SCRIPTURE:
“How
will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even
Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was
said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God. “I
am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then
the angel left her. (Luke 1:34-38, NIV)
APPROACH
QUESTION:
What is an area of your life that you
doubted/doubt and what has been the outcome?
OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself how does Mary react to the angel's proclamation that was given in
v.26-33?
“How
will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself what do I learn about Mary from this
response?
Regardless of what the Angel Gabriel had proclaimed to Mary in the previous
verses: "...Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found
favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to
give him the name Jesus. 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, and he will
reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke
1:30-33, NIV), Mary was still in doubt that she was
going to bear a son in her virginity and makes it clear to the angel.
OBSERVATIONS/INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself what did the Angel Gabriel do with
Mary's question of doubt in v. 34-38?
I found it very interesting that the angel did not leave the virgin Mary in her
doubts, when she questioned the angel, but patiently answered her with reasons
why this will be so.
The angel Gabriel gave Mary 3 main promises
to appease her doubts:
-
The HOLY SPIRIT will COME UPON YOU
-
The POWER of the MOST HIGH will
OVERSHADOW YOU
- HOLY ONE to be born will be called the SON OF
GOD
The angel starts out with the Holy Spirit,
then mentions God, and concludes with Jesus.
INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself the significance of the
Angel Gabriel's response to Mary?
Mary is let known about the supernatural power
of the Holy Spirit who will begin the process of allowing her to
conceive in her virginity. This is because the power of the Most
High would overshadow her giving her the ability to conceive in her
virginity. Now the final result would be a ‘HOLY ONE’ being born who
will be called the Son of God.
It is very significant that the angel
answers Mary’s doubts with promises that are entirely focused on
God. The Holy Spirit, Power of the Most High, and Holy One called
Son of God all are names for God.
The angel does not stop there but goes a
step further giving her a promise that is very tangible at the
moment rather than intangible like the previous 3 promises.
When the angel started giving Mary reasons,
they were all spiritually intangible reasons that she could not see
right away but had to believe in faith. I believe God wanted to
appease her doubts more concretely so let the angel present a more
concrete tangible promise that can be seen.
This is evidenced by the angel’s next
promise:
“Even Elizabeth
your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who
was said to be barren is in her sixth month.” (Luke 1:36)
The angel lets her know that Elizabeth is
going to have a child in her old age. This statement alone could
also be seen as intangible of something to come in the future and
Mary would have to take it in faith so the angel does not stop there
but lets her know Elizabeth who is barren is already in her sixth
month. This is very significant because now Mary could tangibly see
something that seems humanly impossible happening in her relative’s
life. This is to assure Mary that if Elizabeth could get pregnant
and she was medically diagnosed to be barren then Mary too could get
pregnant even though she was a virgin.
After the angel gives all the reasons, he
concludes it with a powerful promise giving the credit to God and
letting her know it is because of God whatever is going to happen
will happen. This is evidenced by:
“For nothing is
impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)
OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what is the
cause-effect relationship I see here?
BeCAUSE of all the reasons that the Angel Gabriel gave the virgin
Mary, the EFFECT is that Mary responds with two powerful statements
to the angel:
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you
have said.” (Luke 1:38a)
INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself what is so significant
about Mary's final response?
After all these reasons, Mary lets the Angel know that her doubts
are appeased. She may not have understood everything nor had a
scientific answer to explain what was going to happen but she
finally believed. Her doubts were appeased because her question was
answered patiently by the angel Gabriel.
OBSERVATIONS/INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself the significance
of the angel's actions after Mary's final response?
Then the
angel left her. (Luke 1:38b)
It is so interesting that the angel leaves
only after hearing Mary’s response to her doubt being appeased.
Until then, the angel kept giving her reasons to believe.
APPLICATIONS:
I
asked myself what are the implications for my own life that I learn
from the Angel Gabriel's response to Mary?
Just as the Angel Gabriel, who was sent by God to reveal a message
to the virgin Mary, did not leave until her doubts were appeased, it
is exciting to know that when I have doubts, I can continually turn
to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with my questions and doubts. I
can be assured that He will not leave me in my doubts but send
people my way to appease those doubts and continue to do that as He
did with John the Baptist and Thomas among others. More than
anything, He will use His Word, His Spirit, and His Community to
address them. The purpose of today's study was for me to understand
that when doubt comes through our mouth, the Lord will use His mouth
to alleviate our doubt. He can do that through His Word, His Spirit,
and His Community while He uses them all as His vessels. The angel
Gabriel was part of God's community just as we become part of the
Lord's community when we turn our lives over to Him.
HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME
TESTIMONY REGARDING D.O.U.B.T:
Some of you know that recently, I have been having a lot of doubt
regarding Tim Keller's series II of Gospel Christianity because I
see it through the eyes of politics and its implication there that
do not match what I believe in to the point that I expressed few of
my feelings adamantly to Pastor Ed, Kristen, Josh, Edwin, Marie,
Steve, Zela and Bryan at our small group, two week ago. This week,
I asked permission to stay away from cell group until the
series is over but the Lord Jesus used His Word and specifically
Pastor Hugo to alleviate my doubts about it. When I expressed my
distaste more specifically to Pastor Hugo and Pastor Ed in an
email, both pastors could have been silent about it but both
responded with insights. Pastor Hugo being the senior pastor took
the time and effort to write me first and address some of my doubts.
Just as the
Lord used the Angel Gabriel not to leave the Virgin Mary until her
doubt was appeased, I believe the Lord has used Pastor Hugo with
these words for me yesterday to alleviate some of my doubts in an
email to me regarding the Tim Keller series II:
I
want to ask you to commit to keep coming to the fellowship, because
I believe it will be a good learning process for you. I know
Tim Keller (a little personally and a lot about his church,
organization, and teachings), so I know he is a
man of God, while I may not agree with all that he teaches, I
can appreciate his heart and do agree with much of his teachings.
I know that you may not like some of his
points, but you can rest assure that his teachings are fundamentally
sound and good for you. It is easy for us to sit at the teachings
of people we like or who are very like-minded to us, but it takes
humility and desire to grow to learn from people who may be more
"challenging" to us. God has taught me that many times its
precisely those teachings will be what He wants to use to grow me.
This side of heaven, I believe we should never be satisfy and stay
at our current level of spiritual maturity or insights, God will
always have something new to teach us and we will always have room
to grow, improve, or be reminded. I encourage to make it a
challenge and ask God to help you to always learn something from Him
through Keller's teachings.
Pastor Ed then emailed me things to think
about which I said I would take into consideration. For now
receiving the original email from Pastor Hugo yesterday has
alleviated some of my doubts in this situation and I plan to do what
he exhorted me to do.
My situation has no comparison in terms of
degree to what Mary was faced with but the principles of how the
Lord works in people's lives who have doubts is the same. He will
not leave us to our doubts when we sincerely seek after Him and want
what He wants us to do. There have been different doubts in my life
that the Lord Jesus has brought me through primarily using His Word,
His Spirit, His community, etc in agreement with His Word. And I
know He will continue to meet me in my doubts whatever they maybe.
More than anything as I reflect on my Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ this Christmas season, I am reminded how
gentle and mild He has been towards me in many of my doubts. Jesus
who addressed John the Baptist's doubts and Thomas's doubts while He
walked the earth, continues to address others in their doubts with
His love. Jesus has done that for me. He can do that for you too
especially regarding your relationship with Him and what you are
facing in life.
More than anything, He has brought me to
Himself and made me His child helping me work through a lot of my
doubts. I don't have all the answers that I would like to have but I
know as I walk in faith, Jesus will reveal all He wants me to know
in His timing including what to do with my life.
But for now, I can rest assured that Jesus
Christ whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season has delivered
me from the bondage of sin and death spiritually and made me right
in His sight through the shedding of His precious cleansing blood on
the cross of Calvary so I can belong to Him as He came back on the
third day to save. For that is the reason why love came down
2000 years ago as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, laying in the
manger, so one day He could become our Redeemer.
As you think about Christmas, don't just
get stuck with Jesus as a baby in the manager. Jesus is not a baby
anymore but the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the
Savior that the world needs. He is our Emmanuel who alone can bring
light into this dark world covered in sin. He is the Word that
became flesh for us and made His dwelling among us so one day, He
could become our Lamb of God to take away our sins by becoming our
sacrifice to redeem us. I praise the Lord for that.
What Jesus did for me He can do for you too
right now redeeming you and giving you new life. It does not matter
what you have done or where you have been because Jesus saves you by
His grace. It is a free gift of grace to bring freedom to you not
dependent on your good deeds but solely upon Him.
For none of us are good but all have fallen
short of the glory of God but God demonstrates His own love for us
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us and purchased us with
His precious Blood. (Romans 3 & 5)
You don't have to have doubts whether the Lord
will accept you because He will accept you as you are in your sin
when you turn to Him repenting of your sins and asking Him for
forgiveness. He will then make you new as you acknowledge Him as
your Lord and Savior of your life. For that is why He came.
(Romans 10)
Even when you are a believer, you can be
dealing with doubts as Mary did, as John the Baptist did, as Thomas
did, and as I did even though the circumstances of our lives are
different but the common denominator is that Jesus sees you in your
doubts and will answer you in your doubts in His timing.
I ask you now dear
friend, what does God do with your D.O.U.B.T.S in life?
Dear friend, I don't know what you see
happening with your doubts in life but this I know, it is wonderful
to know that our doubts and questions are not thrown away by the
Lord no matter how severe our doubts are.
