Let's turn together to Luke chapter
1. The angel of God, Gabriel, has
appeared to Mary and announced God's grace, mercy, and goodness
to her. He tells her that the Lord God
has chosen her specifically to be that virgin spoken of by the
prophet through whom Messiah would come into the world. He
tells her that she is the one by whom the seed of woman would
come. She is the one through whom God
the Father would send his son into this world to save his people
from their sins. Now let's pick up the story in
verse 34. Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be? Seeing I know not a man. And the angel answered and said
unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power
of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth,
she hath also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the
sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God,
nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid
of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed
from her. Now in these verses, the Holy
Spirit has recorded for our learning Everything that is needful for
our souls edification and for our souls faith with regard to
the incarnation of our blessed Savior Let's look at five or
six things here. Just briefly line by line as
they're given in this text first in verses 18 through 20 The Lord
God tells us about Zachariah. And Zachariah asked the question,
whereby shall I know this? When the angel, the same angel,
Gabriel, appeared to him. And we're told plainly that this
question was an expression of unbelief. But in verses, or in
verse 34, we see a wonder of faith. And it is the wonderment
of Mary's faith that is expressed here. When Mary asked virtually
the same thing that Zechariah had asked, Mary's question was
a question of faith, not of unbelief at all. You see, Zechariah asked
what he asked because he looked upon the promise of God as something
just unbelievable. Mary asked what she asked because
she looked upon the promise of God as something utterly astonishing. And we're told in verse 45 specifically
that she did believe God's promise given to her. So here is the
wonder of faith. When Mary said unto the angel,
or then Mary said to the angel, how shall this be? Seeing I know
not a man. Her words are not an expression
of doubt, but rather an expression of wonderment, an expression
of astonishment, an expression of just being overwhelmed at
God's goodness. She knew, she understood from
the scriptures that the Son of God was coming into the world
and coming in human flesh because the prophets had plainly declared
that and she understood that. She understood from the scriptures
that Messiah must come of the woman's seed. As Genesis 3.15
had stated, He must come untainted by Adam's transgression, untainted
by Adam's fall. A man, but a man not who's the
seed of a man, a man who is the seed of woman, and a man who
is himself God Almighty. Now, no question Mary didn't
understand how this was going to take place any more than we,
looking back at it, understand how it did take place. But she
understood that it must take place. She knew from the Scriptures
that God would send His womb or His Son into the world through
the womb of a virgin specifically ordained of Him. Isaiah 7, 14
says plainly, Behold, a virgin shall conceive. and shall bring
forth the Son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel, that
is, God with us." So these things Mary understood from the Scriptures
before the angel ever came. These things were matters of
faith to her, as they were matters of faith to every other believer
in the Old Testament Scriptures. But now she heard something altogether
more, altogether astonishing to her, altogether amazing to
her. She said she understood the angel
to tell her, Mary, You're the one God chose for this special
mission. You are the one out of all the
peoples of the earth whom God has ordained to give birth to
that holy thing which shall be called the Son of God. And she
was simply overwhelmed. Now, these words, when she says,
how shall this be, expressed her desire simply to know how
the Lord would do this great thing, this wondrous thing that
he had promised. Because she had not ever had
a man in a physical manner. She was a virgin. She was not
married, though she was espoused to Joseph. They had not come
together. When we talk about Mary's virginity, it is fallacious. It is ridiculous. It is contrary
to Scripture to talk about perpetual virginity as the papers do. Mary
had other children besides the Lord Jesus. She did know her
husband. She was a faithful wife as the
Scriptures command. But prior to her giving birth
to the Son of God, she had not known a man. And she says, Lord,
how is this going to come to pass? How are you going to perform
this? The matter of fact, she did not
question. She didn't dispute it at all.
She simply wanted to know how God was going to do what he said.
She couldn't imagine how such a thing would be done because
she had never known a man. You see, faith often expresses
itself with astonishment. True faith always stands in wonderment
before God. True faith always is overwhelmed
at God's goodness. Let me see if I can give you
some examples that will maybe give this a clear light to you.
When the Lord God promised David that he would establish his throne
forever, He would establish his son to reign on his throne forever. When he promised David that he
would build his house forever. When he told David, you're the
man out of whom I will send my son to build my kingdom forever. David just stood back and said,
who am I? What is my house that you should do this for me? When
Mephibosheth was called by David to sit in the king's palace as
one of the king's sons, Mephibosheth said, why should my lord the
king look on such a dead dog as I am? He was just astonished.
He didn't doubt that the king would do it. The king said he
would do it. He was just overwhelmed. David didn't doubt that the lord
would do what he said he would do. He was just overwhelmed,
aren't you? Overwhelmed that God should choose
you. Overwhelmed that the Son of God
should love you, should give himself for you. Overwhelmed
that he should promise to save you, to keep you, to bring you
at last into glory. Overwhelmed that he would use
you for his glory. The Apostle Paul said unto me,
who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given
that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ. Oh, what an astonishing thing
grace is. And faith always looks at it
as an astonishing thing. So Mary asked this question with
the wonder of faith, how shall this be? And then the angel explains
it to her. Look in verse 35. Here's the
mystery of the incarnation. In response to Mary's question,
Gabriel explains the mystery of the incarnation with absolute
reverence, using the simplest words, the simplest words possible,
to explain and declare the most profound mystery in the universe. Now, just pause for a moment
to get some idea of the depth of this wonder and mystery. God
is pure spirit. incomprehensible, infinite, without
parts, without beginning, without end, without comprehension. God
is eternal and infinite. And yet God has come into the
world in human flesh. God Almighty has taken into union
with himself manhood to redeem sinners. And in that man who
came resides all the fullness of the infinite God. Now, I've
read books and books and books and books and books. I've read
hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of pages attempting to explain
the mystery of the incarnation, but I never read anything more
clearly explaining it than what Gabriel says right here. All
right, look at it. The angel answered and said unto
her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore that holy thing which
shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Now notice
the language used here, that holy thing. You remember our
Lord Jesus Christ as a man is not eternal. He was created specifically
by God in the womb of the Virgin Mary and therefore his body which
was prepared for the incarnation is called that holy thing. And it is called that holy thing
which shall be called the Son of God. Gabriel uses very specific
language to make us understand clearly that Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, is God the Son, eternal, everlasting, incomprehensible,
and yet he comes in this world in human flesh in that body which
was created specifically for the redemption of our souls.
Now then, we ought always to follow the angel's example here.
with utter reverence, speaking of the incarnation. Indeed, when
we speak of the things of God, we ought always to use absolute
reverence. The older I get, the more serious I realize this
to be. Vain questions, carnal debate, idle speculation about
holy things is always out of place. It's just out of place. I get correspondence from folks
all the time, regular mail, email. I run into people all over the
world, and they want to debate and speculate about things. They
want to talk about stuff, just yak, yak, yak, yak, yak, yak.
Talk about the book of God like you'd talk about an article in
Time magazine. Talk about the revelation of God like you'd
talk about the opinions of men on an editorial page. What do
you think about this? What's your opinion of this?
My opinion, your opinion, doesn't matter one hoot. It just doesn't
matter. What I think about this doesn't
matter. What you think about this, what does God say? And we ought to
treat holy things with absolute reverence. Gabriel here speaks
of this profound mystery with absolute reverence, treating
divine things as divine. Here is the great mystery of
godliness. God was manifest. flesh. When we talk about the
Incarnation of Christ it is enough for us to know what is revealed.
And faith bows to what's revealed. Oh, what's revealed? The Word
was made flesh and dwelt among us. He who is God the Word, he
who is the everlasting Word of God, the revelation, the expression,
the manifestation of God was made flesh and dwelt among us,
came here to be a part of us forever. Bobby the Son of God
took upon himself an everlasting indissolvable union with manhood. The Word was made flesh and he
dwelt among us. It is enough for us to know that
when God sent his son into this world, a body was especially
prepared for him called that holy thing in which our redemption
could be accomplished. In Hebrews chapter 10, the Lord
gives us this clear revelation. The blood of goats and calves
could never take away sin. Every time the high priest went
into the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament offering a sacrifice,
he knew he must come back and offer sacrifice again because
carnal sacrifices could never satisfy divine justice. Carnal
sacrifices could never put away sin, no matter what they cost,
no matter how orderly prepared, no matter how divinely instituted,
carnal sacrifices cannot atone for sin. But the Holy Spirit
tells us that when the Lord Jesus came into the world, he said,
lo, I come to do thy will, O my God, a body hast thou prepared
me, a specially prepared body, a body prepared from the seed
of the woman, a body prepared without the taint of sin, a body
prepared in humanity to redeem sinners, but a body in whom dwells
God Almighty, Jesus Christ, God incarnate, the God man. He took
part of our flesh and blood. And when He came into this world,
we're told in Hebrews 2, 15, that He came here and He took
not on Him the seed of angels, but He took on Him the seed of
Abraham. He came here, Samuel, specifically to redeem Abraham's
seed, his covenant children. Specifically, he says, specifically,
God passed by the angels that fell. He left them in chains
of darkness. And specifically, he declares,
he passed by those who are not his covenant children, the election
of grace. He took on him the seed of Abraham. He came here to redeem and save
Abraham's chosen seed. And this great savior was made
of a woman. Turn to Galatians chapter four,
Galatians chapter four. Next week, I suspect Lindsay
will be dealing a little bit with the prophecy in Genesis
3, 15. So let's look here at the fulfillment of it. Galatians
4, verse 4. When the fullness of time was
come, that is when the time was ripe and right, the time appointed
by God, the time now arranged by God's providence, when the
fullness of time was come, at exactly the appointed time, God
sent forth his son, sent him on an errand of mercy, sent him
with a mission to accomplish, sent forth his son made of a
woman, made under the law. The Lord Jesus Christ, the God
man, came into this world in human flesh, made of a woman,
made subject to the law which he himself gave at Mount Calvary,
made subject to the law as a man to fulfill all righteousness
as our representative. What for? To redeem. To redeem
them that were under the law. To redeem us who were cursed
by the law. To redeem us who were condemned
by the law. To redeem us who were put under
the sentence of death by the law. Children of wrath, even
as others. For what purpose? That we might
receive the adoption of sons. That is what it's telling us.
