Mary's Astonishing News

Well, it really is no wonder that Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year because it celebrates the biggest event in human history identifies the attempts by unbelievers to hide and ignore its true meaning that the amazing truth keeps breaking forth in places both public and private all around the world. Therefore, the Christmas season is an annual testimony to the advent of the Redeemer, God's people never tire of hearing about it.

Of repeating the story over and over again, even as from time to time, we learn new insights regarding this marvelous event to this mysterious activity by God Almighty that brought his son the Lord Jesus Christ into the world and indeed it is mysterious and there are elements of it that we cannot understand and will never understand. And yet there are elements that are mysterious that if we will continue to look into the word of God. We will understand more fully than we have the today we take up the account of the announcement of this birth to Mary, the one who was to become the mother of Christ, and I like for us to examine this account with investigative investigative questions like an investigating reporter and on this account we will ask five questions when, how, where, who, and what concerning this astonishing news and we take them in ascending order from the smallest to the greatest of all of them are important, but it is indeed as we get to number four and then finally to the greatest of all.

Number five that we delve into the heart of the mystery and the power of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, but we begin with the question plan. That is when did this news arrive in.

We read in Luke 126 now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth in the six month and here the timing of this event is not tied to a time in world history, though in fact, Dr. Luke, the eminent historian often does, that another places is very mindful of how the events that pertain to the life and ministry of Christ relate to the historical time in history. All you have to do is look at chapter 2, verse one, you read it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered and that date sit very, very precisely during the reign of a particular Roman Emperor, or even more detail in chapter 3, verse one now in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea.

Herod being Tet chart of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of it to Rhea in the region of truck tinnitus in life.

Cindy is tetrarch of Abilene while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. The word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness to get the idea of the detailed historical precision that Luke sets these events in when it comes to the announcement of the birth of Christ. It's not quite that way it is in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent the six month and here Luke dates.

This announcement to its relationship to another event that has to do with another birth, another child, another prophesied birth in the sixth month that is the six months of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, wife of Zacharias. We read earlier we didn't read it but we could've read earlier in verse 24. Wrapping up the account of the announcement to Zacharias after these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, thus the Lord has dwelt with me in the days when he looked on me to take away my reproach among people now in the sixth month you get that connection there five months after she conceived a child in five months. She kept herself in seclusion.

The Bible doesn't tell us exactly why many have surmised, it's because she wanted to wait until she was showing him people could tell that God had indeed visited her with the miraculous conception late in her life and now the announcement didn't have to be made verbally, it was observed and known in the community where she lived but be that as it may, we have now come to the sixth month of that event that dates this announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel and the very dating of this tells us, therefore, that we should understand the close connection between the birth of John and the birth of Jesus.

There is a very important connection with the Bible wants us to understand and Dr. Luke led by the Holy Spirit calls her attention to it by saying that this took place in the sixth month, Mary Elizabeth, as you know her close relatives learn that later in this account when in verse 36 of chapter 1. The angel said now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age.

Later we learned that it was a close enough relative that Mary not only felt free. But even maybe felt responsible to go visit her relative cousin or aunt whichever the case may be, as she came to the end of her pregnancy and so there was a close relationship between them and furthermore there a lot of parallels between them. Elizabeth's pregnancy was unexpected and miraculous like Mary's pregnancy was unexpected and miraculous, though not miraculous in identical ways. Mary's pregnancy, I guess we would have to say from our standpoint was more miraculous. But we should not forget that the child Elizabeth conceived came about only by the miraculous power of God from a human standpoint. From a biological standpoint, it was no longer possible, but as God is and is Gabriel. Gabriel says in this passage with God nothing is impossible, and he's pointing. First of all when he says that statement he's pointing to the child was born to Elizabeth, it was impossible with men but it was not impossible with God. Likewise, the child is born to Mary is even if more if we can put it this way is even more impossible, humanly speaking, and yet is no more difficult for Almighty God that it was to cause Elizabeth to conceive in her old age, even as God had caused Becerra the wife of Abraham to conceive in her old age many years so Elizabeth's pregnancy was unexpected and miraculous, like that of Mary's. Elizabeth's child with John, the forerunner of Christ in both Christ and his forerunner were prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures and so these two events are closely linked together. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that Luke dates this event.

He times. This announcement relationship to Elizabeth now in the sixth month of pregnancy of Elizabeth but we moved from the Quinn did this news arrive to the how. How was this news communicated to Mary and again looking at verse 26 we realize it came by an angel by the name of Gabriel now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, the angel Gabriel.

