Happy Christmas Eve, friends!
Our passage of Scripture today is Luke 1: 26 - 38 ...
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you."
But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. Then the angel told her: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?” The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. For nothing will be impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
Jesus' conception by the Holy Spirit, rather than by a human father, accomplishes two purposes:
Firstly, it makes Jesus free from the sin that all fathers pass to their children since Adam sinned in the Garden.
Secondly, it fulfills the prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7: 14).
His conception by the Spirit of God meant Jesus would literally be the "Son of God" (John 3: 16; Matthew 14: 33). He would be born holy, lacking any sin at all, and remain that way forever (Hebrews 4: 15).
Also significant here is verse 35: The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God."
Within this single verse, we have the basis for our Christian faith in the triune God. All three Persons of the Trinity are present: God “the Most High,” Jesus Christ “the Son of God,” and the overshadowing presence of “the Holy Spirit.”
We often hear people talk about "the Christmas spirit" at this time of year - a sense of kindness and goodwill that seems to be more prevalent among us during this season, but unfortunately less so the rest of the year.
I pray that we will be reminded today that the presence and power of Christ Jesus are not a seasonal experience, but that they remain with us at all times through the Holy Spirit, Who is the true Spirit of Christmas — all year long.
Let the fullness of Thy Spirit Fall upon us here this hour. How we need a new anointing Of the Holy Ghost and power. —Jarvis