christmas.  It is the greatest love story ever told!

 

Father open our hearts to the true meaning of Christmas.