I believe there are only two angels that are named in the Bible, Michael, Gabriel, there are innumerable numbers of angels. We don't know how many but there are there are myriads of myriads of myriads of myriads of angels, perhaps even more angels than there are people dwelling upon the face of the earth. Now it's number into the billions we really don't know it's only only speculation.

All we know is that the angels are an immense host and all of them serve God and all of them must have have assignments. Can you imagine we we have trouble imagining that what could there be for anyone to do in heaven we can understand what there is to do upon earth. But what could there be for anyone to do in heaven. I can't give you all of the details. I can't make you a list but I can tell you that there are millions of angels who are busy in heaven serving God and will be busy throughout eternity. And I can assure you, dear friends that we to be busy in heaven serving God were not going to be sitting on the heartthrob sitting on a cloud strumming a heart through all eternity going to be doing meaningful work that we will enjoy the most fulfilling work that we have ever done in all of our lives were going to do in heaven. But all that to say. With all these myriads of angels, only two are named in Scripture. They must be two of the most prominent Michael and Gabriel Gabriels mentioned most these are therefore called Mark angels because they are of the highest ranking we do learn Scripture that the angels have ranked there are those that have greater authority in those who have less. There are angels in answer to supervisors who answered to fire up supervisors who answered to hire him supervisors who answered two archangels who answered to Almighty God. Can you imagine that in heaven the beings created by God are are under authority and it's clearly understood and they know where they belong and they know the answer to. If that is troublesome to you to have to live under authority to enter answer to somebody you better get use to it is you not ally Kevin it's not a bad thing.

That's a good thing. The authorities that God has created in this world are not bad things are good thing now. They don't they don't operate perfectly in a sinful world because every person on earth it's involved in exercising authority as a center and every person on earth who is under authority as a center so these relationships don't work perfectly well like they're supposed to.

But even at that, they are ordained by God for our good. Understand that that's what the Scripture teaches. So here comes Gabriel, one of the two archangels of God who served in the closest proximity to God himself. In the very throne of God.

He was sent from the presence of the Lord sent by God.

Notice back in the count. With Zechariah's verse 19, the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings Gabriel had at the point of this and in emphasizing the majesty and authority in high rank of this messenger who came to two Mary the point of all this is to_and in yet another way, of which there are many different ways to underscore the high significance of this event.

This is of the highest ranking events in the in the spirit heaven. I couldn't help but think of the contrast between Gabriel, one of if not the highest ranking angel who came to bring this announcement to a lonely woman who was a common lady common teenager really a very low rank on earth to a city of very low rank on earth.

I young lady who was betrothed to a man who was very low. Right on earth and can you see the contrast between the highest rank in heaven that pays so close attention to what's going on here and the lowest rank on earth where all of this is taking place in the in the high ranking people of earth are paying no attention at all. And even if they were aware of, it wouldn't have been even given it much thought or or been interested in it but a contrast and how can that be that heaven can be so interested in earth can be so little interested I'll tell you how we are living in a fallen world we are living in a cursed realm. We are living with people who are in their hearts, and from the very birth rebellious against God, and this shows us the difference in heaven.

This is highly significant. Perhaps the most significant thing that ever took place in heaven. Gabriel comes to make this announcement to Mary that's the how we come. Thirdly, to the where.

Where was this message delivered and again in verse 26 we are told, was delivered to Nazareth, a small town in Galilee, which we know to be an obscure and insignificant town. Probably not in those dates. Not much more than a large village not very significant at all, as the world evaluates thing today. I'm told that Nazareth would still exist is a town of about 10,000 inhabitants undoubtedly much larger than it was in Bible days. It is situated in the southern part of Galilee which is the northern state of the nation of Israel. In those days.

Judea be in the territory in the south Samaria being the territory in the middle and Galilee being the territory in the north as it was divided by the Roman Roman government and Galilee.

They this town of Nazareth was in the southern part of Galilee and was surrounded on three sides West North and East by Mountain, the highest mountains on the west but pretty high significant hills all around on the east and the north open to the south and but because of its of its enclosure by these mountains around it. It was even more isolated than perhaps some of the other towns and Galilee. You might think of some of the little towns in the place like West Virginia that are isolated by the by the mountains by the topography is not easy to get to the got coat over the winding roads.

