A Most Unusual Message

Howdy and welcome to the Panhandle of Oklahoma. I pray all is well with you today. The word around here is busy. Basketball is in full swing and so is Christmas and all that is involved with it. But it is Christmas time and I love Christmas time. I tell folks if I could have any job, pastor of a small to medium size church, Santa Clause, or a light house keeper on the northern cost of California would be my dream jobs in that order. Praise the Lord I got my first choice, although I would like to see more young couples in our church.But, that's another prayer request.

So now on to the heart of this blog. “The Most Unusual Message in History” what a mouth full and for sure a great description of Gabriel’s short, but most important message to Mary.

A little girl once opened a big box under the Christmas tree to find a giant doll that, when stood upright, towered over her. Her parents noticed a few minutes later that the doll had fallen to the side, but the little girl was having a ball playing in the oversized box. If we are not careful we can do the same at Christmas, discarding the baby but having a great time with the wrappings. As you are gearing up for the season, I’d like to turn your thought back toward that baby. Here in Gabriel ‘s announcement, we learn four things about Him.

Luke 1:31-36

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.

What's a name:

Charles the Simple, Son of Louis the Stammerer. So called for his policy of making concessions to the Norse invaders rather than fighting.

Louis the Sluggard, noted for his self-indulgence, he ruled from 986 to 987 over the Franks.

Ethelred the unready (968-1016) so called because of his inability to repel the Danish invasion of England. At first he paid tribute to the Danes, but their raids continued and he was forced to abandon England for Normandy in 1013. Those who are more generous call him Ethelred the ill-advised.

Louis the Fat, like his father, was obese. At the age of 47 because of his extreme corpulence, he was unable to mount his horse.

A name or nick-name can be an important thing. They effect peoples perceptions of a person for either good or bad. Gabriel gave very specific instructions on what to name the baby to come.

1. Christ Jesus' Name (vs. 31). “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua,” Joshua means “Jehovah Saves,” or “Salvation of Yahweh.”

Woven into Jesus' name, we see the suffering that He would endure, the salvation that He would bestow, and the splendor that He would display.

Throughout the Gospels, we find His name over and over some 972 times—172 times in Matthew: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem....Jesus was led up by the Spirit....Jesus began to preach....Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching....” In John, Jesus' name is used more than 87 times, but the verse I want you to hear is from John 11:25-26 - Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Some of the greatest songs in history have been about this sweet name: “Jesus, the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease.... Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so....Jesus is the sweetest name I know, and He’s just the same as His lovely name.”

The name Jesus contains and conveys His mission—to seek and to save those who are lost. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17).

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:2). Let Christ Jesus become your rock and salvation today.

Someone's nature is their character, which they show by the way they behave. The innate or essential qualities or character of a person: ex. it’s not in her nature to listen to advice or I’m not violent by nature

Which confirms the word ‘nature’ is an inherent part of a person’s characteristic ‘make-up’. Part and parcel of who they are. Another unique things about Christ Jesus' birth is that His “nature” was known before He was even born.

2. Christ Jesus' Nature. (vs. 31-32; 35)

In Gabriel’s brief announcement, four different “sonships” are given to Jesus.

1. He is: (1) Son of Mary (v. 31);
2. (2) Son of the Highest (v. 32);
3. (3) Son of David (v. 32); and
4. (4) Son of God (v. 35).

“son of Mary” and “son of David” speak to Christ Jesus' human nature. “Son of the Highest” and “Son of God” refer to Christ Jesus' divine nature . For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, (Colossians 2:9).

Jesus is both God and Man. There are five main truths with which the Creed of Chalcedon A.D.451 summarized the biblical teaching on the Incarnation:

• Jesus has two natures — He is God and man.

• Each nature is full and complete — He is fully God and fully man.
• Each nature remains distinct.
• Christ is only one Person.
• Things that are true of only one nature are nonetheless true of the Person of Christ.

God’s purpose is being achieved: the fullness of His own divine nature has found complete expression in the man Jesus Christ; He has given Christ, the bearer of His fullness, as His gift to the church, which is to be the first sharer of that fullness; ¹

Of all the so called “holy figures” only God, out of love for you, came from heaven in human form (Christ Jesus), born of a virgin to provide forgiveness for your sin. But to receive forgiveness you must first ask Christ Jesus for it with a remorseful heart. Won't you please ask Christ Jesus for forgiveness of your sins this morning?

3. Christ Jesus' Nobility (vs. 32–33).

Jesus will be given the throne of David and will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end:

Before the mountains were born

Or You gave birth to the earth and the world

Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. (Psalm 90:2)

Christ Jesus' is a powerful kingdom. "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:52-53).

For from him and through him and to him are all things.

To him be the glory forever! Amen (Romans 11:36).

Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” (John 19:11).

If the skies could be parted like they did for Stephen in Acts 7, we would see Christ Jesus on His throne, worshipped by angels, feared by demons. His is a permanent kingdom. He rules over the stars and planets, over all time and space. His is a heaven-sent kingdom. Behind the scenes of history is His all-controlling hand. His will be a political kingdom, for one day the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). His is a personal kingdom—He wants to be king of your heart if you will let Him. “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” (Romans 10:9)

4. Christ Jesus' Nativity (vs. 34–35).

Here we see one of Christianity’s deepest and holiest mysteries. Even Mary was mystified as to how she could have a baby since she was still a virgin. Gabriel explained it using two phrases: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you”, and “the power of the Highest will overshadow you.”

Similar language in the Old Testament describes the clouds of glory resting on the tabernacle in the wilderness. In some mysterious way, the creative power of God was to rest on Mary as the clouds of glory had rested upon the ancient tabernacle.

So is that how it happened? To be honest I have no idea, this is definitely one of God's ways are not our ways moments. Here is what I do know, the virgin birth was foretold in Isaiah 7:14 and the Bible tells us that Jesus was born without human interaction. His birth was of divine conception, of a virgin who had never known a man. As a result, Jesus, the child Mary bore would be called the Son of God.

You may not understand how, but know this; because of the way He came, lived, died and rose again – Christ Jesus and only Christ Jesus is qualified to take your sins away. But you have to ask, so ask right now!

Mary’s response to Gabriel's message was simple and sincere: "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." (vs. 38). When you come face-to-face with God’s wondrous plan for you—a plan that is always centered around Christ Jesus—there is no response better than: “Behold, I am Your servant. Let Your will be done according to Your Word.”

1 Dunnam, M. D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon (Vol. 31, p. 163). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.