In our humanity we may doubt about
different things that the Lord reveals to us because we look at our
circumstances, who we are, where we came from, etc (i.e.: Moses) OR
doubt about what the Lord wants us to do because the circumstances
don't seem to go our way (i.e: John the Baptist) OR think who am I
Lord that you choose me to accomplish what you say (i.e: Mary) OR
how can it be true for I have not seen it myself (i.e: Doubting
Thomas), etc OR should I take part in this or that for I am not
sure, etc but if the Lord tells us to do something and makes it
clear to us, He will make it happen but it will be in His timing.
Just as the Lord intervened through the
Angel Gabriel to work with Mary in her doubts, He will intervene in
your life to help you through your doubts regarding something He
wants to accomplish in your life. Yes, He will friend. You
need not be afraid to ask questions of the Lord. He will send
someone your way to help you through these doubts. I do believe it.
I do not know the doubts you may have right
now. But the Lord does and He will not abandon you. The Lord
welcomes your questions. Take it to Him and He will respond. Wait
upon Him! If we have doubts and questions concerning the Lord and
what He tells us, He we will not abandoned us but will work with us.
Yes, He will.
Maybe there are areas in your life right
now that the Lord has not told you what to do or what will happen
such as marriage, having kids after marriage, going to so and so
place, doing so and so job, etc but you want to do it because you
love to do that. But, when it does not seem to happen when you want
it to happen, don't doubt the Lord. If the Lord wants something for
you to happen, it will happen in His timing and no powers of
darkness will stop that from happening. When they don't happen,
there is a reason for that that the Lord will reveal in His own
timing.
Friend, we all have desires and want to see
them happen in our lives especially when we do a comparative
analysis with those around us.
When we don't see those desires happening
right away, we may even ask 'Why me
Lord, why is it not happening to me?'
but what I have learned is the desires we have will not make us
happy at all unless those desires are stamped and certified by the
Lord.
So this Christmas season, whatever doubts
you have instead of focusing on the doubts, turn to the One who can
alleviate those doubts. Focus on the One who came to redeem you and
give you new life. If Jesus went to the cross to redeem you, how
much more He can do for you in His timing. Yes, He can friend!
So, when you have doubts, if you will ever
do that ministry again, look to the Lord with me.
So, when you have doubts, if you will ever get to marry that person,
look to the Lord with me.
So, when you have doubts, if you will ever get that promotion, look
to the Lord with me.
So, when you have doubts, if you will ever be accepted by the Lord,
look to the Lord with me.
Whatever your doubts are, look to the Lord
with me!
You will find your answer in His love for
you. Because of His love for you, He will never keep anything you
need. A lot of times, He makes us wait for a lot of different
reasons because He has the perfect timing for He knows that a second
early or a second late is not the right time.
So, friend take all your questions to the
Lord and rest in Him no matter how bleak your circumstances look.
Sometimes we may not even get what we hope for but we will always
get what the Lord wants for us. We are His children and no good gift
will He keep from us. This is not to say we will not face any
troubles in this world for He never promises that but He does
promise to be with us always and walk with us strengthening us
instead of abandoning us! Praise the Lord!
Let the Lord work through your doubts this
Christmas season. The greatest prophet, to be proclaimed by the Lord
Jesus, that ever lived on this earth was filled with doubts
regarding Jesus. Yet, Jesus did not abandon him but met him in his
doubts.
So, don't you think, He will do the same
for you! Yes, He will friend. He will meet you where you are. I want
to share with you about Jesus' response regarding John the
Baptist to encourage you that the Lord used to encourage me in my
own doubts about His love and how He works with us in our own
doubts.
Let us remember that John, the Baptist was
the one who was born before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus’
coming and his was a miraculous birth to Elizabeth that the Angel
Gabriel told Mary about. Years later in his ministry, as
circumstances were not going his way, doubt started to creep into
his ministry and what Jesus came to do. He doubted the things he
believed but the Lord helped him through it through his disciples.
It
becomes a big deal when we know how long John the Baptist prepared
the way for the Lord. He is the one who also baptized Jesus in the
Jordan River (rf: Mark 1:9).
Now it seems like John is not sure about Jesus.
We need to ask ourselves why?
Being in prison may have raised doubts in John's mind. He easily
could have been in despair. Also, he may have wanted to assure
himself even though he is in prison that what he stood for all along
was right! (rf: Luke 3:1-20, v.19 & 20
reveal why he was put in prison)
How can a prophet who believed in Jesus, prepared the way for Jesus,
and baptized Jesus all of a sudden be filled with doubts?
Sometimes circumstances we are in can make us doubt. John is a
human just like us.
What does Jesus do?
"So he replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what
you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk,
those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the
man who does not fall away on account of me." (Luke 7:22-23)
-
Jesus wanted the men
to go back to John.
