Sermon Index
December 19, 2021 – Advent IV
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Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:26-38 [The Birth of Jesus Foretold] 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. 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. 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.” 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.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
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Have you ever opened an email with this message? “Congratulations! This is your lucky day. You may be the lucky winner of a huge sum. Just send us $100 to get your prize!” Of course, it is a sham to get our money, so we know that we should delete the message immediately.
Now consider the greeting by the Angel Gabriel to Mary. The Japanese Bible translates it this way. “Congratulations, you are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” ‘Congratulations! You are very lucky. The Lord has chosen to bless you.”
What is Mary to think? A stranger comes with a message like this. They did not have “spam” in those days, but there were a lot of shysters anyway, so naturally, we read, “29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.”
Gabriel explained that she would be the mother of the Son of God who would be the Messiah King of Israel. Of course, virgin Mary doubted that this could happen. And so the Messenger of God gave her a sign of proof that God can create life in both a virgin and a barren woman like Mary’s Aunt Elizabeth. “Because nothing is impossible with God.”
Mary heard the message, was given the signs, but she also had faith in God so she knew indeed that nothing is impossible with God. 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
This passage is beloved by Christians because we know that Gabriel is speaking to us, too. Sometimes when we hear the Word of God, we are like Mary. First, we do not understand the message. 29“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.” We, too, wonder what Christmas and Good Friday and Easter are all about. Why should we feel lucky? Because of our sin and doubts, have we found favor with God or have we found the wrath of God? Is the Baby born in a barn really the Son of Almighty God and is he really the Messiah Savior?
Like Mary we need more information. Mary was given a sign. We are given the sign of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is how we know that a little Baby can become our Savior. The power of Christmas is not the Christmas Tree, it is the Tree of the Cross. The joy of Christmas comes not only from the opening of gifts, but comes from the opening of the tomb of Jesus. We celebrate the Birth of Jesus, and we also celebrate the new-birth we have when we believe in Jesus as our Savior. That is when we know that we, too have found favor with God.
Congratulations, it is Christmas. Let it be happy, let it be merry.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church