You’re What?!?: Mary’s Unexpected Pregnancy
Luke 1:26-38 (Key verses 28, 34, 38)
December 7, 2003 FBC, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.
Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa’s reindeer, every single one
of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen- had to be a girl. We should’ve known. Only women, while pregnant, would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.
(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.
ETS: Mary showed how a good believer reacts to the unexpected.
ESS: Life’s unexpected curves do not have to be catastrophic to the Christian.
OBJ: I hope you will use Mary’s approach to coping when life takes an unexpected turn.
P.Q.: How do you approach life when it turns out different than what you expected?
Let’s look at three approaches that Mary used when her life took an unexpected turn:
1. Mary approached her unexpected turn with.....favor. (v. 28)
[28] The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
A. Mary was given favor (grace) by God-highly favored.
a. By no work, merit, act, on Mary’s part.
b. God gave Mary grace as a gift (Jesus, the whole treasure of God’s grace, was being bore in Mary’s womb.
B. Before we can approach life’s unexpected turns, we must be highly favored! God’s grace
Highly favored (Kecharitomene is mentioned only 2 x’s in the whole N.T.) Luke 1:28,
Eph. 1:6 [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
b. The same favor, grace that God showed Mary is the same favor, grace He has freely given us.
* You’ve got to be saved by grace to approach life’s unexpected turns. (Mary found her grace in God....that’s where you’ve going to find your grace, too!).
C Phillip Yancey: "Grace: A gift that cost everything for the giver, and nothing to the recipient."
You work 8 hours, wage. Train & win a race: Awared & Recognized! Fair: Deserved: Earned.
Grace: You didn’t work 8 hours, paid anyway! You didn’t win the race, got first place! Grace! You are getting what you didn’t deserve/earn!
Does God grace pour on everyone like the sunshine? NO!
2. Mary approached her unexpected turn with....faith (v.34).
(34) "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
A. Mary knew what would happen, but she did not know how it would happen (the question was actually an expression of faith).
a. The promise she faithfully understood, the performance she did not understand.
b. Mary’s cousin, Zechariah, had unbelief
* v. 18 (18) Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
* Mary never doubted that God could do what God said He would do-FAITHFUL!!
B. "My God shall supply all my needs, according to His riches in glory" Shelter, Fortress, Rock, Shield,
c. I have faith in Him! (v.37) [37] For nothing is impossible with God."
d. I don’t know when or how He’s going to do it...I do believe He will! Why? (v. 35) (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.
E. My favorite verse: "It came to pass."
T.S. This next point determines whether we will successfully negotiate life’s unexpected turns.
3. Mary approached her unexpected turn with......flexibility (v. 38).
(38) "I am the Lord’s servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
A. Mary was not married, but she was pregnant (not a good thing).
a. She doesn’t complain or cringe at the shame a premarital pregnancy could bring her.
*Complain at not being given the option to "not" be blessed among women.
b. God said, "Mary, this is what I’m going to do...."
* Big wedding, bachelorette party, booking a band....no more!
*v. 38-FLEXIBILITY
B. When life turn unexpectedly, isn’t our first move to complain, criticize, and cringe (not the approach that Mary showed).
a. I can become a slave to my will, plans, agenda, ego, pride, dreams. Makes me upset when my master is not served.
b. The reason Mary could handle this unexpected turn in her life is who she is serving-the Lord!
* Flexible= whatever You say, God!
C. Jesus: "Thy will be done."
Conclusion
ETS: Mary showed how a good believer reacts to the unexpected.
ESS: Life’s unexpected curves do not have to be catastrophic to the Christian.
OBJ: I hope you will use Mary’s approach to coping when life takes an unexpected turn.
P.Q.: How do you approach life when it turns out different than what you expected?
JESUS DIED FOR MARY TOO--Communion Meditation
Mark Lowry, a Christian comedian observed that Mary’s silence at the cross always amazed him. If he were being crucified in the middle of town, his mother would have "Pitched a fit", but Mary never said a word. Lowry wondered if maybe what made the difference for her was remembering back to that 1st Christmas. Remembering touching his little hands and feet and counting his fingers and toes.
On a serious note, Lowry says:
"I wonder if she realized then that those were the same fingers that
had scooped out the oceans and formed the seas.
Mary probably counted those little toes- I wonder if she realized
that those were the same feet that had walked on streets of gold and
had been worshipped by angels.
Those little lips were the same lips that had spoken the world into
existence.
When Mary kissed her little baby, she wasn’t just kissing another baby - she was kissing the face of God.
33 years later she’s standing on a hillside watching blood pour from His veins, from the side of her own son... and she didn’t open her mouth. What a great testimony to the fact that
He wasn’t just a great prophet
He wasn’t just a great preacher
He wasn’t just a great teacher
He was the virgin born son of God. He was our Savior.
And... He didn’t just die for us, He died for His own mother.
The baby boy she had delivered on that 1st Christmas was now on a cross delivering her. ***Notice: I have used Sermon Central Sermon for a very long time. If this or any of my sermons are similar to a sermon that is currently already on Sermon Central by another pastor or teacher....chances are I have used it. Actually, there is probably absolutely nothing in this sermon that hasn’t been preached before! If I used your sermon and haven’t given you credit, please write me and I’ll give you credit by name. I have in no way intentionally withheld credit to any work I’ve used/borrowed from. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF I HAVE "USED" YOUR WORK IT WAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU HAD A SUPER SERMON! I prefer to preach with an outline and just rearranged your sermon. My intent is to make sermons relevant and easy for outline guys to use. If you use MY work, feel free to claim it. I do not care!!! Simply realize that I have borrowed from other preachers, too.
Mike Fogerson, Pastor, Chester’s First Baptist Church
