Have you heard the news?
Did you hear what's just happened?
I can't believe it.
Oh, you haven't heard?
You didn't see what's been on the front of social media
and the front of the newspapers?
Our ears tend to prick up at these types of things.
Maybe you were actually wondering
if I actually had some news to share.
It's one of the things that I think social media does really well.
It's constantly bombard us with new information.
If you keep pulling down or hitting refresh
on Facebook or Insta or Twitter,
it just continues to provide us with new things
for our eyes to look at
because our brains really like it.
They've figured out how much we like it
and how addicted we can be
to just getting new information in.
How would you feel if I shared the front page
of the news from 2005?
Would you care?
What if I, you know, it's that feeling of
showing someone a picture of a meme
that they've already seen.
It's just kind of like,
hmm, yeah, it's a good one.
But I wonder if there's some pieces of news.
I wonder if there's some pieces of information
that are still life-changing.
Some things that just stop us in our tracks.
You know, when an old friend
who you've been meeting with,
you've just been spending hours with them
for years and years and years,
when this old friend says to you,
I really still like catching up with you.
It's actually really wonderful.
You know, that's news you still want to hear.
When a family member tells you again
for the 400th time how much they love you.
Some of this news that we hear,
we may have heard before,
but some news can still impact our hearts.
It's Christmas time.
We've gathered late at night to celebrate,
to hear the old, old news
of Jesus coming as a baby.
I wonder what kind of news it is for you.
Is it news that we've just heard before
and it's not exciting
and we're actually looking for something
more interesting, more exciting for Christmas?
Or is there still something relevant for us
about this old news
that can still impact our hearts this year?
Tonight we're looking at how Mary,
the mother of Jesus,
responded to the news of Jesus.
And the challenge for us will be
to be amazed and transformed
at this old news.
Not like it's the first time we've heard it,
but because it is still meaningful for us.
So as we do this tonight,
let me pray for us.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I ask that you would help us
to encounter this news of Jesus' birth
afresh tonight
and that it would be life-changing again for us, Lord.
We ask this in your Son's name.
Amen.
We're going to see two things tonight.
First of all, we're going to see Mary's response to the news
and then we're going to consider
how we need to respond to this old news.
We come to Mary
and her response to hearing from God.
She is a young lady,
around the age of 15,
pledged to be married to a man by the name of Joseph.
And an angel appears to her with a message from God.
This is the freshest of news that you could get.
And she says,
please have your Bibles open,
have your notes open with me.
We're going to start in verse 28,
where we see the angel says,
greetings,
you who are highly favoured.
The Lord is with you.
Now, I'm not sure how you would respond
if you had an angel appear,
let alone describe you as highly favoured.
God,
at the start of this message,
is saying that,
Mary,
you are highly favoured.
I'm going to show my grace to you,
unmerited favour.
This is amazing,
that God would show His grace,
His unmerited favour to anyone,
let alone a 15-year-old girl
who could not have done anything to deserve it.
Mary responds to this announcement,
verse 29,
Mary was greatly troubled at His words,
and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
She doesn't immediately respond with joy.
She doesn't say,
wow,
I've been greatly favoured by God,
I've got to go and tell everybody.
She's troubled.
She has an emotional response.
She's trying to understand
what this message is
that the angelic being has brought to her.
Why am I highly favoured by God?
Why has God shown His grace to me?
Why would the Lord show His favour to me?
But it's not about her being special.
It's about God being gracious.
The God who chooses to love and show His grace,
even to unlikely people.
The angel continues in verse 30,
Do not be afraid, Mary,
you have found favour with God.
You will conceive and give birth to a son,
and you are to call Him Jesus.
He will be great,
and He 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 Jacob's descendants forever.
His kingdom will never end.
If she was confused and troubled
about being favoured by God,
imagine her now.
You're saying that I'm not only favoured by God,
but that before I,
and that's even before I get married,
I'm going to be pregnant with a baby,
and that that baby is going to be the long-expected Emmanuel,
God with us,
who's going to rule forever.
It's no wonder Mary responds to this amazing news
with surprise and with questions.
Verse 34,
Now, this is not a sign of doubt.
She's trying to understand God's good news to her.
But even before she can get to the theological implications
of the descendant of David coming,
of God's Son Himself, Jesus coming,
before she can get to those implications,
she's asking very practical questions.
God, how is this going to work?
I'm not married yet.
How am I supposed to have a baby?
She doesn't dismiss the good news because it's crazy,
but she's asking God,
help me understand your plan.
God, how is this going to work?
And the angel clarifies,
the Holy Spirit will come on you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
And 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.
Mary is given an explanation and a piece of proof.
Elizabeth, her very old relative,
will also have a miraculous birth.
I think this is actually a really wonderful piece of news
and a piece of proof for Mary.
I think it's really wonderful.
God has placed her in a situation
which no one will understand.
So she's going to be pregnant.
Her fiancé is not going to understand it.
Her parents aren't going to understand it.
The society around her is all going to be questioning
why this young, unmarried woman is pregnant.
How can this be?
Sure, you've said it's from God.
