Luke 1:26-33 A Trinitarian Christmas: Christmas and the Father

Read: Luke 1:26–38 (Emphasis v. 26-33).[26] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. [28] And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” [29] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. [30] And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”[34] And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[35] And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. [36] And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37] For nothing will be impossible with God.” [38] And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (ESV)Three Things this morning#1 A Long introduction to the next 3 sermons#2 The Messenger sent by the Father.#3 The Message From the Father about His Son.Finishing the HC catechism, now doing the WSC in a year, Christmas and Easter are also catechetical topics with repetition. Why do we need to come again and again to Isaiah, Micah, Genesis 3, and the beginning of Matthew, Luke, and John in particular? We are being reminded who Jesus is and what he came to do.Part of the repetition allows us to remember two things: The simplicity of Christmas and 2,000 Years of Wonder at the depths of the theological reflection found in it.· Shallow enough for a child to play in, in its simple joys. “Joy to the World, A savior! Rescue from Darkness. Light is here…. – Also Deep enough for an elephant to wade in…because to truly understand the incarnation, what is happening at Christmas…· We have to understand – Adam’s Fall and our Fall, covenants with Abraham & David, the covenant of redemption in eternity, saying the Son will Redeem sent by the Father.· Christmas is simple “a savior is here” the darkness is being pushed back, and the depths of Gabriel, saying Christ is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, introducing the revelation of how an eternal person of the godhead takes on a new nature by the work of the Holy Spirit. Born yet without sin, the second person of the Trinity in the womb of a virgin….o Christmas is essential in explaining the basics of our Faith, mere Christianity that Salvation comes from humility, and starts with an unborn child who is born in humble conditions…born that man no more may die; because the one born is the resurrection and the life…by trusting in Christ because no one comes to the father except through this baby laid in a manger. No one has the life and light of Christ if they are not trusting in Christ.o It is Joy to the World and the Light wins, but many loved the darkness rather than the light.· For the next three weeks, we will be exploring Luke’s Gospel, examining how the incarnation creates simple joy and deep mystery, and exploring the utterly unique salvation found in the work of all three persons of the Trinity, who come into clear focus in the beginning chapters of the Gospels. Already by the end of the first two chapters of each Gospel, we know more about the Trinitarian rescue mission than we did in the Old Testament.· This is A Trinitarian Rescue, a Trinitarian Salvation…Like in Creation the Trinity is active in our salvation.o John 1:1–5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. [4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (ESV)§ Creation: Architect, Builder, Life-giver [Expand]o The same is true of our Salvation.§ Galatians 4:4–5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.”§ The Father decrees, the Plan – Jesus is sent by the Father, to undo the curse of the fall, Jesus the surety, a surety is the person who is the secure-guarantee of the oath or contract, the guarantee pledged of the Covenanto Jesus is the accomplisher of the covenant; everything broken by Adam would be accomplished and more by Jesus.o And the life of his incarnation was given by the Holy Spirit: He was Conceived by the Holy Spirit.o The Holy Spirit accomplished, the Incarnation of Jesus; who is the Accomplisher of our salvation by his birth, life, death, and resurrection. He lived in a life of sinless righteousness. All according to the plan and blessing of the Father with the assistance of the Holy Spirit every step of the way.· In the incarnation, at advent, or Christmas, we remember the simplicity and depths of “The word became flesh.” The Father sends the Son in the incarnation. The eternal Word took on human flesh.o He eternally was a divine person of the Trinty and in time and space, at the turning point of History, the eternal person of the Word, the Wisdom of God, the Son of God, assumed a human nature. His Human nature is a true and united body and soul.§ Mary is his true mother. The Holy Spirit is the true creator out of nothing.§ This is a holy mystery of which we can say some things but not all things.§ But all the things we say of it come from the testimony of the Scripture. A very fact the Birth narratives in Matthew and Luke point out to us, to fulfill the scriptures, according to the scriptures, and the traditional readings from Isaiah, Micah, Samuel, and Psalms are quoted throughout. So let us go see wondrous things in God’s word.