The Best GIFT Ever
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
(S1) — Series: How to have the Best Christmas Ever
Promise — Time — News
What was the best Christmas gift you ever received? Why?
“Wooden rocker for my deck. Special because my daughter gave it to me and it was something I really wanted.” “Note given by one of her patients expressing their gratitude and love for us in making their love for us”
The Best GIFT Ever — Gifts with love attached...
Family Christmas — 3 expecting mothers in waiting...
Feels like it…It is NOT Christmas — Annunciation to Mary — She recieved the BGE...
(S2) — The gift of God’s LOVE
17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing LOVE and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 (NLT)
The source of this love — What kind of gift this is...
Bibles — Notes — Prayer
I. The source of this gift of love
(S3) — Jesus ⇔ The WORD of God
John’s Advent/Christmas Story...
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
Word (Logos ) — Message — God speaks
Prophets — Men and women who spoke the word on behalf of God...
Major/Minor prophets...Women prophets...
Jesus GREATER than any other...
1 John 5:9 “Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God.”
(S4) — Spoken word — Word above all others: past present and future
Word was his NAME
Revelation 19:13 “He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.”
Jesus (Joseph), Emmanuel, Christ, savior…PBJ
Jesus God in HUMAN form
(S5) — God with us…
John 1:1 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Jesus God’s LOVE
1 John 4:16 “God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”
(S6) — Jesus is the...
SPOKEN word of God ⇔ The GREATER word ⇔ WORD is his name ⇔ God in HUMAN Form ⇔ God’s LOVE
Jesus the word is God’s revelation of love to all humanity, who moved into the neighborhood and into Mary’s womb
(S7) —
II. What kind of gift is this that came to Mary?
We are not given her whole life story…What did Mary know about this love inside her?
Mary did you know…?
As it turns out, she wasn’t given a whole lot! Why Mary had many questions...
She was greatly troubled…what kind of greeting is this…?
(S8) — What she is told by the angel...
31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. Luke 1:31 (NLT)
1. She would become pregnant and give birth…
2. It would be a boy and what she was to name him...
(S9) —
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!” Luke 1:32–33 (NLT)
3. He will achieve greatness…called the son of God
“Historically, many rulers have assumed such title such as the son of God” [1]. Solomon — 2 Samuel 12
4. Become a ruler of kings…reign over Israel…kingdom would never end
The importance of dynasty for a secure future
Mary kind of brushes over all that and ask..How will this be…? Since I am a virgin…?
Luke & Acts Commentary
Quite naturally, Mary queried the method God would use to accomplish this grandiose plan. She had not been married, so it was very difficult for her to understand how she could become pregnant under these circumstances and serve as the mother of the long-promised Messiah. She was not unwilling to be an instrument of the divine purpose (1:38), but she was honestly perplexed about the manner of its accomplishment.
(S10) — She would then learn the how this could happen...
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. Luke 1:35 (NLT)
So far, none of this was her doing…but out of obedience, she would come to know God’s gift in a way like no other — The Word of God in her...
Expecting mother
III. Four things that Mary learns before or in advent of the first Christmas about this BGE
(S11) —
1. Love that PURSUES
John’s Gospel — Word — Jesus — Grace
Favored (charitoō ) — “To pursue with grace or honor with blessing.”
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. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Luke 1:26–28 (NLT)
(S12) — God sent — God went — God’s love pursues Mary
A Gentle Thunder, Hearing God Through the Storms (ML) — God as the Hound of Heaven
Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue. Still with unhurrying chase, and unperturbèd pace, Deliberate speed, majestic instancy, Came on the following Feet, And a Voice above their beat—‘Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me.’ The Hound of heaven, by Francis Thompson (1890)
John 6:44 “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me...
(S13) — God’s found Mary that night because love pursued...
II. Love that is not without RISK
Mary was uncertain about all this...
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! Luke 1:29–30 (NLT)
Receiving the BGE came with great risk — A difficult journey...
Love doesn't not promise a life without risk or avoidance of trouble...
“God does what it takes to get our attention. How far do you want God to go to get yours? Don't answer too quickly. What if God moved you to another land? (As He did Abraham.) What if He called you out of retirement? (Remember Moses?) How about the voice of an angel or the bowel of a God sought out Mary to play a role in his greater purpose.”
Receiving this gift of love today still takes risk
Missionaries — Rescue Crews —
It’s risky to love in this life of advent — “The Now and the not yet” — As we celebrate Jesus come but anticipate in hope of his return — To make all things new again
If we are not risking in love, then we need to question the sincerity of Jesus’ love in us
(S14) —
III. Love that insists on OBEDIENCE
The weight of the demands — The mother of Jesus carrying and raising the son of God — Ridiculed, threatened, chastised, beaten and mocked....left for dead...
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!” Luke 1:31–33 (NLT)
The weight of the world was on her shoulders and in her womb...Love does not promise the burdens will not be heavy…but love gives a way to lighten the load
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
(S15) —
IV. Love that NEVER fails
Human love no matter how sincere will always fail us.
37 For the word of God will never fail.” Luke 1:37 (NLT)
Love that came to Mary was not of this world, and leaves much to the imagination.
(NRSV) Nothing is impossible with God. Jesus himself would need this unfailing love
Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.””
Love in Marriage — The Church
“ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:7-8 (NIV)
(S16) —
V.OVERWHELMING Love
Luke 1:34–35 (NLT)
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.
How did Mary Explain it? This love like no other? How does any mother explain it?
Rose — Thomas
(S17) — Mary would not know all that was ahead of her, but in that moment she knew the fullness of God’s love — and it was enough.
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant.“ “May your WORD to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1:38 (NLT)
John’s gospel reminds us that the best gift ever is LOVE come down...
SPOKEN word of God ⇔ The GREATER word ⇔ WORD is his name ⇔ God in HUMAN Form ⇔ God’s LOVE
Love that Pursues — Risky Love — Insists on Obedience — Never fails — An Overwhelming love
(S18) —
14 The Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 (NLT)
Are you prepared to meet this love this Christmas…? To Meet Jesus the Best Gift Ever?