WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:04.799 Well, if you were here last week, you had the opportunity to hear Brad O'Kelly wonderfully open up our July series. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:09.439 I don't I don't know if he's here, so maybe I won't compliment him too much because he didn't show up the church today. 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:21.679 But he he opened up our uh series that we're going through the life of Mary together through through July, and he he helped us understand something about how we're gonna study Mary together. 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:31.760 You know, he recognized and we recognize that Mary is an extremely important figure in in the history of the church and in the Bible and in the history of mankind, really, but she's also just a woman. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.840 A human created in the image of God, like you and like me, and she she was not perfect. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:40.640 She's not sinless, she's not someone we worship, but but she was faithful and she was willing. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:48.000 And we can honor Mary as faithful and a humble saint while also learning from her because she is like us. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:49.759 There's nothing different about her. 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:53.280 She did not have it all together, she didn't know exactly what the future held for her. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:57.520 All she had was the word of God and his promises to the people of God. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:00.399 So our scripture this morning comes from the Gospel of Luke. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:08.319 And unlike Matthew or John, Luke lived after the days of Jesus, likely writing this book 20 or 30 years after his death. 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:17.439 And so, unlike those Gospels, Matthew and John, written by Jesus' actual disciples who lived and walked with him, Luke had to gather and rely on other eyewitness accounts. 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:22.000 Gather these other stories from people who actually did live with Jesus and who did know Jesus. 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:31.599 And so we learn from Acts chapter 21 that Luke had accompanied the Apostle Paul to Jerusalem on Paul's missionary journey. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:44.079 And after Paul sailed to Italy on his journey to Rome, Luke hung around and hung out in Jerusalem and without a doubt used this opportunity to gather stories and materials for his gospel, because Jerusalem was a very important place in the life of Jesus. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:54.719 And as a commentary I read this week put it, behind chapters one and two in particular of Luke, there must surely lie long conversations between him and Mary. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:06.079 You know, as memories fade and as time goes on, we we can't recall things maybe as clearly as we wish, or maybe as many things as we wish we could remember. 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:12.400 But I do know that the strongest memories we have are typically not the ones you would maybe think they would be. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:22.319 Maybe not the noisiest or biggest events in our lives, but way more often our strongest memories are the simple, personal, and sweet moments with people we love. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:24.719 I'm sure y'all have experienced that in your lives. 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:41.840 And likewise here, we get this very sweet image of Luke, a dedicated disciple and follower of Jesus, probably sitting at a dinner table in the home of Mary, the woman who raised our Savior, who gave birth to him, who watched him from his first breath to his last. 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:44.080 Just sharing stories. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:53.919 And I say all this and I give this context because I think it shows how personal and intimate the words and our passage are, the words of the Bible are. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:03:05.439 Luke chapter 2 is not a distant account of history or just facts, but it's a rich interpersonal story of a mother reminiscing on the life of her son. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:12.560 I think that paints a very rich backdrop in which we ought to read these words from Luke. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.879 So let's read the first five verses again. 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.759 In those days the decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:28.400 This was the first registration when Corinnearus went the governor of Syria, and all went to be registered, each to his own town. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:43.919 And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:54.159 Luke tells us that this decree from Augustus, and because of this decree, Mary and Joseph had to return to their own town, their ancestral town, where their family was from. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:56.400 So they journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:57.520 So here's here's a quick map. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:00.159 I know Brad said he didn't like maps, but I'm going to show you one. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:04.639 So this is like modern day, almost the full length of modern day Israel. 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:07.680 And note, Mary was pretty pregnant when they made this walk. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:11.840 Walking 70 to 100 miles, probably over the course of a week. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:19.120 This is what they did to go back to Joseph's hometown, to Bethlehem, because he was of the lineage of David. 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:28.079 And this kind of lets us in on this idea that Mary's life and story did not happen outside of God's redemptive plan. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.040 But rather it happened right in the middle of it. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:45.360 Mary's deeply personal and real story of mothering Jesus from his first breath to his last is deeply connected and vital to God's story of redemption for his people, for his church, and for his kingdom. 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:50.160 So therefore, this moment in Luke 2, the birth of Jesus is not coincidental. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:54.720 It's not random that it happened here, but it's perfectly providential in God's plan. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:05:00.560 From the beginning of time, God has been intimately orchestrating everything throughout history to get here. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:11.360 Everything we read in the Old Testament, all the laws and the prophets, they have an overwhelming spirit of anticipation waiting for this day when the Messiah would come to earth. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:23.040 God's hand has been over every detail that's led to this, and Mary's very obedience and trust has been in the Lord to fulfill what he had promised. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:28.720 What he promised to the prophet Micah hundreds of years before, that we read in Micah 5, too. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:44.079 But you, O Bethlehem, Ephra, who were too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth from me one who is to be ruler in Israel, who is coming forth, who is from old, from ancient days. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:53.040 To this intimate moment between Mary and Joseph, the birth of their son, the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:59.759 It's a climactic moment in God's story and plan for his church. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:09.920 And I don't know about you, but with all of this in mind, all of this buildup and anticipation and this huge moment, it seems a little odd that Luke just kind of writes it down as if it's a throwaway fact. 