Mary, 12/09/2018

Pastor Pete Hartwig

Sermon Notes

Heaven’s Song – Mary

 

SoulCare and pre-service time.

 

Advent Candle – Faith

 

Luke 1:26-38 

 

Context: 6th month – Elizabeth

Angel Gabriel – Gabriel himself. Not some person.

The Birth of Jesus Foretold. – Robyn Hoyle READS.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, 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 conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him 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 Jacob’s descendants 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 on 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 unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

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

 

SLIDE:  Mary Is “Highly Favored”, “Found favor with God”

This makes us feel less than!

She is a virgin…

This word is used elsewhere

 

SLIDE: Ephesians 1:6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

What makes her special is that she says “yes” this is all grace!!

SLIDE: “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

This is how Mary will accomplish what is NOT humanly possible! 

SLIDE: God’s power from outside, and the indwelling spirit within

This is how ALL OF US LIVE the Christian life

SLIDE: Mary puts feet to her faith!

Luke 1:39-50 Mary Visits Elizabeth. ROBYN HOYLE READS!

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 the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

 

Can you imagine that conversation!

 

Mary is our example of FAITH!

Power of God! Holy Spirit! ANGELIC VISIT!

SLIDE: God provides another person (Elizabeth) who affirm and confirm Mary’s calling and journeys with her!

Mary needed at LEAST ONE PERSON!

SLIDE: A burden shared is NOT a burden halved

THE BIG IDEA!

SLIDE: so the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God!

SLIDE: Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man!

This is the message of Christmas!

SLIDE: FEET TO YOUR FAITH

 

SLIDE: Blessed is she who have believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!

 

She took the message of Jesus personally!