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Pastor Rene's Bible studies
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.
We have read and heard it so often that for many today, we may overlook the all the supernatural elements that makes this story maybe the most wonderful and amazing story.
Let's pray that the Holy Spirit bring it fresh to our heart today…
Do we have any person who are engaged?
How many mother do we have here this morning?
She was greatly troubled and wondered what kind of greetings it was…
If you pay attention to the angel's words, she was favored by God for a special purpose: to give birth to a child who will be great and be called the son of the most high, the son of God, named Jesus…He will receive the throne of David, reign forever… (Messiah)
How will this be?
Even her question allow us to see her faith (will this be). She did not bring any arguments. I believe this will be but how? To conceive this child as you are telling me, I don't know a man at the moment, how will it happen? Who will it be?
She bows at the Lord's will:
What Mary heard from her cousin
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Even if she herself is pregnant through a divine act of God and her own son is also called to a special mission, she still recognize something greater-- the coming of the Messiah.
Idolatry is an act of unbelief that lowers God and exalt a human being or an object.
But the Bible is clear: the angel told Mary in V.35 "the holy one to be born (it does not say of you, but it just said from the Holy Spirit) will be called the Son of God"
Can you imagine Mary's interest when Zechariah and Elizabeth could tell their story…
Luke 1:5 (NIV) In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
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." 19 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. 20 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."
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
What was the spiritual climate in Israel?
They had lost an important battle. They were under foreign rules. They had been 400 years without any word of God (revelation) and prophet.
There were many sects--- and this righteous couple.
By faith, their expectation of the Messiah was producing the power of walking rightly.
The angel answered: "Hey did you forget who I am and why I'm here. I am Gabriel… I've been sent to bring you a good news"
Luke 2:8 (NIV) And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
They were terrified…
An angel: He brings a good news…
A Savior, Christ , the Lord… Wow! impressive titles for a baby in a manger???
Not in power and glory, but in a manger…
Glory to God in the Highest… Until the birth of this child, man brought disapointment to God. Every attempt to amend this state just brought the situation worse and worse… The Flood did not improved the world but just destroyed men. The law aggravated the situation, provoking the sinful lust into open transgression and rebellion…
But the birth of Jesus is the signal for the angels to sing: Glory to God…
These angels came to offer honor and glory to this babe
The spepherds went to Bethleem and found everything just as it was said.
Was it easy to walk in the dark? How did they find the right barn? The right family? How long did it take? God probably guided them…
Then they spread the news to many…
Mary heard it too… How did she feel about all this supernatural stuff surrounding the birth of her child?
Luke 2:21 (NIV) On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. 22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
It was not imagination, but faith; it was according to thy word.
He prophesied the coming of salvation for all people.
He could leave this world in peace… The law could not have produced this kind of peace, only when God justify a soul can he experience peace…
All of these witnesses were faithful to the ordinances of the Law, they were righteous before God, serving God.
Was these encounters normal or supernatural?
What was the angels' mission?
What all of these people had in common? Expecting
the Messiah…