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:19.040 I mean, wouldn't we expect the birth of the promised descendant of King David, the ancient of days, God in human form, to be announced with just a little excitement? 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:26.240 Further, shouldn't this birth be like the most important thing that is happening in the world? 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:33.920 Shouldn't it be accompanied with this royal procession or a national celebration, everybody gathering to wait and celebrate? 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:36.959 Get all we get in verse 6 and 7. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.399 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:48.879 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swallowing cloths and laid him in a manger because there's no place for them in the inn. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:53.839 So you probably noticed our series this summer has a flavor of Christmas in July. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:56.720 My mom actually let me in on a new trend that's brewing. 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:57.040 That's right. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:58.800 She my mom let me in on a new trend. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:06:59.920 You heard that correctly. 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:01.199 Called Summer Ween. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:02.800 I don't know if you've heard of this. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:03.680 Have y'all? 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:04.079 No? 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:05.040 It's news to me. 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:07.839 Halloween in the summer, because why not? 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:09.519 Because we can, I guess, right? 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:12.959 But man, the marketing team down at Big Holiday, they they have it down. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:14.240 Like they have this thing figured out. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.680 They already have the core in the stores. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:20.000 They have these jack o' melons in the stores that you can go see. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:21.839 Look, it's okay if you have one. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:22.399 It's fine. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:27.199 I'm not gonna judge you out loud, just in my heart, if you have one of these in your home. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:33.439 And I've noticed this pattern, too, I'm sure you have of holiday celebrations expanding their shelf life. 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:33.839 Right? 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:34.720 You felt it. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:37.839 Christmas decorations out in stores before October. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.959 Easter eggs and candy for sale right after the New Year's over. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:45.120 Halloween the second that summer ends, right when the fall kicks in. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:50.560 And maybe I'm crazy or maybe I've just kind of grown grumpy beyond my years, but like this kind of bothers me. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:53.279 There's something in me that feels like this just isn't right. 00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:54.240 I don't know. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:55.199 Do y'all feel that way? 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:55.920 Is it just me? 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:56.879 Okay, cool. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:10.399 Well, I'll I'll digress a little bit, but I think what I'm getting at is that I can feel so bombarded and overwhelmed with new trends, and especially ones that are accompanied by huge product rollouts and huge promotions and advertising. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:15.040 It just seems like there's a never-ending bidding war for our attention. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:18.800 And in a way, a bidding war for our affections. 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:21.279 Celebrate this, celebrate that. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:25.759 This thing is now the most important thing that you should be doing and caring about. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:31.439 And what's really happening at the core of these is a plea to be marked and deemed as desirable. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:40.080 If a company can convince you that a product, a service, or a holiday is desirable and something worth celebrating, then they have something good. 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:41.519 They have something profitable. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.679 They accomplished their goal. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:49.120 But the remarkable thing is that this account in Luke 2 is the opposite. 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:58.799 There are actually a few moments, other moments in the Gospels, that lack that detail and lack that excitement that we might expect to see when explaining these massive events. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:00.480 It seems odd. 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:02.639 So why is that? 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:06.960 See, the authors of the Gospels, Luke in this case, they knew what they were doing. 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:14.480 They were writers, they were people, they had creativity, and they had a goal in mind, so we can be confident that all of these decisions were intentional. 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:18.799 And whether they knew its full intention or not, the Spirit definitely did. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:24.720 So what is Luke showing us by describing the birth of Jesus as so matter-of-fact? 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:27.840 They had a baby and then they sat in a manger. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:29.840 You know, like why did they do that? 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:35.440 Well, if you've read the book, the wonderful book, Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlands, I can't recommend it high enough. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:44.480 If you haven't, they don't know that there's only one moment in all of the recording teachings, all of the recorded works of Jesus, where he talks about his heart. 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:47.759 Only one time in all four gospel accounts. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:58.720 In Matthew 11, verse 29, a verse that has become a seminal one for me and many others, Jesus shares that I am gentle and lowly in heart. 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:01.519 It's the only thing he says to describe his heart. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.720 According to Jesus, this is who he is at his core. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:11.039 That is his deepest and most natural posture, is gentle and lowly. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:19.440 And in this book, the author Dane Ortland further explains the point in saying that Jesus is lowly is that he is accessible. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:31.120 For all his resplendent glory and dazzling holiness, his supreme uniqueness and otherness, no one in human history has ever been more approachable than Jesus Christ. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:45.440 And what more lowly way for Jesus to descend from his throne in heaven into our broken world than to awake as a newborn wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:11:04.320 Luke is showing us that even at his own birth, at his very first breath as a man, as a human, the posture of Christ is not boisterous or self-important, but it's a perfect and holy marriage of glory and humility, gentle and lowly. