Proclaim the Good News of Christ
Proclaim the Manger Message | To Yourself and Others
Are you waiting for a message from God in your life right now? Have you heard from Him recently, or does it feel like He’s gone silent on you?
While the experience of the angel’s message to Mary might not be identical for you and me, the truth of the message most certainly is true for us today as followers of King Jesus.
What is God’s message for you this Christmas, out of His message to Mary leading up to the first Christmas?
1. God’s Presence Is With You (26-29)
- The angel’s proclamation to Mary: the Lord is with you (28)
- In your corner of the world (26)
- In your corner of life (28, cf. Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Mary, you, and I find favour with God for the same reason – undeserved favour and grace
Do you remember God’s presence is with you? In your waiting for wisdom, direction, future, or comfort, do you remember that if you are in Christ, God’s Spirit dwells in you, His presence is with you, and nothing can separate Him from you (cf. Romans 8:28-30)?
2. God’s Purposes Are For You (30-37)
- If you’ve been failing to see the purposes of God for your life, it might be because you’ve been failing to look to the person of God’s Son in your life
- God’s purposes for Mary and for us are through:
- His gracious Son (30, cf. Ephesians 2:8-9)
- His saving Son (31, cf. Luke 19:10)
- His reigning Son (32)
- His eternal Son (33)
- His perfect Son (34-35, cf. John 1:12)
- His powerful Son (34-37, cf. Genesis 1:1-2)
Are you struggling to see God’s purposes for you in your life? Have you been looking to the gracious, saving, reigning, eternal, perfect, powerful Son Jesus Christ?
3. God’s Plans Should Move You (38)
- Mary’s response to the angel: “may it happen to me as you have said” (38).
- The phrase 'let it be' is central at the pinnacle of creation, and once again, the declaration of this phrase brings God’s redemptive purposes to a pinnacle through the incarnation of Christ.
- The first ‘let there be’ - an expression of God’s power. Mary’s ‘let there be’ - a submission to God’s power.
How ready is the phrase ‘let it be’ on the lips of your heart and mind towards Christ’s asks of you? How quickly are you ready to submit to all God might ask of you? How ready are you to be moved by the Spirit into action in response to God’s plans for you?
What’s God’s message for you this Christmas? You who are rested or exhausted, healthy or sick, confident or discouraged? God’s presence is with you, God’s purposes are for you, and God’s plans should move you.
This message is only for you and me today if we too have received the grace of God through His Son. Have you received His grace? Are you in the pattern of proclaiming the manger message to yourself and others?
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