I'm not sure we believe you.
And yet God directs her to Elizabeth.
She also is going to have a miraculous birth.
People also wouldn't have been able to believe
that she was pregnant,
and yet she was six months pregnant.
God puts this into her hands
because Elizabeth will understand.
She's the only person who would.
And the angel calls on her to trust God's word.
No word from God will fail.
And Mary responds, wise beyond her years.
Verse 38,
I am the Lord's servant.
May your word to me be fulfilled.
I just think her response is wonderful.
God, I'm going to trust you.
I've got questions,
but I'm not going to be afraid.
I am your servant,
and I'm going to trust you.
After this, Mary goes to visit her relative.
And when she's there,
she responds to all that God is doing,
and she sings a song called the Magnificat,
where she praises and gives glory to God.
She rejoices.
She says,
My soul glorifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
She is rejoicing.
She is praising God.
And Mary, just in these very short verses,
has gone on this wonderful journey.
She started at the good news,
troubled.
She was troubled,
unsure of this news.
She questions the angel,
and then she places her trust in God's word,
and finally rejoices with praise.
I remember where I was when I first heard the news about 9-11.
I remember I was sitting in high school.
It was year 11,
and a mate of mine was listening on the radio,
and he was giving me live updates of what was happening.
I remember hearing for the first time the full implications of COVID.
Last year,
I was camping.
I was out in the middle of nowhere in a tent.
I got a call from Steve,
saying,
things have gotten serious.
Even church is going to have to lock down.
We have some parts of news that just shape our lives,
and that are very memorable.
Do you remember the first time that the news of Jesus interrupted your life?
How much has it shaped your life since then?
Or maybe this is the first time that you're actually considering this news
of the Son of God coming,
that God would show unmerited favor and grace
on unworthy people like Mary and like you and me,
that God became a person to bring salvation,
that this news was life-changing for Mary,
but also for us.
This is news that we can't ignore.
And just like hearing about COVID that impacts everybody,
we can't pretend that the news of Jesus isn't for us.
We can't just say it's for someone else.
This message is for all people.
God sent His Son, Jesus,
for all people to be able to know and follow Him,
because one day we will stand before Him.
Now, you may have responded to this like Mary,
being troubled at the news.
And I think this is a good and rational response.
We should be troubled at this news.
Someone I know is dying of cancer at the moment.
And they don't want to talk about death.
They don't want to face the reality.
They don't want to use that big D word of death.
They're just placing their trust and their hope in doctors.
The doctors are going to fix it.
I don't have to think about my future.
The doctors have got it sorted.
But that would be like, you know,
thinking that COVID is not going to impact our lives,
or being on the Titanic that's going down,
and ignoring the calls to jump into a lifeboat.
Each of us need to consider our future
and what this news means for us.
We should be troubled by this news.
Troubled that we are in so desperate need,
God would have to come Himself.
We need God to favour us.
And the wonderful good news of the Bible
is that He does.
He has chosen to show His grace and His favour.
If this is news to you,
come and talk to me.
If you're still considering this,
talk to the person next to you.
Talk to the person that you're with.
Because I believe that
we can respond to this news like Mary.
We can place our trust in Jesus.
In God.
And that is the way,
just like Mary,
to have joy.
To rejoice at what God is doing.
Joy even in a broken world.
But what if this is old news?
What if this is a message
we've all heard before?
What if, you know,
it doesn't actually seem that exciting anymore?
It doesn't have that same, you know,
hit of adrenaline or a dopamine rush
when I'm flicking through Twitter
that I get.
It doesn't seem to be
life-changing joy anymore.
I think Mary's response
to hearing the good news
is helpful for us
as we consider the old news.
I think it is helpful for us
to consider what it is
to be troubled by this news.
To question God
and then to trust in Him
and finally to rejoice.
Starting with troubled.
Mary, when she heard this message
from the angel,
she was troubled.
He said to her
that she was greatly favoured.
If you're feeling like
the news of Christmas
isn't that new
or interesting anymore,
I want to encourage you
to sit in this.
Because God says to us
the same thing.
Sure, we haven't had
an angel visit us
and say,
hey, you're highly favoured.
We have God saying that
to us in His Word.
Ephesians 1, 7 says,
In Him we have redemption
through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins
in accordance with the riches
of God's grace.
God shows His grace,
His unmerited favour
to each of us.
And this should trouble us.
This should disturb us.
It's news that should shake us
out of a mundane faith
because it's easy
to get used to Christmas
that Jesus became a baby.
It's easy to get used
to this news
and just go through
a process of coming to church
week in and week out
and forget how amazing
and radical
and troubling this news is.
Sometimes though,
God will creep up on us
and remind us
of this great truth.
Particularly when we've been
doing the wrong thing.
When we've been sinning.
When we've hurt someone else.
And we realise,
oh, I am despicable.
I am sinful.
And yet,
Ephesians 1 verse 7,
God has shown
His immeasurable riches
in His grace to me.
I don't deserve anything good
from God
and yet He chooses
to love me.
Be reminded
of this truth from Ephesians 1,
this word from Mary,
God has poured out
His unmerited grace on us.