So for the get to them of the people there oftentimes tend to be a bit isolated and therefore a little bit what shall we say that enough backward is the right word to use. But you know what I'm talking about the tend to be rather provincial because of their isolation that describes the city of Nazareth, and which Mary was brought up. She lived there which Joseph her betrothed husband lived there. He was the village carpenter in that in that town of Nazareth, but I think again the point is that this announcement did not come to a significant place on earth like Rome or Jerusalem or any other influential place, but it came to the little village of Nasser, largely unknown, not even mention of the Old Testament in such us in significant place, but this is to remind us of the lowliness of Mary and her background in the circles in which she grew up in no doubt given to us to encourage common people to draw near to Jesus, you don't need to to be intimidated by the grandeur of the wealthy Providence the significance you know how we are sometimes weak. We don't feel comfortable around people enough much higher station of life than we are. Many times we feel that way. We feel like we we are welcome to approach them to talk to them there too high and mighty will not this one.

The angel comes to Nazareth.

All of this no doubt to teach us about the ways of God, who the Bible tells us continually is busy, confounding the mighty and exalting the lowly and that this is a reminder of it here and I would doubt this is given to us to warn us not to be enamored with the important people of this world that becomes a great weakness of so many people that you and I know it ourselves if were not careful, we can become starstruck hello that person is famous that person is wealthy that person is influential. That person is prominent. All I wish I could be like that sometimes weak wheat we get all our attention and focus on that instead of things that are far more important earthly fame is not worth much. Frankly somehow we think it is. But it's not earthly wealth is not worth much. Frankly, in the in the big scheme of things. What's important, what's going on right here among a peasant teenager it out. Lowly village in an obscure place. That's what's important. We need to learn that don't surprise me sometimes how much people know about all the movie stars they can name them all all the music stars they can name them all they know something about all these people and have a hard time finding the book of Hebrews in the Bible. Gabriel came to Nazareth, a lonely out-of-the-way place to see the wealthy, the famous and influential, and seldom understand God. They don't usually know him possible. Sometimes some of them do most of them don't know God and are interested in knowing God, and furthermore God doesn't utilize them as often as he does the cop they aren't interested in God and we could put it this way doesn't look like God's very interested in them became to Mary Nazareth when it brings us from where to who were moving along quickly and are investigation to whom was this message sent in that we focus upon Mary and we learned some things about her that this angel sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. Verse 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David virgin's name was Mary and having come in, the angel said to her, rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women, but when she saw him she was troubled at the saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was in the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the highest in the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Then Mary said to the angel, how can this be, since I do not know a man. The angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you the power of the highest will overshadow you therefore also that holy one who was to be born will be called the son of God, and Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren.

For with God nothing will be impossible. And Mary said behold the maidservant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word and the angel departed from her.

Who, to whom was this message sent the rest of the account intertwines the who and what who the message was sent to, and what message was about. So I rented all I will go back and take them up one by one to who was this message sent.

It was sent to one we are told in verse 27, who was a virgin. That means exactly what we mean by that word today to a young lady who had never engaged in sexual relationships. It was a virgin number two who was betrothed or some translations say engaged, engaged, would be our term but the details of the trial there a little bit different from the details of our engagement.

Today, therefore it's helpful to know something about the Jewish marriage customs. The betrothal was entered into by generally by the arrangement of the parents know that doesn't mean that the bride and groom the better the woman didn't have any input into it. Sometimes we think of arranged marriages like that but sometimes they were that way but but oftentimes it's it's more like the son says to the father have. I've I've noticed this this the young lady over here over here.

I'm really interested in her forward you think of her as a marriage prospect in parents give their their opinion of that sometimes the young lady has also wrecked realized that the young man is been showing an interest in her and so she's returning the interest and she says I think that Jacob will use that name for the moment over there showing an interest in me.

I wouldn't be surprised, but what you'll be hearing from his father before law, what would you think of the possibility of that marriage, that there was into it, but he wasn't totally raised without any input by the by the by the couple.

But it was with the wisdom and with the approval and with the arrangement of the parents which sounds very strange to us today, but I just would stop and ask you with our different customs today.

What kind of a record do we have in America for the duration. The average duration of marriages.

