A SPECIAL BABY: REJOICE

   3/4/2012

INTRODUCTION:

• LUKE WROTE THE BEST GREEK OF ANY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS INCLUDING PAUL.
• ACCORDING TO SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY, DR. LUKE WAS ALSO A CAREFUL HISTORIAN OF REMARKABLE ABILITY.
• COMPARISON WITH THE OTHER GOSPELS.
• MATTHEW EMPHASIZES THAT JESUS WAS BORN THE MESSIAH.
• MARK EMPHASIZES THAT JESUS WAS THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH.
• LUKE STRESSES THE FACT THAT JESUS WAS THE PERFECT MAN.
• JOHN PRESENTS THE FACT THAT GOD BECAME A MAN.
• LUKE WRITES HIS GOSPEL FROM MARY'S VIEWPOINT
• William Ramsay, a brilliant young scholar at Cambridge was an agnostic, who wanted to disprove the accuracy of the Bible.
• He knew that Luke had written an historical record of Jesus in his gospel and that he had written of the missionary journeys of Paul in the Book of Acts.
• He also knew that all historians make mistakes and that many of them are liars.
• William Ramsay went as an archaeologist into Asia Minor.  
• He carefully followed the journeys of Paul and made a thorough study of Asia Minor.
• He came to the conclusion that Dr. Luke had not made one historical inaccuracy. 
• This discovery caused William Ramsay to become a believer.

1.     DOUBTS (LUKE 1:1-25)

• Though Zacharias was upright and blameless, he doubted the angel's announcement that he would have a son at his age.
• When God is going to do something wonderful, He often starts with what man would consider to be an impossibility.
• Zacharias was a man a priest, who has gone to God in prayer many times asking for a son.
• Now when God says through the angel Gabriel, "I am going to give you a son," Zacharias replies, "How shall I know this?  For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
• Have you ever asked God for something, but you really didn’t believe He would give it to you.
• We do not receive answers to our prayers because we do not have sufficient faith. 
• This man Zacharias is quite human.

2.     SUBMISSION (LUKE 1:26-38)

• Submission to God involves humility and surrendering control of our lives to Him. 
• Because of our carnal nature, we sometimes think of people who submit as being weak. 
• In reality, submission to God required strength which we can only have as He enables us by His Holy Spirit.
• Mary's expression of unqualified submission to God's will is all that one could desire.

2A. LISTEN TO THE TRUTH (LUKE 1:26-33)

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." 29 But she was greatly troubled at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.

• In spite of the angel's cordial entrance, Mary experienced momentary fright.
• In all probability, because she knew she was a sinner, who was now unexpectedly face to face with a messenger from God!
• She knew that she was but a young woman of lowly social position and likely could not understand how it was possible to be addressed in lofty terms.

30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end. "

NASB

2B. ASK QUESTIONS (LUKE 1:34-35)

34 And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.

NASB

• We are told in the Book of Leviticus that the birth of a child caused a woman to be unclean because she brought a sinner into the world.
• Mary is told that she is bringing “the Son of the Most High “into the world.

2C. DECIDE TO SURRENDER (LUKE 1:36-38)

36 "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 "For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

NASB

• Perhaps Mary went to see Elizabeth in order to confirm what the angel said.
• This would likely increase her faith about what the angel told her concerning her coming child.

3.     REJOICING (LUKE 1:39-56)

3A EXPRESS JOY (LUKE 1:42-48)

42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 "And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 "For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

46 And Mary said:

"My soul exalts the Lord,

47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48 "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;

For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

NASB

• There are five passages in Luke of poetic literature centered around the nativity theme. 
• In all five God is the object of worship.

1.      The Song of Elizabeth found in 1:42b-45 and highlights Love.

2.      The Song of Mary found in 1:46-55 highlighting Faith.

3.      The Prophecy of Zechariah found in 1:68-79 highlighting Hope.

4.      The Song of Angels found in 2:14 highlighting Adoration.

5.      The Song of Simeon found in 2:29-32 highlighting Resignation.

4.     AMAZEMENT (LUKE 1:57-66)

• The Birth, Circumcision, and Naming of John the Baptist.
• The meaning of John is "Jehovah is gracious."

5.     CONFESSION (LUKE 1:67-80)

• Zechariah's Prophecy.