Theme: Jesus is Miracle
Text: Luke 1:26-38
Greetings: To a Little kid in Sunday school, the teacher asked "Why is it important for us to be quiet when we're listening to the sermon." The kid replied, "because the old people are sleeping."
Introduction: Today, I want to establish that Jesus is Miracle. He does miracles. He is the God of the Miracles. He is the Word of Prophecy, he is the Word incarnated, and He is the miracle in our lives. The virgin birth, the resurrection is the testimonials for Jesus as a Miracle. He does many miracles in every generation.
1. Expect a Miracle (Luke 1:26-36)
As per the Baker Dictionary of the Bible, a miracle is an event in the external world brought about by the simple volition of God.” The miracle occurs to show that the power behind it is not limited to the laws of matter or mind as it interrupts fixed natural laws and is applied supernaturally quite accurately.
So, a miracle is an absolute act of the Lord. It is by the potent of God (Genesis 18:14, Jeremiah 32:17, 27), Yes, Jeremiah said, “nothing is too difficult for thee”. Then the Lord affirmed, “Is anything too difficult for me.” Miracle surpasses the force of nature (Joshua 10:13-Sun moves from west to east or stood still), Waters of the river Jordan stood still (Joshua 3:16). The men of God ordered the natural forces to change the regular courses. God had empowered the men of God to show the extremity of Godliness through performing miracles and powerfully he does things.
Mary believed that God would come to this world to redeem Israel and gather the scattered. The Israelites were waiting for the prophecy to come into effect. Few examples we could find in the Gospels:
1. John the Baptist:
While John, the Baptist, was imprisoned, he sent his disciples to inquire to know whether Jesus was the one whom they were waiting for. So John called two of his disciples and sent them to ask the Lord, “Are You the one who was to come, or should we look for someone else?” When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’ ”(Luke 7:19-20).
2. Emmaus disciples
They walked on the road to Emmaus and had expressed that they hoped for and expected Jesus would be the messiah (Luke 24:9).
3. Nathaniel said Jesus was the Son of God and the king of Israel (John 1:49).
4. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel.
Simeon took child Jesus in his arms and confessed, “my eyes have seen your salvation and which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles." (Luke 2:25, 28-32). Some scholars have identified this Simeon as the son of Hillel also the father of Gamaliel. Later believed had become president of the Sanhedrin in A.D. 13. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, a means for the Messiah (Luke 2:25). He was one of the remnants mentioned in Micah 5. The expectations were satisfied and been blessed.
2. Believe the Miracle (Luke 1:37)
“-Nothing is impossible to God”- Gabriel brought the prophecy about the birth of Jesus Christ to Mary. She raised scientific reasoning of the event. The proposed act of God was against the natural course of life events. So, she raised a valuable point of clarification. Gabriel answered that Noting is impossible to God. He talks about the God who does miraculous things in the lives of his children.
For John Gill, these words of Angel convey that God is consistent with His nature, counsels, purposes, and promises. God can do everything as he purpose and promise. He will do it. Expositor’s Commentary explains this verse "Nothing is impossible to God" means that no word of God shall be weak and inoperative.
John Calvin says that ‘we ought always to contemplate his boundless power, that it may strengthen our hope and confidence. But it is idle, and unprofitable, and even dangerous, to argue what God can do’.
Charles Smith brings out the vast difference between the question of Zacharias and the question of Mary. Zacharias questioned the word of the Lord. Mary sought information on procedures. She doesn’t put the question of doubt but believes.
Concerning Mary’s question to Angel, According to Matthew Henry, the reply of Mary to Gabriel was the language of faith and humble admiration, and she asked no sign for confirming her faith but yielded herself to the will of God to enjoy the Miracle of God.
During the time of Jesus, he could not do many miracles because of their unbelief and hardened heart. “And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13:58). The believer must be a man or woman of the thinker as well as reason out before doing anything. At the same time our mind should not block the intervention, and acts of God.
3. Experience and Enjoy the Miracle (Luke 1:38-39)
Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz, the Hebrew Priest, says that the Hebrew word for virgin is “betulah” and refers to a woman of any age “who was never intimate with a man” (Genesis 19:8, 24:43). The Torah describes hymenal bleeding as “evidence of her virginity” (Deuteronomy 22:20).
The Hebrew word “almah” means a “young woman” without any indication of her sexual status. Hebrew scriptures use this word Almah in 7 places. But Christian Bibles consistently translate the word almah found in Isaiah 7:14 as “Virgin” to prove the prophecy of the Virgin Birth of Jesus. The Rabbi was trying to disprove that Jews never had the idea that Messiah would be born through Virgin Birth.
The Jews had a saying that in the birth of every child there are three partners--the father, the mother and the Spirit of God. They believed that no child could ever be born without the Spirit. But the virgin birth is Mother and Spirit of God are there but not a father.
Luke records that Gabriel appeared to Virgin Mary. Roman Catholicism has taught the doctrine of perpetual virginity that means Mary lived, gave birth to the Messiah, and remained a virgin throughout her entire life.
According to the Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, Ch. VIII. III. 61: “Predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin was on this earth the virgin Mother of the Redeemer, and above all others and in a singular way the generous associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the Father in the temple and was united with Him by compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way, she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace (The Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, Ch. 3).
Mary could have recollected the history of the birth of Isaac. She remembered the words spoken to Sarah in doing miracles (Genesis 18:14). She might have studied the prophecies of Jeremiah 32:17, 27. In these verses, Jeremiah and God uttered that “nothing is too difficult for thee”; and “is anything too difficult for me.”
There are myths around the world about the virgin conception. Satan induced many stories to spoil the sanctity and serenity of the Gospel. But never the lies overpower the truth. Truth triumphs. Triumphs forever. I strongly believe that Jesus was born of Virgin Mary by virgin conception.
The Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Roman Catholicism have taught "virgin birth," referring to "virgin conception". So, we can affirm through the scriptures that Mary yielded for a Miracle of God (Luke 1:38) and enjoyed it (Luke 2:7).
According to Luke 1:35, Jesus would be a son of a virgin. Mary’s pregnancy would not be through sexual relations with Joseph but the direct creative power of the Spirit of God. The son born to her would be of Adam’s race but free of any trace of Adam’s sin. He would not be one whom God merely adopted as his son, but one who was God’s Son. He would be the head of a new creation (Bridgeway Bible Commentary).