One of my favourite TV shows
of the past years
is a TV show called
Ted Lasso.
Not sure if you've seen it.
One of the characters
in this show
attempted to ruin
this main character,
Ted Lasso's life.
But when they realised
what they've done,
they came and apologised to Ted.
And He just says,
I forgive you.
The other person
cannot believe it
and they are brought
to tears.
God has shown
His amazing grace,
His amazing favour
to us.
He says
far more than forgiveness.
He doesn't just forgive us,
but He chooses
to show His riches
to us.
His love
that He would bring us
into His family.
He says,
you are more precious
to me.
God has shown
His amazing favour
that He would
choose you
and me,
sinful enemies of God.
That He would shine
His face on us.
We should be troubled
by this.
We should be stirred
deep inside,
reminded that we
do not deserve it
and it should remind us
of how great
and wonderful
our God is
and our need
and our dependence
on Him.
Secondly,
I think this news
for us is really helpful
because it reminds us
that it is good
to question God.
We can keep bringing
our questions to Him.
James chapter 1
reminds us
that if any of us
lack wisdom
to ask God
and He gives generously
to all
without reproach.
Asking questions
is not a sign
of a lack of faith.
We can take
our questions to Him.
He's bigger than
our questions.
He is sovereign.
We can be asking
questions like,
God,
how am I ever
going to stop
sinning like this?
God,
how will my family,
my friends
ever come to know
and love you,
Lord?
God,
I'm really worried
about what's happening
at the moment.
I'm really worried
about case numbers
in Sydney.
I'm really worried
about COVID.
God,
I'm suffering
right now.
God is big enough
for these questions.
Now,
God may speak
directly or even
through an angel,
but as the angel
said to Mary,
God's word
doesn't fail.
We have His word
and He promises
that He is sovereign.
He is in control
today and tomorrow
and He is with us.
So let me encourage you
to be troubled
by this good news.
Be encouraged
to take
your questions
to Him
and then
each day
respond to the good news
of the gospel
by choosing
to trust in Him.
Trust that what God
has said about our tomorrow,
that He is sovereign
for tomorrow,
that He has a plan.
Trust in that.
Trust that His way
and His plans
are better than anything
that we could come up with.
And then finally,
to rejoice
with Mary
at this news.
Rejoice
that God
would save
of people
like us.
If you're feeling
not excited
by this news,
this good news
of Jesus,
be troubled,
take your questions
to God,
trust in Him
and then we can rejoice.
We can rejoice
because we don't need
to worry about tomorrow.
God has it sorted.
Lamentations 3
says,
When we daily
remind ourselves
of God's mercies,
they are new.
His gospel
is new to us.
Then the old news
doesn't actually seem
old anymore.
It is new.
It is amazing.
It is life-giving.
I have been
married to my wife
Alyssa now
for almost 15 years.
And I remember
the first time
that we said
I love you
to each other.
I reminded her
of this the other day
and it turns out
she can't remember it.
I am very glad
I can still remember it though.
And I said it,
it was on a train
between our houses.
We lived about
an hour apart
and I said it to her
on the train
and there was
a very short pause
where my heart
was in my mouth
and then she responded
with those
three little words.
But I remember
thinking
what is she going
to say?
Do I get off
the train now
at whatever stop
this is?
Is she going
to run away
or is she going
to say I love you
back?
And it was wonderful
news when she did
say it back to me.
But since that time
let's say
that she has
either said
those words
or texted me
those words
every second day.
That would be
over two and a half
thousand times
that I've heard that.
It is not news
to me anymore
that she loves me.
I'm pretty sure
I've gotten used
to that idea.
But why haven't
I said to her
stop telling me.
I don't need
that information.
It's not news
to me anymore.
I'm actually really
bored by that piece
of information.
Can't you tell me
something new
and exciting?
It's probably
not the wisest
thing to say
to her.
And yet
every day
when she says
those words
it's new.
After we've had
an argument
or if there's
been pain
and conflict
and I hear
those words
it reminds me
that we're okay.
That we're on
the same side
that we're on
the same team
that we're going
in the same
direction.
Those words
have meaning
because of
the relationship.
How much
more so
with God
when we hear
the news
again
that God
loves us
enough
that he
sent
Jesus.
We need
to hear it
again
after we've
sinned.
After we feel
distant from
him
because it
reminds us
of how great
his love
for you
is
for me
is.
I need
to hear it.
We need
to hear it
when we're
lost
or lonely
or when we're
far from
home.
We need
to hear
this good
news
of the
gospel
of Jesus
coming
when I'm
questioning
God
when we're
wondering
about the
season of
life in
because it
reminds us
of the good
news that
he is
sovereign
he is in
control of
all things
and then we
can rejoice.
Let me
pray.
Heavenly
Father
we thank
you for
this good
news.
Lord I
ask that
it would
be news
to us
again
today.
That it
would not
just be
information
but it
would be
news that
leads to
our lives
being
transformed
to trust
in you
to rejoice
with you
and all of
your goodness
to us
Lord.
Amen.