Monday, December 17, 2012

The Necessity of the Incarnation


[The horrible events last week in a Connecticut school remind us as to why the Incarnation was necessary. Sin brought death and suffering into God’s good creation (Rom 5:12ff.) and corrupted the human heart, separating us from our Holy God. Jesus came to pay the price that we could not pay, and to offer us salvation as a free gift. Only in Him is there hope.  In Christ, weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.  SN.]
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The Promise of Christmas: JOY to the World!
Luke 1:26-38
Introduction: One of the great themes that surround the life of Jesus is the humble circumstance of his birth, life, and death. Born in a stable to a working class family. Raised the son of a carpenter. Never owning a home or business of his own.  Dying a criminal’s death at a young age.  We would do well this Christmas to remember the song, “Thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown when thou camest to earth for me…”  We would do well to remember as we look at our manger scenes and Christmas cards “Who He is in onder stall, at whose feet the Shepherds fall…”  He came to offer us a gift, through faith, “The wages of sin is death, but the [free] gift of God is eternal life…”  That is the truth we have received, and the truth with which we have been entrusted. Look around. If you were recruiting a team that was to have a part in God’s plan for saving the world, would this be it? 
The Big Idea: God has graciously chosen to use ordinary people in the extraordinary program of building His church. In view of what He has done for us, will we surrender ourselves to Him?
I. The People God uses: God has revealed that it is His plan to use ordinary people to carry out His program (1:26-28). God chose to use ordinary people to implement His extraordinary program. He continues to use ordinary people as He carries it out. In this passage the two key actors at the human level are Mary and her betrothed Joseph. Both exhibited remarkable faith and faithfulness.
          The first surprise is the location of the story in v.26. Nazareth of Galilee would not be the place one would expect to find the human mother of the Messiah!  It wasn’t the political center of the world in the day like Rome, or the center of learning and culture like Athens. It wasn’t Jerusalem, with all its history of significance, the center of Judaism.  It wasn’t even Bethlehem, where the Scriptures had prophesied the Messiah would be born (Micah 5:2).  In fact Nazareth was somewhat despised by more pious Jews, probably because they had so much interaction with Gentiles. Nathanael asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (Jn 1:46).  This already stands as a clue as to how God was working, contrary to human expectation.
           There is no indication that either Joseph or Mary were particularly exceptional people, the kind that would stand out in a crowd. Joseph was a carpenter, a person who worked with his hands, not a Rabbi or a priest or a leader.  He is called a righteous man, which indicates He was a sincere follower of God. There is certainly no indication to support the idea that Mary was sinless. In fact in 1:47 she refers to “God my Savior.” God chose to use ordinary people to implement his extraordinary program. So we see Jesus in the NT calling fishermen and tax collectors, others considered “sinners” by the religious Jews. In the OT some who God called like Moses, David and Amos were shepherds. Ordinary people who trusted in an extraordinary God. A song says “Its not because of who I am, but because of what You’ve done, its not because of what I’ve done, but because of who You are…” That’s grace! God’s unmerited favor! He chose ordinary people to carry out His extraordinary program.
            And He continues to use ordinary people: Paul said in
1 Cor 1:26-31  “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,  28 and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are,  29 that no man should boast before God.  30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,  31 that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’
Now Mary and Joseph certainly had a unique calling and a tremendous privilege. But each of us who know Him have a unique part in His program and we are all called to proclaim the Gospel, and the true message of Christmas: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!
          The messenger proclaimed to Mary, “the Lord is with you…” Jesus has promised us, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age!” A pastor once read that phrase to an elderly lady and said “Isn’t that a wonderful promise?”  She replied “That’s not a promise, it’s a fact!” Its fine to feel our weakness and inadequacy, as long as we remember that He is with us, and His strength is perfected in our weakness.    God has graciously chosen to use ordinary people in the extraordinary program of building His church. In view of what He has done for us, will we surrender ourselves to Him?