§ Look again in Luke 1:26-27Read: Luke 1:26-7[26] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.1. Angels on the Move – messengers from God (v. 26-27)a. Who? Gabriel sent from God to a city of Galilee called Nazarethi. Gabriel along with Michael is one of our two named angels in the bible, and his name means Mighty is God.ii. V. 19 to Zechariah, I am Gabriel, “I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.” Speaking of John’s birth. But this same Gabriel comes to Mary here.1. He is an angel and so we always see Gabriel’s prompt and complete obedience. Hendrickson reminds us, your will be done “as in heaven so on earth.” It is on on earth who need to learn the will of the Father the way the angels do in heaven.2. God’s salvation plan is being enacted. We sing “late in time behold him come”a. The world groaned under the effects of the fall. But the moment the divine order came from the Father “go, go to Joseph of Nazereth, go, go to Mary of Nazareth.” He went…things are in motion.b. Gabriel was sent to bring Good News. No more waiting. No more types, shadows, symbols, promises, prophesies of future times and seasons, future days of the Lord.3. Now, Now is the day of salvation, when is NOW? v. 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God…4. Earlier in Luke’s gospel Gabriel has already announced the John the Baptist was coming, the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord.5. Salvation history timeliness is now measured in Months. Elizabeth is 6 months pregnant with John….And soon Mary would go to Elizabeth where John would give his first pronouncement of Joy by leaping in the womb of Elizabeth in the presence of Christ.6. Good and Joyful news. As some of the most important events of salvation history begin happening in weeks, and months (and then of course we get about a 30 year gap and Jesus’ active ministry happens in the span of three years…7. So Gabriel is a busy angel as he goes to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph. Of all three, his announcement to Mary is perhaps the most important.b. V. 27 MARY A Virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David.i. Now Joseph will get his own visit from Gabriel where he says the same thing…Assuring Joseph that what was happening with the creation-out-of-nothing power of God to create life in the womb of a virgin betrothed who had been faithful to all her vows to Joseph. Matt. 1:22 says, All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Isaiah]: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).ii. Next week we’ll look more at the actual nature of Jesus’ incarnation by the power of the Holy Spirit.iii. Today remember All this took place according to scripture,iv. Including that Joseph is “Of the house of David”1. He has no throne. Herod has the throne. But the Father has not forgotten his promise that the King of his people will be of the line of David legally through Joseph (Matthew’s genealogy) and biologically through Mary (Luke’s genealogy).2. V. 32. “Jesus will be great… and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His fatherDavid.”3. Take great confidence that Christmas is a Heralded event where God brings together all the promises of the scriptures in the person of Christ Jesus.v. But Gabriel is on a mission sent by the Father…He is about to explain the Father’s call on Mary’s life and why we know her name to this day, and he will be explaining the greatness of her Son.[28] And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”2. The Message (v.29-33)a. (v.29) “Favor with God” – the culminating of Redemptive Historyi. God’s unearned grace towards Mary.1. Gabriel speaks wisely and rightly to Mary.2. We know the church through the centuries has unhelpfully and often blasphemously assigned sinlessness, titles, and even prayers to Mary in a way that takes glory from the Father, Son, and Spirit and places it on a mere human….All that aside.3. Gabriel is going to a young woman, who is betrothed, engaged, and telling her very weighty news. I say weighty because it is the weight of glory, splendor, and distress and difficulty for Mary all at the same time.4. The distress is emotionally deep, relationally she is going to struggle with rumors, wondering in her heart if Joseph will understand …Accusations of sin, fears of potentially being alone.5. So Gabriel gives a very formal greeting, but leads with the assurance that the favor and grace of God is with you, Mary.a. Your Heavenly Father is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you, because you have the Favor of God. And God is not fickle. God’s settled disposition of Grace to us once given is never taken away. If you are in Christ, trusting in the Son, then you can know that you have the Father’s favor and the Spirit dwelling in your heart.ii. God is with you! The Lord is with you. I think there is a double meaning or word from Gabriel that God is “With Mary”1. First, Immanuel, meaning God with us. Quite literally she will be raising the second person of the trinity after he has taken on a human nature…She doesn’t know all that yet.2. Second, Also, I think God with you in the same way Psalm 23 promises us that God is our shepherd, he is with us. As surely as God was with Mary as she bore the