The Journey To Jesus: The Pronouncement

 The Journey To Jesus: The Pronouncement 

Opening Illustration: Hanging Upside Down

Three preachers sat discussing the best positions for prayer, while a telephone repairman worked nearby. "Kneeling is definitely best," claimed one. "No," another contended. "I get the best results standing with my hands outstretched to Heaven." "You’re both wrong," the third insisted. "The most effective prayer position is lying prostrate, face down on the floor." The repairman could contain himself no longer.

"Hey, fellas," he interrupted, "the best prayin’ I ever did was hangin’ upside down from a telephone pole."

Point:

Prayer is so vital to the Christian life. Prayer is the mode in which all believers communicate to God and it is through prayer that God speaks to us. Think about prayer for just a second. Prayer is just another word for pause. Prayer slows us down, it helps us pause our busy lives so that we can focus, we can prioritize, we can think about the things that matter most. The act of praying is like giving your spirit a break. Friend, you were not meant to go go go all the time. You were not created to be busy all the time, non stop. Sleep gives our physical bodies a rest from the craziness of our world. Prayer is the activity that provides our souls a break. When we pray, God refreshes our soul. Prayer is communion with God. Prayer is communication with Christ. Listen to these words of Christ captured in Matthew 11:28-30.

Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

One last thing about prayer. If prayer is communication with God, then prayer is an interruption for the world that we live in. When we turn our attention to heaven, we turn away from the world. When we pray, it provides peace in a chaotic world. Prayer gives us power over the world and the power that the world has over us. 

Sadly, instead of our prayers interrupting the power of the world over our lives, it is usually the world that interrupts our prayer life. We start thinking about everything that has to be done. We begin formulating our to do lists. What do the kids have to do today? What is happening at work? 

For the most part, I really dislike the interruptions of the world while I covet the spiritual interruption of prayer. 

Point:

Everyday I listen to my favorite pastor, Tony Evans. Dr. Evans has a pod cast called the Urban Alternative. I just love his preaching and teaching. However, about half way through the message, the sermon is interrupted with an advertisement. It’s time to make a donation. It’s time to buy a book. It’s time to visit the church. You can sign up to go on a cruise with Dr. Evans. Dr. Evans has a bowling league that you can join if you want. 

During this commercial I am left thinking, “can we just get back to the message”.

Imagine if in the middle of my sermon Bryant Thompson ran up on stage and started selling books that I had written. You could buy my dissertation to help you sleep at night. You can hire out my sons to do yard work. You can purchase my wife’s cinnamon rolls. That would be wild…and annoying right. 

For the most part, interruptions can be really really annoying. Outside of the Super Bowl, no one wants to watch a commercial. We pay a lot of money each month so we can just skip right over them. 

Saying all of that this morning, not all interruptions are bad. Some can be redeeming. Fill in these blanks with me this morning. Interruptions can be rude, random and REDEEMING!

Interruptions Can Be Rude, Random and REDEEMING!

Background:

The story picks up in the 6th month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.  Elizabeth was cousin to Mary.  These two women, their families and their countrymen lived under Roman rule.  It was a brutal and dark time for Jewish people as Rome was a military power who ruled with brutality.  You will remember that Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt because Roman political figures wished to kill him.  Recall that it was Herod, a Roman governor, who ordered all the children under 2 be butchered to prevent Jesus from coming to power.  

God sends Gabriel to Nazareth to deliver to Mary a message of terrifying proportion.  She is pregnant.  This news is problematic as Mary is engaged to be married.  Under Levitical law, Joseph could have had Mary stoned.  No doubt she was fearing the worst.  Yet, the angel offers Mary comfort and hope.  

Understand the message of the newly arriving Messiah is not just for Mary.  This message brings us hope even today.  Let’s read it together.  

Luke 1:26-36,38 (NIV)

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. [38] "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

I. The Angel Was Announcing...

A. The Graciousness Of God

Luke 1:26-28 (NIV)

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."

1. God Chose An Obscure Season (Sixth Month)

🔴There is a high probability that the Annunciation in the sixth month is a reference to the sixth lunar month according to Luke's Syro-Macedonian calendar. In 5 BCE the sixth lunar month was from March 10 to April 7. The middle of that month was about March 25, 5 BCE, the traditional date for the Annunciation. This was also the day of the Vernal Equinox.

