When an Angel Spoke to Mary, Part 1

More than 2000 years ago, a young Jewish woman conceived a child would radically change the course of history. The celebration of his birth is known around the world is Christmas. His story is so familiar to us that we sometimes miss the magnitude. So today on Insight for living.

Chuck Swindoll takes us back to the scene in order to re-create that moment when an angel spoke to Mary before we get started, let's enjoy this Christmas favorite form of the stone briar community church choir and orchestra will angels from the real Lori wing your flight or all the earth. Hark the Herald Angels Sing glory to the newborn King. We sing of them. We write them into our songs. Virtually every one of the carols. We we sing include those those intriguing creatures we know are simply his angels. If you look closely on the platform you noticed in the niche on your left back toward the rear. You'll see. Well at least someone's idea of an angel in in some shape with wings as always, it seems, and over in front of the pipes on your right you will see another well replica of somebody's idea of angels, but I've never met too many people have ever seen one. Artists have these marvelous imaginations and let Raffaella always painted with halos in the glow about them. Though we never read of either one in the Scriptures.

In fact, part of the issue of angels and understanding them is dealing with a lot of the false information that accompanies them like they're not dainty little fairy's the Art board and the temps are water sprites this early are chubby little cherubs with pink cheeks and tiny wings and looking for people in love so they could shoot their Cupid arrows at them that that's all fantasy.

It's all a myth because they are magnificent sometimes fierce, on occasion, filled with compassion and and they rescue us.

The psalmist says in Psalm 9111. He commanded them to give us protection, so the Angels were given charge over us.

We grow in our understanding people tell us there are guardian angels probably so not just for children since it our laughing this morning as we thought of our four while growing up and how busy the Guardian Angels were in their lives. Our last two needed several ranks of angels to assist them.

They were busy but it's far more serious than that angels comes from a word, untangle loss of the Greek New Testament, which simply means messenger there that but they're more than that. In fact, of summer named Gabriel Michael the Archangel Lucifer. Some of the morning who fell and drag with him. 1/3 of the heavenly hosts who changed from angels to demons. That's another subject for another time.

They seem to be in groups, cherubim, who fled the throne of God's erythema with her six wings with true they cover their faces, with two they covered their feet in width to filled with eyes they fly like I say, they they are intriguing creatures, but to the point. What was sent from the presence of God's name was how ungulates give real the angel Gabriel. He did what angels do. Here's a simple little formula.

They show up they step up misspeak up the basecoat no reason to hang around and have a piece upon a couple coffee there. They're not into that you wish you could have time with them and they are like the FedEx driver of the guy that drives a brown truck and delivers a UPS package rings the building and gets out of the way, they don't bring something they deliver something far more significant than what is tangible and that's God's message. Gabriel was sent from God to the town of Nazareth, sort of a backwater village on the on the fringe of the Roman Empire. Now, the play should write home about.

Matter-of-fact you and I would probably refer to it as more of a dump at a red light district not far away about 4 miles was Roman garrison separatists and when those soldiers went on liberty probably came to Nazareth to buy cheap wine and cheaper women so didn't have a good reputation fact one of the men who was later called to follow Jesus was informed that he was from Nazareth, he said, who can anything good come out of Nazareth will one young teenager did somewhere between 13 and 15 years of age. She was still a virgin, though engaged to be married to Joseph, a poor man who love the fact that he was marrying a Parthenon loss of virgin never intimately you knew a man so when Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth. He was told to find the virgin engaged to Joseph in a little later in the in the narrative fees. Given her name Mary, but he stole the quality that attracts the Lord to her and that is she's a Parthenon's we become so familiar with the story that we toss these words around like they mean little to the Virgin Mary, from whom the child Jesus was born well.

How else could God brought someone on this earth without a sin nature. If it had not been through the genius of a virgin birth never happened before, will never happen again which confused Mary hot on the laws Galadriel said to her, I come from God, greetings, favored one. If you look closely in the original UC tucked away in the word favored is the Greek word grace cuts showing grace to you Mary saw the girl that significant but your virginity is essential met Mary's confused she she doesn't understand why grace is being shown to her probably thought me of all people young teenager. Listen to this, you will become pregnant, you will have a son you're to name him. He soon Jesus she remembers her teaching. The teaching that was poured into her in the synagogue school about the Messiah, Jesus would come and now she hears you will be the vehicle. Your womb preserved impurity will bear the child she she doesn't get it. In fact we were to respond today, like probably a teenager would respond should have three responses while now how happen I'm above virgin. You seem to forget Ono is remembered.

It's essential to see Mary, the Holy Spirit will come upon you the power of God shall overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be utterly holy. That's it.

