Advent 2004 Angel Visits --- To Mary
Luke 1:26-38

by Pastor Eldon Reich

Today were looking at the Angel visit to Mary.

Advent means coming : 

Who’s coming? Christ is coming.

There are signs all around that Christmas is coming.

But not necessarily Christ.

I like Christmas and I got some Christmas decoration up at our house.

I went outside and put the light on our big tree in front of the house.

Every year I have had to add a 4 foot pole to my 15 foot pole I use.

I could barely reach it this year.

I think next year I’ll have to do something different.

I’m going to let Donna decorate the tree.

I also got out the artificial Christmas tree and put it together.

Its always a mystery to me every year where all those leftover branches come from.

The thing reproduces in the off season.

I heard our Heart and Soul Aerobics class is getting ready for Christmas.

Carol Loeske is putting up a new sign that says: 24 Shaping days until Christmas!

Some like it

Some hate it.

But Psychologists tell us that Christmas

is a time of intensified depression, conflict, and loneliness.

In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy says to Snoopy:

“There are times when you really bug me,

but I must admit there are also times when I feel like giving you a hug.”

  Snoopy replies: “That’s the way I am – huggable and buggable.”

Someone has said: the best way to get through Christmas is:

“You just put your mind in neutral and go where you are shoved!”

That’s terrible theology for living.

I don’t want to stonewall through the season. 

Or lacquer the lights.

I want to experience it all.

I want to rehear the story of the angel visits.

And the babies that are to be born.

Personally I like Christmas.

I like the shopping and wrapping.

The packaging of gifts of care for those you love.

Sure there are bills, but there are blessings.

Last week the Angel Gabriel came to Zechariah

And the message delivered was that his elderly wife Elizabeth would have a baby.

“He would be born to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17

Gabriel’s message was not well accepted

Zechariah doubted and was unable to speak for 9 months.

This week let’s look at the second Christmas message Gabriel delivered.

A young girl probably about 12-14 years old.

Her name was Mary.

The Angel who came to her is the same as before.

His name is Gabriel.

We know this because He announces himself.

Luke 1:19 “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news”

I. ANGEL’S – GOD’S CREATION

Now if anyone should be able to deliver a message it should be Gabriel.

He’s been at it since the beginning of creation.

Gabriel is one of three archangels mentioned in the Bible

Gabriel is the messenger archangel.

The angel of incarnation and consolation,  the angel of mercy.

Michael is the angel of judgment and war.

The commander in chief of all the armies in heaven.

We usually see him with sword in hand and armor on

Lucifer who was the first Archangel above all the rest

The Bible says he was the brightest and best.

But he becomes the angel of rebellion, evil, the terrorist of heaven

He wanted to be God and in rebellion took over 1/3 of the angels with him.

Now the specific job of the angels God created were to help in three areas:

Protection and security:

Psalms 34:7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them.”

Matthew 18:10 See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Provision and supplies.   

Psalms 78:24 he opened the doors of the heaven he rained down manna for the people to eat he gave them the grains of heaven. 25 men ate the bread of angels

Personal Comfort and hope

Psalms 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways, they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Power and strength

Hebrews 1:14 Are not al angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Angels came to Abraham,

And to his nephew Lot.

They came to Jacob

And to Elisha,

Came to Daniel,

They were there with Zechariah, Mary and Joseph,

They came to Jesus, even Peter in prison,

And to the “Seven Churches of the Apocalypse”

They even come to us.

One of our men was telling me about sister who had a car accident about a year ago.  She lost control because of the road conditions and rolled her car.  She was thrown out and lay beside the road down off the embankment.    She was frightened and hurt.    A man came down the embankment and said for her not to be afraid help was coming.  And then he held her head in his lap and talked with her comforting her until the police arrived.    When they were carrying her up to the stretcher she asked about the nice man who had been there with her. The Highway patrol said there was no one there they were the first on the scene.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 

II. ANGELS – GOD’S MESSENGERS

One day God called Gabriel into the command room of heaven

He was given a important message to deliver.

He was to find a teenage girl living in an obscure village of Nazareth.

She was from a poor family.

Her name was Mary.

How do we know this?

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David and the virgins’ name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27

Gabriel’s instructions were very clear.

When he was to go: 6^th month

Where to go: the city of David, called Nazareth.

Who to go to: A virgin engaged to Joseph

Which Joseph was the fiancée, The one who is the descendants of David.

What is the young girls name: Mary

And last he was given the authority to do it.

Lets take a close look at Gabriel and see if we can discover the

Secret to being a messenger of God as we deliver the good news.

