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The Angel and the Virgin (Part 2 of 3)

Luke 1:26–38
Program

Some quickly dismiss Christ from their Christmas celebration because they think science can’t explain His incarnation. But science is also unable to disprove it. How does that affect the Christian faith? Find out when you listen to Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.

From the Sermon

The Angel and the Virgin — Part Two

Luke 1:26–38 Sermon Includes Transcript 38:42 ID: 2054

He Humbled Himself

He Humbled Himself

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth … from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

The actor Steve McQueen led an amazing, albeit sometimes sordid, life. He died in 1980, but before illness claimed him, a faithful pastor shared the gospel with him, and he bowed down and trusted in Christ. After his conversion, he had a faithful routine of Bible study and Sunday worship that went unnoticed by the public. He remained in awe of the truth that though his life was messy with divorces, addictions, and poor moral choices, God would show him such love.

McQueen grew to understand that God had made him nothing so that in the discovery of his nothingness, he might then become something. God does the same with us as well.

In this, we are called to follow the pattern of Jesus Himself. From the day of His birth, Christ set aside His previously uninterrupted glory in order to come to this fallen, helpless world on our behalf. He came not on a chariot but to a manger; He came not with a scepter but to a stable. Jesus was as much an earthly servant as He is the heavenly sovereign.

To say that He made Himself nothing, however, doesn’t mean that He transitioned from being God to being man, and then back to being God again. When we read that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” we should reflect on the awe-inspiring paradox that our marvelous Savior poured Himself into His humanity without giving up His deity. He is fully God and fully man!

Our finite human minds sometimes focus on Christ’s deity so much that we don’t remember that He was no less human than you or me; and at other times we can become so preoccupied with His humanity that we lose sight of His divinity. The Scriptures hold Christ’s two natures in perfect tension: although He was found in human form (Philippians 2:8), He was not merely who He appeared to be.

There is more to Jesus than meets the eye. He may have looked just like any other man, but no other man can stand in a boat during a storm and calm the sea. Only God can heal the lame or restore sight to the blind. This man alone deserves the worship of angels and the praise of all creation. Yet Jesus didn’t approach the incarnation asking, What’s in it for Me? Instead, He arrived knowing that He “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He was willing to leave everything and become nothing so that those who acknowledge their nothingness can be given everything. He became flesh so that He might serve, and He beautifully modeled humility to all who might follow Him. How will you look to His example in your tasks and responsibilities today?

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Christ's Example of Humility

1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from flove, any gparticipation in the Spirit, any haffection and sympathy, 2icomplete my joy by being jof the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from kselfish ambition or lconceit, but in mhumility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you nlook not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5oHave this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6pwho, though he was in qthe form of God, did not count equality with God ra thing to be grasped,2 7but semptied himself, by taking the form of a tservant,3 ubeing born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by vbecoming obedient to the point of death, weven death on a cross. 9xTherefore yGod has zhighly exalted him and bestowed on him athe name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus bevery knee should bow, cin heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and devery tongue confess that Jesus Christ is eLord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

12Therefore, my beloved, fas you have always gobeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for hit is God who works in you, both to will and to work for ihis good pleasure.

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Footnotes
1 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus
2 2:6 Or a thing to be held on to for advantage
3 2:7 Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotionals by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, 2022, The Good Book Company.

God's Resourcefulness

God's Resourcefulness

Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen.

In the vision described in this chapter, the prophet saw four terrible horns. They were pushing this way and that way, dashing down the strongest and the mightiest; and the prophet asked, "What are these?" The answer was, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah." He saw before him a representation of those powers that had oppressed the Church of God. There were four horns, for the church is attacked from all quarters. The prophet had good reason to feel dismayed; but suddenly there appeared before him "four craftsmen." He asked, "What are these coming to do?" These were the men whom God had found to break those horns in pieces.

God will always find men for His work, and He will find them at the right time. The prophet did not see the craftsmen at first, when there was nothing to do, but first the "horns" and then the "craftsmen." The Lord always finds enough men. He did not find three craftsmen, but four; there were four horns, and there must be four workmen.

