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Series A – Midweek Advent 2 – Wednesday, December 7, 2016 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:28	our scripture reading for this second
0:31	mid-week of advent is taken from the
0:34	Gospel of Luke chapter 1 verses 24
0:38	through 38.
0:40	which reads
0:42	after these days his wife zechariah’s
0:46	wife Elizabeth conceived and for five
0:49	months she kept herself hidden saying
0:51	thus the Lord has done for me in the
0:54	days when he looked on me to take away
0:56	my reproach among the people
0:59	in the sixth month
1:01	the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
1:04	city of Galilee named Nazareth to a
1:07	virgin betroth to a man whose name was
1:09	Joseph of the House of David and the
1:12	virgin’s name was Mary and he came to
1:15	her and said greetings o favored one the
1:18	Lord is with you
1:19	but she was greatly troubled at the
1:21	saying and tried to discern what sort of
1:23	greeting this might be and the angel
1:25	said to her do not be afraid Mary for
1:28	you have found favor with God and behold
1:31	you will conceive in your womb
1:33	embarrassed on and you shall call his
1:35	name Jesus he will be great and will be
1:39	called the son of the most high and the
1:42	Lord God will give him the Throne of his
1:44	father David and he will reign over the
1:47	house of Jacob forever and his kingdom
1:50	there will be of his kingdom there will
1:53	be no end and Mary said to the angel
1:56	how will this be since I’m a virgin and
2:00	the angel answered her the holy spirit
2:02	will come upon you and the power of the
2:05	most high will overshadow you therefore
2:08	the child to be born will be called holy
2:11	the Son of God and behold your relative
2:14	Elizabeth in her old age has also
2:16	conceived a son and this is the sixth
2:19	month with her who was called Barren for
2:21	nothing will be impossible with God and
2:24	Mary said
2:25	behold I am the servant of the Lord let
2:29	it be to me according to your word and
2:31	the angel departed from her this is the
2:35	gospel of the Lord in the name of Jesus
2:39	so the angel Gabriel who doesn’t make
2:42	very many appearances last time we saw
2:45	him while we saw him last week when he
2:48	appeared in the temple in the temple and
2:50	proclaimed to Zechariah that well his
2:54	aged wife will give birth to the one who
2:57	prepare the way of the Lord and that
2:59	he’s to be a Nazarite from his birth and
3:01	of course Zachariah not exactly
3:03	believing Gabriel well he lost his voice
3:06	for a little while you see when God
3:10	speaks even through an angel you might
3:12	want to pay attention but prior to that
3:14	we only hear of Gabriel one other time
3:17	and it was 500 years before this it was
3:22	when the Prophet Daniel was in Babylon
3:24	and Gabriel appeared to him and so
3:27	Gabriel announces nothing will be
3:31	impossible with God now the word
3:34	impossible it’s not a word that appears
3:36	in scripture very many times and and
3:39	when it does well we ought to take note
3:41	let’s do a little survey here if shall
3:44	we have scripture Luke chapter 18
3:48	25-27 famous passage says this it’s
3:51	easier for a camel to go through the eye
3:52	of a needle than for a rich person to
3:54	enter the kingdom of God for those who
3:56	heard it said well then who can be saved
3:59	who can be saved and Jesus said well
4:02	what is impossible with man is possible
4:04	with God
4:07	hmm
4:08	it was Jesus saying that it’s impossible
4:10	for man to save himself
4:13	especially if he’s rich and that God is
4:16	the one who has to save us
4:18	that’s exactly what he was saying
4:19	Hebrews 6 18 says it’s impossible for
4:22	God to lie this is absolutely true
4:26	when God speaks
4:28	what he says is going to happen happens
4:30	Hebrews 10 4 says it’s impossible for
4:33	the blood of bulls and goats to take
4:35	away sins well this is most certainly
4:37	true too and our sacrifice for sins and
4:40	everybody’s sacrifice for sins is the
4:42	Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
4:43	the world Jesus Christ the Holy One of
4:46	God and Hebrews 11 6 says without faith
4:49	it’s impossible to please God it doesn’t
4:51	say it’s difficult it doesn’t say it’s a
4:53	wee bit challenging it says no it’s
4:56	absolutely
4:58	impossible without faith to please God
5:03	impossible it makes about as many
5:06	appearances as scripture is Gabriel So
5:09	when it shows up pay attention
5:11	for tonight let’s add to this small list
5:14	that we we will here we’ll we’ll we’ll
5:16	we will rely upon science science tells
5:21	us this very real impossibility it’s
5:23	impossible for a virgin to conceive and
5:26	give birth see that’s not how the birds
5:29	and the bees work
5:31	yeah this is exactly what script
5:33	scripture prophesies in two places in
5:36	Genesis chapter 3 verse 15 the Lord
5:39	cursing the serpent who deceived our
5:41	first parents says I will put enmity
5:43	between you and the woman
5:45	and between your seed and her seed the
5:50	seed of the woman he shall bruise your
5:53	head and you shall bruise his heel