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:12.240 Jesus did not need a royal precision or a rolling of the red carpet at his birth because that would have missed the whole point. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:24.399 The birth and life of Jesus did not happen for God to correct and prove everybody wrong and to show his dominance over everybody as if he was trying to gain attention. 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:28.799 Rather, the life of Jesus is reflected in his heart. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:31.840 Gentle, lowly, and loving. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:42.080 And I don't want to step on any toes here, so I apologize in advance, but I want to confess that I have a complicated relationship with the song Mary Did You Know. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.320 Look, I'm not saying the song doesn't have its merits. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:47.440 It's written beautifully. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:48.879 I'm not saying you can't enjoy it. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:50.879 Please do not hear that from me. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:59.120 I'm just saying that every time I hear the song, I can't help but kind of be the grumpy reformed sky in seminary sitting in the back, going under my breath, like, yeah, she knew. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:00.320 She knew. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:01.440 Right? 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:08.879 Maybe that's the point of the song, and I'm kind of missing the intention, but as Brad helpfully mentioned last week, I'm gonna bring Brad down with me, right? 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:09.840 He's going down with me. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.480 That that Mary knew her Bible. 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:21.600 We have good reason to believe that when the angel Gabriel came down to Mary and told her that she would give birth to the Messiah, she understood what was happening. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:27.600 Sure, she was scared, she felt insecure, unworthy, asking, how will this be? 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:31.840 But she never doubted the Lord's faithfulness, never doubted the Lord's ability. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:37.039 And later in chapter 1, right before this passage we're in this morning, we read Mary's Song of Praise. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:42.960 A beautiful passage where she sings in praise of what the Lord is doing in her life and through her. 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:54.799 And this song is rich and dense with prophetic language from the Old Testament, revealing the ways the Lord has proven himself in the past and promised to prove himself again. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:13:01.759 Mary knew the ancient promise and knew that God had been faithful before and he would be faithful now. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:10.159 So now, in this moment, when the promises reach their consummation and the birth of Jesus, Mary knows the significance. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:19.120 As the lyrics of the song go in its last verse, Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:23.120 Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:26.480 Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb? 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:30.480 This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:34.399 The answer is an overwhelming yes. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:39.759 But that is what makes this passage and this moment so beautiful. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:41.679 She knew. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:50.480 Yet she did not need an extravagant celebration or noisy commotion to draw attention to it or to make it worthy of celebration because it already was. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:58.000 Mary knew and knows in her heart that her newborn baby is who the scriptures anticipated. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:04.480 She knew that who her baby boy is is who God promised in the Garden of Eden. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:06.960 The Christ, the Messiah. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:11.679 And this is the overarching heartbeats of our passage this morning. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:20.879 That in the birth of Jesus we see God's glory and dazzling holiness shine brightest in the lowly and ordinary. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.080 This is made even more clear in the rest of our passage. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.080 Let's read in verse eight together. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:39.120 And in the same region where there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by nights, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:47.200 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:54.240 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:56.240 And this will be a sign for you. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:59.840 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:13.919 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom which He has pleased. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:18.000 I saw the new F1 movie this past Thursday. 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:20.240 I saw it again last night, also. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:22.559 I kind of feel it can feel the judgment from that. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:23.840 I reject that judgment. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:24.960 It's who I am. 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:27.759 And it's one of those movies where like you know what you're gonna get, right? 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.600 It's Top Gun on cars but cars. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:33.600 It's it's the natural, but it's like spaceships on the ground, right? 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:34.960 It's it's predictable. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:36.720 It's but it works, right? 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:37.919 It's one of those movies that works. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:41.919 Like, man, I left the theater both times, both times so fired up. 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.000 Like, I left wanting to be great. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.600 Like, I'm gonna be great, you know? 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:50.159 Wanting to go accomplish the impossible, I'm gonna go prove all of you wrong. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:53.039 I'm gonna step over and crush whoever I need to to do it. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.639 Like I like I want the glory. 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:57.360 Like that's what it made me feel when I left that theater. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:04.080 If I was a police officer, I 100% would look up the show times for F1 and park right outside the parking lot. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:08.799 Because man, there's a lot of people, a lot of guys like me leaving that theater doing the same thing. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.679 And it's a little ridiculous for a movie to make me feel that way, but you guys get it. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:14.480 You guys get it. 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:15.759 Maybe you find it somewhere else. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:28.159 But more than anything, what that kind of stuff does is it stirs up and unsettles those broken pieces of me that want so deeply to be relevant, want so deeply to be important, to be celebrated. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.600 Like I want to be worthy of celebration. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:46.559 Yet, so far in the story of God coming to earth, we have Mary, a teenage virgin with an unremarkable background, who is engaged to Joseph, a simple, obedient carpenter from Bethlehem. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:52.080 And now, to throw the greatest baby shower of all time, we have some night guard shepherds. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:17:05.359 Although some of the Bible's greatest figures and our fathers of faith were shepherds, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, were shepherds, this was not necessarily a respected job. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:09.200 I might even say a lowly one if I want to show my cards a little bit. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:14.799 And in these shepherds in Luke 2, these are night shift shepherds, the bottom of the totem pole. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:25.519 They were unreliable, unremarkable, overlooked, and even outcasted men left to tend the sheep in hours with the least amount of risk and the least amount of responsibility needed. 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:34.079 Yet, who is called to rise and be the very first people to meet the incarnate Christ but these very men? 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:45.039 The lowliest of society sit and witness a glimpse of heaven as heaven opens up and they see a multitude of voices singing. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:49.680 These lowly shepherds going to meet lowly Mary and Joseph. 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:52.960 So the story continues, verse 15. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:18:02.720 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:08.400 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:17.519 When they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told to them concerning this child, and all who heard it wondered what the shepherds told them. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:22.160 But Mary treasured up these things, pondering them in her hearts. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:29.200 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:34.480 I love that there's no hesitation from these men to do what the angel of the Lord said. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:40.720 Certainly I'd have to imagine what what they saw was pretty convincing, but there's no hesitation. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:47.200 They go right away, and our passage ends with another precious and intimate moment. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:19:09.039 Of all the things, of all the stories that Mary told Luke, of all the details she may or may not have remembered, the picture painted here is a new mother holding her newborn baby in a small and lowly manger, being greeted by lowly shepherds who have been given the wonderful revelation of what actually has just happened. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:15.599 And I can't imagine the whirlwind of emotions that Mary had felt over the past year leading up to this. 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:21.839 But now that the time has come, Jesus is born, the Christ is born. 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:25.039 She doesn't take the time to look around and say, I told you so. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:28.160 Or to go off showing the Son of God. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:35.680 But Mary just sits there, soaking up every moment, every detail I imagine, with a smile on her face. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:44.000 As verse 19 says, But Mary treasured up these things, treasured them up, pondering them in her heart. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.759 And now giving Luke and now giving us the treasure of what she may have thought. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:49.279 Orchestra of God. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:20:03.039 See, we've seen that this whole story is a beautiful orchestra of God, our Father, displaying his glory right in the middle of ordinary, even underwhelming life circumstances. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:10.319 God descended from heaven, the ancient of days, and met Mary right where she was. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:18.240 He did not require a remarkable talent, a redeemable quality, even, but only a willing spirit. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.640 And it's the same for us. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:26.400 God is not calling you, he is not calling me to get our lives together so that he can use you. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:36.319 He's not waiting for you to fix that insecurity, to conquer that fear, to solve and fix that addiction in order to make his glory known through your life. 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.160 Remember that quote from earlier? 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:43.599 No one in human history has ever been more approachable than Jesus Christ. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:47.359 He comes right in the middle of our mess. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:52.720 I think the great Henry Nowen sums up what this passage is getting at. 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:56.960 He writes, the question is not how many people take you seriously. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:58.960 How much are you going to accomplish? 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.200 Can you show me some results? 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:05.119 But are you in love with Jesus? 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:11.119 Perhaps another way of putting this question would be: do you know the incarnate God? 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:16.720 Church, your lives do not have to be impressive for them to be faithful. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:25.519 Your resume does not have to be remarkable or extraordinary or to stand out in order for God's glory to be made known through you. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:31.119 As we see in the manger, did Mary know the incarnate God? 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.039 And the answer is yes, she did. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:37.359 And that same intimacy is also open for us this morning. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:42.319 Do you know the incarnate God and his love for you? 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:44.079 Mary did. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:48.880 And the good news is that Christ is just as accessible as he was then. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:52.559 He's just as accessible to us this morning as he's ever been. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:56.960 Do you know the incarnate God and his love for you? 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:01.759 If you have any questions about anything from this morning or want to talk, there'll be a pastor down front. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:03.279 Let's pray together. 00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:11.680 Father, we thank you that your kingdom is not one of accomplishments. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:15.839 Or that your grace is not one that we have to earn. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:21.519 Lord, we thank you for this very sweet image we have here in Luke chapter 2. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:27.359 The memories of Mary passed down to Luke of the sweet moments she had with her newborn son. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:39.519 And Father, we recognize and glorify and worship you for being that newborn baby, humiliating yourself enough to take on our form to die for us, a death that we deserved. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:44.799 Lord, and assuming all the brokenness that we cannot solve. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:53.359 Amen.