Sermon Central
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"What Manner?"
Contributed by Kenneth Trent on Aug 18, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: "What Manner?" goes beyond the question that arose in Mary’s mind on hearing the angel’s salutation. This question can well be posed in other important areas as well.
WHAT MANNER?
“And the angel came unto her, and said: Hail, thou who are highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered in her mind what manner of salutation this was.” Luke 1:28-29
"What Manner?" goes beyond the question that arose in Mary’s mind on hearing the angel’s salutation. This question can well be posed in other important areas as well.
I. WHAT MANNER OF SALUTATION IS THIS?
1. It was a long awaited salutation:
More than seven hundred years earlier, Isaiah prophesied: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.
2. It was an illuminating salutation:
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus, He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man? And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.” Luke 1:31-32.
II. WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS?
In many ways, Jesus was typical of man in general: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15
In other ways, He was atypical, uniquely different, from man in general: “And He said unto them: ‘Where is your faith? And they, being afraid wondered, saying one to another, ‘What manner of Man is this? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” Luke 8:25
III. WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT WE TO BE?
“Seeing then that all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” II Peter 3:11.
1. The manner described:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1.
2. How obtained:
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:7.
