12.12.10 - And The Whole World Changed

Ken Williams

Introduction
 Life is constantly in a state of change – nothing ever stays the same. Go to the supermarket this week and the one thing you know, is it will be more expensive next week.
• But there are times in our lives of significant change, when everything gets turned upside down – when your whole world changes.
• When you first get married, when your first child is born, a death of someone close – I recall when each of my parents died – for a period of time I was just in a void – the rest of the world carried on as normal – but I was oblivious, my whole personal world had changed.
• Nothing stays the same.

READ Luke 1:26-38
 • In these verses we have an amazing story – it’s mysterious and glorious! For here it is described how God sent an angel to the earth with the news of the coming of his Son, Jesus, the Saviour of the world.• Now this was an event that changed the world. Jesus birth and all that followed, changed the whole world – it ushered in a whole new era from which there is no going back.• But what did this do to Mary’s world? She was a young woman betrothed or engaged to be married – she would have had visions of what lay ahead, dreams, hopes, aspirations – then BANG – an angel appears and in a short space of time – her whole world changed.
• This is a story told on two levels:

1. It is the story of Mary and what is communicated to her through the angel Gabriel – so it is a simple delicate narrative.

2. But it is also an account which is packed with deep, deep theological meaning woven into the text.
 • What do we find out in this passage
o That Jesus is the Son of God and that he is God himself (v.32-35)
o That as Messiah he will bring in a new kingdom which will never end. (vv.32-33)
o Through vv.32&35 we see implications of the Trinity (v.32, 35)
o In those same verse we see evidence of the power of God most high (v.32; 35)
o In numerous verses the favour and grace of God is mentioned (vv.29-30, 34-35, 38) – These are issues of major significance in helping with our understanding of the Christian faith

• We see in this story that God has power over all things.
• He has power over human reproduction – which is quite staggering if you stop to think about it.
• God is in control – which is actually incredibly comforting – there are issues which come up in everyone of our lives which are totally beyond our control – beyond our comprehension and understanding – but -
• God is in control – it is God who changes things.

v.27
 • Since betrothal often took place soon after puberty, Mary may have just entered her teens.
• It was a state much more binding among the Jews of that day than is an engagement with us. It was a solemn undertaking to marry.
• Only divorce or death could sever betrothal.
• The relationship was legally binding, but intercourse was not permitted until marriage.
• So there’s the problem – Mary is going to be with child – but she is not married – imagine her trying to explain that one to Joseph – well, you see – its like this – there was this angel...

v.28
• We see in v.12 that, Zechariah had been gripped with fear at the appearance of the angel, but it was the angel’s words that ‘greatly troubled Mary’. Now the angel had said “Greetings you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” I think Mary’s fear, surprise, awe is pretty understandable.
• She is agitated by the words of the angel because she feels that such a greeting is not suited to her. Evidently in her modesty she did not understand why a heavenly visitor should greet her in such exalted terms.

V.30-31
 • But God’s grace, like his love, banishes fear of judgement.
• Gabriel reassures her, as he had done with Zechariah. He tells Mary not to be afraid, for she has found favour with God.
• As the reason why she need not fear, he declares that God regards and treats her as the special object of His favour.
• She need not, therefore, be afraid on account of her humble station in life and her own feelings of personal unworthiness. We shouldn’t measure things on our scale – If God chooses to change the world or change our world – he will be walking with us through the process – we can trust him.
• God has chosen Mary in his mercy to bring forth a Son who is to be called Jesus. Her simple task is to trust and obey.

V.32-33
 • Gabriel proceeds to say that Jesus will be great, a word he had applied to John, but now uses the word with a fuller meaning, for Jesus will be called the son of the most high. This sets him apart from all others and makes him a son of God in a special sense. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most high. His greatness will excel everything.
• He will be the recipient of the throne of his father David. A new kingdom will come into being. The world was about to change.
• It was God’s final kingdom that will have no end and it is this kingdom to which Jesus is now related. It is not a temporal kingdom, an earthly realm, but God’s kingly rule. In due time Jesus would make this clear.

v.34
 • The announcement of the angel is still too overwhelming and incomprehensible to Mary
• She does not ask for any sign of confirmation, but simply on how will God accomplish this wonder.

v.35
 • Gabriel makes it clear that his conception will be the result of a divine activity. Because of this the child to be born would be holy, the Son of God.

Vv.36-37
 • Mary will see that with God nothing is impossible.
• What the angel had communicated to Mary was something tremendous. She exercised the faith required on her part to accept the truth of it.
• Everything that has been announced is possible, for with God nothing is impossible – even the stupendous miracle of the incarnation of his son - and his word is self fulfilling.

v.38
 • In v.38 Mary says “I am the Lord’s servant.” Her servanthood is not a cringing slavery but a submission to God that in OT times characterized genuine believers and that should characterize believers today.
• We should be, it is are calling to say – I am the Lord‘s servant. I will do what is required – I will do whatever is required, whatever it takes.
• Mary expresses complete obedience. The servant girl could not but, do the will of her master. This is reinforced with; let it be according to your word.
• We are apt to take this as the most natural thing and accordingly we miss out on Mary’s quiet heroism. She was not yet married to Joseph. His reaction to her pregnancy might have been expected to be a strong one. But she recognized the will of God and accepted it.
• This was no trivial matter to her. On the one hand the highest honour ever given to a woman had been conferred on her by the Lord – to become the mother of the Son of God.
• But on the other hand Mary was placed in an extremely difficult position and especially her relation to Joseph, if she should become pregnant before marriage.
• Mary’s response is one of quiet submission. “I am the Lord’s servant.”

Conclusion
 • So what has really happened here?
• In the tidings brought from God by the angel to Mary we have an impressive testimony to the divine greatness of Jesus – greatness that is wholly different from that of any human being: in respect of his existence as Man He will be of unique origin.
• Unlike all other human beings, he will be wholly without sin.
• He will be the Holy One in an absolute sense.
• Therefore He will also be the divine king who will reign over his Spiritual kingdom through all eternity.
• His coming changed the world.