GABRIEL ANNOUNCES JESUS’ BIRTH (Outline)
LUKE 1:26-38 - December 19, 2004 - Advent 4
INTRO: Today’s text presents some memorable verses that you may have already noticed. One reminds us the Lord is with you. What a mystery / miracle that GOD is with US! Another notable verse states: For nothing is impossible with God. All those things that seem impossible, humanly speaking, are possible by God’s divine hand. Consider Job who lost everything: land, cattle, goods, and even his entire family. Yet, as he looked into the mystery / miracle of God we see his response. "He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted"(JOB 5:9). Today’s text is another one of those mystery / miracles that seem impossible but become possible by God! We consider the miracle of our Savior’s birth as GABRIEL ANNOUNCES JESUS’ BIRTH. I. Jesus is Mary’s Son and II. Jesus still is God’s true Son.
I. JESUS IS MARY’S SON
A. The previous verses in Luke’s Gospel (chapter 1) explain the miracle of John the Baptist’s birth.
1. Zechariah and Elizabeth, well past childbearing years become the object of God’s promise.
2. After this mystery / miracle our text begins another miracle / mystery. Verses 26, 27.
B. Nazareth was an insignificant town in an insignificant region of Galilee. It was the town of prophecy.
1. Gabriel goes to Joseph, of the house and line of David. Another prophecy fulfilled.
2. Mary was the name of the virgin, another prophecy fulfilled.
C. The angel comes with messages of comfort and encouragement. Verses 28, 30.
1. Mary considers the angel’s message. Verses 29, 34.
2. Gabriel answers in verse 37. Mary, be God’s grace, believes. Verse 38.
D. God’s promise made very early on in the history of the world. Adam and Eve, who lived in a perfect world, sinned. That event, too, is quite a mystery. God did not destroy the world. God did not start over. God promised a Savior (GENESIS 3:15) who would crush the head of Satan. God’s Son, divine becomes human – for us. "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness"(PHILIPPIANS 2:6,7).
E. The Lord God demanded justice and payment for disobedience and the destroying of his perfect creation. But man could not and cannot pay the price. Instead, the price of atonement would come at a very great cost, to God. Jesus the Creator becomes human so that he would face death at the hands of sinful creation. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 CORIN. 8:9).
F. This only scratches the surface of God’s mystery of salvation. Mankind who does not deserve to be saved is saved. Mankind who cannot save himself is saved by the sacrifice of Mary’s Son. All of this happens as God’s great plan of grace for mankind. Mary’s Son would bring us close to his heavenly Father. This would all happen at just the right time. "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons" (GALATIANS 4:4,5).
TRANS: Gabriel announces this miraculous message of the mystery of salvation to Mary. Jesus, Savior of the world, would be Mary’s Son. Gabriel also announces:
II. JESUS IS STILL GOD’S SON
A. The angel Gabriel’s message is filled with the divine origin of Mary’s earthly child.
1. Consider the name of Mary’s Son in verse 31. Jesus means to save (people from their sins).
2. Another title is in verse 32a. The Most High means God. Jesus is God’s Son.
B. This was not only an angelic announcement it was also God’s fulfillment of promises.
1. In verses 32, 33 we read that Jesus will rightly take the throne of his father, David.
2. This was the promise made to David. It was another Old Testament prophecy come true.
C. Gabriel told Mary many things. It was lot to take in and consider, beyond the angel’s appearance.
1. This information could be overwhelming. For confirmation of all these things: verses 36, 37.
a. Mary would visit Elizabeth. b. All this information would be confirmed.
2. Divine intervention would overcome the human destruction of perfection by sin. Verse 35.
D. Sadly, today’s society has tried to remove the deity of Jesus from Christmas. It is very difficult, at times impossible, to see Jesus as the Son of God during this blessed Christmas season. Crass commercialism and worldly materialism covers up the truth Jesus’ birth. Yes, many see the manger but they do not see the eternal throne of God from where Jesus came. Worldly denial and rejection cannot change the Scriptural testimony. "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word" (HEBREWS 1:3a).
E. The world takes us away from that which is divine and that which is eternal. God, through his Son, Jesus, brings us back to him. God does this all by his loving, divine, eternal grace. The world places all of its hopes and celebrations on the things of this world, which do not last. In fact, worldly excesses often bring disappointment. Believers celebrate because Jesus is indeed the reason for the season and our entire lives—here on earth and hereafter in heaven. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit"(1 PETER 3:18).
F. Jesus was more than Mary’s Son. Jesus was and still is God’s only Son. It is the holy, precious blood of Jesus that covers our sins. It is the holy, innocent suffering of our Savior Jesus that paid the price of our rebellion—once and for all. That one act of disobedience of Adam and Eve infects and enslaves us all. BUT the one act of obedience of God’s Son set us free! The world may try to deny this fact or cover it up but all things are possible with God! "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men"(ROMANS 5:18).
CONCL: Worldly standards have made Christmas a hectic, too busy season. All too many fail to reflect on the mystery / miracle of salvation. God sent Jesus as Mary’s Son and his own Son to redeem (buy back) mankind from eternal death and destruction in hell. This is a miracle and the mystery of salvation. Thank God that he has graciously revealed to us the true meaning of the light of the gospel. In this world there are many things we may not fully understand. In Scripture we are reminded that it is by faith we believe. Nothing is impossible with God. We thank the Lord. We praise the Lord that we are never left on our own. The Old Testament promised a Savior, Immanuel = God with us. Matthew mentions that same name in his Gospel account. This is the mystery and miracle of every Christmas season – Jesus, the Savior of mankind is Mary’s Son and still is God’s Son. "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him"(1 JOHN 4:15,16). Immanuel, Jesus is still with us today and every day! Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
ADVENT 4(ILCW - A) Readings: ISAIAH 7:10-14; ROMANS 1:1-7; MATTHEW 1:18-25