God finds the right men—not four men with pens to write, not four architects to draw plans, but four craftsmen to do the work. Rest assured, you who tremble for the Church of God, that when the "horns" grow troublesome, the "craftsmen" will be found. You need not worry about the weakness of the Church of God at any moment; there may be growing up in obscurity the valiant reformer who will shake the nations.

Chrysostoms may come forth from our Ragged Schools, and Augustines from the thickest darkness of London's poverty. The Lord knows where to find His servants. He has in ambush a multitude of mighty men, and at His word they will take to the battle; "for the battle is the Lord's,"1 and He will get to Himself the victory. So let us remain faithful to Christ, and He, in the right time, will raise up for us a defense, whether it be in the day of our personal need or in the season of peril to His Church.

1) 1 Samuel 17:47

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.

Daily Bible Reading for December 5

2 Chronicles 5, 2 Chronicles 6:1–11, 1 John 4, Nahum 3, Luke 19

2 Chronicles 5

1cThus all the work that Solomon did for the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, and stored the silver, the gold, and all the vessels in the treasuries of the house of God.

The Ark Brought to the Temple

2Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of dthe city of David, which is Zion. 3And all the men of Israel assembled before the king at the feast that is in the seventh month. 4And all the elders of Israel came, eand the Levites took up the ark. 5And they brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; fthe Levitical priests brought them up. 6And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 7Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 8The cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. 9And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen gfrom the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside. And they are1 there to this day. 10There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets hthat Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. 11And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to itheir divisions, 12and all the Levitical jsingers, kAsaph, lHeman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with mcymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 npriests who were trumpeters; 13and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, owith trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,

p“For he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever,”

the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, qfor the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

2 Chronicles 6:1–11

Solomon Blesses the People

1rThen Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 2But I have built you san exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 3Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 4And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 5‘Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there, and I chose no man as prince over my people Israel; 6tbut I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there, uand I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 7vNow it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 8But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas vit was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 9Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 10Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 11And there I have set the ark, win which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”

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Footnotes
1 5:9 Hebrew it is

Test the Spirits

1Beloved, tdo not believe every spirit, but utest the spirits to see whether they are from God, for vmany wfalse prophets xhave gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: yevery spirit that confesses that zJesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit athat does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and bnow is in the world already. 4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for che who is in you is greater than dhe who is in the world. 5eThey are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and fthe world listens to them. 6We are from God. gWhoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know hthe Spirit of truth and ithe spirit of error.

God Is Love

7Beloved, jlet us love one another, for love is from God, and kwhoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8lAnyone who does not love does not know God, because mGod is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that nGod sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, onot that we have loved God nbut that he loved us and sent his Son to be pthe propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12qNo one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and rhis love is perfected in us.

13sBy this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And twe have seen and testify that uthe Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of vthe world. 15wWhoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16So xwe have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. yGod is love, and zwhoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17By this ais love perfected with us, so that bwe may have confidence for the day of judgment, because cas he is so also are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love, but dperfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not abeen perfected in love. 19eWe love because he first loved us. 20fIf anyone says, “I love God,” and ghates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot1 love God hwhom he has not seen. 21And ithis commandment we have from him: jwhoever loves God must also love his brother.

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Footnotes
1 4:20 Some manuscripts how can he

Woe to Nineveh

1Woe to pthe bloody city,

all full of lies and plunder—

qno end to the prey!

2The crack of the whip, and rrumble of the wheel,

sgalloping horse and tbounding chariot!

3Horsemen charging,

flashing sword and uglittering spear,

vhosts of slain,

heaps of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over the bodies!

4And all for the countless whorings of the wprostitute,

xgraceful and of deadly charms,

who betrays nations with her whorings,

and peoples with her charms.

5mBehold, I am against you,

declares the Lord of hosts,

and ywill lift up your skirts over your face;

and I will make nations look at zyour nakedness

and kingdoms at your shame.

