"Christmas: The Perfect Gift"

(Luke 1:26-38)

Rev. Billy D. Strayhorn

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." ²⁹But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He 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 ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." ³⁴Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" ³⁵The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God." ³⁸Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

INTRODUCTION:

One week a Sunday school teacher had just finished telling her class the Christmas story, how Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem and how Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger. After telling the story the teacher asked, "Who do you think the most important woman in the Bible is?" Of course, the teacher was expecting one of the kids to say, "Mary." But instead, a little boy raised his hand and said, "Eve." So the teacher asked him why he thought Eve was the most important woman in the Bible.

And the little boy replied, "Well, they named two days of the year after Eve. You know, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve." (1)

Well, here we are. Finally, we get one of the great Christmas passages. Year B of the Lectionary can be so weird at Advent. All that John the Baptist stuff. Finally, we get to the real Christmas story. The one we know and love. The one that touches our hearts. I hope it's not so familiar to you that you miss it's message. You see, that's what happens with the familiar. We get so familiar with it that when the first few words are read, our mind says, "Oh, I know that. I don't really need to listen. I know it and I've heard it all before."

I personally think this is one of the moments Jesus was talking about when he said we "have to become as little children." When my boys were growing up, they both had favorite stories that they wanted us to read to them over and over and over again. No matter how many times we read it, it always seemed like a new story to them. It was always filled with wonder. That's how we need to approach the Scripture. And that's how we need to approach the Christmas stories; with all the awe and wonder of childlike faith.

With that in mind, let's look at this passage known as the Annunciation. And let's focus on the Angel's message to Mary.

I. YOU ARE FAVORED:

A. The very first words out of Gabriel's mouth were a greeting: "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

What was it that made Mary so favored in God's eyes? Was it her faith? Was it her humility? Was it her beauty? Was it her simple innocence? What was it that made Mary so favored in God's eyes?

Martin Luther once said: "Before Mary could conceive Him in her womb, she first had to conceive Him in her heart."

I believe God sensed that Mary would be open to and understand God's grace in the same way that Abraham accepted God's grace and took off without much else except his faith and his wife Sarah. The same way Moses accepted and followed God back to Egypt to deliver a bunch of slaves.

You see, it's not at all about the ones who are chosen. It's about the One who does the choosing. It's about what God can do with those who are chosen. God loves to use the nobodies. God loves to use the outcasts and the ne'er-do-wells, people like Jacob and the apostles Peter and Paul, to proclaim the Good News. God loves to use the ones that we would be our last choice. God uses the least likely of all to make a point. It's not us. It's not the chosen. But it's what God does with us and it's what God does with the chosen that is important. And God did wonders with Mary.

B. Gabriel's choice of words is rather startling. He says, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

When you consider the Who of the birth, then yes, Mary was favored. But when you consider all the other circumstances of her life, I'm not sure that I would use the word Favored. (At least at first glance) Stop and think about it. Mary doesn't appear to be favored at all, at least not in our definition.

First, her reputation was forever tainted. Everyone in her home town, for as long as she was alive, remembered the circumstance of Jesus' birth. Jesus was born before she and Joseph were married. No matter who Jesus was, or how successful Joseph became, from that time on, whenever any bit of gossip about Jesus, Mary or Joseph came up, eyes would roll, lips would pucker up and heads would shake from side to side at the disgrace of it all.

Then don't forget the turmoil of Mary watching her Son fulfill God's mission. How on earth can you call that favored? She watched as he was betrayed. She was there when they nailed him to the Cross. She held his wounded broken body in her own arms and wept for this Son she had delivered in Bethlehem. And she was there when they laid Him in the tomb. How can the heartbreak of that event be called Favor?

I think we can find the favor Gabriel was speaking of in the rest of his phrase: "The Lord is with you." This wasn't just a word of blessing like you gave your neighbors. This wasn't a simple "Bless you" after someone sneezed. No, this was an ongoing promise, that no matter what the circumstances, no matter what trials she and her family faced, God would be right there in the midst of them. She would never be alone or without the comfort and Spirit of God.

Mary came home the other night and reminded me of an old Christian song that was fairly popular a couple of years ago. Neither one of us can remember the title. But it's about God being both the God of the storm and God of the pilgrim. As God of both, God can calm the storm. But God doesn't always calm the storm. Sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms the pilgrim.

The promise of God for Mary was that she was blessed with the presence of God in all she did. What greater favor or blessing can there be than that?

II. DO NOT BE AFRAID:

A. I was amused by an article I read recently. In the Christmas stories fear fills the hearts of the mother Mary, the shepherds, and the populace of Jerusalem. We know how the story turned out, so it's hard to identify with the holy terror of that holy night. Christmas is usually pretty tame for us. Now and then, however, something introduces a little fear into Christmas.

Everyone present at the Newbiggin (England) Middle School Christmas Pageant on December 23, 1991, was enjoying the sight of their children on stage and the very delicate singing of Mary's Magnificat. Just then, a field mouse popped out from a bale of straw, sat on its hind legs, and began grooming itself. According to headmaster Alan Symmonds, "The 130 children on stage were fairly good, they were only in mild hysterics, but the people in the audience jumped out of their seats and screamed."

