Now we're turning again to the
book of Luke. Continue our study through the
gospel given to us by Luke. Verse 26 down through verse 33
of Luke chapter 1. And he was sent to a virgin who
was engaged to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary. Now, we have in these verses
the announcement, and that's the title of the message, the
Lord's birth announcement. Now, oftentimes when ladies are
expecting and they plan and have dates for a baby shower, they
send out an announcement, a birth announcement, to let everybody
know, well this is the Lord Jesus Christ, this is his birth announcement. We have in these verses before
us the announcement of the most marvelous event that ever happened
in this world. Now you think of it, the most
marvelous event that ever took place in this world. The incarnation and birth of
the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty manifest in the flesh. It is
a passage of scripture which we should always read, mingled
with wonder, love, and praise, and our prayer for us this morning
that God the Holy Spirit may indeed fill our heart with amazement
and wonder as we consider the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
to redeem us. The Apostle Paul put it this
way without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness,
God was manifest in the flesh. Who is this one born in Bethlehem
in a cow stable and put in a manger? None other than God Almighty. God Almighty. He is the eternal
God. The Word made flesh. and dwelt
among us." Now, I have three main points to the message. The
first one is this. We see the coming of the Messiah,
and we see the coming of the Messiah that it was a coming
of humiliation. That humiliation was to begin
even from the time of His conception and birth. Notice there was a
messenger, verse 26, sent his name, a special messenger, the
same one sent to Zacharias, his name was Gabriel, and he was
sent from God unto this city, this city of Galilee, named Nazareth. Nazareth. Now notice, who sent
this messenger? God sent this messenger. God
sent this messenger on a special mission of mercy with a special
message to declare the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This
is the time that our God has determined to fulfill His promise,
the promise of the coming of Messiah to redeem His people
from their sin. You remember we read in Matthew
chapter 1, this same messenger said to Joseph, fear not to take
Mary, to thyself, for that which is conceived in her is born of
the Holy Spirit, and she shall bring forth a son, and you shall
call his name, exactly what it is, he is the Savior, he is God
our Savior, and he shall save his people from their sin. In the fullness of thee time,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law
to redeem us. Now notice, Gabriel was sent
to an obscure country, Galilee, to a despised place named Nazareth. He was called the despised Nazarene. I want you to hold your place
here and find John chapter 1. You remember what Nathanael said
to Philip, I believe it was, in John chapter 1, when Philip
said, We have found the Messiah? Remember John chapter 1 verse
44. John 1 verse 44. Now Philip was
of Bethesda, the city of Andrew, and Peter, Philip, Phinus, Nathanael,
and said unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law
and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come
out of Nazareth? It was a despised city. He's
saying there's nothing in Nazareth that's any good. Can anything
come out of Nazareth that's any good? And Philip said, Come and
see. Oh yes. Yes, something did come
out of Nazareth. The Lord Jesus Christ God Almighty. Gabriel was sent to a despised
city. to a no-name city, to a no-name
woman. This woman was not in reputation. Gabriel was sent to a poor woman
who was chosen of God to conceive, carry, and deliver a special
baby. The Lord of glory orders all
things concerning a special time, place, and all persons involved. All things are of God. of Him,
and through Him, and to Him are all things." God sovereignly
orders all this for His purpose and His glory to fulfill all
things that He has written. This was done that this might
be fulfilled. Now notice, he was sent not to
a palace in Jerusalem, not to a rich and well-known family,
but sent to a nobody, a poor woman, living in Nazareth. Both
Mary and Joseph were poor people of the house of David. In verse
38, she says here, Mary said in Luke 1.38, Behold the handmaid, of the Lord." And that word,
handmaid, means lowly servant. I'm a servant of the Lord. And
again, in verse 48 of Luke 1, the Lord, my God, my Savior,
hath regarded the low estate of thy handmaiden. For behold,
from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. I'm blessed
in the Gospel. Blessed in the Lord. We see her
low estate. You remember in Luke chapter
2, turn over there, when she was about to give birth to this
special child conceived of God, when Joseph and Mary went to
the city of David called Bethlehem in Luke chapter 2, to be tight
with Mary and his espoused wife, being great with child. And it
was so that while they were there, the days were accomplished that
she should be delivered. Luke 2 verse 6, And she brought
forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in spotted clothes, and laid
him in a manger. You know what that manger is?