She Gabriel was equipped not only with information where to go and to whom to speak. He was also told Howard what happened because angels wouldn't normally know that they're curious about a lot of things and so he comes equipped with everything, including the information Mary needs and when she hears it, there's no argument there is no struggle, there there's no discussion. She says I would get this. I am the Lord's servant may it be as you have said, may everything come to pass.

I'm willing and then you know what happens.

Push he's gone. Scripture says he disappeared. She's gone he's gone. She's there. By the way, think about that was all done in private. We have a record of it is been read for centuries. But when it first happened, there was no sky writing so that all people to Nazareth could read it did was her word against the world and what a price that was first with her parents that night at supper mom and dad of I'm pregnant, but it there, their heads really think if you were the parents. She says to them of the Holy Spirit will come upon me and and the Lord overshadow all of it in the holy one board will be the son of God than the grandparents.

We don't read about that dialogue and then Joseph Joseph at first couldn't couldn't believe it.

Decided to put her away quietly will look at that next time because an angel plays a role in his life and then could I add the whole world of their day would sneer.

Read John 841 when Jesus is now an adult and ministering in their arguing with him about his identity and and they say to him were not of illegitimate birth, we know who our father is. See you live with that he bore all of that on our behalf.

God stepped in time and did what only God could do a miracle and he brought the baby to us from a virgin's womb. One final thought it would be easy to be envious of angels remember growing up thinking be great to be one I like to fly around, deliver messages into amazing things but you know what I was just reading in first Peter 112 which says they they peer with interest in the gospel story because Jesus didn't die for angels. They don't have souls that will's so they obey or disobey.

But they're not able to be saved. That's reserved for us sinners as we are. Years ago a song was written was 1818 94 as a matter fact that the composer wrote of all of this.

Holy, holy, holy is what the angels sing, and I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring when I sing redemption story they will full their wings for angels never felt the joy that my salvation brings his salvation come to you or are you are you measuring this Christmas season singing about Christ and angels in the Lord, virgin birth, and all that without knowing the Savior, though hundreds just another season.

The sticker that right now, but with me.

Would you just formally close your eyes wherever you are right now. Just closure you were watching online. Just close your eyes. Think is Christ come into your life was a river time when you said yes Lord, I longed to have forgiveness and a purpose for living, and a reason to go on sins forgiven and a home in heaven. I love that, and thousands of other things that you promised us please come into my life, Christ accept you as my Savior.

I take the gift that you have given me. Oh God, and in this Christmas.

Thank him as never before to the greatest gift of all its prey. Father, thank you for that that that holy night that does special moment when there was a gush of birthing and a miracle landed on straw. Thank you for Jesus who would grow up loving us and willing to die for us, that we might know the life that only he can give. We are grateful and this Christmas season etc. thanks, his name said in a majestic musical celebration of that grand moment when an angel spoke to Mary that Lakisha joined us late in the program you're listening to a special edition of insight for living learn more about this ministry. Please visit us online@insightworld.org will today. Your hearing the first of five programs devoted to a brand-new miniseries from Chuck Swindoll. This of course follows our study in the gospel according to Matthew teaching series came to a crescendo in Matthew 28 when Jesus delivered his great commission because of the magnitude of this command from Jesus. We sat down with Chuck Swindoll and her studios for a one-on-one conversation. In addition to recording his voice. We had the video cameras rolling as well and the 30 minute conversation has just been posted online.

So you can enjoy the entire exchange to see and hear what Chuck had to say.

Just follow the link@insight.org/conversation what Chuck Jesus gave us our marching orders when he said go and make disciples of all the nations, and then he added these assuring words be sure of this, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Yet we have no doubt that he is with us always.

This helps remind us that you are. Listeners are with us as well and we believe you are, your gift is a tangible proof of how closely aligned you are with us. We've often said I want to repeated that we don't shape our appeal for funds out of some kind of system to get money out of your pocket if you need more real, we wouldn't call it a need, but it is real and this is the time of the year that you can do more than just say I really believe in insight for living's ministry. This is your time to say I participate in that I'm a part of it. I'm part of the reason they're able to be engaged in this another year with us and I'm grateful there there and I want them to know that I'm here with them all the way and I would love to hear from so many of you that some of you've never connected with us before and others of you have and we thank you for your gift yet another time, we ask that you be just as generous as you can before. Thanks, Chuck and out with boldness were asking you to respond with your generous year and give you insight for living. Let me explain how you can easily get in touch with us right now. Many prefer to use the convenient mobile app by simply clicking on the donate button or get directly online@insight.or/donate to speak with one of our friendly ministry reps follows. If you're listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 number to call again 1-800-772-8888 four. Give online@insight.org/donate 90 writing you to join us tomorrow.

Chuck Swindoll describes the moment an angel spoke to Joseph. That's Tuesday on insight for living. The preceding message when an angel spoke to Mary was copyrighted in 2020 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited