SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!
Luke 1:26-38
INTRODUCTION
HOLD UP PICTURE OF SERGEANT CARTER
Who is this? (AWAIT RESPONSES)
What TV show was he in? (AWAIT RESPONSES)
That’s right he was ‘Sergeant Carter’ in ‘Gomer Pyle’.
HOLD UP PICTURE OF PRIVATE GOMER PYLE
What’s something you think of when Gomer Pyle comes to mind?
(AWAIT RESPONSES)
‘SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!’
This morning we are going to focus on a bunch of surprises that must be some of the greatest ever!
LISTEN AS NOEL READS TO US FROM LUKE 1:26-38.
The first surprise, surprise, surprise is -
1. The Angel GABRIEL Was Sent With The News
What makes that surprising?
(AWAIT RESPONSES)
Well we need to consider who this angel was. Listen to the power that Gabriel has. Luke 1:18-20, ‘Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”’ And listen to the effect Gabriel had on Daniel. Daniel 8:15-18, ‘While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision." As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate…’
You see Gabriel is not just your everyday garden variety of angel – he’s one of the arch angels. One who possesses great power.
And what’s so surprising in this account is this – all that Gabriel could do in terms of making things right was announce that God was going to do it! The fact that the most Gabriel could do was announce the good news makes it clear that no created being – no matter how good or how powerful, could restore us.
So what does that mean for me?
(AWAIT RESPONSE)
It means don’t bother trying to work your way to God. His love compelled Him to do everything for you. Listen to Gabriel’s message, ‘You (Mary) will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus (Saviour).’ For He will save His people from their sin. He alone can do it. Do you realise the offence took place between man and God and it can only be righted by man and God. The God/man Jesus Christ made it right!
Surprise, surprise, surprise God sent the mighty Gabriel to show us that Jesus is the only way!
The second surprise, surprise, surprise is that:
2. God Sent The Angel To NAZARETH
Again what’s so surprising about that?
(AWAIT RESPONSE)
Nazareth was an obscure place, little taken notice of. Not even mentioned in the OT. And it seems by Nathanael’s comment, not of good repute - ’Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?…’ (Jn 1:46). Yet, surprise, surprise, surprise it was there that God condescended to be conceived. And His Son became known – get this! - as ‘Jesus of Nazareth’. The Saviour of those not of good repute – Jesus of Nazareth!
So how does that impact my everyday life?
(AWAIT RESPONSE)
God wants you to come to Jesus as you are. He came to seek and to save. And He is not afraid to get His hands dirty, so to speak, in order to accomplish His purpose. Jesus of Nazareth – God of the ordinary – God of the forgotten – God of the humble – God of the insignificant – God of all! Jesus of Nazareth the one who came to help in the mundane.
The third surprise, surprise, surprise is that:
3. Through MARY Came New Life
Probably there was never any created being given such honour as this woman. Chosen to be the Lord’s mother. Chosen to care for and nourish Him. (HOLD UP PICTURE ‘KISSING THE FACE OF GOD’) To impact on His physical looks. From Mary begins the new-born human race. How astonishing! That God should be so intimately involved with His creation. That the Creator should in some unfathomable way become the created.
Another surprising thing is this – it was woman who led the rebellion in the first place (please don’t stone me ladies! – I fully recognise that man did not speak into the situation). But woman led the way and here it’s as if God is giving her opportunity to lead the way in making things right. In fact God told us right back in Genesis that it would be through the woman’s seed that the Saviour would come.
Isn’t it awesome to consider that we mere mortals have been chosen to do greater things than even the greatest angels.
What does this surprise reveal to us?
(AWAIT RESPONSE)
God is patient with us – a bruised reed He will not break. When we fail He does not write us off. Rather He provides opportunities to succeed in His strength. And this surprise reveals that we can be partners with the King of kings in His mighty works.
The fourth surprise, surprise, surprise is found in verse 30:
4. ‘Do Not Be Afraid, Mary’
‘The Lord is with you, do not be afraid.’ What a tremendous surprise! God does not want to stamp us out. Gabriel said, ‘Mary, do not fear, you have found favour with God.’ ‘Joseph, do not fear to take Mary as your wife.’ ‘Zechariah and Elizabeth do not fear, your prayers have been heard.’ Do not fear! It’s the great surprise of Christmas. God’s great light coming into the world banishing the darkness and driving the fear from our heart.
The next surprise, surprise, surprise is:
5. You Will Give Birth To A Son – Call Him ‘Jesus’ (vs. 31)
‘Can you hear the surprise in that! Mary you will conceive and have a son. What could be more astonishing than God placing his most awesome work in the hands of a 12-year-old girl named Mary? How many of us would entrust the destiny of the world into such hands!
Think of her first reaction, “You don’t know what you are talking about. I am still a virgin.” But Gabriel assured her that it was to be the work of the Holy Spirit. Her next thought must have been, “My father will kill me.” But the Angel reassured her in a very special way. One that is easy to miss. He said, your relative Elizabeth, in her old age, is going to have a child as well.
God did not leave Mary alone in this miraculous event. Someone else in her family was going to experience their own miraculous work. I can just imagine the family getting together and saying, “What Mary is saying must be true. There are awesome things happening in our family.” ‘ Based on Surprise. It’s Christmas eSermons.com Sermons, Brett Blair, ChristianGlobe Network
And then the name Jesus. The name ‘Jesus’ is one which indicates his main work.
1. He ‘saves’ by taking my sin upon Himself.
2. He ‘saves’ by bearing the penalty due for my sin.
3. He ‘saves’ by driving out sin from my heart.
4. He ‘saves’ because He is God Almighty.
The sixth surprise, surprise, surprise is:
6. ‘He Will Be Called The SON OF GOD’ (vs. 35)
‘Let me tell you what is so surprising about Christmas. It is simply this: When God chose to do his greatest work of salvation, he did so not with the splash of his earlier works: Saving Noah from a world flood, hiding baby Moses in a basket on the Nile, delivering the Jews from bondage in Egypt, splitting the Sea, giving the Ten Commandments, bringing his people at last to the Promised Land. His greatest work was done in the frailty of a son.
Now don’t miss this. If you miss this you miss Christmas. Jesus was a boy like every other boy who has ever lived. (PUT UP OVERHEAD) He learned to be a carpenter along side his father. He laughed like every other boy, skinned his knee like every other boy, and grew in wisdom and stature. He was 100% boy. But here is the surprise of Christmas: He was 100% God. 100% boy and 100% God. He is all boy and all God. That’s the mystery. He’s Mary’s son, yes. But the angel assures Mary that he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.’ Surprise. It’s Christmas eSermons.com Sermons, Brett Blair, ChristianGlobe Network.
You see Jesus is really Mary’s Son, but He is also God’s Son. For Jesus to have God as His Father does not make Him any less human than Adam – who was Adam’s father?
CONCLUSION
Surprise, surprise, surprise it’s nearly Christmas – let God surprise you with the best gift ever! Put your trust in the one who drives out fear. The only one who is able to rescue you. The one who cares about the insignificant. The one who came for those of poor repute. The one who came to give abundant life. The one who loves you so much that he became your brother to pay your price.
Lets Pray!