It's a cow trough. That's where the cows gather
to feed. Because there was no room for
them You see, they were of no reputation. There was no room
for them in the end. They probably didn't have the
money. If they had enough money, they could have found a room
somewhere. They were poor people. The Lord of glory identifies
with our poor and pitiful humanity even in His coming, He identifies
with us. Turn to Philippians chapter 2.
Philippians chapter 2, remember? Paul writes of him in Philippians
2 verse 5, "...let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation." Can
anything good come out of Nazareth? "...took upon him the form of
a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found
in fashion or habit as a man, he was a real man, he never stopped
being God. He humbled himself, became obedient
to death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God highly
exalted him. He came here to redeem us. Turn
over to Hebrews chapter 2. He came on purpose. He came with
a purpose to redeem, but he came lowborn of this poor woman, no
place for him in any fancy inn, born out in the barn, out in
the barnyard, out in the backstable, and put in a caltroph. My goodness,
this is God Almighty who created all things. You see, He identified
with our humanity. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14, thinking about scripture over
in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, For you know the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He
became poor, that you through His poverty might be made rich.
Hebrews 2.14, For as much then as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same,
that through death he might destroy him that had power of death,
that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death
were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took
not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of
Abraham, a real man. Wherefore, in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful. faithful high priest and things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people."
He's our Savior. Mary's hope of salvation was
Christ. I rejoice, she says, in God my
Savior. But here we see the humiliation. The old timers call it the condescending
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. To be made of a woman, to be
made under the law to redeem us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us on that cursed tree. The second
thing we see is this, God's sovereign election of grace, verse 27 and
verse 28. God singled out this woman and
this man for this special privilege, to a virgin, espoused to a man,
whose name was Joseph, the house of David, and the virgin's name
was Mary. Joseph and Mary, house of David. The Lord our God always saves
sinners by His purpose and by His grace. The angel came unto
her and said, Hail, thou art highly favored. The Lord is with
thee. Blessed art thou among women. We see God's sovereign purpose
to save. You see, it's God who saved us.
It's God who called us with a holy calling, not according to our
work, but according to His own purpose and grace. Joseph and
Mary had the same hope of salvation that we have, Christ alone, Christ
crucified alone. God says of her, she is highly
favored. God says of her that the Lord
is with thee. See that in verse 28? He says
to her, Blessed art thou among women, not above women. Blessed
art thou among women, Elizabeth says again in verse 42. Mary, although chosen of God
for this special, special task of bearing and giving birth to
this child, conceived of God, blessed of God, that 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, God the Son. Mary is a special woman. elect of God, chosen of God,
redeemed in Christ. But now listen, Mary is not to
be worshipped as a mother of God. Don't ever fall into that
trap. Mary is never presented to us
as a sinless woman, but rather a sinner chosen of God and blessed
of God. Now many in some religious circles
make Mary a mediator, like unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary is
never presented to us as a sinful woman, but rather a sinner chosen
of God and blessed in God, for she said, My soul doth rejoice
in God my... What? My Savior. What did this
sinner need? She needed a Savior, just like
you and I. Now, a warning to our Catholic
friends. Many listen to this Many will
listen to this sermon that we put up on Sermon Audio. This
will go up tomorrow or the next day on Sermon Audio. And our
sermons are held, listened to rather, on Sermon Audio all over
the world. Usually 47, 48 states and usually
60 to 65 foreign countries. So this will go up on the internet
and will go all over the world. But a warning to our Catholic
friends who may listen to this. J.C. Ryle, an old preacher back
in England, middle 1850s, he's had this warning. And here's
what some Catholic people have said. She is formally declared
by the Roman Catholic Church to have been conceived without
sin. Now, this is what the Roman Catholics
believe about Mary. She's conceived without sin.
She's held up to the Roman Catholics as an object of worship. Now,
I've seen that personally. We're not so much subjected to
it here. I've been to Mexico twice. Everybody
in Mexico, except God's elect, are taken up with Catholicism. And in those old buildings you
go into, they have statues of Mary. And the first thing they
do, I went there and sat down and watched them as they come
in. They'll come in and they'll come before that statue of Mary
and they'll rub her feet. She almost has her feet rubbed
away. And they'll do their sign and kiss her feet and they'll
worship that statue. That's nothing but idolatry.
