Opened Your Christmas Gift Yet? (Luke 2:1-20)
Gary McManus, 12/24/2015Part of the Christmas series, preached at a Special event service
Luke 1: 26-38
Isaiah 9:6
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The prophecies about Jesus’ birth. . .there are about a dozen.
. . .at least four different prophets books are quoted.
Luke’s book uses many references to the Old Testament: prophets, Psalms and books of Moses. . .there are DOZENS of those.
Doesn’t prophecy come way before the celebration of Jesus’ birth?
Yes, but at DCC we have been noticing the FULFILLMENT of those prophets words.
These words, when they were first spoken—hundreds of years before Jesus was born. . .sounded IMPOSSIBLE. Prophets words were spoken to a nation in chaos.
Isaiah 13:21-2, Isaiah 34:13, Jeremiah 7:33, Jeremiah 16:3-5,
With every war, with every defeat, with every burning city, the promise of a Messiah seemed to fade further and further into the distance—it looked hopeless.
Then the prophets proclaimed a new day a turn around in Israel’s fortunes. (Jeremiah 31, Joel 2)
One day the people created their own government again.
(Maccabbees) But their hopes were dashed again when the Romans took over.
Mary said, “how can this be”
Other translations put it this way:
How WILL THIS happen?
How shall this be DONE?
How CAN this happen? or how can THIS happen? --emphasis is not supplied in the Greek
And the angel said:
Luke 1:37: 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
Here is a literal translation: How shall this be?
lit. “because not impossible will be every word with God”
“NOTHING said by God can be impossible.”
The Bible is God’s Word.
Ever read some of the promises of God’s word and then
said what Mary said to the angel: “how can this be?”
The angel told Mary what was to happen.
The Bible didn’t say that Mary understood the how
of what was to happen to Mary.
The Bible does say that Mary said Yes. Mary said yes to God’s plan
Mary DID understand that the Lord would bring about His promises IN Mary
Do you say YES to the Lord’s promises to you?
There are many.
Jesus said, “My peace I give you, not as the world gives, do I give it to you. . . “
John 14:27
Jesus told Pilate,”my kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36
Jesus is giving peace to Jesus’ followers—not to nations.
And what’s more. . .. the peace PASSES understanding. . .
Phillipians 4:7
But the peace is FOR you. . .the peace is given TO you the follower of Jesus.
One of the prophecies from the prophet Isaiah is this. . .the Messiah will be called, “Prince of Peace. . .” (Isaiah 9:6)
Is Jesus YOUR Prince of Peace?
Have you opened your gift yet?
Peace to you who are given a Savior. .
.there WILL be peace between God and humanity
God will not require any penalty for our misdeeds
if we will plead for mercy from the one who came to give us mercy
. . .and there will be peace. . .peace in heaven. . .peace on earth.
Mary said yes to the promise of a baby. . .the Messiah.
Are you saying yes to the promise of peace in Jesus
Our God wants you to have peace.
Amen.
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