How well are we doing with our way of doing it. What's our divorce rate compared to theirs and that day divorces were very, very, very rare, not on not impossible not unheard of. We find some instructions about divorce in Scripture, but a very low percentage of divorces compared to what we have today so I'm simply saying don't turn your nose up at this Jewish customary way of doing things. It may turn out to have been a superior way of doing things nowadays and somebody stays married 20 years we say wow is that remarkable. They've been married for 20 years split up what I stay most marriages lasted a lifetime but the betrothal started out with a promising marriage between the parents. Fathers of the bride and the groom, and oftentimes these marriages involved a bride as young as 13 years of age that was not uncommon at all. The betrothal actually was a legally recognized and registered act. This is what makes it different from our engagement was more than a an individual and personal relationship and commitment between the two individuals, but actually they went down to the we would say City Hall before the officials of the city and they registered their betrothal and as far as the legality as far as his legal issues were concerned, they are now husband and wife there free to now enter into marriage and setting up a household at any time that they wish. It's not. It's not illegal is now ready to go. In fact, from this point onward, the only legal way to change this arrangement is by divorce. Once they are betrothed, they are legally married and can only be legally unmarried.

By divorce it was that kind of arrangement but again customarily cohabitation didn't begin until a wedding celebration took place, often a year, sometimes even longer after the betrothal that I didn't have to. Once the betrothal took place they could begin this at any time that everybody was a great it was time to go ahead and start living together as husband and wife, but the custom was that they would generally wait about a year and then there would be a wedding and the wedding itself would be a family matter.

This is no longer legal matter or civic matter that's already been taken care of in our weddings today at one look for the wedding has occurred, then the leak, then the marriage is legalized, I always tell the groom in any kind marriage that I performing. If you don't bring Road don't bring me the license to the wedding rehearsal. There will be wedding sure you get it to that is a very important legal party of that's the taken care off. You be sure you get the license you give it to me the night of the rehearsal so I know you've got it tell you about one word they didn't have it, but I will tell you that you you'd be interested, but I'm not to go into that right now but that's got it taken care of.

Then we have witnesses assignment and then it's the officiant's responsibility to get that to the courthouse. So in our day. The wedding that is the family part in the relates to the friends of the celebration is all tied together with the legal part and once that has taken place, then it's registered at the courthouse backwards from the Jewish custom already registered at the courthouse and now the family decides when it will be appropriate to have the wedding ceremony.

The wedding feast which actually lasted usually about a week which should mean that everybody took off work for we can just and just partied all day long seven days, but it meant they came back every night, you better have a good soccer food because everybody's coming to your house for dinner seven days in a row or however long you decide that would be customary and in the midst of that week and the husband and the groom of the bride and begin to to live together in the marriage would be would be started in this way as far as their cohabitation. The opposite of the way we do today. In other words, notice in our day. Shamefully, it is far more customary for a man and a woman to live together for a while before they decide whether or not the going to get married this day is customary for the commitment to be made first, and for them to be willing to wait on living together until they had time to prepare themselves in every way for that financially and emotionally and spiritually to get them to take it seriously and get themselves ready for this important act of coming together living together as man and wife, which is going to be there condition for the rest of their lives may be for the next 50 or 60 years it. It's a serious matter. It requires a lot of preparation is a lesser seem like a strange way of doing things again ask whose way of doing things and work the best. Our way of living together first, and then deciding whether or not to get married that the producing lasting marriages, that's that that's the justification that a single compatible first because in one of make sure this marriages go to work that might make worldly sense, but it doesn't really work well as the evidence should show us doing things God's way always works better. So let's have the commitment first and living together. Second, not living together first and then maybe commitment maybe not, depending on how things go. I can't help but notice a difference in the way they did it, but the passage tells us about this virgin Mary that she was graced by God is the actual language mentioned verse 28 and again in verse 30 highly favored graced by God is the Greek language. What does that mean Mary received favor from God. It's amazing how many people read that phrase she found favor with God and because of the way people think, the way the Christians think the minds that the cogs of the brain start turning around and what they hear.

Being said is she earned favor with God. But that's not what it says and does not want to face doesn't say she earned favor with God. It says she found favor with God. She was graced by God graced his unmerited favor. She didn't earned favor with God. But God chose to grace, she received favor from God.

She did not merit it.

She received favor from God. She had no ability to bestow it as the Roman Catholic Church erroneously teaches that Mary this means Mary now I'd like a junior God has the ability to dispense grace like God does know that what it's saying, not what the text says she received favor from God, not the ability to bestow it on others but amazing God is present and active in her life that it means in this instance, the she was chosen to be the mother of the promised Christ and this is the highest honor the could probably be given to a woman in that the longer promised Savior of the world is going to be brought into the world through a normal birth not a normal conception but a normal birth and Mary of all thousands of Jewish women would have loved to have had this proved God showed to be the there is indication in this passage that Mary is a humble young lady when she saw him. We read in verse 29 she was troubled at his saying it considered what manner of greeting this was.