She is held up by the Roman Catholic as an object of worship and prayed
to as a mediator between God and man with no less power than
Christ himself. Isn't that sad? That's what Cody
Groover and Walter Groover down in Mexico, they're faced with
this all the time. Let us never pray, Hail Mary,
Mother of God, full of grace and truth, pray for us poor sinners. Can you imagine even Even thinking
about such an idolatrous thing? Still quoting J.C. Ryle. For
all of this, be it remembered, there is not the slightest warrant
in Scripture. Again, Ryle said, there is no
warrant in this verse before us now. There is no warrant in
any other part of God's Word. Mary is not to be worshipped
whatsoever or prayed unto. You say, well, surely nobody
would do that. Yes, they do. There's millions
of them that worship Mary rather than Christ. The Lord our God
used the body of this sinful woman to bring in His sinless
humanity of our blessed Savior, as it says in Hebrews 10, a body
prepared by God. The Holy Ghost shall come upon
thee, verse 35, Luke 1, 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. The
Lord sovereignly chose Mary to be an object of mercy and Joseph
for salvation, gave both of them special honor, gave her the special
honor of being the mother of our Savior's body, His humanity. But she's not the mother of God,
not at all. Notice verse 28, Luke 1, the
angel came into her and said, Hail, thou art highly favored,
highly favored, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among
women, not above women. She's found favor with God, grace
with God. She was highly favored of God
and blessed of God as the marginal reference has on that verse,
graciously accepted. She was accepted in a beloved,
the Lord Jesus. Mary did not bless God, God blessed
her. God did not find favor in Mary's
eyes, Mary found grace like Noah in the eyes of the Lord. But
this is true of all of God's elect. Mary was elected and chosen
of God in that eternal covenant of grace. And she was blessed
with all spiritual blessing in the heavenly in the Lord Jesus
Christ. But this is true of all of God's
elect. They're all blessed in Christ.
They're all chosen in the Lord Jesus Christ. And favored because
God is gracious to whom He will be gracious. Let's see if we
can find that in Scripture. Okay preacher, can you make good
on that? I believe I can. Turn to Ephesians chapter 1. because of Christ, His death,
His blood, His resurrection, His glory, just as we're blessed,
chosen of God and blessed. Ephesians chapter 1, blessed
be the God and Father, verse 3, of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
in Christ. according as He hath chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy without blame before Him in love, having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In
the Beloved, we are blessed. In the Beloved, in the Lord Jesus
Christ. God's elect are blessed only
in Christ. True of Mary, true of Joseph. True of all of God's people who
believe the Gospel. They're blessed of God. Turn
to Psalm 32. Who is the blessed man? Here's
the blessed man. Psalm 32, verse 1. Blessed is
he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. That's
the blessed man. Blessed is the man whom the Lord
imputeth not iniquity, in whose spirit there is no guile. When
I kept silent, my bones whacked through my roaring all the day
long. For day and night thy hand was
heavy upon me, my moisture is turned in the drought of summer.
I acknowledge my sin unto thee, my iniquity have I not hid. I
said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord, and thou forgavest
the iniquity of my sin. That's the blessed man. Who is
the blessed man? In Psalm 65. 65 verse 4. Psalm 65 verse 4, and you can
run this reference all the way through the Psalms. Psalm 65
verse 4, you see, God's elect are blessed in Christ. Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest. and cause it to approach unto
thee that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied
with the goodness of thy house, even thy holy temple. Blessed
is the man whom God hath chosen." Our Lord said, you didn't choose
me, I chose you and ordained you. Now listen to this, turn
back to the book of Luke. Mary's greatest relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ was not her physical relationship
but her spiritual relationship. Let me show you that. Turn to
Luke chapter 11. Luke chapter 11. Luke 11 verse 27. Luke 11 verse
27, And it came to pass, as he spake these sayings, a certain
woman of the company lifted up her voice and said unto him,
Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the pipes which thou
hast sucked. Verse 28, but he said, Yea, brethren,
blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. You see, it's not the physical
relationship, but a spiritual relationship. Turn to Luke chapter
8. Turn over there. Luke chapter
8, verse 19. Luke 8, 19. Then came to him
his mother and his brethren, naturally, and could not come
at him for the press, this large crowd. Verse 20, it was told
him by a certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand
without desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto
them, My mother and my brethren are
these which hear the word of God and do it. Behold, he said,
my family." You see, his family is a spiritual family. His family
are those who were chosen by his electing love, sanctified
by God the Holy Spirit, made new creatures in Christ, redeemed
with his precious blood, The Apostle said in Ephesians 2,
Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints of the household of God. By His
grace, He's made us sons of God, chosen in Christ, blessed in
Christ as Mary and Joseph was chosen, true of all of God's
people. Here's the third thing. Look
back at the text. Luke chapter 1 verse 30, And
the angel declares the gospel unto us. The servant of the Lord,
Gabriel, said to Mary, Fear not, for thou hast found favor with
God. Grace in the eyes of the Lord.