6I will throw filth at you

and atreat you with contempt

and make you ba spectacle.

7And all who look at you cwill shrink from you and say,

“Wasted is dNineveh; ewho will grieve for her?”

fWhere shall I seek comforters for you?

8gAre you better than hThebes1

that sat iby the Nile,

with water around her,

her rampart a sea,

and water her wall?

9jCush was her strength;

Egypt too, and that without limit;

kPut and the lLibyans were her2 helpers.

10mYet she became an exile;

she went into captivity;

nher infants were dashed in pieces

at the head of every street;

for her honored men olots were cast,

pand all her great men were bound in chains.

11qYou also will be drunken;

you will go into hiding;

ryou will seek a refuge from the enemy.

12All your fortresses are slike fig trees

with first-ripe figs—

if shaken they fall

into the mouth of the eater.

13Behold, your troops

tare women in your midst.

The gates of your land

are wide open to your enemies;

fire has devoured your bars.

14uDraw water for the siege;

rstrengthen your forts;

go into the clay;

tread the mortar;

take hold of the brick mold!

15There will the fire devour you;

the sword will cut you off.

It will vdevour you wlike the locust.

Multiply yourselves wlike the locust;

multiply wlike the grasshopper!

16You increased xyour merchants

more than the stars of the heavens.

wThe locust spreads its wings and flies away.

17Your zprinces are wlike grasshoppers,

ayour scribes3 like clouds of locusts

settling on the fences

in a day of cold—

when the sun rises, they fly away;

no one knows where they are.

18Your shepherds bare asleep,

O king of Assyria;

cyour nobles slumber.

Your people dare scattered on the mountains

with none to gather them.

19There is no easing your hurt;

eyour wound is grievous.

All who hear the news about you

fclap their hands over you.

For gupon whom has not come

your unceasing evil?

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Footnotes
1 3:8 Hebrew No-amon
2 3:9 Hebrew your
3 3:17 Or marshals

Jesus and Zacchaeus

1cHe entered Jericho and was passing through. 2And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3And dhe was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into ea sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for fI must stay at your house today.” 6So he hurried and came down and greceived him joyfully. 7And when they saw it, they all hgrumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods iI give to the poor. And if I have jdefrauded anyone of anything, I restore it kfourfold.” 9And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since lhe also is a son of Abraham. 10For mthe Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

The Parable of the Ten Minas

11As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because nthey supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12He said therefore, o“A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13Calling pten of his servants,1 he gave them ten minas,2 and said to them, ‘Engage in business quntil I come.’ 14But rhis citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!3 Because you have been sfaithful in a very little, tyou shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in ua handkerchief; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are va severe man. You take wwhat you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22He said to him, x‘I will condemn you with your own words, yyou wicked servant! You knew that I was va severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26‘I tell you that zto everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27But ras for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and aslaughter them before me.’”

The Triumphal Entry

28And when he had said these things, bhe went on ahead, cgoing up to Jerusalem. 29dWhen he drew near to Bethphage and eBethany, at fthe mount that is called Olivet, he sent gtwo of the disciples, 30saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, hon which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32So those who were sent went away and found it ijust as he had told them. 33And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36And as he rode along, they jspread their cloaks on the road. 37As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—kthe whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice lfor all the mighty works that they had seen, 38saying, m“Blessed is nthe King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and oglory in the highest!” 39pAnd some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, qthe very stones would cry out.”

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41rAnd when he drew near and saw the city, she wept over it, 42saying, t“Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now uthey are hidden from your eyes. 43For vthe days will come upon you, when your enemies wwill set up a barricade around you and xsurround you and hem you in on every side 44yand tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And zthey will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know athe time of your bvisitation.”

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

45cAnd he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46saying to them, “It is written, d‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but eyou have made it a den of robbers.”

47fAnd he was teaching daily in the temple. gThe chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

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Footnotes
1 19:13 Or bondservants; also verse 15
2 19:13 A mina was about three months' wages for a laborer
3 19:17 Or bondservant; also verse 22
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

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