The Annunciation!
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Luke 1:26-38
THE ANNUNCIATION
of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ confronts us with mysteries so holy and profound that we do well to abstain from any speculation, which would be unprofitable. To the reverent and devout believer, however, this narrative presents the essential Message, Miracle and Ministry of Christmas.
What we find in these verses is the genius of Christianity;…. the rest of the New Testament is but a development of what the angel said to Mary on this auspicious occasion.
THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS "And the angel came unto Mary and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee........Fear not for thou hast found favour with God" v28 - 30. There are two expressions in these verses which sum up the essential Christmas message. The first is the GRACE OF GOD "Mary thou art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee v 28.
Literally the phrase means "thou art much graced by God"
It is the grace of God which justifies us, sanctifies us and ultimately glorifies us. Grace is God's goodness and severity converging. Grace is God's mercy and justice uniting. Grace is God's love and power redeeming.
Without this grace there is no pardon for the past, no power for the present and no prospect for the future. So it is the grace of God that chose Mary to be the instrument of bringing Christ into a sin-stricken world. It is likewise the grace of God that makes you and I the channels through whom Christ can live, flow and bless others
.
The second expression is the PEACE OF GOD. "Fear not Mary: for thou hast found favour with God" v 30.
The absence of fear is peace. This once again is the essential message of Christmas and the Christian Gospel. In the context of the New Testament it has to do with the initial "peace with God" (Romans 5:1), which comes through pardon and forgiveness; it refers also to the "peace of God" (Phill 4:7) which rules and arbitrates in the mind of a yielded Christian.
It even has an eschatological significance, when God's purpose of peace will prevail throughout the earth and Jesus reigns as "the Prince of Peace".
So in this annunciation we find a synthesis of the Greek and Hebrew greetings and the total message of the Christian Gospel.
Grace initiates every blessing that God vouchsafes to man; peace consummates every blessing that God vouchsafes to man. Through God's saving grace and settling peace. men and women become "all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28)
THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS
"And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus" v 31.
The miracle of Christmas is the mystery of the incarnation.
Observe carefully ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS MIRACULOUS BIRTH - "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee" v 35.
That Mary was a virgin is indisputably clear from the declaration of the Word of God. However she was espoused to Joseph who, in turn , was a holy and just man. So in every sense of the word she was a fit vessel for God's holy purpose.
The expression of Gabriel, "the power of the highest shall overshadow thee", reminds us of the opening words of Genesis where the writer describes the dawn of the creation with the words, "the Spirit of God moved" or "brooded" over the face of the deep
.
Though the incarnation was a unique act of God in bringing to birth the Saviour of the world, let us not forget that this announcement also prophesied the birth of Christ which was to take place in the hearts of men and women who would "repent and believe the gospel". John tells us that "as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name, which were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God" (John 1: 12,13)
But with the announcement of this miraculous birth, there is also THE FULMENT OF THIS MIRACULOUS BIRTH" For with God nothing shall be impossible.......Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" v 37,38.
As wonderful as was the announcement of the miraculous birth, nothing would have ever happened had there not been Mary's submission of love. She was aware she would have to endure misunderstanding, shame and suffering, but in submissive love she exclaimed "Behold the handmaid of the Lord". With this submission of love there was a decision of faith: "Be it unto me according to Thy Word". In that moment a miracle even greater than the creation of the world took place, for Mary conceived in her womb the very life of the Son of God.
Finally there was the CONFESSION OF HOPE, for Mary said...."My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" v 46,47. In the words of this ‘Magnificat’ we have the greatest expression of personal and eschatological hope found anywhere in the Holy Scriptures.
Angelus Silesius, a 17th century German poet, once said "If Christ were born in Bethlehem a thousand times......and never in you, you would remain forever lost"
The condition for Christ's coming into our lives are no different from those of His coming into the world that first Christmas. In the words of Phillip Brooks we must say..O Holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend on us we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in; Be born in us today.
THE MINISTRY OF CHRISTMAS
"And the angel said unto.......Mary....behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end" v30-33. The Message and Miracle of Christmas are a fundamental prelude to the ministry of Christmas. Without the message and miracle there can be no ministry. Mary knew this, and so must we.
But, having said that, we must also understand that God's purpose in bringing about the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. and in our lives, leads to a twofold ministry: first, THE EXALTING OF THE NAME OF JESUS "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of His father David" v 32.
While this ultimately refers to the Millennial Reign of Christ, it also has a present and personal application. God longs that the name of His beloved Son should be exalted by the testimony of life and lip, so that people will voluntarily and readily accept Christ as Lord. But alongside of this is the second aspect of our ministry: the EXTENDING OF THE FAME OF JESUS
"He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever" v33.
You and I stand for "the house of Jacob", that which is crooked, selfish and fleshy. But you will remember that there came a moment in Jacob's life when his self-life was smashed under the power of God and the fighting man became the clinging man. In the place of Jacob, Jehovah reigned.
That same miracle can happen in us when Christ is not only born in us but formed in us. Instead of Jacob being seen in our lives, Jesus is seen, and His fame is extended by everything we say and do.