We need this before we go of on our own or half cocked to reaching people.

First

1.          Make sure we are sent by God have his authority.

2.          Make sure we had the correct person.  Holy Spirit must prepare them.

3.          Make sure we have the correct time to deliver.    Takes seven contacts before the sale.

4.          Make sure we have the confident faith in our message: God will do as he said.

Too many well meaning people go off to evangelize

We pick message, the time and place, and the person,

And deliver our message.

We end up with a lot of early delivery - cesarean Christians.

Who come prematurely into the faith

And then have a very difficult time making it.

Maybe God just wants us to listen, to love, to accept that person unconditionally

Let them see Jesus in our heart first

Before we try to shove Jesus into their heart.

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique.

The winner was not the runner who finished first.

It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit.   

Archangel Gabriel had the authority and power of God behind him.

He says to Mary “the Power of the most height will overshadow you.”

If your going to use the name of God in the picture you better have the authority to do it.

If God gives clear instruction to angel

Why would he give us who are created but little lower then the angels,

gibberish and confused signals?

Most times when God speaks, it not that don’t know what to do

It’s that we don’t do what we already know.

When I’m dealing with People it sure help me

To listen to God rather then my own needs.

Now Gabriel’s task is not only to deliver the message,

But in a way the young virgin will believe the message

And to accept its request for duty.

Did you ever stop to think about how hard a job this might be?

What response would a normal teenage give you today at Central

if you told her that suddenly her life would change and she would

be needing to give up her freedom, social life, her family, her respectability

to have a baby by the Holy Spirit?

How do you break that kind of news gently?

Pizza man ring the door bell and say:

Here your pizza

You will give birth to the Son of God.

That will be $9.95

Do you leave a note on Email.

Message on cell phone.

The angel Gabriel decided that he would appear directly to Mary.

Not in a dream? a vision? or a hologram.

Vs. 28 the angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

The Lord is with you—showed to Mary that sometime big was about to happen and it in some way included her.

29But Mary was troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

This is the second time he has used Highly favored or you have found favor with God

Gabriel wanted Mary to know she was being chosen in preference to all the women upon earth, to be the mother of the Messiah.

31 You will be with Child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. Luke 1:28-30

34 Mary said: How will this be? Since I am a virgin?

Gabriel just took the up front approach.

Delivered the message.

35 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. …

37 For nothing is impossible with God.

Mary answered:  I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.

Luke 1:38

III. A MESSAGE RECEIVED

Because it carried with it the expectation that Mary was able to do it.

That the Holy God of the universe was counting on her.

Counting on her faith and ability.

I believe that she sensed in Gabriel the Archangel that confidence that she could it.

And if God believed in her.

Arcangel believed in her.

She could believe in herself.

I believe that when we ask youth to do things.

If we ask for those things that are a part of a larger picture

That are significant in the total picture.

They will do it.

Youth desire challenge.

They desire opportunities to risk and to

Attempt things that are beyond the natural abilities.

Why do you think the media is filled with shows like “Extreme Makeover.

Or Fear factor.”

I have heard many young soldiers say: 

We have been trained, been through boot camp,

we are equipped, we are waiting, and we’re ready to go.

What they are saying is:

We’re ready to go for our country.

We’re ready to go to liberate a people enslaved.

We’re ready to die if needs be.

This challenge to risk danger starts early in life.

We have this ramp in the back of the church by my office.

Every Sunday you can see the little toddlers

Who have just learned to walk.

Going round and round on that ramp.

Because when they go down they almost loose control.

It must be a thrill to their little stomachs to run down on the edge of their control.

The challenge to stay on their feet.

You don’t see 5 and 6 year olds doing that because there’s no risk involved.

35The 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. Luke 1:28-35

Mary believed it!

I believe that Youth rally in the challenge of risk taking.

Old people hide and cower.

When the angel came to 90 year old Abram and Baron Sarah.

Angel said: Sarah will deliver in her old age. From her womb will come a people so  great as the sands of the sea.

Sarah laughed.

Zechariah doubted but

Mary believed.

We must be careful that age doesn’t take from us the joy of living.

Doesn’t’ take the excitement of serving the living God in risk taking adventures.

Doesn’t kill our spirit in hesitancy and doubt.

Young men shall dream dreams:

And Old men shall see visions.

God is not through with us at any age.

Trust in God

Listen to the messenger

Let God touch our lives.

To go when God calls.

To obey when God commands?

To serve where God sends?

Let us say with Mary

“Here I am, the servant of the Lord ’ let it be with me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

Mary received, believed, and obeyed the message.