5:57	you see the seed of the woman see Jesus
6:00	is not the seed of
6:01	a man and a woman
6:03	he’s the seed of a woman
6:06	and notice here he’s a he prophesied in
6:09	Genesis 3 15. and then Isaiah 7 14 1
6:13	we’re all very familiar with especially
6:14	during this time of the year behold the
6:17	Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and
6:19	shall call his name Emmanuel
6:23	which means god with us
6:26	and that’s a scary thought if you think
6:28	about it I thought God was separated
6:29	from us because of our sin and our
6:31	Rebellion against him God With Us is he
6:34	coming to kill us God With Us it’s a
6:37	little bit of a dis disconcerting
6:39	thought but see everything in our text
6:42	tonight well kind of drips with the
6:46	words of our hymn Comfort Comfort ye my
6:49	people
6:50	tell her that her Warfare is over
6:54	these are words of comfort written to us
6:56	today from the Gospel of Luke and let me
7:00	return back to the text after these days
7:02	zechariah’s wife Elizabeth conceived and
7:05	for five months she kept herself hidden
7:07	saying thus the Lord has done for me in
7:10	the days when he looked on me
7:13	and when the Lord looked on her what did
7:15	the Lord do for Elizabeth
7:17	he took away her reproach from among the
7:20	people
7:21	God looking on her taking away her
7:24	reproach God taking away someone’s
7:26	reproach so that rather than experience
7:28	reviling and hatred and being seen as
7:31	cursed she is now considered blessed you
7:35	see that is Mercy that is Grace that is
7:37	not judgment that is kindness not
7:40	hostility that is Comfort not Terror
7:44	these are words of comfort see Luke has
7:47	good news to share with us
7:49	and the text continues in the sixth
7:52	month the sixth month from what was it
7:54	June no the sixth month from Elizabeth’s
7:58	conception the angel Gabriel again was
8:01	sent from God to a city of Galilee named
8:05	Nazareth Nazareth can anything good come
8:08	from Nazareth what an impossibility that
8:12	something good would come from Nazareth
8:16	so the angel Gabriel was sent to a
8:18	virgin
8:19	betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph
8:22	of the House of David and the virgin’s
8:25	name was Mary and he came to her and
8:28	said greetings o favored one the Lord is
8:31	with you
8:32	but she was greatly troubled at the
8:33	saying and trying to discern what sort
8:35	of greeting this might be and the angel
8:37	said to her do not be afraid Mary for
8:39	you have found let me leave the word
8:42	untranslated here you have found karth
8:46	with God
8:48	you found carus
8:50	Karis is the word we translate
8:52	oftentimes into Grace
8:56	to find God’s favor is to find his grace
9:00	so here Mary she’s found Grace not
9:03	judgment favor not contempt and the
9:08	angel continues and behold you will
9:10	conceive in your womb and you will bear
9:13	a son just like the Lord said in the
9:16	Garden of Eden that the seed of the
9:18	woman would crush the head of the
9:20	serpent he you shall bear a son and you
9:23	shall call his name now this is where
9:26	the Greek is gonna just well let us down
9:29	just a smidge you see she would have
9:32	heard the words probably in Hebrew or
9:34	Aramaic and Jesus’s name well the the
9:39	word Jesus is a Greek form of it if you
9:42	would but the word is the name is Yeshua
9:46	Yeshua this is a compound Hebrew word
9:50	consisting of two elements the first
9:53	Yeshua Yahoo you know the idea here is
9:57	this is the name of God so the Jesus is
10:01	the beginning portion of his name
10:03	actually is the very name of God and the
10:06	last part Yasha it means to deliver to
10:11	save to rescue put it together Yahweh
10:14	saves Yahweh rescues Yahweh delivers see
10:20	God With Us is here not to condemn us
10:24	but God With Us is here to save
10:27	and to deliver us
10:30	the angel continues he will be great and
10:34	will be called the son of the most high
10:36	and the Lord God will give him the
10:38	Throne of his father David and he will
10:40	reign over the house of Jacob forever
10:43	and of his kingdom there will be no end
10:49	what a thought
10:51	a king
10:52	forever
10:55	one
10:56	who saves us
10:59	one who rescues us
11:03	and so Mary said to the angel
11:06	how will this be
11:10	I’m a virgin
11:12	see she’s never been with a man
11:15	and I don’t know if you’ve noticed this
11:16	there’s this theme in all of scripture
11:18	of all of these Barren wounds that God
11:22	has Filled from Abram’s wife Sarah Sarah
11:26	who becomes Sarah she gives birth to
11:29	Isaac in her old age to well Samuel’s
11:32	mother who couldn’t give birth I mean
11:34	all throughout the Old Testament story
11:37	after story after stories of all these
11:39	Barren wombs that the Lord has filled
11:42	and is there no more Barren of a womb
11:45	than a virgin’s womb doesn’t get more
11:49	Barren than that it may as well be the
11:51	Sahara Desert of wombs
11:53	how will this be since I am a virgin and
11:55	the angel said to her
11:57	the holy spirit will come upon you the
12:00	power of the most high will overshadow
12:02	you therefore the child to be born will
