The Miracle of Christmas Mary's Song... Your Song

1. The Miracle of Christmas Mary's Song... Your Song

2. Luke 1:26-3826 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

3. 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

4. 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”35 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. 36 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. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

5. A) You can trust Christmas

6. The reliability of the written record:1) Non Biblical accounts

7. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus69AD-130AD"As the Jews were making constant disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, [Claudius] expelled them from Rome.” Lifeof Claudius 25.4

8. CellusOn Jesus' Miracles: "Jesus, on account of his poverty, was hired out to go to Egypt. While there he acquired certain [magical] powers... He returned home highly elated at possessing these powers, and on the strength of them gave himself out to be a god... It was by means of sorcery that He was able to accomplish the wonders which He performed... Let us believe that these cures, or the resurrection, or the feeding of a multitude with a few loaves... These are nothing more than the tricks of jugglers... It is by the names of certain demons, and by the use of incantations, that the Christians appear to be possessed of [miraculous] power..."

9. JosephusAntiquities18.3.3."Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct to this day."

10. 2) Biblical Accounts

11. Luke 1:1-4Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilledamong us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

12. a) Was the writer credible? Luke was a Greek Medical Doctor

13. b) He personally interviewed eyewitnesses who were there

14. c) He exercised integrity in reporting a written record

15. d) Time does not erodeor change truth

16. 2 Peter 1:16 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17. 2 Peter 1:20-2120 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

18. John 21:2525 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

19. B) Mary's song... Your Song

20. 1) The virgin birth

21. A credible Greek Dr. reported her as being a virgin at the conception of Jesus Christ

22. Isaiah 9:12 12 Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west    have devoured Israel with open mouth.Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,    his hand is still upraised.

23. Isaiah 9:6-7 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peacethere will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding with justice and righteousnessfrom that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

24. Isaiah 7:14 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

25. John 1:1414 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

26. 2) You are highly favoredof the Lord

27. Eph 1:3-5 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonshipthrough Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

28. Eph1:13-14 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

29. Col 2:9-10 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

30. John 10:1010 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

31. As a believer in Jesus Christ you are:BlessedChosenFavored EmpoweredGiven fullness Called to abundance

32. 3) Nothing is impossible with God

33. a) Mary asked, “How can this be?”

34. b) The Holy Spirit will come upon you

35. Acts 1:88 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

36. c) God wants to birth something new, fresh, and powerful in you... if you will but believe what God has already declared over your life!

37. Luke 1:3838 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

38. Luke 1:46-5046 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,from generation to generation.

39. Scriptures Used in Today’s Message: Luke 1:26-38 Luke 1:1-4 2 Peter 1:16 2 Peter 1:20-21 John 21:25 Isaiah 9:12 Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah 7:14 John 1:14 Eph 1:3-5 Eph 1:13-14 Col 2:9-10 John 10:10 Acts 1:8 Luke 1:38 Luke 1:46-50