Savior, so too will He be with us if we are trusting in that Savior by faith.iii. But at the End of the Day, Gabriel is an Angel, and Angels are scary.1. [Story time] In college after night classes…walking behind women in Car Garages at night – think non-scary thoughts, don’t walk too close behind that woman…should I pass her, take out my keys? Is whistling scary or cheerful?2. Fearful.3. Gabriel…ok man remember you’re an angel, its going to be scary but no need to add extra fear on top. So lets go with the standard angel line “Greetings, I know who you are, Do Not be afraid, explanation.”iv. It doesn’t matter the greeting. Mary is Distressed3. [29] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. [30] And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with Godi. Do not Fear, remember I said you were “O favored one” you have “found favor with God” (active or passive?)1. Is The verb tense that she is in the process of gaining favor?2. No, She has Favor. It is settled. That is why he said her identity was “Favored One”3. God has decreed Favor towards Mary:4. Favor is grace that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech5. good will, loving-kindness, the favour of the merciful kindness of God. He delights in her.6. Even as in Luke 2:40 Jesus grows strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.ii. God will be with her. He will never leave or forsake her.1. Similarly, God was with Christ all the days of his life. By the Spirit.2. And of US, in Christ Jesus with very different callings but he is the Same Heavenly Father who shows his favor to us as his sons and daughters in Christ.3. Eph. 1:2-3 says, Grace [Favor] to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.iii. We have the grace of the Father in Christ Jesus and the promise that God will be with us. Indeed, his spirit dwells in us.1. We take that for Granted.2. Mary is blessed not by inherent grace or lack of sin in her but by her role.iv. The Favor of the Father is the blessing, particularly of her role as the Mother of our Savior…look in v. 31-334. . [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus1. The Wonder of LIFE – in her womb, a body and soul a miracle that ought to be highly valued in every life…in every mother. But of singular and unique significance because she bears the Eternal Son of God in her womb.2. The Life of Christ is unique in that he is an ETERNAL Person. Now with two natures. On the most important mission ever, sent by his Heavenly Father.3. V. 31: Has a clear echo of Isaiah 7:14… you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.4. [14] Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.5. Mary probably did not process all this at once. After all, she is troubled, an Angel is speaking to her, her world is being turned upside down, indeed not just hers, but the whole world was turned upside down by Jesus.6. God is more closely known to us because he took on our humanity. Mary doesn’t know people from Germanic Tribes, England, Russia, China, Africa… But all throughout the whole world, people now know her name…because her son would die for them and rise for them and is right now leading the worship of his people from his heavenly throne today. Jesus is alive and reigning today and he is great and on his throne.That Jesus will be a descendant of David with a throne and a kingdom is not new news but very old news. God promises it to David. Isaiah says it, and now Gabriel says it to both Mary and later Joseph.Look in v. 32. Gabriel speaking…5. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”a. God the Father will give him the Throne of his Father Davidi. God with Us is great, because the Son of God, Jesus, is the savior who will take the throne of David.ii. 2 Sam. 7 is the Davidic Covenant where God speaking to King David says, My steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. [16] And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”iii. Mary, remember the covenant promises God made to your ancestor David; your family is humble and low, you were exiled to Babylon, but the Lord has brought you back, and the throne your son Jesus will have will be eternal. It will be the throne of Isaiah 6…the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. …“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory!”Glory fills the throne room of our risen Savior. But…When the Father sends the son…He is not yet on the eternal throne promised him. Salvation begins not with Glory but with humility.The Humble King is sent by his Heavenly Father by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary of Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph the carpenter, soon to travel to Bethlehem of Judea, in order to the fulfill every word and promise of God.If you are here this morning, remember that Christ has come. It was long expected according to the scriptures, it was the eternal plan of the Father and the Son that Christ would come, that Christ would die, and that Christ would rise again. And now His Kingdom is forever. On Earth as it is in Heaven. Receive these glad tidings with Joy!PrayerBenediction This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com