December 23, 2011 Time to Celebrate Jesus

Time to Celebrate Jesus’ Birth!
Read Luke 1

Luke 1:26-28 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.”

ENTER MARY. She’s the virgin. Oh my, Mary’s virginity is a very big deal! In Genesis, right after Eve and Adam turned their trust from God, God turned to them and said he would turn their mistrust into trust through the seed of a woman—not a woman and a man, but a woman.
And in Isaiah 7:14, we read the prophecy, “The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Immanuel means God come down.)
Oh, yes. It has been God’s plan for over 2,000 years to send his Son from the limitless heaven to the limits of humanity. Here is the moment. This little teenaged virgin he picked out of every woman who would ever live is Mary, simple and pure. Mary, highly favored.
Guess what. You are like Mary. Yes, you are, even if you’re a man or not a virgin. God had a special purpose for highly favored Mary. And God has a special purpose for highly favored you.
Do you think I’m crazy? I’m not. I’m just looking at God, looking at the cross, and looking at God’s Word. Yes, you are highly favored. Immanuel came through the virgin to free you from sin, to point you to Heaven, and to give your life a special purpose. Oh yes, my friend you are highly favored!


Pause and Consider: God’s favor of salvation is over you forever.