12:05	be born will be called holy the Son of
12:08	God and behold your relative Elizabeth
12:10	in her old age is conceived a son and
12:13	this is the sixth month with her who was
12:15	called barren
12:17	for nothing will be impossible with God
12:21	and Mary said behold
12:24	I am the servant of the Lord
12:27	let it be to me according to your word
12:31	and then the angel departed from her
12:33	for nothing
12:36	nothing will be impossible with God you
12:39	see God is up to something he’s up to
12:42	something big so yeah and in order to
12:45	kind of understand this I need to warn
12:48	you don’t get in the way of what God is
12:50	doing by trying to put yourself into the
12:52	middle of the story and here’s what I
12:54	mean this is not a parable about your
12:57	life where you too will be visited by
12:59	Gabriel or maybe even somebody more
13:01	important like the Holy Spirit and then
13:03	receive a special assignment from God
13:05	that’s not what this is about no this is
13:08	about us receiving Grace
13:13	us receiving Mercy us receiving a savior
13:18	a deliverer one who has come to rescue
13:22	us
13:22	how can this be for all have sinned and
13:25	fall short of the glory of God Romans 3
13:27	23 says
13:30	but nothing will be impossible for God
13:33	John chapter 1 starting in verse 9 says
13:36	the True Light which gives light to
13:37	everyone was coming into the world he
13:40	was in the world and the world was made
13:41	through him yet the world did not know
13:44	him he came to his own and his own
13:46	people did not receive him
13:48	but to all who did received him
13:51	who believed in his name he gave the
13:54	right to become children of God now
13:56	watch who were born not of blood nor of
14:01	the will of the flesh nor of the will of
14:04	man but born of God
14:08	you see the birth of the Savior and the
14:10	Virgin signals God’s rescue so that you
14:13	can be born of God you can be born from
14:16	above
14:18	well how can this be those born dead and
14:22	trespasses and sins are born under the
14:24	Dominion of darkness and born slaves to
14:26	sin death in the devil but see nothing
14:29	will be impossible for God
14:32	and this is the same Motif the same
14:34	theme we see and that very famous
14:37	passage in John chapter 3. the Nick at
14:40	night passage where Nicodemus comes and
14:43	says teacher we know that you were come
14:45	you have come from God and listen to
14:46	Jesus’s words
14:48	amen amen I say to you unless one is
14:51	born again he cannot see the kingdom of
14:54	God
14:55	Nicodemus said to him
14:57	how can a man be born when he is old
15:01	can he enter a second time into his
15:03	mother’s womb and be born Jesus answered
15:05	amen amen I say to you unless one is
15:08	born of water in the spirit he cannot
15:11	enter the kingdom of God that which is
15:13	born of the flesh is flesh that which is
15:15	born of the spirit of spirit do not
15:17	Marvel that I have said to you you must
15:19	be born from above the wind blows where
15:22	it wishes and you hear it sound but you
15:25	do not know where it comes from or where
15:27	it goes so it is with everyone who is
15:29	born of the spirit
15:31	Nicodemus said to him how can these
15:34	things be
15:36	wow
15:39	all this birth stuff
15:42	you see the birth of the virgin
15:44	signals the god
15:48	is going to be giving birth to Children
15:50	through Christ
15:53	how can these things be
15:55	Jesus answered him are you the teacher
15:58	of Israel and yet you don’t understand
15:59	these things amen amen I say to you we
16:02	speak of what we know and bear witness
16:03	to what we have seen but you do not
16:05	receive our testimony if I have told you
16:08	Earthly things and you do not believe
16:09	how can you believe if I tell you of
16:12	heavenly things no one has ascended into
16:14	heaven except he who descended from
16:16	Heaven the son of man and as Moses
16:19	lifted up the serpent in the wilderness
16:20	so must the son of man be lifted up that
16:23	whoever believes in him
16:27	may have
16:29	eternal life
16:31	for God so loved the world that he gave
16:34	his only son that whoever believes in
16:37	him should not perish
16:39	but have eternal life for God did not
16:42	send his son into the world to condemn
16:44	the world but in order that the world
16:47	might be saved through him whoever
16:49	believes in him
16:51	is not condemned whoever believes in him
16:56	is born of God born from above and all
17:02	of this calls for
17:05	faith
17:07	you see the same faith that Mary Had
17:10	by faith Mary though her womb was Barren
17:14	because she was a virgin and had not
17:17	known a man
17:18	she gave birth to your savior so that
17:22	you can be born from above born
17:26	from God
17:28	and all of this calls for us to unite
17:31	our voices with hers and say behold
17:35	I am the servant of the Lord be it dot
17:38	be it to me according to your word
17:44	and these are the words that Comfort us
17:47	God has sent his son
17:50	Yahweh saves Yahweh delivers
17:54	we are rescued
17:58	in the name of Jesus
18:00	amen

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