Why Should We Hope? (Luke 1:26-38)
GIST: Hope isn’t circumstantial; it’s grace delivered by sovereignty.
Today is the first Sunday of December. Therefore, we’re going to take a short break from our Revelation study to focus our hearts on what this time of the year begs us to remember. Plus, we’re about the come to Revelation 21 & 22 where we see all things made new… which seems like a pretty awesome way to start the new year to me ☺️!
Many of you are probably familiar with advent wreaths or advent candles. These have been part of many church traditions for years, not because there is something in the Bible that tells us to use them, but because they’re a handy way to remember key truths to which the celebration of Jesus’ coming points. There are actually lots of different types of candles, but the most common is four candles representing: hope, joy, peace, and love. There’s also often a fifth candle that’s either a different color (usually white) or set in the middle of the rest called the “Christ candle” because He embodies all these truths.
For this advent season, I want to do two things I’ve never actually done formally. First, we’re going to spend the weeks leading up to Christmas Sunday specifically discussing these four truths. However, I don’t want to just jump around and talk about them in isolation. I want to talk about how these are revealed in the Biblical account of Jesus’ birth. So, the second thing we’re going to do that I’ve never done before is actually walk through Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth… at Christmastime ☺️.
Today, we’re going to look at Luke 1:26-38 and consider why this points us to hope. We’re going to discuss this in two chunks, but let’s read all twelve verses first to get the full context…and because hearing this never gets old!
“26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 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 call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.”
I don’t plan to keep you overly long with these messages, but I want us to really think about the life-changing truths found in these very familiar verses. Here’s our gist for this morning: Hope isn’t circumstantial; it’s grace delivered by sovereignty.
I. Hope Isn’t Circumstantial; It’s Grace
Let’s look back at that first portion again: “26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"
Minds saturated with pristine nativity decorations find it easy to romanticize the Christmas story. Smiling, competent Mary standing next to completely composed Joseph, overlooking glowing baby Jesus guarded by clean, happy, and sometimes even distinctly western-looking farm animals. Reality must have been very different.
When Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she was favored by God, it changed her life, and the world, forever. However, she wasn’t favored because she was a perfect woman from perfect circumstances. Though any attempt at painting a picture of her personality would be based largely on conjecture, we know enough to know she was broken like the rest of us. She was not only born sinful (like all humans), but she was also a young woman in a society where that deemed her practically invisible. On top of this, her visit from Gabriel was about to make her the centerpiece of a significant premarital scandal. She was favored because she was the recipient of amazing grace, not because she had it all together.
Hope is something we talk about a lot this time of year. You hear it in carrols. You see it on cards. It’s the message of nearly every Hallmark-influenced Christmas movie. Unfortunately, the emotional response we have to this concept is often tied more to beautiful lights and hot cocoa than anything truly meaningful. Therefore, when winter transitions away from “the most wonderful time of the year” to “now it’s just cold”, our hope tends to flicker with the frostbitten lights and the fading festivities. That’s why it’s so important to remember the lasting hope proclaimed at Christmas isn’t circumstantial. It’s not about warm fuzzies or conjured emotions. It doesn’t require having everything figured out. It’s about the grace of God! This was true for Mary, and it’s true for us.
Mary was chosen by God to be the earthly mother of Jesus because He loved her. He loves you too. He has a plan and purpose for you too. His grace which brings us hope isn’t about us being worthy. It’s about Him being… God. Hope isn’t circumstantial; it’s grace→
II. Secured By Sovereignty
“29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 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 call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
When Mary heard this message, she was understandably shocked. But God continued to show His grace by giving her the words she needed to hear—which happen to also be the ones we need to hear. Mary didn’t need to be afraid because:
1. God loved her. She had found favor with Him (again, amazing grace how sweet the sound!)
2. Jesus, the Son of the Most High, was coming into the world. The Most High is a term used the the Old Testament (Genesis 14:18, Psalm 82:6) to refer to God. Jesus wasn’t becoming the Son of God. The Bible clearly teaches that God is a trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: One God—3 persons—for all eternity. Jesus has always been God and will always be God. At this moment in time, however, God was coming into our story in a way never before seen. Jesus was coming as our perfect lamb at the time He perfectly chose… to save the world.
3. And He was coming to establish an everlasting kingdom. Not a kingdom of this world fraut with corruption and agenda—a perfect kingdom ruled by a perfectly sovereign king that starts in our hearts when we receive His rescue and continues even after death as we continue to be part of what He’s doing for all eternity!
That’s the encouragement Mary needed in that moment. It’s what you need to hear today too. I know this…because it’s what I need to hear every day. 1. Jesus loves you. 2. He—the Son of God— came into the world for you. 3. And He is establishing His kingdom now and returning, so it can be fully known!
Even after hearing this, though, Mary had some questions. You probably would too ☺️. “34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" 35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her."
So, Gabriel told her what was going to happen, and after explaining divine incarnation, he gave her this encouragement: “You know your relative Elizabeth who has been considered barren for all these years? Yeah, she’s six months pregnant. Why? Because nothing is impossible with God.” Hope isn’t an empty promise made at the end of each year. It’s a reality resting firmly on the sovereign shoulders of Jesus Christ.
Hope—almighty God pouring out unmerited grace. That’s what we’re celebrating at Christmas, and that’s what Jesus is offering you.
Let’s hit a few quick→
TAKEAWAYS
Hope isn’t based on your merits or circumstances.
Hope is all about Jesus’ grace.
Hope is sure because He—the sovereign God of the universe—secured it for you, and nothing is impossible with God.
So… are you willing to submit to His plan for your life like Mary? I love how she responds to this. She’s terrified. She doesn’t have it all figured out. She doesn’t fully understand how this is going to work, but she says nonetheless, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” That’s a sermon all by itself! Could this maybe, just maybe, be the cry of your life as well?
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