And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, shalt bring forth
a son, and call his name Savior, Jesus. He shall be great. He shall be called the Son of
the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne
of his father David. He shall reign over the house
of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom no end." He has an everlasting
kingdom. Now again, Gabriel, the servant
of God, declares unto us the good news of the gospel of Christ.
Just as God had declared through the Holy Scriptures about the
coming of the Messiah, a virgin shall be with child. Unto us
a child is born, a son is given. His name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor of the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince
of Peace. Just as He said way back that
it would come to pass, and it now is being fulfilled by the
will and purpose of God. Call His name Jesus, verse 30. The same thing that Gabriel says
to Joseph. Call his name Jesus, he shall
save his people from their sin. The Lord Jesus Christ is exactly
what he is called. He is the savior of sinners.
The Lord Jesus Christ came to accomplish God's eternal purpose
in redeeming a people unto Himself. This is what the Scriptures teach.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world. The Apostle declared,
this is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation, that the
Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Paul said, I'm the chief
one. Again, he said, I didn't come
to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. You remember
in Luke chapter 2, I pointed this out before. Turn over there
to Luke chapter 2. Luke chapter 2, verse 49. When
the Lord Jesus, the young child, was 12 years old, and his parents
were visiting Jerusalem, and they started back home, and after
A journey of a few days, they found out that someone was missing
after three days, and they went to find him, and they found him
in the temple, Luke 2, verse 49, and he said to them, how
is it that you stopped me? Wished you not that I must be
about my father's business? The first recorded words that
came out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ, that I must
be about my Father's business." The last recorded words, found
in John 19 verse 30, you remember what he said on the cross? When
he accomplished all of God's purpose, fulfilled all Scripture,
he said, it is finished. It's done. You see, the Lord
Jesus Christ came to seek and to save His people. He came to
seek and to save the lost, and my friend, He cannot fail. All
that the Father giveth to me, they shall come to me, and those
that come to me, He said, I will in no wise cast them out. And then I like this verse here.
Verse 31, And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. Now look
at verse 32. He shall be great. shall be called the Son of the
Highest. He is the Most High God. And the Lord God shall give
unto Him the throne of His Father, David. He shall be great." Now,
everything about our Lord Jesus Christ is great, isn't it? He
is the great God. He is the mighty God. The Lord
Jesus Christ is great in every aspect of His person. Who is
this one? You remember what our Lord said,
you've seen me, you've seen the Father, I and my Father are one.
