THE ANGEL'S MESSAGE: Gabriel’s message was unexpectedly encouraging yet troubling to Mary.
- Luke 1:28-29.
- The message and the response don’t immediately line up. Let’s start with the response: v. 29 tells us that Mary was greatly troubled. Given that response, you would presume that the message she was given by the angel was a bad one. Yet the opposite is the case: Gabriel had told her that she was highly favored and that God was with her.
- Which raises the question: why did that trouble her? We want to look into this tension this morning and consider whether we do the same things.
SAFE, PREDICTABLE RELIGION: Things that shake our expectations leave us unsettled.
- Let’s try to figure out why Mary’s response doesn’t seem to dovetail with the angel’s message. I think the starting point for the biggest reason has to do with our expectations.
- Most of us like a safe, predictable religion. Sure, we might admire great missionaries or people of blazing faith. We like stories about that, but we’re not quite as excited about it happening in our lives.
- When we pray for our family, we pray a whole lot more for God to keep them safe than for God to use them powerfully for the kingdom of God.
- When it looks like God is opening up an opportunity for us to serve, are we excited at the open door or annoyed at the intrusion to our already-busy schedule?
- When God allows something in our lives that throws our set plans off, are we curious to see what He’s up to or perturbed that we have to move things around?
- A big part of the way most of us want God in our lives can be summarized in two words: insurance policy.
- We want God to protect us from really bad stuff.
- We want God to talk to when we’re feeling overwhelmed.
- We want God to make us feel safe in the face of death.
- We want God to keep everything on track.
- In sum, we want a safe, predictable religion.
- This is a far cry from a God whose goal is to transform the world.
- This is a far cry from a mission to reach people in the darkest corners of society.
- This is a far cry from a servant always ready to heed the master’s call.
- This is a far cry from someone who prizes God’s will above all.
- We all know the type of person that Mary was. After all, Gabriel says she’s “highly favored.” Yet even she responds to this message with a troubled heart.
- Most of us don’t embrace the unexpected very well. Again, we like the safe and predictable.
- Of course, Mary has her uncertainties and questions, but by v. 38 she makes the faithful declaration that she is the “the Lord’s servant.” That’s a pretty quick turnaround.
- What about us? Do we step up or step back?
- Often what God is saying to us to incredible and impressive. It’s something that you would think we would embrace with both arms. But we don’t. Maybe we think God’s promises are too good to be real. Maybe we just like our safety and security more.
- In either event, there are times today when God’s message to us, like His message to Mary, is unexpectedly encouraging and yet it leaves us troubled rather than excited.
- I want to look at a few examples this morning.
- What are ways that God speaks something great to us and our response doesn’t embrace that as Mary does?
- What are ways that we act like what God is offering is too good to be real?
EXAMPLES OF US IN A SIMILAR SPOT TODAY:
1. “You can be forgiven of your sins.”
- Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7.
- We believe that Jesus died on the cross in order to forgive us of our sins. He took our sin upon Himself. It was an act of incredible compassion and love.
- There are a number of reasons that people will not receive that forgiveness into their lives. The one that’s relevant to our discussion this morning is a major one: “You don’t know what I’ve done.”
- There are many people who respond to the offer of forgiveness from Jesus not with joy but with disbelief. They know they’re too bad to get it.
- We said that Gabriel’s message was unexpectedly encouraging yet troubling to Mary. We see something similar here.
- The idea that a sinner can be forgiven is clearly unexpectedly encouraging. As a sinner, we deserve punishment. As a sinner, we deserve condemnation. As a sinner, we deserve justice.
- God’s message to us, not through an angel but through the Bible, is unexpectedly encouraging. “I know you’re a sinner and I love you enough to send My son to pay that debt.” Incredible!
- But at the same time many find the message troubling. It’s too good to be true. It’s too much. There’s no way that God would do that much for me.
- And I would agree if I made up the message and said to you, “This is what I think God will do for you.” But it’s not my message – it’s God’s message!
2. “You are a new creation in Christ capable of living victoriously.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 4:24.
- The Bible teaches us that Jesus didn’t just die on the cross for our sins, but additionally his resurrection gives us new life. We have a powerful salvation – one that empowers us to overcome sin in our lives.
- But many don’t buy into this. They say, “I’m nobody great. What could God do in my life?”
- We said that Gabriel’s message was unexpectedly encouraging yet troubling to Mary. We see something similar here.
- The idea that our salvation gives us the ability to live victoriously is clearly unexpectedly encouraging. This is not an empty salvation. This is not a “next life” salvation. It’s power for our everyday trials and temptations.
- God’s message to us, not through an angel but through the Bible, is unexpectedly encouraging. “I want you to live out a life of overcoming sin.” Incredible!
- But at the same time many find the message troubling. It’s too good to be true. It’s too much. There’s no way that God would do that much for me.
- Yet here we have God offered that very thing.
- Why wouldn’t we want that?
3. “Your spiritual gifts and service are part of God’s Plan A.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:1-31.
- Paul teaches us that God gives each believer at least one spiritual gift when they are saved for use in the kingdom of God. Further, Paul shares that God intends each believer to do their part in order for the “body of Christ” to be able to be fully functional as He intends. In other words, your spiritual gifts and service are part of His Plan A. When you sit and soak instead of stepping up to serve, the church cannot be everything that God intends for it to be.
- So many Christians don’t live out this amazing opportunity to live a life of impact: “I don’t have anything to offer.”
- We said that Gabriel’s message was unexpectedly encouraging yet troubling to Mary. We see something similar here.
- The idea that God wants to do something worthwhile through us is clearly unexpectedly encouraging. We’re just a little person in a little corner of the world. We can see plenty of people who would be more qualified.
- God’s message to us, not through an angel but through the Bible, is unexpectedly encouraging. “I have made you to count! I already have plans for how I want to use you.” Incredible!
- But at the same time many find the message troubling. It’s too good to be true. It’s too much. There’s no way that God could do much through me.
4. “Our lives are the billboards of God’s transforming power.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 3:20; Colossians 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 1:5.
- Paul teaches us that as God works in us and through us, our lives become a testimony to the transforming power of God. He doesn’t just save and then leave us mired in sin, but He changes us and uses us. The most powerful testimony to Jesus’ power is a changed life.
- We have lowered our expectations. We don’t expect a changed life. We don’t expect much of anything from God except an occasional answered prayer. We don’t look for our life to become substantially more like Christ’s.
- So many Christians don’t make any attempt to live out this offer: “I just come to church.”
- We said that Gabriel’s message was unexpectedly encouraging yet troubling to Mary. We see something similar here.,
- The idea that God would grow us so much that it would be noticeable to the world and enticing to them is clearly unexpectedly encouraging. Our lives can be beacons of hope to a dark world. Our lives can give glory to God.
- God’s message to us, not through an angel but through the Bible, is unexpectedly encouraging. “I want to see God work through my life.” Incredible!
- But at the same time many find the message troubling. It’s too good to be true. It’s too much. There’s no way that God would do that much for me.
- Yet we have the promise from Scripture.
TOO GOOD? Do you live as though God’s promises are too good to be real?
- I want you to consider your own spiritual life as we close.
- Are you experiencing these incredible promises in your life? Are you holding back from leaning into them because you find them too good to be true?
