Thursday, November 28, 2013

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "What Kind Of Person Does God Favor?"12/1/13

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "What Kind of Person Does God Favor", 12/1/13


 

WHAT KIND OF PERSON DOES GOD FAVOR

 

Luke 1:26-40

 

A HUMBLE SPIRIT

V:26: " Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth."

 A. The sixth month mentioned is the sixth month of Mary's cousin's pregnancy.           

      Luke 1:24.

      1. God uses His angels to communicate His messages to His people.

         a. Angels are spirit being and always appear in male form.

         b. Angels show up unannounced and unexpected.

         c. They show up in human form and make it known immediately that they are

             sent by God the Father.  

 B. Jesus the Lord of Lord's and the King of King's made His appearance in human

      flesh into a poor city and a poor family. John 1:46

     1. Jesus emptied Himself of His glory and His position in the heavenly throne

         to present Himself to the world in the flesh.

     2. He chose to humble Himself so that believers could be lifted up to the Father.

         a. He gave up everything to become poor so we could become rich.

         b. He could have come in glory, clothed in the finest garments and housed in

             in a mansion.

      3.  Jesus chose to commune with the poor and the oppressed.    

      

ONE WHO KEEP GOD'S COMMANDS

 V:27. " To a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of

  David; and the virgin's name was Mary."

  A. God fulfills His promises. Isa 7:14,  754 BC

      1. Throughout the Old and the New Testaments, when angels appeared to

           men and woman they were recognized as messengers of God.

          a. They don't always appear in dazzling form, yet they are accepted as

              being sent by God.

          b. Perhaps God prepares the hearts of His children to receive them.  

     2. By God's account Mary was a virtuous woman.

         a. By God's account she was dedicated to marriage.

         b. By God's account she was a virgin.

         c. By God's account she was engaged to Joseph a descendant of a king.

         d. By God's account she was a descendant of a king; David. 

     3. All believers are descendants of King Jesus.

     4. God knows your present circumstances.

 
ONE WHO LISTEN'S TO THE WORD

V: 28. " And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

  A. God knows our faithfulness to Him.

      1. God uses those who are dedicate Him.

      2. Mary was favored because her focus was pleasing God.

      3. Mary was favored because she was not focused on her circumstances, but on
          God.

 B. The angel showed up out of nowhere, unannounced and without introduction.

      1. The angel showed up with a word of encouragement.

      2. The angel showed up with a word from the Lord.

          a. She was favored.

          b. The Lord was with her.

 C. How do know when the Lord is speaking to you?

     1. The Word of the Lord is encouraging.

     2. The Word of the Lord is directive.

     3. The Word of the Lord gives you purpose.

     4. The Word of the Lord put you on a mission.

     5. The Word of the Lord is a call to serve others.

     6. The Word of the Lord agrees with scripture.

     7. The Word of the challenges you to be like Jesus.
 

 V:29. " But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was."

 A. When you get a word from somebody you need to examine it closely.

     1. When you get a word from somebody, you need to meditate on it.

 B. Not everybody who claim the word knows the word.

     1. Not everybody who claim the word speaks the word.

     2. Fools rush into action but the wise take caution.  

 C. Everybody is not for you.

     1. The Devil disguise himself as an angel of light.

     2. Every word that sounds good is not good.

     3. Try the spirit by the spirit.

 

ONE WHO IS WILLING TO SERVE

V:30. " The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God."

A. The Lord knows how to calm your fears with words of comfort.

    1. The Word repeats itself.

    2. God says what He wants us to hear, then He repeats Himself  to press the Word
        into  our memory.

B. God encourages us to be bold and fearless when it comes to service.

    1. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but love, power and sound mind.

    2. If you have God's favor, there is no room for fear.

    3. Devilish folk will encourage you on one hand but urge you to be unrighteous on
        the other hand.

    4. Devilish folk want mention God or His favor.
 

V: 31. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus."

 A. Angels will confirm the promises of God to you.

    1. Mary was a virgin and the Word promised that a virgin would bear a son.  Isa
        7:14 

    2. The name of the promise Son would be Immanuel meaning "God With Us".

 B. Mary was instructed to call the Son of God, Jesus.

   1. Jesus is Prophet, King and Priest.

   2. Jesus is Christ.

   3. Jesus is the Messiah , the Anointed One.

   4. Jesus is Joshua, the salvation of Jehovah.

 C. Jesus would take on human flesh after conception in the womb of Mary.

 
 V:32.  "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David."

 A. Conception without a man is a miracle.

     1. Only God can do the impossible.

 B. The baby boy born through the body of Mary is the Son of God.

      1. Jesus is not the son of Mary.

      2. Mary is the earthly mother of Jesus.

      3. Mary was used by God to give Himself human flesh.

 C. The Human nature of Jesus was born of God.

      1. The Divine nature was God, And was with God in the beginning.  John 1:1

      2. Jesus has a divine nature and a human nature.

  D. Jesus inherited the throne of David.

     1. David is His father only in the sense that His human flesh came through the line

         of David as promised by God the Father.