He shall be great because He is the Most High God. The Lord
Jesus Christ is great not only in every aspect of His person,
but in every aspect of His office. For He brought in great salvation,
didn't He? He didn't bring in so-so salvation. It says in Hebrews chapter 3
that He brought in so... Hebrews chapter 2 verse 3, He
brought in so great salvation. How shall we escape if we neglect
so great salvation? The Lord Jesus Christ is called
our Great High Priest who did what? Obtained for us eternal
redemption with His own blood. He is the prophet that is greater
than Moses. You remember our Lord said, Moses
wrote about me. If you would have believed Moses,
you would have believed me. Moses wrote about me. He is that
great prophet that God promised that would declare the will of
God. And he is the great and mighty
king. God said, I've set my king upon
my holy hill, Zion. God is the king of all the earth. Let's turn and read that in Psalm
2. Turn over there to Psalm 2. God said, I've set my king upon
my holy hill, Zion. He's king of all the earth. Therefore,
Psalm 2 verse 11, serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling,
kiss the son lest he be angry, and he perish from the way when
his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put
their trust in him. Verse 6 of that chapter said,
I've set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. The Lord Jesus
Christ is our great high priest. He is our great prophet, priest,
and king. And he has, as it says there,
look at verse 32, given unto him, he is the son of the most
high God, and given unto him is a throne, the throne of David,
his father. He has this everlasting eternal
dominion like King David had in his day. The Lord Jesus Christ
is the sovereign Lord in salvation. He will have mercy on whom he
will have mercy. Remember when David came to the
throne and he wanted to show mercy to Jonathan's son, Old
Mephibosheth the cripple? The king spoke by command and
said, Ziba, go get him, bring him, he's mine. And Mephibosheth
said, what is thy servant that you should look upon me such
a dead dog as I am? You see, this king, who is king
of kings and Lord of lords, will have mercy on whom he will. He
prayed in John 17, Father, you've given me power over all flesh
that I should give eternal life to as many as you have given
to me. John said in John 3.35, The Father
loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands. Peter
declared upon the day of Pentecost, and he said, This same Jesus
you have crucified, He is both Lord and Christ. Now bow to Him. He has the throne of universal
dominion by the unchanging decree of God. Now listen to me carefully. You don't make Him Lord by something
you do. They say in religious circles,
we'll make Jesus your Lord. You can't do that. You can bow
to His Lordship. You can acknowledge His Lordship.
God has made Him Lord and Christ by God's eternal, immutable decree. He is Lord of heaven and earth,
Lord of Lord and King of King. As Lord, He'll have mercy on
whom He will. Read on in the text. You see
what it says in Luke 1 verse 33. What does someone, a king, that's
sitting on a sovereign throne, what does he do? He shall reign. You see that? He shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever. I am the Lord, I change not,
therefore you sons of Jacob shall not be consumed. He reigns over
the house, the spiritual house of his Zion, his people. His reign is the sovereign reign
forever over all things. His spiritual kingdom, there
shall be no end over those given unto him in that covenant of
grace, the house of Jacob, the sons of Jacob, sons of Abraham.
Over all Israel, his Zion, the church that he bought with his
own blood, the sovereign reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now
listen, the sovereign reign of the Lord Jesus Christ is not
over a piece of ground in the Middle East. In some future millennial kingdom,
They say, the pre-millennials say that the Lord Jesus will
come back and set up an earthly throne over there in Jerusalem
and have blood offerings again. And He'll reign in that day.
For a thousand years He'll reign. That's nonsense. The Lord Jesus
Christ reigns forever right now and there never needs to be another
blood offering again. By the one offering He perfected
forever them that are sanctified. What about that millennial reign?
We're in it right now. Tell me when He hasn't reigned.
That 1,000 year reign that talks about in Revelation 21 is a type
and picture of His eternal reign. He reigns forever as it says
here. He shall reign over the house
of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there shall
be no end. His kingdom. He's the King of
Kings. All earthly kings of this world
will all be made to bow before His sovereign throne and acknowledge
that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's a good message that Gabriel
brought, isn't it? Verse 30, fear not Mary, God's
gracious. You're going to bring forth the
Savior. He will be the Savior of His people. He's going to
be great. He's the Son of the Highest. He's the Lord God Almighty. He has the eternal throne. And
He shall reign. And of His reign, of His dominion,
there shall be no end. Now, here's the closing statement.
May God ever impress on our minds and our hearts the greatness
of our Savior the coming of our Savior, the humiliation of our
Savior, born of a woman, made under the law to redeem us. And
let us never entertain weak and false thoughts of Him, but let
us always worship Him as God our Savior now and forever. Worship Him who is God. You remember
what the angel said? In Luke chapter 2, turn there,
and I'll let you go with this. When the angels appeared to the
shepherds, and they were abiding in the field, verse 8, And lo,
the angel of the Lord came upon them, Luke 2 verse 9, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring
you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David, he is the
Savior, he is the Christ, the Messiah, the Lord. And this shall
be a sign unto you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger, And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, here's
what I want to get to. May God ever put this in our
heart. Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, goodwill toward sinners through Christ our Lord,
our King.