God’s Grand Announcement
Luke 1:26-38
December 1999
Introduction
I. Preparation of graduation announcements
A. Basic Preparation
We made a list of addresses for all of the people that we were going to invite. We ordered the right number of announcements so that we would have enough to send to everyone on the list. We got all of the envelopes ready to mail, placed postage on them and sent them out.
B. The message
The message of the announcements was very important to get just right. They told the person receiving the announcement what the event was, why the event was important, whom the event was for, where the event was located, when the event was scheduled to take place and how to get there. All of this was important to have others join your celebration.
II. Why do we use announcements?
A. They give direction
Announcements tell us where we need to go. They tell us when we need to be there. They help us to get to where we are going.
B. They give us a sense of belonging
Announcements link us together. Announcements tell us that we are special. Announcements tell us that we are wanted.
C. They give us purpose
Announcements remind us of whom we are in life. Announcements help us to know our own personal source of self-esteem. Announcements give us a short-term purpose.
D. They give us priority
Announcements reveal to us what is important. Announcements call us to make a clear decision.
E. God has given us an announcement
God wants you to have direction in life. God wants you to know that you belong with Him. God wants you to set your priorities around Him. God wants you to have purpose in your life.
READ TEXT
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." 34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God." 38 "I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
I. An Announcement via Angel
A. God sent Gabriel to Mary
God was in the process of making an announcement
This required a set time
God has perfect timing in everything that He does in all of creation. He does the right thing at the right time and He is working in His time with Mary and Elizabeth. He is in the process of setting the stage for the ministry of Jesus and John. Gabriel has been sent during the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.
This required a set place
God does not work in a vacuum but rather He works in the course of human history through the lives of ordinary people. God enters into ordinary lives with a specific time and in a specific place. In this instance God sent Gabriel to Nazareth to deliver the announcement to Mary.
This required a set purpose
God has a purpose in everything that He does. God wants Mary to know the very special plan that he has for her life. So He sends Gabriel to Mary to offer this announcement but for what purpose? God sends Gabriel who is an angel. The Greek word for angel literally means messenger and God delivers His special messages through special means.
This required a set plan
God had a specific plan to redeem humanity from the effects and results of sin and God was using Mary as a part of that plan. God uses ordinary people to do the extraordinary and He was going to work through the lives of this Jewish couple to fulfill His purpose and plan for humanity.
God makes His will a reality
With God all things are possible. God can literally do anything because there is nothing that is beyond His ability to accomplish. God could merely say the word and His desired changes would take place. After all, He did speak light into existence and created everything out of nothing. God chooses to work through the lives of people to make His will a reality. God moves throughout history by entering human lives and bringing His perfect will out of imperfect people. It is the greatest testament to God’s power.
B. The character of Mary
Mary was highly favored
Mary seemed to have a great deal of limitations that might rule her out for being used by God. The first factor was Mary’s age. Mary was very young at the time of this event. The second factor was Mary’s affluence. Mary was from a very poor family and they had little standing. The third factor was Mary’s gender. Mary was a woman and during those times women had no rights and no voice. It would seem that Mary would have little to offer the service of the most high God.
Mary was indeed chosen by God. This fact is all that really matters because when God chooses He also will provide all that is needed. Many may have believed that Mary was unable to do anything great for the Kingdom of God but God reveals time and time again that He works through the lives of ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.
God was with Mary
God is our source of courage. The presence of God brings courage to His people and spurs them on to do great things for the Kingdom. God gave courage to Mary so that she could face the difficulties that were ahead of her. He will do the same for you today.
God is our source of strength. The power of God enables those who walk with God to have the strength to go through any difficulty that life can throw our way. Where God guides He also promises to provide. We can cling to the promise never will I leave you and never will I forsake you.
II. An Announcement Assured
A. Mary was troubled
We see in verse 29 that Mary was afraid: “Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.” The simple fact is that angelic visits were very rare in those days and it was indeed a special event. There was some uncertainty as to why the angel had come to see her. This was an event of awesome proportion and one that would change Mary’s life forever. The reason for her fear was the simple fact that angels did not always bring good news and it could be a message of God’s judgment coming to her.
B. Gabriel gives assurance
Gabriel came with a message of confidence. Gabriel immediately begins to calm Mary’s fears by his opening statement. "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” This was going to be a message of good news and Mary was chosen for a great purpose.
Gabriel came with a message of hope
Gabriel brought the message of the coming miracle birth that would bring hope to the entire world. God was going to redeem His people and bring them back to Him. Gabriel tells Mary to name the child Jesus, which is the Greek form of the name Joshua. The name Jesus literally means “The Lord saves.” This miracle child was going to be the source of salvation for the entire world.
Gabriel came with a message of power
Gabriel goes on to tell Mary about the character of the child she will give birth to. Jesus will be great and mighty in this world and He will be known as the Son of God. God is keeping His promise to His people because Jesus is the Messiah. The Kingdom that He will establish will be eternal.
III. An Announcement Answered
A. Mary questions the angel
The question on Mary’s mind was “how can this be?” Mary realizes that God can do anything but she is asking how it will take place. Mary literally states the simple fact that she is a virgin and everyone knows it is physically impossible for a virgin to give birth. So how can this happen?
B. Gabriel give the answer
Gabriel describes the plan
The Holy Spirit will descend from heaven and supernaturally conceive the child. Gabriel states that the power of God will overshadow her this means that God’s power will come upon her in a tangible way. Literally, God is going to create life within her womb.
Gabriel defines the purpose
The conception of the child will not be physical but rather supernatural. The power of God will create the child and this is completely beyond human understanding. The fact of this miracle birth will make Jesus the Son of God. Jesus is literally God in flesh and the miracle of all miracles.
Gabriel details the pronouncement
Gabriel tells Mary of the miracle that has already taken place for Elizabeth. She was no longer barren and was six months pregnant. This was a proof that Mary could see and receive peace about God’s plan. Nothing is impossible with God. God makes the impossible possible and we can literally affirm the fact that God has the power of unlimited possibility.
C. Mary responds to the message
Mary pledges her loyalty to God. She pledges that she will serve Him as she has in the past. This task will reveal her ability and spirit to serve God. Mary states her commitment and vows to follow God and do His will. Mary will follow God, be a part of His plan, no matter what the personal cost may be.
Conclusion
I. God is faithful to His people
God is faithful to His word and keeps all of the promises that He makes. God has never broken a promise yet and He never will. God will not fail His people. God will not leave His people. He has a special plan and purpose for those who will follow Him
II. God is always at work
God is always working on behalf of His people. God never rests from His work in history and never stops doing what is best for his people. God does not sleep or slumber but is always watching over you and is at work even now bringing His plan for His people into reality.
III. God makes the impossible possible
God has ultimate power and ultimate authority in all of creation. Nothing is beyond His ability to do. Impossible is not in His vocabulary. The same God who did the impossible through a virgin birth can still work in the impossible situations in your life. This Christmas season allow God to be the master of your life and allow Him to have control. He is the Master of possibilities.