-
Jesus wanted them to
report to John what they have seen. (rf Lk 7:21)
-
Jesus wanted them to
report what they have heard.
Jesus told them to tell John the Baptist 7 things:
-
Blind receive sight
-
Lame walk.
-
Those with leprosy
are cured.
-
Deaf hear.
-
Dead are raised.
-
The Good News is
preached to the poor!
-
Blessed is the man
who does not fall away on account of me.
It is very interesting to know that Jesus did not ignore John the
Baptist when he had doubts but took the effort to answer his doubts.
He sent the messengers with evidence to reassure John the Baptist
that what he stood for before going to prison was right! We learn
the love of Jesus for others. If people have doubts concerning Him,
He does not just abandon them even if they have served Him for a
long time and then enter the times of 'despair and doubt'.
We
have seen John the Baptist live for Jesus and all He did for Jesus.
We also learn that he was put in prison for standing up for what is
right. Now he is in despair and doubt. We also see Jesus coming
along and sending a message of hope to John the Baptist. Especially
v.23 'Blessed is the man who does not
fall away on account of me.'
Friends,
'Have you served the Lord and have been so enthusiastic about
telling others about Jesus? Have you been so excited about the
Lord?' What about now? Is that enthusiasm and excitement for the
Lord still there or are your circumstances filling you with despair
and doubt about what you believed in and stood for?
If you are in despair and doubt, remember that Jesus will not
abandon you. He will reach out to you just as he reached out to John
the Baptist. Oh Yes, He will! When you feel down and in despair,
remember all that the Lord Jesus has done in your life and in the
lives of others this Christmas season. Let His Word lift you up and
no words of despair and discouragement.
Jesus does not ignore John for his doubts but reaches out to him
with evidence and later also praises him for all that he did in
serving Jesus.
(rf Luke 7:24-28)
Jesus reaches out to you too and will not forget what you have done
for Him. In your circumstances that are filling you with doubt and
despair, come to the Lord and stand upon His Word and promises.
May you find the peace and joy in the Lord this Christmas season now
and forever and blessed are those who do not fall away on account of
Jesus!
We
will all face trials and tribulations (rf:
James 1:2-4) but the important thing is
what do we do with those trials and tribulations?
God loves you my friend and it may be hard to face what you are
going through. The Lord suffers with you and knows your pain. Lean
on Him.
The Angel Gabriel never left Mary until her doubts were appeased.
The Lord will place people in your own lives to help you with your
doubts. Rest in the Lord. Maybe the Lord has sent you to answer
someone’s questions and appease their doubts. You are placed at such
a time as this. Use that opportunity for the glory of the Lord and
do not give up on the person you are trying to reach out to.
Remember, it is the Lord who works in you to accomplish His purpose.
Don’t give up but keep reaching out.
May you trust the Savior knowing despair occurs unless believe the
Savior! Amen!
"Despair Occurs Unless Believe The Savior!" (D.O.U.B.T.S)/"What
does God do with your doubts in life?"
Prayer:
Oh Father God, we come before you now. Thank you so much Father God
for your Son Jesus Christ, for sending Him into this world to rescue
sinners like me. Oh Lord Jesus, thank you so much for being with me
through trials and tribulations. Even in my doubts you never left me
and kept to your promises. Oh Lord I thank you for loving us so
much. Your Word shows us that trials and tribulations are a part of
life but you will be with us. You want us to remember all that you
have done for us when we are filled with despair. You want us to
trust in you in our doubts and we do that Oh Lord. I thank you Lord
for reaching out to Mary and John the Baptist in their time of
despair and doubt. Thank you for reaching out to us too. You don't
leave us but help us. Oh Lord, I pray for the one right now who is
filled with so many doubts about what you want them to do, what they
should be doing, if what they are hoping for will ever come true
soon, but I know Lord when they belong to you, you will take care of
all their desires even as you take care of my own desires. Help Lord
Jesus. It is so awesome to know what a God you are and you never
abandon us. Thanks for this Christmas seasons and to know who you
are and what you came to do for me my Jesus, My Lord, and My Savior.
I am so sorry for my sins and ask you to forgive me and rescue me.
Thank you for doing that I can wait upon you in my doubts for you
will answer. So, light the fire in my heart again Oh Lord and
fan the flame. Make me whole Oh Lord. You know Oh Lord where I have
been and I need you. Light the fire that once burned so bright for
you. I thank you Jesus. I give myself to you and rest in you Lord. I
rest in your love and care. Give me an undivided heart that I may
praise your Name. Let this Christmas season be filled with joy
because of you in my life instead of focusing on what I don't have
or doubts. Thank you so much Jesus you will take care of me. Thank
you for hearing us and answering us! In Your Name We Pray Jesus!
Amen!
Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace,
Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a
life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I
need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround
me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your
presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you
love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek
your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for
your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case.
Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN!
(Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)