God often leads us to where we are not headed.

Luke 1:26,27 (NIV) 

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary...” 

Angels in the Bible:

• Isaiah 6:2, angels are depicted with six wings
• Ezekiel 1:10, angels are described as having multiple faces
• The face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.

I’m not sure what Gabriel looked like

• These are fierce, war-like creatures.
• They’re able to strike down a nation at God’s command,
• Yet, submissive enough to God to go and care for and protect an innocent child. 

Luke 1:27,28 

And so, this angel, appears- to a virgin named Mary. She wasengaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 

Often times what we call “interruptions,” God often sees as invitations. 

God will interrupt our plans with an invitation to something better, His purpose.

Luke 1:30 (NIV) 

Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “For you have found favor with God! 

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

Isaiah 55:8,9 (NIV)

Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so God’s purposes are higher than our purposes, so His plans are higher than our plans, so His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. 

Psalm 112:6,7 (NIV)

“Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” 

The promise of Christmas is that with God nothing will be impossible.

Luke 1:34

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 

Luke 1:35 (NIV)

“The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you” – in other words, this isn’t a job for you; this is a job for God – “‘and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.’” For with God nothing will be impossible. 

Luke 1:38 (NIV)

“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” 

“The assumption of spirituality is that always God is doing something before I know it. So, the task is not to get God to do something I think needs to be done, but to become aware of what God is doing so that I can respond to it and participate and take delight in it.”

Eugene Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor

Luke 1:48 (NLT)

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” 

“I Am the Lord’s Servant” is a statement of identity.

May Your Word to Me Be Fulfilled” is a statement of vocation and participation.