The Lord God adopted us in covenant mercy as his sons and daughters
before the world began. He chose us to be his own. But God could not and would not
bring even his loved elect into union with himself until sin
has been put away and redemption accomplished. And therefore his
son came here to accomplish that which God purposed from eternity,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. Our great Savior is
Himself God in human flesh. God manifests in the flesh. In Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. What more should be said? What
more can be said? To go beyond these simple statements
of divine revelation is to foolishly rush in where angels dare to
tread and darken counsel by words without knowledge. Thirdly, let's
look at this 35th verse again. And notice here the work of the
triune God. The angel answered and said unto
her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. God the Father is here mentioned.
God the Son is here mentioned. and God the Holy Spirit is here
mentioned. Again, I remind you, we're talking
here about the most profound mysteries in the world. And as
the mystery of the incarnation is the most profound act in the
universe, so the mystery of the Trinity is the most profound
thing in the universe. God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
yet one God. Three distinct persons, yet one
God. And the triune God is always
actively engaged in all the affair of our salvation. The scriptures
constantly remind us of this. There are three that bear record
in heaven, John said, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,
and these three are one. These three are engaged in the
affair of salvation to accomplish our soul's everlasting good in
all the fullness of the triune God. We were chosen by God the
Father. We are called by God the Spirit,
redeemed by God the Son. In Ephesians chapter 1, the Apostle
Paul goes to great lengths to show us that God the Father planned
the business of salvation. God the Son purchased it. God
the Holy Spirit performs it in us. The Apostle Peter tells us
that we were chosen by God the Father, sanctified by God the
Spirit, redeemed by God the Son. But in this place, the Holy Spirit
seems to place a unique, unique work of God the Spirit himself
with regard to the work of Christ. As God the Father always points
to and glorifies and exalts the Son, so God the Spirit always
points to, exalts, and glorifies God the Son. Now, that needs
to be stressed in these days of charismatic nonsense. You
folks all know people, you work with folks. You know, when I
was a boy, Pentecostals, you know, they walked around with
gravy on their thighs and walked on about six inches of the britches. They were not respectable. These
days, they put on suits and they dress and they're lawyers and
doctors and I mean, respectability has come to town for Pentecostalism.
Everywhere except in the kingdom of God. Now, you listen carefully
to me. I am speaking deliberately and
purposefully. This age of what men call Holy
Ghost religion, this age of men talking in tongues and babbling
nonsense and talking in tongues and talking about seeing visions
and having a word of prophecy, it always got something to do
with your money. It's always got something to do with your
money, trying to get more of it. But they talk all this nonsense
and talk about the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy
Spirit. When God the Holy Spirit speaks by man, He talks about
Christ, Christ, Christ. Let's see if that's not according
to the book. Did God the Son come into the
world in human flesh? It was the Spirit of God who
prepared a body for Him in the womb of the Virgin. Did the Lord
Jesus Christ die to make atonement for our sins? It is written that
He, through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot
to God. Did the crucified Christ rise from the dead for our justification? It is written that He was justified
in the Spirit. Our Redeemer was quickened by
the Spirit. Does the Prince of Peace give
comfort to his people? It is by the Holy Spirit whom
he sends to be our comforter who will take the things of Christ
and show them to us. So that the Holy Spirit shows
us who Christ is, what he did, why he did it, where he is now,
and what he's doing there. The Holy Spirit teaches us. He's
the Spirit of Truth. Indeed, the Lord Jesus is our
prophet, but he is our prophet who teaches us by the spirit
of truth through the revelation of the word. So that when the
Holy Spirit speaks to sinners, he speaks to sinners through
the word about the person and work of Christ. when he comes
to convince sinners of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He comes to convince
us of our sin, Christ's righteousness, and the accomplishment of judgment
for our sins in the person of Jesus Christ the Lord. God the
Holy Spirit always honors God the Son incarnate, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Indeed, the whole of the divine
trinity has arranged the whole affair of salvation so that in
all things Jesus Christ have the preeminence, and have the
preeminence he shall. All right, fourthly, I want you
to see something about the condescension of grace. Look in verse 36. Our God is so gracious, so good,
so merciful that he condescends to meet our weaknesses. Grace
anticipates our need and meets it. Grace anticipates our failure
and meets it. Grace anticipates our weakness
and meets it. As long as we live in this world,
our faith will at best be mixed with unbelief. Our love for God,
our faith in Him, our reverence for Him, our believing Him will
constantly, constantly be something that we look at as being utterly,
utterly insufficient. and the Spirit of God comes now,
and by the angel speaks to Mary and tells her this word to encourage
her faith. Behold thy cousin Elizabeth,
she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the
sixth month with her who was called barren. Now, can you imagine
what a great help this was to Mary? Mary has been told that
she is that one who will bring forth the Son, the Son of God,
whose body would be the womb in which that holy thing, the
manhood of Christ Jesus, would be created by God. And she's
a virgin. And she believed Him. She believed
Him. She took God at His Word. Understanding
the Old Testament scriptures, hearing the word from the angel
of God herself, Mary now believes that which he gave to her by
his own voice. God speaks and Mary believes.