II. The Program God has revealed: Believers need not fear God’s plan, we can trust that it is good (1:24-34). Because we are ordinary people, we tend to feel unworthy or unqualified to be used by God.  “Who am I?” Well, if you know Jesus, you are a child of the King!
          1:29 says that Mary was “perplexed” or “confused.” This demonstrates the humility of Mary. She felt unworthy of divine favor. She pondered what the angel was saying.  Her head was spinning as she tried to make sense of his words. Could it be true? How?
 Then the angel’s explanation in v. 30, “You have found grace…” That’s the word, charis, the emphasis is on the free, gracious, choice of God. His unmerited favor.
  N.B. the description of the Child, His divine sonship, His eternal reign, His human lineage, even His name, which as we saw last week reveals what He came to do, all these are essential aspects of the predetermined plan of God. And God chose this ordinary Jewish girl to have the blessing of being part of God’s plan.  God has graciously chosen to use ordinary people in the extraordinary program of building His church. In view of what He has done for us, will we surrender ourselves to Him?

III. The Promise God has made: He will supernaturally work, as He has in the past, to carry out His program (1:35-37). It is not our ability, but God working in us and through us that brings results. As Chuck Colson said, “Its not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through us…” 
          1:35 says that in response to Mary’s question “how?”, the angel answers: “The power of God, that’s how!” [See also Gen 18:14]. Yes, its not what we do that matters, but what our sovereign God chooses to do through us! “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord!” That was the message of Jesus in Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power…” Not “give it your all, you can do it!” He said “I (Jesus) will build my church.”
           God calls us to a reasonable faith, based on His revelation. In vv.36-37, as evidence that nothing is impossible with God, the angel points to the fact that Elizabeth has conceived in her old age. God has established a pattern of giving us a reasonable basis for our faith (after 40 years in the wilderness, the new generation was given some preliminary victories east of the Jordan before they were sent into the land; Jesus resurrection assures us that we too have life in Him; etc.).
            “For nothing will be impossible for God…” Have you ever thought God might be leading you to do something, then thought, no, I can’t do it?  The truth is, we can’t do anything that will matter for eternity in our own strength. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength!   God doesn’t demand our success, he rightly expects our obedience!  And God has graciously chosen to use ordinary people in the extraordinary program of building His church. In view of what He has done for us, will we surrender ourselves to Him?

IV. The Proper Response of Faith: Believers should respond to their Creator and Savior by willingly yielding to His lordship (1:38). Mary responds in faith, with the attitude of a servant, submitting herself to God will.
Mary, no doubt stunned by the news, yields herself to God: “Behold the servant of the Lord!” This is the word normally translated “slave.” Her willingness to yield to God was a tremendous statement of faith: in that culture for her to be found with child before the marriage to Joseph was consummated could have resulted in the death sentence! At the very least she risked rejection by Joseph, misunderstanding from those closest to her, and scorn from the community.  She had no idea how this story would work itself out, even so, she said “Behold the handmaiden of the Lord…”  Your will be done. “Here am I…” 
  Are we willing to allow God to use us as He wills?  For a few that might mean being willing to sacrifice our comfort and security and going to serve Him on a foreign field.  Some of our missionaries like the Beliasovs, the Pierces, and others have done exactly that. For others it might mean full time ministry , like Fay has been trying to do. For most of us, it means being willing to use our gifts right here in the local church. Teaching classes, working with kids, or toddlers or adults, visiting, calling, bringing meals: encouraging one another to love and good works. Are you willing? God has chosen you for His team. He has a work for you to do.
What is God saying to me in this passage? You see, God has graciously chosen to use ordinary people in the extraordinary program of building His church. In view of what He has done for us, will we surrender ourselves to Him?
What would God have me to do in response to this passage? There is a sense in which each of us has a unique calling: God has saved you and made you a part of His church by His Grace for His glory. Are you willing to consider the opportunities He puts before you? Are you willing to allow Him to use you, however He decides He will use you?

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