Pastor Marty Sloan | Dec. 11 & 12, 2021

Part II

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on 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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. - Luke 1:26-38 (NIV)

The Lord comes to people who realize that

Him they cannot make it.

He comes to those who acknowledge their weakness and

lack.

The incarnation, salvation, resurrection, and Christmas are not for the proud and

-

Reveal Answer

.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. - Psalm 34:15-20 (NIV)

Four thoughts on Christ’s birth’s impact:
•

over Fear
• Invite the Spirit into your

Reveal Answer

• Be encouraged by

Reveal Answer

’S miracle
• Whatever God does in you is not exclusively for you - His favor is for

Reveal Answer

Only God knows the

in the birth of a child.

Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. - Psalms 127:3-4 (NIV)

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” - Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NIV)

Would you let the Holy Spirit into your

?

Would you allow God to do something

?

Would you identify as His

above all else?

Suggested Resources

• Advent for Everyone – N.T. Wright
• Luke: That You May Know the Truth – Kent Hughes
• The Case for Christmas – Lee Strobel