🔴The timing of the angel's visit was curious at best.  Following the closing verse in Malachi, there was no verbal, or audible word from God.  500 years of complete silence had transpired before the angel's interruption of Mary's life.  It was unexpected and it was unbelievable. 

1. God Chose An Obscure Season (Sixth Month)

2. God Chose An Obscure Site (Nazareth)

🔴Nazareth in the first century would have been small. It's location is in Galilee which translated means "district of Pagans". No one would have thought that the messiah would come from there.  Outside the city are a host of ancient tombs. The city itself is difficult to arrive at because it is surrounded by steep ravines and terraces.  The people of Nazareth would have been farmers and largely poor.  Scholars believe that Nazareth would have been around 2 to 4 hundred people in population.  Their homes would have had dirt floors and made from stones held together by mud.  There was nothing special about Nazareth.  We see the attitude towards the city captured in the disciples response to Jesus in John 1:46. 

John 1:45-46 (NIV)

Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote---Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." [46] "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.

1. God Chose An Obscure Season (Sixth Month)

2. God Chose An Obscure Site (Nazareth)

3. God Chose An Obscure Spouse (Joseph)

🔴We don't know to much about Joseph, the step father of Jesus.  Perhaps this is done on purpose by the Gospel writers as they make the case for Jesus' true Father who lives and reigns in heaven.  Nevertheless, we do know a few facts about the man.  He was a carpenter by trade.  He was a man of resolve as he certainly faced the embarrassment of being engaged to a woman who was pregnant before marriage and not by him.  The Bible says that he was in the line of David and was a righteous man.  We see that he was a deeply spiritual man as he takes Jesus to be dedicated in the temple in Luke 2.  Most theologians believe that Joseph died when Jesus was a teenager.  There is no mention of Him following Jesus disappearance into the temple courts and only his mother remained at the cross with Jesus.  

1. God Chose An Obscure Season (Sixth Month)

2. God Chose An Obscure Site (Nazareth)

3. God Chose An Obscure Spouse (Joseph)

4. God Chose An Obscure Servant (Mary)

🔴To say that Mary is not special would be incorrect.  However, she was obscure.  Scripture clearly indicates that Mary was a righteous woman who had found favor with God.  She was clearly a great choice to be the Mother of Christ.  However, her placement in the world and time made her obscure.  She was not a queen or princess.  She was not physically, emotionally or even spiritually ready for the undertaking but she submitted to the will of God.  She did so not fully understanding how this birth would take place or what it would potentially cost her.  She was young.  Most likely 14-16 years of age.  Not a mature woman by any stretch.  She was plain, soft spoken, reflective and obedient.  Someone to immolate and imitate but not idolize.  

🔴Why did God choose relative obscurity to announce the birth if His Son. Why this time? Why this town? Why this simple man of trade? Why this seemingly trivial girl. The reason is identification. Jesus came to the poor, not the prestigious.  He was born in the pit, not the palace.  He set aside his Sovereignty to learn a skill. Jesus would be fully God and fully man but a man we can identify with. 

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NIV)

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. [28] He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things---and the things that are not---to nullify the things that are, [29] so that no one may boast before him.

I. The Angel Was Announcing...

A. The Graciousness Of God

B. The Greatness Of God

Luke 1:31-33 (NIV)

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."

Illustration: 

Chris Tomlin has become one, if not the most prolific Christian song writers today. He has written dozens of contemporary songs and hymns that we would call classics today. Chances are you have a favorite Tomlin song. One of my favorites is “How Great Is Our God”. The song poses a rhetorical question, how great is God…really? Well he does a good job explaining just how great God really is. Listen to some of his lyrics. 

The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty

Let all the Earth rejoice

All the Earth rejoice

He wraps himself in light

And darkness tries to hide

And trembles at His voice

Trembles at His voice

Age to age He stands

And time is in His hands

Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One

Father Spirit Son

The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names

Worthy of our praise

My heart will sing

How great is our God

You're the name above all names

You are worthy of our praise

And my heart will sing

How great is our God

Point:

When is the last time you pondered the greatness of God? The question reminds me of Psalm 8. 

Psalm 8:3,4,9 NKJV

O LORD, our Lord, How excellent [majestic, awesome] is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! [Talk about greatness!] When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? O LORD, our Lord, How excellent [or great or majestic or awesome] is Your name in all the earth! 