     2. This Kingdom of David will have no end.

     3. God the Son is eternal and has no beginning.

 

V:33. " And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

 A. The house of Jacob is the nation of Israel.

     1. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is eternal.

          a. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ has no beginning and no ending.

     2. All believers are adopted into the nation of Israel.  Rom 8:23

        a. All believers are related through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

 

ONE WHO SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE WORD

V:34. " Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"

 A. You would think Mary would have reminded the angel that she expected to have

      a child when her marriage to Joseph was complete.

    1. It would be normal to thank the angel for the information about a son.

    2. Mary didn't go in that direction.

    3. It was as if her commitment to Joseph was in second place.

    4. Her focus was on the Lord's will.

 B. Mary questioned the angel's statements to get an understanding for

      herself.

    1. There was no doubt in her question, just a need to understand.

    2. The Word of God is the Truth weather we understand it or not.

    3. We must accept the Word by faith.

 C. Mary was considering her present state not her engagement to Joseph.

    1. Mary's devotion was to God and not her tradition.

    2. Mary's devotion was to God and not to the law.

    3. Mary's devotion was to God and not Joseph.

 C. Mary considered herself a servant of God.

    1. Mary considered herself a vessel of God to be used as He saw fit.

    2. Mary was not concerned about consequences of getting pregnant

        outside of a marriage to Joseph.

     a. Getting pregnant outside of the promised marriage to Joseph was considered

         adultery and worthy of stoning to death.   

     b. The favor of carrying a child for the Lord was worth more than her reputation

          in the community.

 

ONE WHO TRUST AND RELYS  ON GOD

 V:35. " The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God."

 A. Mary's pregnancy was by divine conception through the power of the Holy Spirit.

     1. Mary's pregnancy had nothing to do with herself but everything to do with God.

     2. God used Mary to fulfill His promise of a woman's seed bruising Satan on the

         head.

     3. This promise was made in the garden at time Adam and Eve sinned against God.

 B. Mary had the promise that God would protect and provide for her.

     1. When God call you to service, He will equip you with what you need to be

          successful.

     2. Mary had the promise that the child she would bare would be the Son of

         God.

 C. Mary knew the Word concerning the promised Messiah.   Isa 7:14

      1. Mary knew the time the promise Messiah would come on the scene.

          (449 years after the decree was given to rebuild the temple Dan 9:25)

      1. Mary knew the place where the savior would be born.   Micah 5:2

      2. Mary was waiting and expecting God to fulfill His promise.

 

 V:36. "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. "

 A. The angel revealed to Mary another miracle of the Lord.

      1. Elizabeth was well pass the child bearing age, yet she was six months pregnant.

      2. The angel reveal that Elizabeth would also have a son.

          a. Ultrasound had not been invented yet. So only the Lord would know

              sex of the baby.

 B. The Angel confirmed the omniscience of the Lord by revealing information that
      only He would know.

    1. Our God confirms the fulfillment of His prophecy concerning John the Baptist.

        Malachi 3:1

    2. Our confidence in the Lord should grow as we learn that God always keeps

        His promises.

 

V:37.  "For nothing will be impossible with God."

 A. God created everything from nothing.

     1. The God we serve does miracles before our eyes each day that we  are

         not always aware of and cannot understand.

     2. Only God can operate and maintain the universe.

 B. It is good for us to know that nothing can stop God's plans from being fulfilled.

    1. The God we serve is bigger than all our problems and more powerful

        than all the nations combined.

    2. The God we serve has planned the end from the beginning.

        a. When we live according to His will, nothing is impossible for us.

 

ONE WHO ACCEPTS THE WILL OF THE FATHER

 V:38. " And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her."

 A. Mary was an independent woman.

     1. She was not bound by culture or tradition.

     2. She was guided by the Lord.

     3. Mary didn't get permission from Joseph or her parents to get pregnant by the
         Lord.

 B. Mary was a willing vessel for the Lord.

    1. Mary was submissive to the Lord and not to man or tradition.

    2. Mary made the will of the Lord her first priority.

 

ONE WHO IS A FRIEND TO OTHERS

 V:39. " Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of  Judah."

  A. Mary was fearless in the Lord.

      1. The text does not tell us that Mary had a companion on her eighty mile trip to

          Elizabeth's house.

      2. The text does not tell us that Mary discussed the details of her trip with anyone.

  B. We know that thieves and robbers existed during that time.

      1. Mary was not concerned about her safety.

      2. Mary left her safety to the Lord.

 

V:40. " And entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. "

 A. It is good when family get together and share their common interests.

     1. Mary came to her cousin when she need help and comfort.

     2. Mary came to her cousin to share in the blessings of  the Lord.

 B. To have a friend we have show ourselves friendly.

     1. Friendships develop when we come together to help when needed.  

     2. We have a friend in Jesus.

     3. Jesus is our present help.

     4. Mary allowed herself to be used by God as a help to all believers.

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