THE WONDER OF HIS WORD
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: THE WONDER OF HIS WORD
Main Scripture: Luke 1:5-45; Matthew 1:18-25
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week, consider reading the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
The scripture surrounding the birth of Christ gave me a renewed awe and wonder of God’s handiwork. It’s awesome to read how God orchestrates, composes, works, and intervenes to bring about the birth of Jesus. Each Sunday we’ll look at God’s Word, God’s hands, and God’s love at work to bring forth the savior of the world. My hope and prayer is that we all gain a renewed awe, wonder, and worship of God. As we see God work everything out I pray we’ll have greater trust and peace in God. Lastly, I pray we’ll believe in these truths and rest in the love God has blessed us with through Jesus Christ.
God spoke this world into existence. God orchestrated the creation of all living things by His commands. God creates, reveals, directs, and guides by His Word. In our stories today, we’ll see how God orchestrated the details and journey for Jesus to be born by His word. Faith in God’s Word would be tested, and a wonder in God’s Word would be provoked, especially since impossible miracles were predicted.
Notes:
Luke 1:5-25 - Zechariah and Elizabeth’s Miracle
God’s prophetic silence of 400 years to His people was over. God spoke once again in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Before the Messiah, there would come a forerunner to announce and prepare hearts to receive Him, this is John the Baptist.
V. 11 God sends an angel to reveal His Word and decision to Zechariah. God has heard his prayer and his wife will have a son. The answered prayer was seriously delayed but at last, Elizabeth will give birth to a son.
V. 18 Zechariah struggles to believe this word from the angel.
V. 19 The angel emphatically clarifies, that he is Gabriel God’s messenger and this is from God’s very throne room.
V. 20 God’s judgment or punishment also appears as a sign… he would not be able to speak until after the boy was born for not believing.
Elizabeth becomes pregnant and goes into hiding for 5 months. Only Zechariah, Elizabeth, the Angel, and God knew of this miracle in the making.
Luke 1:26-45 - Mary’s Angelic Appearing
V. 26-33 Now, Gabriel visits Mary and announces her role and the identity of her son.
V.34 Mary is perplexed and rightly so. Mary makes it known she is a virgin.
V. 35 This miracle will be done through the mighty hand and power of God, through the Holy Spirit bringing life inside her womb. The same Greek words for the Holy Spirit coming over the believers in Acts 2 is used here.
V. 36 The Sign that Mary’s miracle will take place is Elizabeth’s miracle of being pregnant. The angel reveals this secret, building faith, and encouraging Mary. Sometimes you need a sign or confirmation. I think this is one of those situations.
V. 37 “For the Word of God will never fail.” The theme of our message today. There’s a sense of certainty coming from the Angel and how faith-building would that be to hear!? ESV: For nothing will be impossible with God.
V. 38; 45 “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Mary teaches us what it looks like to put our faith and trust in God’s Word.
Matthew 1:18-25 - Joseph’s Angelic Appearing
V. 18-19 Eventually Mary begins to show and Joseph notices. He is ready to quietly break off the engagement. Engagements or betrothal’s lasted a year. Premarital sex is prohibited so we have to imagine the devastation in Joseph’s heart. But we also must consider the precarious situation Mary finds herself in since she knows she did not have sex with anyone and this is a supernatural miracle from God. I can imagine that Mary was also feeling troubled of what Joseph would do or what everyone would think. Considering Old Testament law at that time is to put to death a woman who commits adultery Joseph’s plan to quietly divorce her was kind and just. He was also trying to spare her from public shame as much as possible.
V. 20-21 But God intervenes with another angel. God at work once again.
V. 22-23 Another element of God’s Word in effect here, a prophetic Word from God:
Isaiah 7:14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)V. 24 Joseph also teaches us what it looks like to put our faith and trust in God’s Word.
Let’s capture the Awe and Wonder of God’s Word, Hand, and Love.
400 years of silence is over and God’s Word breaks through in the temple.
An Angel from heaven speaks God’s plans.
A priest made mute as a sign of confirmation.
A priest supposed to bless and guide cannot speak. The people take note that something significant happened.
Grace is given for a long-lost dream.
A long-forgotten prayer answered.
Another angel visits a young virgin.
This virgin is to be pregnant through the work of the Holy Spirit.
A groom on the verge of divorcing.
An angel intercedes and there is successful marriage intervention.
Mary and Joseph show exemplary faith that can move mountains.
A miracle baby will become a miracle worker
Fully man and Fully God
This is the Wonder of His Word at work. Angels from above, the prophecy of Old, and prophets of that day…all to bring us God in flesh appearing, Jesus Christ. Who we also know as The Word of God. God fulfilled His Word. He did what he said he would do.
John 1:14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
The Word, Jesus Christ would grow up to speak the very Words of God so that all who believe would be saved! The Wonder of the Word brought forth the Word that brings salvation and eternal life. The question is would we believe God's Word? Would we take it seriously and expect it to come true? Because all who trust in this Word and put their faith and lives in Him will be saved.
John 5:24 NLT “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”
As we know not everyone believes in The Word. Jesus encountered this with the Jewish priests of his day. Jesus said this: John 5:31-40
John 1:10-13 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
The same Holy Spirit that created physical life in Mary comes into our lives to give us spiritual life. We are reborn and now have life with God through faith in Jesus.
Takeaways:
Praise God for His wonderful and faithful Word!
Believe in the Word of God, believe in Jesus. Put your faith and life in why Jesus came, lived, died, and rose again. Believe and receive the Word that brings you spiritual and eternal life!
Jesus will accomplish what He has started in us, but we must continue to trust in His Word. Imitate the faith of Mary and Joseph as you read the scriptures each day.
Commit yourself to trust and obey God’s Word and it will never fail you.
While these miracles are specific to bring about God’s redemption through Jesus Christ they still reverberate and encourage us… Don’t lose hope or faith in miracles today. God’s delay doesn’t mean God’s denial. Don’t stop believing and asking.
Be encouraged my brothers and sisters in Christ. Your faith in God's Word is not misplaced!
Discussion:
What stuck out to you from this message about the Wonder of His Word?
How is the faith of Mary and Joseph a wonder in itself?
Are there any areas of your life where you are hesitant to put your trust in God’s plan?
In what ways has God’s Word (Jesus and scripture) brought comfort and joy to your life?
What did God use in this sermon to speak to your heart or situation?
What other notes did you highlight or write down that you would like to share?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!