Luke 1:31-33,35 (NLT) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. “CHRISTMAS HAS BECOME COZY. ADVENT CALLS US TO STAY AWAKE.” ~ N.T. Wright The Announcement of Jesus Luke 1:26–38 (NLT) I. The of God – a humble girl chosen 26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 2 Critical Insights About God’s Favor: Favor Is Received By Grace, Not By Merit. God Uses Ordinary People For Extraordinary Purposes. II. The of God — A promised King announced 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 33…his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. In the Incarnation, we see the perfect blending of God’s power and mercy: the Most High becomes man while remaining the Most Holy. ~ Stephen Charnock Isaiah 7:14 (NLT) All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 2 Samuel 7:12–13 (NLT) For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. The whole history of the work of redemption is summarily comprehended in these two ends: the glory of God and the eternal salvation of man. ~ Jonathan Edwards – What This Means for Us Today — Jesus is the eternal Son of the God. He can’t merely be a human teacher or prophet. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. Jesus is the King of an kingdom. It can’t be temporary or political. 33…his Kingdom will never end!” The kingdom of Christ is an everlasting kingdom, for it is upheld not by the strength of men but by the unchanging purposes of God. He reigns in the hearts of His people, and His dominion knows no decay. ~ John Owen Jesus is a Savior. He is neither weak nor passive. Jesus is open to who believe in Him. He is not merely the Savior of one nation. WHAT NOW? Expect God to use the humble & the ordinary — even you. Bow your knee to only one King. CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION 1. God uses the ordinary or humble for his extraordinary purposes — to build his kingdom. a. Have you ever been surprised with who he’s able to use? (explain) b. Why would God “favor” the humble & ordinary? 2. Jesus is supremely worthy of ruling over your own life both now & forever. a. But what seems to draw you into ruling over your own life and building your own kingdom instead? 3. Unlike temporary worldly leaders who fail, Jesus’s rule & reign offers us his promise of eternal life, lasting joy, and inner peace. a. Has this promise ever been real for you? (When & how?)