What precious teaching is comprehended in The Annunciation! Our responsibility is not only to celebrate Christmas, but to communicate Christmas. We cannot do this unless we know in personal experience what is the Message, Miracle and Ministry of Christmas.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luke 1:26-38
THE ANNUNCIATION
of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ confronts us with mysteries so holy and profound that we do well to abstain from any speculation, which would be unprofitable. To the reverent and devout believer, however, this narrative presents the essential Message, Miracle and Ministry of Christmas.
What we find in these verses is the genius of Christianity;…. the rest of the New Testament is but a development of what the angel said to Mary on this auspicious occasion.
THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS "And the angel came unto Mary and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee........Fear not for thou hast found favour with God" v28 - 30. There are two expressions in these verses which sum up the essential Christmas message. The first is the GRACE OF GOD "Mary thou art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee v 28.
Literally the phrase means "thou art much graced by God"
It is the grace of God which justifies us, sanctifies us and ultimately glorifies us. Grace is God's goodness and severity converging. Grace is God's mercy and justice uniting. Grace is God's love and power redeeming.
Without this grace there is no pardon for the past, no power for the present and no prospect for the future. So it is the grace of God that chose Mary to be the instrument of bringing Christ into a sin-stricken world. It is likewise the grace of God that makes you and I the channels through whom Christ can live, flow and bless others
.
The second expression is the PEACE OF GOD. "Fear not Mary: for thou hast found favour with God" v 30.
The absence of fear is peace. This once again is the essential message of Christmas and the Christian Gospel. In the context of the New Testament it has to do with the initial "peace with God" (Romans 5:1), which comes through pardon and forgiveness; it refers also to the "peace of God" (Phill 4:7) which rules and arbitrates in the mind of a yielded Christian.
It even has an eschatological significance, when God's purpose of peace will prevail throughout the earth and Jesus reigns as "the Prince of Peace".
So in this annunciation we find a synthesis of the Greek and Hebrew greetings and the total message of the Christian Gospel.
Grace initiates every blessing that God vouchsafes to man; peace consummates every blessing that God vouchsafes to man. Through God's saving grace and settling peace. men and women become "all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28)
THE MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS
"And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus" v 31.
The miracle of Christmas is the mystery of the incarnation.
Observe carefully ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS MIRACULOUS BIRTH - "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee" v 35.
That Mary was a virgin is indisputably clear from the declaration of the Word of God. However she was espoused to Joseph who, in turn , was a holy and just man. So in every sense of the word she was a fit vessel for God's holy purpose.
The expression of Gabriel, "the power of the highest shall overshadow thee", reminds us of the opening words of Genesis where the writer describes the dawn of the creation with the words, "the Spirit of God moved" or "brooded" over the face of the deep
.
Though the incarnation was a unique act of God in bringing to birth the Saviour of the world, let us not forget that this announcement also prophesied the birth of Christ which was to take place in the hearts of men and women who would "repent and believe the gospel". John tells us that "as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name, which were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God" (John 1: 12,13)
But with the announcement of this miraculous birth, there is also THE FULMENT OF THIS MIRACULOUS BIRTH" For with God nothing shall be impossible.......Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" v 37,38.
As wonderful as was the announcement of the miraculous birth, nothing would have ever happened had there not been Mary's submission of love. She was aware she would have to endure misunderstanding, shame and suffering, but in submissive love she exclaimed "Behold the handmaid of the Lord". With this submission of love there was a decision of faith: "Be it unto me according to Thy Word". In that moment a miracle even greater than the creation of the world took place, for Mary conceived in her womb the very life of the Son of God.
Finally there was the CONFESSION OF HOPE, for Mary said...."My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" v 46,47. In the words of this ‘Magnificat’ we have the greatest expression of personal and eschatological hope found anywhere in the Holy Scriptures.
Angelus Silesius, a 17th century German poet, once said "If Christ were born in Bethlehem a thousand times......and never in you, you would remain forever lost"
The condition for Christ's coming into our lives are no different from those of His coming into the world that first Christmas. In the words of Phillip Brooks we must say..O Holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend on us we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in; Be born in us today.
THE MINISTRY OF CHRISTMAS
"And the angel said unto.......Mary....behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end" v30-33. The Message and Miracle of Christmas are a fundamental prelude to the ministry of Christmas. Without the message and miracle there can be no ministry. Mary knew this, and so must we.
But, having said that, we must also understand that God's purpose in bringing about the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. and in our lives, leads to a twofold ministry: first, THE EXALTING OF THE NAME OF JESUS "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord shall give unto Him the throne of His father David" v 32.
While this ultimately refers to the Millennial Reign of Christ, it also has a present and personal application. God longs that the name of His beloved Son should be exalted by the testimony of life and lip, so that people will voluntarily and readily accept Christ as Lord. But alongside of this is the second aspect of our ministry: the EXTENDING OF THE FAME OF JESUS
"He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever" v33.
You and I stand for "the house of Jacob", that which is crooked, selfish and fleshy. But you will remember that there came a moment in Jacob's life when his self-life was smashed under the power of God and the fighting man became the clinging man. In the place of Jacob, Jehovah reigned.
That same miracle can happen in us when Christ is not only born in us but formed in us. Instead of Jacob being seen in our lives, Jesus is seen, and His fame is extended by everything we say and do.
What precious teaching is comprehended in The Annunciation! Our responsibility is not only to celebrate Christmas, but to communicate Christmas. We cannot do this unless we know in personal experience what is the Message, Miracle and Ministry of Christmas.
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