She didn't ask for a sign. But I suspect, I suspect that
her faith was far from perfect. Matter of fact, I know it. And
while she didn't ask for a sign, God condescends to give her one.
He says, now Mary, You know that before Messiah comes, Elijah
must come. And Elijah, too, must come in
a miraculous, supernatural manner to announce that he is that one
who is the forerunner of the Christ. You remember your cousin
Elizabeth, that old woman? The whole family says she'll
never have any children. She's an old woman now. Everybody knows
her womb's withered up and dry. Everybody knows she can't bury
the children. She's six months pregnant. She's fixing to bring
forth Messiah's forerunner. And St. Mary goes off to meet
her. And this word was given just to encourage her faith.
Oh, thank you, our God, for graciously condescending to encourage our
weak faith in this world. Thank you. Let us never ask for
signs, but let us ever rejoice and give thanks to God that he
condescends to meet our weaknesses. And then in verse 37, the angel speaks of the omnipotence
of our God. Here's the pillar of our confidence,
the strength of our faith, the solace of our souls in all things.
With God, nothing shall be impossible. Our peace in this world, James,
Our confidence regarding the purposes, promises, and grace
of our God stand and fall with our firm persuasion of our Heavenly
Father's absolute omnipotence. I have peace in the midst of
trial, confidence in the midst of clouds, joy in the midst of
heartache, just to the degree that I am persuaded that God
is my Father and He's omnipotent. Just to that degree. With our
God, nothing is impossible. He who called the universe into
existence by the mere exercise of His will. He who created all
things out of nothing by what's described in the scriptures as
the hiding of His power. Wow! The hiding of His power. He who upholds all things by
the word of His power. Nothing's impossible with Him.
We're talking about God Almighty. I recall shortly after Brother
Paul Harry's moved here, I asked him, I said, Paul, how do you,
how do you handle this business with, in your field, in medical
field? I know you run across folks all
the time who laugh at the idea of creation. How do you handle
that? He's no trouble. There's no trouble. He said, I just tell folks that
there's no trouble for my God to make the world look like a
billion years old if He wants to. No trouble. Oh, how can you say? He's God. Nothing's impossible with Him.
But more importantly, this Word is speaking about the birth of
the God-man, our Redeemer. And the angel assures Mary, nothing
is impossible with God. Oh, that we might believe it.
No sin too black for Him to wash away. For the blood of Jesus
Christ, God's Son, cleanses from all sin. No heart too hard for
Him to melt and renew by His grace. He will make sons of God
out of the stones of the Gentiles. No work is too hard for us to
do. If Christ has called us to it,
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. No promise
of God is too great for God to fulfill. No difficulty too great
for us to endure if He has called us to it. Faith never rests so
calmly and peacefully as when it lays its head upon the pillow
of God's omnipotence. Our great and glorious God is
the omnipotent God, the God of omnipotent ability, if you'll
allow me to use redundancy. He is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think. He's able to do it all. Now then,
understanding this, look at the surrender of faith. Mary said,
Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy
word. God give me that kind of faith.
Here I am, your servant. That's what we are in this world.
That's what we are. Debbie Bartley just as much as
Don Fortner. Just his servants. Just his servants. Oh, what a
privilege. His servants. The handmaid of
the Lord. Well, what's a servant do? She
bows. He bows. What's a servant do? Seeks the will of his master.
That's all. Be it unto me according to your
word. Your eternal word. Your written
word, your providential word. Lord God, do what you will. I'm your servant. That's called
faith. That's called faith. Faith in
the omnipotent God. Amen. All right, Lindsey, you
lead us in the hymn, please. Dickens will serve the Lord's
table.