The Making Of A Miracle

John Mark Ministries

Thinking maturely about the Christian faith

Search

// you’re reading...

Bible

The Making Of A Miracle

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ January 4, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

Sermon Outline on Lk. 1:26-38 by Wayne Dobratz

Trinity Lutheran Church, Hampton, Iowa USA

Martin Franzmann has written: "If Matthew’s Gospel is the most austere and
compelling of all the Gospels, if Mark’s is the most vivid and dramatic recital of
the deeds of Christ, Luke’s is the warmest and most winning story of them all… It
is Luke’s Nativity Story that has most decisively shaped the Church’s Christmas
celebration." (Concordia Self-Study Commentary, N.T., p. 58)

THE MAKING OF A MIRACLE

1) A Great Need

Augustine said: "If man had not sinned, Christ would not have come." The need
to repair the damages of sin was so great that special measures had to be taken.
God’s Son took human flesh but had to do so in such a way as to avoid the stain of
sin. The angel told Mary "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born of you will be called the Son of
God."

The word for "overshadow" is the word used in the Septuagint for the
appearing of the Shekinah in Ex. 40:35. The appearance of the Shekinah in the tent of
meeting is reflected in John 1:14 also. Notice how great our need must be if one so great
had to stoop so low to lift us up.

That points us to:

2) A Merciful God

Mary is told about God’s mercy to Elizabeth, her cousin, long childless and
suffering the disgrace of her childless condition. God was merciful and sent her and
Zechariah a son who would point to Jesus as the Lamb of God. Nothing is impossible for
God, Mary was told by the angel. John was the first prophet God had sent to Israel in more
than 400 years.

He spoke God’s Word and that Word works miracles. It changes people from the
inside out. It changes human hearts right where they need change the most, in their
relationship with God. He makes proud people humble and ready to receive the coming of a
Humble Savior-King. Read what Mary said in her Magnificat in Luke 1:46ff

3) A Humble Heart

Mary rejoiced in the role God chose for her. "I am the Lord’s Servant. May it
be to me as you have said." That makes for a great Nativity scene, but it’s not
quite that easy in the Christian life. Humility goes down hard when the will of God is
what he wants, but not what you want. Jesus exercised this same humility and submission to
God’s will when he prayed in Gethsemane three times, "Not my will, but yours be
done." Lk. 1:51ff.

Jesus came in humble circumstances because he is the humble Savior who calls to us with
such gracious words: "Come to Me, you are weary and burdened and I will give you
rest." My yoke is easy and my burden is light. "I am gentle and humble of heart
and you will find rest for your souls."

Mary’s role in life was most special, but it was gained by God’s grace, just
as ours is determined by God’s will and empowered by God’s grace. Paul reminds
us of this submissive attitude to God in Eph. 5:1 "Be imitators of God, therefore, as
dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself
up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (NIV)

E.H. Wendland summarizes this text: "This Advent text exudes God’s grace and
favor. Why was the angel Gabriel sent to a virgin named Mary in the insignificant town of
Nazareth? The answer lies in God’s grace.

Why was God making good a promise he had given to people who had so often turned their
backs on him? The answer is grace.

What caused Mary to accept as truth the unbelievable message which the angel brought?
Again we come back to the grace which God had given her.

As we approach the celebration of our Lord’s birth we, too, need to be reminded
that it was God’s love for us that moved him to send his Son into the world,
conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, to be our Savior."