12/01/17 CONSIDER

12/01/17 CONSIDER

1. THE HONOR FOR MARY.
2. THE HUMILIATION OF GOD.
3. THE HOPE OF MANKIND.

I MEAN, REALLY CONSIDER...
1. God chose Mary to carry His Son for nine months, birth Him into this world, nurture Him as an infant. No woman in the history of the world, no creature in the history of the universe was ever given a more unique or important assignment. Almighty God, Who occupies the universe and fills eternity allowed Mary to carry Him, hold Him, care for HIm and raise Him. Mary is not to be worshipped, but God chose to honor her as the "highly favored" one, the one most happy among women.

2. The Father of eternity became Mary's little Child.
The creator of the universe became the growing Seed within the body of an humble and otherwise insignificant Jewess virgin.
The Source and Sustainer and Sovereign of life became a totally dependent infant and toddler.
God became a Man.
Jesus came to His own, and His own rejected Him.
Jesus set aside some of His Divine rights and prerogatives and took on the likeness of sinful flesh.
Jesus was despised and rejected by men.
Jesus was denied and defamed by those He came to save.
Jesus became obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.
He Who knew no sin, became the sin sacrifice so that we might become the righteousness of God.

3. Adam bequeathed hopelessness to to the entire human race.
Then the son's of Adam rejected God and His offer of salvation, and rebelled against the Sovereign of the universe.

STILL, God revealed His plan to redeem lost humanity.
From the time of Christ's conception, Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and Zacharias, along with Anna, were Divinely told that the Son of God was about to come on a mission to save and deliver sinners from their sins.
The angels told the shepherds that Christ would rescue, rule, lead, bring peace, dispel darkness, impart life, deliver prisoners.
In His virgin birth, sinless life, perfect sacrifice, victorious resurrection, Jesus would save His people from their sins and reconcile lost people to eternal glory.
In these things we see the beginning of human hope over this present evil age, and we also see that hope continues beyond the grave, anticipating Christ's victorious return and His eternal reign.