(Pew Bible page 723)
Mary & Joseph’s Plans are Changed…
1.
The
Encounter
Luke 1:26-27 26
In the sixth
month, 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.
·
God intervened
by sending His angel Gabriel to a little town to a young virgin named Mary
·
The city of
Nazareth was held in great disrepute, either because, it is said, the people of
Galilee were considered rude and a less cultivated class of people. They were
thought to be largely influenced by the Gentiles who mingled with them, they
possessed a lower class of moral and religious character.
·
In the midst
of a routine day… busy about her chores… Mary’s life is dramatically changed.
·
God’s heavenly
messenger came to Mary, a young virgin girl who knew no man sexually – pure
·
Prophetically
the Lord spoke through Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah called Immanuel
700 years before Christ…
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself
will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth
to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
·
From what we
read earlier in Matthew, marriages were often arranged by the parents…Mary was
pledged to be married to Joseph – this consisted of a one year waiting period
much stronger than today’s engagements. The couple was actually considered
married though not yet consummated. They did not live together but remained at
their respective parent’s homes… This one year waiting period was to demonstrate
the faithfulness of their pledge of purity. If the woman was found with child
during this time… she was considered sinful, un-pure & unfaithful… subject to
much ridicule and even death by stoning. But If she demonstrated purity at the
end of the year the groom would come to her home and take his bride back to his
home and consummate the marriage physically.
·
In Lu 1:39-45
God tells us that Mary went to be with her relative Elizabeth who was in her 6th
month of pregnancy carrying John the Baptist which was also a miraculous
pregnancy. The priest Zechariah & his wife Elizabeth being in their old age
became pregnant - Lu 1:5-25. Mary was evidently with Elizabeth till she had her
baby for about 3 months (1:56), then she returned to Nazareth and to her pledged
husband Joseph… what a shocker when Joseph found out Mary was with child!
·
Mt 1:18-19
Joseph was a righteous man… Since the marriage has not yet been consummated and
to spare Mary public disgrace… he decided to put her away privately (to give her
a legal written divorcement)… God Intervened & His plans changed…
·
Mt 1:20-25 God
sent an angel to change Joseph’s plans…Joseph awoke and obeyed and took her home
as his wife BUT had no sexual relations with her until after she gave birth to
Jesus.
·
What an
encounter… one that would literally rock the world!
2.
The
Character
Luke 1:28-30 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.
·
Look at Mary’s
character… v28 “Highly favored”, v30 “found favor with God”, GRACE
·
God bestowed a
special honor upon her… A special recipient of God’s grace… highly favored
·
She was a
chaste virgin – pure…A humble maiden, a small town girl – not high
class or a princess
·
Devoted
follower of God –
a good heart… a faithful Jew of the tribe of Judah & line of David
·
She was just
your ordinary girl next door, there is noting said concerning her outward
appearance, she was simple, Godly, humble, clean heart and pure lifestyle … with
God it’s what’s inside -counts! Mary’s heart was genuine… without hypocrisy…
authentic. A simple girl from a looked down upon region… no one would have
choose her to be the mother of God’s Son BUT God see’s her heart… God see’s her
beautiful character. (Like David was just a shepherd boy BUT God see’s a KING)
·
If you would
read Mary’s Song 1:46-55 you would see the depth of her character… This song she
sang consisted almost entirely of Old Testament quotations (she used 15 quotes)…
This song shows us a window into Mary’s character… a look into her heart. She
undoubtedly had Godly parents, who raised her in a Godly home. Mary’s love for
the Lord qualified her to be used by God!
·
When God went
searching for a woman to bear His Son… to the world Mary & Joseph seemed to be
the most unlikely candidates, the unfit, unusables for the task… God uses the
nobodies (heart)
·
God changed
their plans with a special encounter… Mary’s character was right for the task…
3.
The Message
Luke 1:31-33 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."