Then there is Psalm 96:1-6. 

Psalm 96:1-6 NKJV

For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

If you turn to Judges 13, you would be introduced to a man named Manoah. Manoah was the father of the most famous Judge, Samson. Israel was enduring a terrible time in their history where everyone did what was right in their own eyes. God sent judges to His people to help steer them back to him. One such judge was Samson. God sent an angel to Manoah to inform him that he would be the father of Samson. The angel told Manoah how he was to care for the boy. Manoah wanted to know the name of the angel. Listen to what was said to Manoah. 

Judges 13:17-18 NKJV

Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, "What is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?" And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?"

Point:

In English the word wonderful, means fantastic, terrific, and really great. That is not the meaning of the Hebrew word. The best English word I know for the meaning of the Hebrew word is incomprehensible. It is too difficult to understand. When Manoah wanted to know what the name of the Angel of the Lord was, he said, "It is too wonderful for you." The greatness of our God is seen in that one word wonderful­­­­­, incomprehensible.

Point:

In the same way, the angel was sent to Mary to reveal to her the greatness of God, the coming Christ. 

1. God Is Great In Purpose

🔴Jesus' Hebrew name is Yeshua, which is a shortened version of Yehoshua. Yeshua means 'he will save', and is translated into English as Joshua.

2. God Is Great In Power 

🔴The scripture tells us that Jesus will be called Son of the Most High.  The angel is connecting the dots for Mary.  Her Son will be divine and carry with him all the power of the divine

3. God Is Great In Perspective 

🔴Even though Mary was experiencing something unbelievable in that moment, the angel opens the doors to a greater perspective.  The angel is dancing between the present and the future.  He is looking towards a day when Mary's Son will offer a new perspective.  An eternal perspective. His kingdom will never end.  It will be everlasting.  

“It is about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself.”

— John Piper

Mary's Response Is Our Teachable Moment 

Distress

Luke 1:29,30,38 (NIV)

[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. 

[38] “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Illustration: The Answer of A Girl

Frederick Buechner's little book of character sketches of people from the Bible has this to say about the angel Gabriel as he encounters Mary: "She struck him as hardly old enough to have a child at all, let alone this child. But he had been entrusted with a message to give her, and he gave it. He told her what the child was to be named, who he was to be, and something about the mystery that was to come upon her. 'You mustn't be afraid, Mary,' he said. As he said it, he only hoped she wouldn't notice that beneath the great golden wings, he himself was trembling with fear to think that the whole future of Creation hung on the answer of a girl."

Point:

You can imagine what Mary must have been thinking.  “Why me?”  How in the world was she going to pull this off.  Notice her first response is fear.  

You know, there is a lot of fear in the Bible.  Usually fear gives birth to doubt.  Let’s look though Scripture together.  God calls Abraham to move through Egypt.  Abraham responds with fear and then fear gives birth to Abraham doubting God’s ability to protect his family.  This doubt leads to lying to Pharaoh about Sarah his wife being his sister.  

What about Sarah.  She hears God’s promise of a son.  She fears the worst and begins to doubt God’s ability to bring forth life from her old body.  

The list goes on…

Moses was fearful and doubtful at the burning bush.

Joshua was fearful and doubtful too. 

Then there is David.  David sins and his sin brings forth fear.  His fear is amplified by his doubt that God is sufficient to see his deeds which eventually leads to murder.  

Plenty of New Testament characters were fearful and doubting too…

Joseph was afraid and doubted.

Peter was afraid and doubted.

There was even a disciple named Thomas.  He was even given the moniker “doubting Thomas”. 

The disciples were all guilty of being afraid and doubt in Jesus.  

What about John Mark, he was fearful and doubted.

So, what’s my point, being fearful is not a sin.  Even Jesus was afraid in the garden.  Yet, when we allow that fear to give birth to doubt in God’s power to sustain us, provide for us or even protect us, that is sin.  Mary responded to the angel in fear, but she did not allow the fear to plant a seed of doubt in her spirit.  She did not allow the fear to germinate into sinful doubt.  

Mary responded in faith.  She responded in obedience.  

🔴The largest understatement in the Bible. 

🔴When God gives you an assignment do you panic. 

We usually think we are 

under-qualified (I don't have the right education)

ill equipped (I don't have the right tools)

not deserving (their has to be someone better)

🔴We must remember that god does not call the qualified, rather he qualifies the called. He will give you the knowledge, the tools and the people to help you. Here's a few examples. 

