God SEES, SENDS, SAVES, STRENGTHENS READ: Luke 1:28 CHALLENGE: Experience God’s Favor We can experience it by acknowledging that it exists to start with. To open our eyes and see how blessed we truly are. A.GOD SEES V26 - In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 1.God Sees the Small Places John 1:45-46 - 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered. 2.God Notices Humble People Vv27-28 - 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.” It all reminds me of - Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. B.GOD SENDS C. GOD SAVES Vv28-30 - 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. (trans.) How does the favor show up? 1. Gift of Presence V28 – You are highly favored. V30 – You have found favor with God. What is favor? He told her that God was with her! Remember what the Matthew said about Jesus? He fulfilled the prophecy You shall call him Immanuel and that means, “God with us”. That means that God will help her to do what she’s being asked to do! 2.Gift of Service Opportunities What was the favor? She would have the privilege to carry Jesus and give birth to the Messiah. She got to do a special service in this world which was a significant blessing in and of itself. His favor was that she got to do something remarkable for him. She can never take credit for it because it was all God. 3.Gift of Salvation. Vv31-33 - You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him 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 Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Matthew 1:21 – Name him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. D.GOD STRENGTHENS Vv34-37 - “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 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 unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” God SEES, SENDS, SAVES, STRENGTHENS