·
The angel
Gabriel gave Mary the message God wanted her to have… you’ll be with child, a
son will be born, name Him Jesus, He’ll be Great, Son of the Most High (highly
significant – this baby would be equal with Yahweh Himself)… Given the throne of
David reigning in the Millennium… reign over the house of Jacob forever… His
kingdom will never end… THIS BABY IS THE PROMISED MESSIAH… What a message to
receive, what truth
·
What an
encounter for a young girl – an angel announcing she’ll give birth to the
Messiah!
·
Wow, did her
plans change… normal everyday routine of life has CHANGED drastically.
·
We must learn
how to handle change, the turning points of life… Turning points in life can
shake us to the core if not handled right… what a sure message from God… TRUTH
of God’s Word!
4.
The
Encouragement
Luke 1:34-37 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. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is
going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in
her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
·
Mary couldn’t
figure things out… she knew the Messiah was coming… but she’s a virgin???
·
When our world
flips and we begin going in a new direction… oh how we need encouragement.
·
I say often
about Cross Creek – we’ve never been here before… we’re craving out daily where
the Lord wants us to go. God brings encouragement in so many ways, doesn’t He…?
·
Gabriel then
tells Mary… it’s not about you doing it but about God accomplishing His work
thru you.
·
The Holy
Spirit will come upon you – a creative act, special miracle, God wills it and it
is accomplished… Most High will overshadow you – a sense of the Holy powerful
presence of God overseeing every perfect aspect of the incarnation, like the
glory cloud of the OT (Ex 19:16-19) – We see the same word used in the
transfiguration of Christ in Mt 17:5, Mk 9:7, Lu 9:34… “Overshadow” - to
envelop in a haze of brilliancy.
·
He’ll be
called the Son of God – God took to himself a genuine, sinless human nature and
was born a man, without surrendering in any aspect His Deity… What
encouragement!
·
Nothing is
impossible with God! When our plans change… is God able to do the impossible?
YES
5.
The
Response
Luke 1:38,45
"I am the Lord's servant,"
Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left
her…
45
Blessed is she who
has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
·
Look at Mary’s
immediate response to this encounter… this major change of direction in her
life…
·
I’m the Lord’s
servant – bond slave, a handmaiden – who would sit quietly and watch for hand
signals from her mistress (Ps 123:2) which she would obey without question or
hesitation. God moved His hand and signaled His servant and Mary responded to
the changed plans for her life.
·
Mary
surrendered totally to obey God… “may it be to me as you have said”… a complete
surrender to God’s change in direction… a submissive, yielded, humble, deep
trusting, genuine heart.
·
An unwed
mother? What would people at the well think? Will Joseph believe me when I
tell him?
·
Huge
ramifications concerning this young virgin girl… her response was sweet – spirit
filled.
Personal Application
Psalms 138:8
The LORD will work out his
plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for
you made me. NLT
When God Changes My Plans…
(Point 1 Our Encounter)
God Sovereignly Works
in Mysterious Ways
Job 11:7
"Can you fathom the
mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
Isaiah 55:8-9
8
"For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your
thoughts.
Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to entertain
strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing
it.
When God Changes My Plans…
Ø
Give
yourself a Spiritual Checkup!
(Point 2 – Our Character)
Personal Integrity
never goes unnoticed by God
Psalms 25:21
May integrity and
uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.
Psalms 33:18
But the eyes of the LORD
are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD
encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
Ø
Align
everything alongside God’s Word!
(Point 3 – God’s Message)
God Still Speaks
today, but be sure it’s God
(not the flesh or the Devil)
John 8:47
He who belongs to God hears
what God says.
The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
John 17:17
Sanctify them by the truth;
your word is truth.
Ø
Keep Proper
Perspective of God & yourself!
(Point 4 – God’s Encouragement)
Look to God for
Affirmation and Peace
Proverbs 3:5-6 5
Trust in
the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your
paths straight.
Ø
Surrender to
God’s perfect will and walk in Faith!
(Point 5 – Our Response)
Choose to Set your
sights upon the Eternal
2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes
not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is
temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is
impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that
he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