Adam had Eve.

Moses had the staff and Aaron. 

David had 5 smooth stones and a slingshot

God gave Solomon wisdom to be King

He spoke through willing prophets

When God calls us, never fear because he will help us. We must be willing and obedient to the call. 

Luke 21:14-15 (NIV)

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. [15] For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

Mary's Response Is Our Teachable Moment 

Distress

Doubt

Luke 1:34 (NIV)

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

Illustration:Jesus In The Dark

When I was a student at New Orleans Theological Seminary, I had some amazing teachers. One of those teachers was Dr. Reggie O’gea. I'll never forget his lectures. I remember him telling us a story about his pastor from when he was preaching in Louisiana during the days of the Depression. Electricity was just coming into that part of the country, and he was out in a rural, black church that had just one little light bulb hanging down from the ceiling to light up the whole sanctuary. He was preaching away, and in the middle of his sermon, all of a sudden, the electricity went out. The building went pitch black, and Dr. O’gea’s pastor didn't know what to say, being a young preacher. He stumbled around until one of the elderly deacons sitting in the back of the church cried out, "Preach on, preacher! We can still see Jesus in the dark!"

Sometimes that's the only time we can see him—in the dark. And the good news of the gospel is that whether we can see him in the dark or not, he can see us in the dark.

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Mary's Response Is Our Teachable Moment 

Distress

Doubt

Deference

Luke 1:38 (NIV)

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Illustration: Folding Blind Cane

Can you imagine what it would be like to be blind?  Living in a world shrouded in darkness would be  frightening to many of us.  Yet, there are thousands of Americans who thrive with this handicap.  People have learned to overcome blindness and lead amazingly productive lives.  Even though their world may be visually blind, they have learned to trust tools and learned skills to be successful in life.  Of course the seeing eye dog is one of the most popular helps to the blind. There is another tool that I want to discuss this morning.  It is the folding cane for the blind.  This cane when used properly can help the blind navigate obstacles.  This cane makes them mobile.  

The blind have complete dependence on this cane.  They cannot see what is in front of them but they have learned to trust this tool.  They defer to the reality that the cane offers rather than their blind judgement.  Mary did the same.  Mary did not know the future or even understand how this was going to happen, but she trusted the Lord.  She was not paralyzed by fear.  She said Ok Lord, I may be blind, but I am going to believe that you will help get me through.  That is what it means to defer.  Are you deferring to God or are you still seeking answers to every little question you have?  Dont you think Mary had deeper questions?  Sure she did.  However, this 14 year old said "Ok, Im yours." Whats holding you back today?  Doubt? Trust Him.  No doubt about it, he wont lead you astray.  

Point:

I want to close this morning with a short poem about God. It powerfully illustrates why we can trust Him, why we can put our faith in Him.

Illustration: God Is Great

The Peace Speaker & the Problem Solver!

The Miracle Worker & the Heart Mender!

He's my Provider & my Supplier!

He's my Shepherd & my Song!

He's my Sword & my Shield!

He's the Healer of all my diseases!

The Forgiver of all my iniquities!

He is Holy & Highly Exalted!

He is Merciful & He is Majestic!

There is nothing too hard for Him!

He's the Overseer of the Overcomers,

The Captain of Our Salvation,

He is Altogether Lovely,

And Jesus is His Name!

Herod couldn't kill him,

Learned men could not baffle Him,

Politicians could not bribe Him,

And Pharisees couldn't trick him!

Pilot couldn't touch Him,

The devil couldn't budge Him,

The cross couldn't keep Him,

And the grave couldn't hold Him!

There is no Sickness that He Cannot Cure!

He's bigger than:

Aids or Alzheimer's

Arthritis or anorexia

Bulimia or bursitis

Cataracts or cancer

Depression or diabetes

Emphysema or Epilepsy

Hepatitis or Heart disease

Melanoma or Migraines

Turberculosis or anything else!

Point:

Perhaps you feel like the seed of fear is germinating into doubt.  Don’t let it happen.  God is bigger than any problem.  He will answer you and will show favor to you if you are obedient to His direction.  

Psalm 46:1-3 NIV

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Be like Mary! Be humble! Be obedient!

James 4:10 (NIV)

Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.  

How Will You Answer God's Interuption?