Mary Says Yes To God Luke 1:26-38 11/27/2011

Sermon 11-27-11 Mary says yes to God Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 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[a] the Son of God. 36 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. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

The series – the journey

Mary says yes to God

What is the biggest thing that you have ever said yes to God about

Do we say yes to God? Of course we do
Do we ever say no to God?????????

Every time is a generalization. Many times when we are saying yes to our selves, we are saying no to God

Time talent treasure. Our time, talent and treasure, or gifts from God to be used for his purpose?

Let’s be clear, if you are not saying yes to God, you might be saying no

Lots of stories of people who said no to God-
Jonah
The parable of the two sons matthew 21
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

David platt’s book, radical
Rich young ruler
Luke 18
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.

There is something in his life that he is saying no to God about
Do we have such things

Jesus was always looking for those who would do his fathers will - luke 9
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

They were making excuses
Do we have excuses?

Jesus chased this subject a lot - Mt 10
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

No an invitation to be mean to your in-laws- a realization- - -
There is one most important relationship in life……
There is one creator, from who we came and to whom we will return

What does our Christian life look like?
Sometimes I wonder if - Mostly what we want in life is to not be bothered, - - by the irs, by our employer, bothered by God
Just let me do my thing
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?

In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
There is another alternative

The Christian life is a Journey
Advent is a journey.
Advent is an advent-ure.

Every great adventure begins with a “yes!” Starts with an agreeing to go.

Think of all of the people who said yes to God
Moses. Joshua. Peter. Paul. Noah. Abraham. James, John.
Oh, and a young girl named Mary – in the company of the pillars of the faith; of the great prophets

Every great adventure begins with a “yes!”

What are you being called to this Advent?

To live your life as a Christian
to forgive someone
to help someone
to see or visit someone
To take up a cross
Then there is the ordained ministry thing………
We are all called To fundamentally reorder our lives. That is conversion. God is in the conversion business.

What would our church look like if everyone said yes to God
How would our work places and community be impacted?
The Kingdom coming - on Earth as it is in Heaven

Let the journey – the adventure – begin…continue…say yes to God