Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 1:26-38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 1999

Grace Of God, Better Than Instructions

 

Pastor Clifford S. Stewart of Louisville, Kentucky, sent his parents a microwave oven one Christmas.

Here's how he recalls the experience: " They were excited that now they, too, could be a part of the instant generation.

When Dad unpacked the microwave and plugged it in, literally within seconds, the microwave transformed two smiles into frowns!

Even after reading the directions, they couldn't make it work.

Two days later, my mother was playing bridge with a friend and confessed her inability to get that microwave oven even to boil water.

' To get this darn thing to work,' she exclaimed, 'I really don't need better directions; I just needed my son to come along with the gift!' " When God gave the gift of salvation, he didn't send a booklet of complicated instructions for us to figure out; he sent his Son.

Introduction

 

Over the last few weeks we have seen the commitment of Daniel and his three friends.

But since Christmas is quickly coming around I felt we should take a break from this.

So today we will look at the announcement of the good news to Mary by the angel Gabriel.

In fact Gabriel is referred to by many commentators as the advent angel.

He was sent with the good news of the Messiah to Daniel in Daniel chapter 9. Today we see his ministry in Luke's gospel.

He is God's divine messenger sent to reveal divine mysteries.

He brought the news of God's grace to man.

In the previous verses Gabriel appeared unto Zacharias to announce the birth of John the Baptist.

Here the Lord sent him to Nazareth in Galilee.

Gabriel's name means/ *God is powerful and man of God*.

/*Luke 1:19* tells us that he stands in the very presence of God.

He knew first hand the power of God.

He witnessed God's power continually as he saw the Lord reign on the throne.

*Luke 1:26-27*/ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.

The virgin’s name was Mary/.

*/In today's passage there are three main points we will observe./*

I.

Gabriel's Greeting/ - *Rejoice* - highly favored one./

II.

Gabriel's Good News/ - *Behold* - You will bear the Messiah/

III.

Gabriel's Great God/ -  *Behold* - Elisabeth is having a son/

 

I.

Gabriel's Greeting/ - *Rejoice -* highly favored one./

/ /

/a.

Gabriel's Request - *Rejoice* - God's grace/

/ /

*Luke 1:28* /And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

/After Gabriel appeared to Mary, he conveyed a greeting from the Lord.

He called her /highly favored one/.

The words */highly favored/* mean */to be an object of gracious visitation/*.

To receive God's grace, unmerited favor.

Literally */to begrace/* someone.

He told her that the Lord was with her.

Then, Gabriel */commanded/* Mary to rejoice because God had freely her His grace.

This word is only used one other time in the New testament.

*Ephesians 1:6* /to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which *He has made us accepted* in the Beloved/.

Now, God has showered His grace upon all men.

God poured out His grace on Mary with the result that she would remain highly favored.

This is why Gabriel */commanded her to rejoice/* in the Lord.

She truly was /blessed among all women!

/Mary did in fact rejoice afterward when she understood.

Read *Luke 1:46-55.*

/ /

Grace, Our Ticket to Heaven

 

Billy Graham said on an interview on Australian television, "I know I'm going to heaven, not because of what I've done but because of what Christ has done for me."

And the agnostic master of ceremonies of the program was so stunned by this, he went out in the streets and started asking people, "Do you know that you're going to heaven?"

This agnostic became a street evangelist by just asking the question and making people think about it.

/b.

Mary's Response - Troubled Heart/

/ /

*Luke 1:29*/ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

How did Mary respond to the Gabriel's greeting?

Did she rejoice?

No, /she was troubled in her heart, perhaps a little fearful.

/Why should God be so kind to her?/

After all she was just a poor young Jewish virgin engaged to a poor Jewish man.

She didn't think she was very special.

In fact the people of Judah despised anyone from Galilee and Nazareth was a very disdained.

/Why would God consider her worthy of receiving His favor, His grace?

/Mary felt unworthy of God's grace.

So she was troubled and wondered what this all meant.

/ /

/c.

Gabriel's Reply - *Fear Not* - God's Grace/

/ /

*1:30*/ Then the angel said to her, “*Do not be afraid*, Mary, for you have found favor with God./

/ /

Gabriel saw her amazement and encouraged her further.

He commanded her */not to fear/*.

He explained further that she had found favor with God.

The word */favor/* is cari" which we  usually translate */grace/* in the New Testament.

Mary had received God's grace, His unmerited favor.

Therefore she should rejoice.

It didn't matter that Mary was poor, living in a town that was detested by the well to do people of society.

God chose to give her His grace.

God's grace is never earned or received because of our actions.

It is given out of His abundant love.

*/ /*

Grace In A Bible College Exam

 

At Bible College I learned a lesson about God's grace.

The class was given two tests in a course called, " Bible Study Methods."

We received our tests back a couple of weeks later in class.

Then the lecturer said to the class you can receive either the mark on your paper or 100% for this exam.

If you write down I accept 100% for this test by grace and sign it that day, you would get it.

I had 17 out of 20.

I took the 100% by grace.

Some students didn't, they felt they didn't earn it or deserve it.

But that's what grace is, unmerited favor.

No one deserves God's grace.

But God gives it freely to all who will receive it.

Mary received God's grace, His unmerited favor.

Application

*/ /*

God has proclaimed His good news to man.

He saves sinners by grace./

Do you feel you are unworthy of God's grace?

/You may believe that you are a nobody.