Sermon Tone Analysis

*Introduction* – A new resident had turned an old farm into a thing of beauty.

As his pastor admired the changes he remarked ,“Boy, it sure is something to see what the Lord can do with a place, isn’t it?”

The farmer agreed, “Yes, it is.

But you should have seen what it looked like when the Lord had it Himself!”

There is a wonderful truth in that story which is that God works through people.

Serving Him is the highest possible calling in human life.

Mary beautifully illustrates this in becoming mother to God in the flesh.

My mentor, Pastor Loren Fischer, wonderfully defined service: Service is little people, doing little things in a fine way for a great God.

Last week we began to see how Mary illustrates that definition in a marvelous way.

*I.

Little People* – Like most of us, Mary was insignificant to this world.

God cannot use big shots – people overly impressed with their own press clippings or supposed superiority.

Neither can God use people who deny His gifting by sitting it out – claiming inability!

Servers see God as big and themselves as small, but privileged beyond description to be gifted by Him for service.

Service starts with little people dedicated to serving a great God.

*II.

Little Thing*s – You say, Hey, a virgin birth is no small thing.

But what God asked Mary to do was have a baby – been done billions of times.

The virgin part – that was all God.

God only asks us to do what we can do.

So the 3 Jewish boys in Daniel 3 did a walkabout.

Elijah just poured oil from one container to another.

Moses threw his staff on the ground.

The disciples in Acts 2 talked.

It was God who preserved life in the fire; God who kept the oil flowing; God who turned the staff into a snake and God who turned the speech into foreign languages.

Service is little people doing little things that God turns into big things.

Today – the final components – in a fine way for a great God.

*III.

Fine Way*

I love that.

Service offered in a fine way.

Do we serve at home, on the job, at church in a fine way – or is it a bit on the sloppy, unprepared, grumpy side?

How is it with you?

Is it fine -- or is it ordinary, average, whiny, resentful, disgruntled?

Do we get that we represent the king of all kings?! Or is it tedium to us?

What defines service done in a fine way?

*A.

Empowered by the Spirit*

Lu 1:34, “And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Good question?

Not reflecting unbelief like Zechariah’s question -- but reflecting a knowledge of biology.

Mary was not married.

She had not been with Joseph nor would she be until after the wedding.

But Gabriel tells her she’ll have a baby who will be the Son of the Most High and King forever of Israel.

How will this be?

Not can this be -- but how will this be?

The angel answers -- Lu 1:35, “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.”

How will this be?

You will be enabled by the Holy Spirit.

The same Spirit who hovered over the waters at Creation; the same Spirit who was the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night to lead the Israelites; the same Shekinah glory appeared as a cloud in the Holy of Holies; the same Spirit pointed to by God when He said to the temple-builder Zerubbabel in Zech 4:6, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts’ – that Spirit, Mary, is going to overshadow you; He will enable birth of this child.

Impossible?

For you, yes?!

But not for Him!

So Mary says in Lu 1:38: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Her submission is immediate and total.

The wording there is not nearly strong enough.

Servant is δουλος, slave!

Mary is saying I am the slave of the Lord.

Do with me as you will.

She submits!

Any service for Christ must be enabled by the Holy Spirit?

Paul says in II Cor 4:5, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants [slaves] for Jesus’ sake.”

True believers, who acknowledge that Jesus is not just the Lord, but their Lord are naturally slaves of Christ.

Which is exactly why we are urged by Paul in Eph 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Live a life of conversation with Him in prayer.

It is step one in offering fine service to our Lord.

Candid camera did a stunt years ago where a car rolled down a hill and into a service station.

“Check the oil,” was the instruction.

But when the attendant opened the hood – no engine.

It got priceless reactions.

Why?

Because everyone knows – you can’t power a car without an engine; and you can’t serve God in a fine way without the HS.

*B.

Embodies Our Best *

Fine service means giving our best.

May gave her whole-hearted best to serve her Lord in this way.

This little 14-year-old girl travels 70 miles to the home of Elizabeth for encouragement and teaching.

Protective and cautious of her baby – giving her best – serving in a fine way!

Does God get best or leftovers?

Are we faithful in preparing to use God’s gifts to us?

What if I showed up on Sunday morning and said, “Well, let’s turn to John 1 this morning and see if we can figure out what God is saying.”

That would be a travesty, right?

Do we prepare and pray over teaching our children?

It’s every bit as important as what I do.

Do we pray over nursery duty; give our best to the leadership or administrative tasks that God has called us to?

Is our service offered in a fine way?

Our best!

In truth, our whole life is an offering to God.

There’s no sacred/secular distinction.

God says in I Cor 7:17, “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.”

What we do every day is first and foremost service to God.

Does it get our best?

Col 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

Do we do that?

Do we do every day in a fine way?

I know it is tedious.

I know it is repetitious.

I know you’re not appreciated.

Do you do it in a fine way?

I know it is not glorious.