She was troubled, troubled, no doubt by this the appearance of the angel by the way, the angel didn't just suddenly spring just drop into her living room in a blaze of light. No, how did he come… It does tell us something about that in verse 30 and having come in.

Sounds like he knocked on the door and walked into the home. He wasn't wasn't trying to overcome her with his light and glory and majesty. As far as we know, he looked like another man when he walked in but nevertheless this announcement was pretty astonishing to Mary. It was unexpected. It was sudden but the real thing that troubled her here seems to be the high honor that has been's been bestowed upon her and she can't imagine why she has been chosen for that to me. I'm nobody I don't come from a prominent family trees troubled by this. That's a mark of her humility. Furthermore, she's thoughtful about what's going on.

Even though this astonished her. It didn't so discombobulated her that she couldn't think about anything else and just went off into some of us might've done in the situation. But the angel goes on to tell her that she's going to bear a child and she's able to think this thing through. And she says in verse 34. How can this be, since I do not know a man in the Greek it's clear this is not expressing doubt that this will take place, but it's a request for information you telling me that I'm going to become the mother of a child. How can this happen since I'm on the verge.

Now that indicate she understood the angel to say this was going to happen immediately. She didn't say all I understand. After Joseph and I come together and start living as husband and wife to become pregnant and have a child not so amazing, that would be expected would she understood the angel saying this is something that's been occur before the okay. I don't doubt it, but how how can this happen in my situation the course angel tells her when the angel tells her what's going to happen. What's your response. Verse 38 behold the maidservant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word submissive, completely submissive to the revealed will of God. When example all of this suggests a good upbringing. We don't really know much about Mary. We don't know anything about her parents. We do know anything about her economic level. We would assume it would be relatively low. The fact that she's marrying a village carpenter means that she probably didn't come from a prominent family wealth. We don't know if her parents were still living or she was living with relatives. We don't know much about her but her response here suggests a good upbringing, which I would think has to point to good parenting and to good relatives and good community which which causes me to wonder if this idea that Nazareth was a rough-and-tumble wild West sorted town is probably not right.

Small obscure relatively isolated may be a bit of what we would call a hick town, but it looks like solid people. Hard-working people, hard working, blue-collar people, godly people concerned people, people who raise their children in the word of God. There's a lot of things here that speak well of the family and I would think of the community and Nazareth finally come to the what we gotta come to the biggest question of all you have got to the biggest one yet. The last one, number five. What was this astonishing news that Gabriel brought their three things primarily number one that Mary would conceive and give birth to a son number two the Mary son would be an extraordinary person number three that Mary's conception would be a unique process. Let's look at these one by one. First, Mary would conceive and give birth to a son, and she's told to give him the name Jesus, which is common name in that day it was the equivalent of the Old Testament. Joshua so there were number.

Joshua was in the Old Testament, and it means Jehovah is salvation. And in these others that bore this name. There was significance to it and there was a sense in which the. The name was meaningful Joshua of the most famous Joshua, the Old Testament, the successor to Moses led the people of Israel into the Canaan land and was the general of the armies that conquered the Canaanites and God used him to save the nation and give them the promised land, Jehovah, salvation will named individual. Joshua, the leader in that of that name. So this name Jehovah salvation is appropriately used in a general sense of all kinds of salvation but in the ultimate sense it only applies to one person.

Only one person who is able to save from sin.

Only one person who is able to rescue people out of bondage to sin and Satan.

And this is the one call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.

Mary would conceive and give birth to a son number two Mary son would be an extraordinary person in verses 32 and 33. There are a number of things said about him number one and said he will be great which has the idea being distinguished among people on earth. He is going to be a person of power. He is going to be a person of what wisdom he is going to be a person of influence, though, again, not in the most ordinary human ways.

He's not going to be wealthy is not going to hold a high earthly office that people recognize but nevertheless he's going to be a personage of raising greatness and influence as we know nearly everybody else was considered great in that that day has died and we don't even know their names wanted to know Herod the great is called great with the name of Jesus that name has exceeded them all that name is known around the world by billions of people. So we shall be great, number two, he shall be son of the highest, the most high, and who is the most time. That's God. So he's going to be the son of God number three he's going to rain on David's throne, that means he's going to be a king that means is going to be a great king that mean she's going to be an extraordinary King because at this time. David's throne and no occupant line of David stopped several hundred years ago on by and nobody sat on David's throne. There were still descendents of David living, but they weren't sitting on a throne. Rome was ruling Israel but this child is going to sit upon David's throne. That's said of him, he will be an extraordinary person but even more astonishing of his kingdom there will be no end name 1K one emperor, one Caesar one president in history, of whose reign it could be said there was no end.

