Text Luke 1:26-38

Good morning and greetings on this the last Sunday Before you celebrate the first coming of God's Son. Pastor Keith sends his apologies for not preaching this morning, he mumbled something about lots of things to do. Anyway, he's asked me, Gabriel, the chief Christmas angel to speak to you this morning.

I'd like to share something of my experiences when I've been sent to bring God's Word into people's lives. You lot haven't really changed much over the centuries, so hopefully you'll learn something about the way to receive God's message today.

My first job was to go and announce the good news of the birth of a son to an old couple - Zechariah and Elizabeth. I thought it was going to be a synch. Remember what Luke told you about them? Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. (Luke 2:6 ) Good folk! They were old, but had not stopped praying for a child. I just knew they'd welcome me and my message with shouts of joy. But to make sure things went well, I decided to appear in the temple, to Zechariah, as he was performing his priestly duty. I hate it when you folk get all scared, so I thought that this way at least he'd have no problems understanding what was happening. There was incense wafting up to the rafters, people were praying, it was all nice and quiet except for the noise of the crowd outside. The scene was perfect for an angel's visit.

But let me use Luke's words to describe what happened when Zechariah saw me, "he was startled and was gripped with fear". I must admit I was a little disappointed. I had to throw out my new speech and go back to the old one, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah" and then I got straight down to the message about how God had heard their prayers and they'd be blessed by the birth of a son. A son for whom God had an important task.

But now I was the one startled and surprised. I'd imagined he'd burst into song or something. I mean he was at last getting a son. But listen again to his reaction, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." He didn't believe me! He didn't believe God! He wondered whether God had considered all the difficulties! His response was no different from all those who refuse to believe unless they get some sign. I mean I'm standing there in my best angle suit and he wants a sign.

Well instead of giving him a sign of the truth of my words, I gave him a sign of his unbelief instead. I struck him dumb till his eyes saw it all come true. How about you listen for these things as I read Luke's account.

Read Luke 1:5-20

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

My next job came six months later. It was an even more important message. I had been given the responsibility of announcing the coming of God's own Son to your earth. But whereas with Zechariah all the conditions were perfect, in this case everything was stacked against me. So I must admit I was a little reluctant to go. You all know how rejection hurts, well it hurts for angels too.

First problem - I had to bring this startling message to a woman. You know her as Mary. Now don't think I'm some sort of a male chauvinist, but you see women in these days weren't educated. If the well trained Zechariah had trouble with me, Mary wouldn't understand a thing.

Second problem - Mary wasn't married and so unlike Elizabeth, pregnancy was the last thing she wanted. It would mean rejection by her family, friends and probably even Joseph.

Third - She lived in Nazareth in Galilee, a real backwater, especially compared to Zechariah's home of the holy city of Jerusalem. It was possible she hadn't even heard of angels.

And fourth, she was very young. In those days girls usually married around 13 to 15. 18 at the very latest.

This was going to be tough.

But right from the beginning I was the one to be amazed. She was troubled, but not because of my presence. My greeting had disturbed her a little: "Greetings, you who are highly favoued! The Lord is with you." And I can understand why someone like Mary who knew they were just an average sort of person, with no special background, education or ability, would wonder when addressed by a messenger from God in that way.

But she didn't try to tell me I had the wrong address, she just let me get on with the message, and what a message it was: "you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."

I don't mind admitting that it seemed completely unbelievable to me when I heard it the first time. But she didn't laugh. She didn't doubt. She simply asks for a little more information, a little clarification, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

Well I braced myself because my message wasn't going to get any less incredible. I spoke about the power of the Most high overshadowing her. You know I could almost see her head spinning? This was crazy stuff so to help just a little I gave her a sign, even though she hadn't asked for one. Know old barren Elizabeth, she's six months pregnant. See Mary, nothing is impossible with God.

All this simple young girl has got is a promise, a word of God to cling to. But miracle of miracles this is exactly what she does. She displays amazing faith as she replies, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." What amazing faith God's Spirit had already worked in the heart of this amazing girl.

Let me read this part of Luke's account: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon 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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

You know things haven't changed much. God is still speaking to his people in a remarkable way. But he's gone to the other end of the scale. My words were difficult for people to accept because I was so grand, startling and different. Today God's message is still difficult to accept, but now it's due to his messengers being so common, ordinary and not special at all. There's nothing too special about splashing a little water on a babe's head, or of nibbling on a wafer and swallowing some wine. There's nothing very special about a friend who speaks a comforting word at exactly the right time. And there's nothing at all grand about Keith Stiller, that guy God has placed here as his messenger in your lives. And yet through all these things God brings you his remarkable message of a love and acceptance that still hasn't changed.

You are highly favoured in God's eyes. The Lord is with you. Through Christ you too have found favour in God's eyes. And through the Holy Spirit, God wants to be born in your life again this Christmas. And he wants to be part of your life every day of the new year. Isn't that remarkable.

And guess what. I can now reveal to you that in fact I'm not Gabriel at all. Mind you I'm not really Keith Stiller either. He's listening to this world of God along with you. I'm Pastor Keith. Amazingly just as much a messenger of God's Word as Gabriel. But the important question for us this morning is how are we going to respond to God's message?

Like Zachariah, we can get all caught up in the messenger and say, hang on that's just Keith Stiller up there sharing his ideas or things he learnt in Seminary. How can I be sure his words are true? I need a sign, some proof. I need more than an ordinary human being anyway.

Or else, like Mary, we can ignore the messenger and listen to those amazing words of forgiveness, love and acceptance. You can marvel at how you don't deserve such treatment from God and maybe join with Mary and declare, "I am the Lord's servant, May it be to me as you have said."

It will mean huge changes though. More than an uncomfortable body shape for nine months, a few hurtful comments and a little rejection. God wants to change your entire life. When you feel like hating he wants you to be able to love, when you want to judge and criticise and hurt, he wants you to accept others just as they are. When you organize life so that it's all going your way, God wants you to die to self and give up on your way. And just when you fail, or give up or feel you have no choice but to die, this God of ours wants to fill you with life.

Let's continue to pray that our God come to us - not just in a manger, not just in the past, not even just one day in the future, but that he come to be born again in our lives today and in the days ahead. And's lets respond with Mary, "I am the Lord's servant, May it be to me as you have said."