Opening Illustration: Sundar’s call resembles that of Paul who had God’s favor. He was raised in the Sikh religion in India. All Sikhs have the same last name, "Singh", which means "lion." When Sundar received Christ at age 16, his Father poisoned him, but Sundar didn't die. After attending a Christian school he decided to present the Gospel to his countrymen in a cultural way that would be more acceptable to them. He traveled India on foot in the robes of a "holy man," preaching the Good News about Christ.
In 1929, against all his friends' advice, Singh determined to make one last journey to Tibet. He was last seen on 18th April 1929 setting off on this journey. Whether he died of exhaustion or reached the mountains remains a mystery. Some said that Singh was murdered and his body thrown into the river; another account says he was caught up into heaven with the angels. (Sadhu Sundar Singh, Wikipedia)
Introduction: Throughout Biblical history one common theme is repeated whenever God calls someone for a special ministry-submission. God never asks for our permission. Somewhere between vocational interest surveys, temperament type indicators and career assessment profiles we have lost both the sense of divine calling and humble submission. Vocational planning has adapted to the social scientific mindset that minimizes mystical experiences and promotes freedom of choices. Young people select their career options by matching their personality inventories to the potential financial rewards of a given career. At the dawn of the second millennium God appears to reveal his calling more often through a paycheck than an angelic revelation.
This attitude influences our decisions each and every day. We pray on Sunday morning "thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" but then fanatically strive to make our dreams and plans realized. We set our yearly goals and then asked God to bless our self-appointed plans. Mary stands as a prophetic witness reminding us that God has a plan for our lives. He does not ask our permission and he does expect our submission.
In an age of individual autonomy and self-expression this is an uncomfortable message. "Obedience does not square with the ideal of liberation ..." This generation pursues self-fulfillment with an insatiable thirst. We are told to assert ourselves, to seize our rights. Mary's response is viewed with scorn, as a denial of self that causes her to sacrifice her own unique identity. St Augustine offered a rebuttal "All strength is in humility, because all pride is fragile. The humble are like a rock, the rock seems to lie downwards, but nevertheless it is firm." Mary found her strength in humbling accepting her ordained role as the mother of God and discovered her infinite worth through submissive self-denial.
We may claim our rights on our job by insisting that people follow our plans. We have a right to expect conformity to our rules from our children. And in our church have the right to demand certain things in worship. We have a right to expect and argue for all these things but in our insistence how many arguments does it create? How many people get hurt? How much work really gets done or not done?
Events happen without our approval. Crises overwhelm us without for which we are not responsible. We can become entangled in a web of turmoil that is not our doing. God does not expect us to conqueror each situation. Nor does he expect us to skillful make our plans to avoid them. He only asks that we walk with in humble submission to his calling.
What will you undergo during the call of God?
1. Find God’s favor (vs. 26-30)
The angel told Mary that she had found favor with God. That is some really good news, right? That means Mary has an easy road now. I’m guessing the angel will tell her that she’s so blessed that she’s going to have the most amazing marriage ever and that someone was going to make her a big wedding cake and someone else was going to donate a huge arrangement of flowers.
Is that what happened? Not even close, actually. In reality, by telling Mary that she had found favor with God, the angel tells Mary that she would give birth to the son of God, and it would appear that she had given birth to a child out of wedlock.
People would point and snicker and talk about her behind her back. She would raise this child, he would become the savior of the world and she would watch him die on a criminal’s cross. Sounds like a great deal, huh? Who wants God’s favor now?
I say that to say this: I believe many of us have misunderstanding of the favor of God. We see it at physical worldly blessings and many preach it likewise. God’s favor is far from it. You see, the favor of God is much different than favors from God.
A lot of times when great things happen to us, we think we have God’s favor. And we may indeed have his favor. But the favor of God doesn’t equate to us being thrilled. I’m sure Mary would’ve loved to have been married to Joseph and then given birth to her first child in the normal way. I’m sure she didn’t really appreciate the gossip and snubbing she received. But you see, favor is not about our convenience, it’s about God’s purpose!
Here’s my definition of favor: it is the guarantee of God’s presence and the provision of his power to accomplish his special purposes in and through my life.
The favor of God is not a step-by-step process to help us get what we want; the favor of God is a living, breathing, and dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ that changes the way we see God, and it changes our understanding of how he sees us. And when we realize how he sees us, it changes everything!
You see, God doesn’t just love you because he has to. He likes you because he wants to. He created you with a special plan and purpose. And when you surrender your life for his purposes, not your conveniences, you are blessed and highly favored!
2. Conceive God’s vision (vs. 31-33)
You must say (v. 38) “Be it unto me according to thy word.” If God said that you can do it, then you can do it. Open yourself up today to God’s power and Spirit, and let Him do something great in and through you. Can you give birth to God’s baby? I say, “We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength!” Once we are impregnated with God’s promise and vision, then we must follow His process in bringing it to pass.
Have you ever wondered why should a pregnant woman and her husband travel a long distance during the last days of the delivery? Was it just to be registered / taxed at their ancestral home or was it for their honeymoon or was there some other underlying reason? In many Asian countries it’s a cultural trend for women to travel to their parent’s home just few weeks before they deliver. And usually they would stay there for forty days or more after the delivery. In today’s passage we will see both Joseph and Mary going to their ancestral home in order to be registered and taxed. Not only that, they had to be at the right place and at the right time for Jesus to be born.
Many are pregnant with awakening revival for their nation, cities and families. Others are pregnant with a harvest of souls. Still others are pregnant with signs, wonders and miracles. Then there are those who are pregnant with His presence, intercession and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Just like Mary, we need to be at the right place at the right time when God wants to give birth to the vision that He has already conceived in us.
3. Empowered by the Holy Spirit for the impossible (vs. 34-38)
Every time I read Mary's response to the Angel's announcement and explanation, I am awed: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Here is a teenager facing misunderstanding and rejection from her family, her betrothed, and her townspeople. And yet she agrees. Mary affirms the bedrock truth that undergirds our discipleship: "I am the Lord's servant." After all is said and done, after we have explored all the possibilities, we still must decide: am I a servant or a master? Is my allegiance to the Lord or to my own desires?
Sometimes it takes great turmoil in our souls to come to the place of submission, but come to it we must. Even before Jesus (vision) was conceived, Mary was faced with the decision: Will I obey and make way for this King? or Will I take the easy way that avoids difficulty and pain? To her everlasting credit, Mary's response of faith is what our response must be: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."
Mary was empowered by the Holy Spirit to endure the worldly insults that would come with the package to give birth of the God-Child.
Can you say that: "Let the Holy Spirit do with me as he pleases"? Do you trust the Spirit enough to say: "I am your slave; take me; use your omnipotent power to put me where you want me, when you want me there, doing what you want me to do"? Do you know why we can entrust ourselves to the Holy Spirit? Because he exists to exalt the glory of Jesus Christ. Therefore, if the heartbeat of your life is the glory of Jesus Christ, the Spirit will empower and help you with all his might. Let's live and speak so that men and women in Iowa and Israel and Ethiopia might know that Jesus Christ is a great Savior, the Son of the Most High, and the never-ending King of kings. That's the passion of the Holy Spirit. To be full of that is to be full of him.
Application: Are we at that place where we know our calling explicitly? Have we positioned ourselves for God’s plan to play out? God’s favor will bring upon you trials and test your faith and endurance. Are you ready? When God impregnates you with His vision, He will also empower you to carry it out with His strength. Will you be able to handle it? It is not some trick you learnt at high school but the real deal!