There is not, of course, but this one is reign will never end. Talk about great talk about extraordinary person and clearly this can only be describing the Messiah, the Savior of the world so what is this astonishing news number one the Mary would conceive and give birth to a son number two that her son would be an extraordinary person but number three that Mary's conception would be a unique process, one-of-a-kind. How can this be saying that I do not have have not had a physical relationship with a man well the answers given the power of Almighty God will accomplish this, the Holy Spirit will come upon you the power of the highest that's two ways of saying the same thing Almighty God will come upon you will overshadow you language don't, though not identical, is very reminiscent of what we read in Genesis chapter 1 about the spirit of God, who was hovering over the face of the waters brought about the creation of the world. Now, the Holy Spirit will come upon you will shout overshadow you the result of that is going to be the birth of this miraculous child, the product of this operation of God in your womb is going to bring about a holy one. That hasn't happened since and fill the garden, no one has given birth to a holy one that Mary will in fact he will be called the son of God.

This is the son of God himself would come and to be encouraged about this. The angel says you know Elizabeth your relative is now six months pregnant treat cuckoo who was barren couldn't have children with God nothing is impossible not to listen, Elizabeth's child was more miraculous, or even equally miraculous to Mary's, but it just reminds us that God impossible. He did for Elizabeth Hill do an even greater miracle for Mary and that's the explanation that's as far as we can go with the explanation of it. I suggest a few things and in a moment here quickly but that's as far as we can to go if we delve into too many details are going to get ourselves all tripped up.

This is it God produced his son in the womb of a young woman and brought the God man into the world to be the Redeemer of the world.

If you have trouble believing that you have trouble believing in the virgin conception a better term than virgin birth. If you have trouble believing in the virgin conception, then Fred you evidently have trouble believing in Almighty God with God nothing is impossible if you believe God is Almighty, if you believe God can do anything if you believe God is able to do the impossible, then why would you have any difficulty believing in the virgin conception. So, in summary, this is what were told about Mary's child regard to Christ body is a body of flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of Mary. It is therefore descendent of David, a descendent of Abraham, a descendent of Adam.

It is a he is a human being through and through. He is our Ken a relative in regard to Christ sold a human being has a soul in the body. What about the soul. The human soul is created by God, like all human souls are created by God as we read in Zechariah 12 one and also reference in Hebrews and I forgot to write down what this one.

Unlike anyone else who has been born is going to be holy and that's probably the most mysterious part of all, how do we explain the arrival of a sinless human being who is the flesh and blood of Mary another way. I have explained in the past and I think I was wrong. Please forgive me.

I make this correction. For those of heard me is that because Jesus didn't have a human father and the sinful corruption is passed down from the father. Then Jesus was born without sin. But even that explanation never fully satisfied me because mothers are sinful to that may sound right but if you think it through.

It's hard to explain how that happened because he of the flesh and blood of Mary.

She was a sinner of the Roman Catholic Church. Find a way to explain that difficulty by saying wealth.

Mary was sinless okay but not American sinless Debbie that her parents had to be sinless, since you got a problem. There they don't say that that's not the that's not the explanation. What's the explanation to give you all the details but I think I can tell you this part of what the Holy Spirit did in overshadowing Mary was in some way.

I don't know how he sorted out the sinful elements of Mary's humanity, so that the child that was born of her flesh and blood came forth completely holy and sinless without any of that Adamic sinfulness Adamic depravity that I think is explanation and any explanations I gave in years gone by counsel.

I think you got to go down this road result. Therefore, in Christ person is two natures inseparable with on person with than one person God with us. God in us a truly human body. He truly human soul joined to an eternal Almighty God, mystery of mysteries, but that's it. The result is that Jesus Christ is long promised Messiah. And the only Savior from sin he is the only solution to our sinful conception and ongoing sinful rebellion against God, and I can tell you that every soul that is troubled because of their sin and concerned and wanting to be forgiven and cleansed of it can go to Jesus Christ. This one provided by God and receive cleansing which you need.

We pray father, thank you for bringing your son into the world turn our hearts to him to trust him fully to rely upon him completely to be cleansed from sin by this one who is given for that very purpose. We pray in Jesus name, amen