When you think about it, leaping and shrieking are much more appropriate responses to the news of Jesus' birth, than the tired yawns that usually greet the news! (2)

B. Mary certainly didn't yawn in tired boredom that at the Annunciation. The second thing Gabriel told Mary was, "Do not be afraid, Mary." And when you stop to think about it, those were the words that were probably most needed. I mean really being visited by an Angel had to be pretty frightening, especially one of such stature as Gabriel. He's the one who going to sound the trumpet announcing Judgment Day. He could scare the life out of anyone.

But the Good News is that he brings Good News and he begins it all with the words, "Don't be afraid." And if you'll look through Scripture, God's angelic messengers always approach God's chosen in this way. They always come with the words, "Don't be afraid."

That's what the Angel of the Lord told the shepherds in their fields watching their sheep, "Don't be afraid, for I bring Good News of a great joy." That's what God told Joseph in a dream when he was contemplating breaking off his engagement to Mary because she was with child. "Don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The child she bears is God's and he will become the Savior of all."

There was a little boy who was afraid of the dark and afraid of storms. One night during a thunderstorm his mother asked him to go out on the back porch and get the broom. The boy started to go but when he tried to turn on the light, it was burnt out. Between the dark and the storm outside, he wasn't about to go out there. So he ran back and told his Mom. Well, Mom said, "You don't have to be afraid, God right there with you and God's not gonna let anything happen to you. God's everywhere."

The little boy looked at Mom for a second and then asked, "Are you sure?" Mom assured him that it would be all right. Filled with Mom's assurance, the boy mustered up his courage and decided to go get the broom. He was getting ready to step out on the back porch when all of a sudden lightening flashed and a huge clap of thunder rumbled all around. The boy froze. His eyes were as big as dinner plates. Then he hollered: "God, if you're really out there, hand me the broom."

We all have fears. We all get frightened. Sometimes it's because of world events. Sometimes it's because we've lost our job. Sometimes it's because of the diagnosis the doctor has made. Fear is a very real part of life.

But Gabriel's message for Mary is one of the messages of the Messiah for us. It's one of the messages of this season. "Don't be afraid." Trust in me. Have faith in Jesus, the Messiah, the baby born in Bethlehem who grew to be our Savior. Trust in Him. "Don't be afraid." Know the assurance of walking with the Savior.

III. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD:

A. One of Mary's fears, was how all this was going to take place. She wasn't even married yet. How could she be with child? I love Gabriel's response: "Nothing is impossible with God."

Have you ever thought about that word impossible? I dawned on me one day that it is made up of God's name and the word possible. Don't you remember how Moses asked God what God's name was, so he could tell the Israelites who it was who sent him. God's answer was, "I am who I am. Tell them I am, sent you." The word impossible is made up of God's name, "I M" and Possible. I Am Possible. And that's what Gabriel told Mary. "Nothing is impossible with God."

B. That makes Christmas the perfect gift, then doesn't it? Because it means there can be no defeat for God and God's purpose.

It was impossible for a young, unmarried virgin girl to become pregnant.

It was impossible for a; carpenter to accept truth about the child his wife was carrying.

It was impossible for couple to flee from so great a king as Herod.

It was impossible that these men from the east, the wise men could follow a star and find this baby.

But the truth is that "Impossible" is not in God's vocabulary.

A teacher asked her class what each wanted to be when they grew up. She got all the usual answers: "President," "a fireman," "a teacher." One by one they answered until it she came to little Billy.

She asked, "Billy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Billy blurted out "Possible." His answer sort of startled the teacher so she asked, "Possible ?What do you mean by that?"

To which Billy answered, "Well, my mom is always telling me I'm impossible. So, when I grow up I want to be POSSIBLE." (3)

The Good News is that with God, nothing and no one is impossible. Our God is a God of possibilities. That means that no matter how impossible our life situation is: how impossibly far away we have drifted from the source of life and hope, or how impossibly horrible we have been in life, God still loves us.

It seems impossible but remember, "Nothing is impossible with God." Least of all, us.

It seemed Impossible for God to care that much. But God did and God does. God sent His only Son to show us how much God cares.

It seemed Impossible for God to step out of heaven, but God wrapped Himself in the flesh and blood of our existence and became the Good News.

It seemed Impossible that would want to save us, but all heaven broke loose and sang at the birth of His Son our Savior.

It seemed Impossible for God to want to mingle with the worst of us and not prefer the first of us. But the Son of God became a carpenter, a humble servant of the lower class to show us that "Nothing is impossible with God."

CONCLUSION:

I think maybe the Grinch said it best:

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,

Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?"

"It came without ribbons! It came without tags!"

"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."

"Maybe Christmas. . . perhaps. . means a little bit more!" (4)

Christmas means so much more than any store can offer or any one person can express in a life time. Gabriel announced the beginning of the meaning to Mary. In announcing that she was favored, he announces that we are favored as well. He reminds us not to be afraid that God is in control, so trust in God. And he reminds us that "Nothing is impossible with God."

Trust Gabriels' message to Mary. Better yet, trust the one who sent the message and you'll have the perfect Christmas.

This is the Word of the Lord for this day.

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Bibliography

1. Emphasis, November-December 1999, Sunday, December 19, SermonPrep Edition (CSS Publishing, Lima, OH)

2. The Associated Press, in LaGrange Daily News, (LaGrange, Georgia), on December 24, 1991

3. SFMar85

4. Dr. Seuss, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Other References Consulted