The Birth Part 2: The Announcement

Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. (BEAT) Ya know what. I'm just gonna scroll it because there was a whole lot of begetting going on. This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah.

* There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ. -Matthew 1:17

That brings us to the time of Jesus birth. Well, just before. Ya see, there was this dude Zechariah. He was a priest. One day it was his turn to go into the temple to burn incense. While he was in there he had a visitor. This visitor told him he would have a son and to name him John. Now old Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were, well, old and didn’t believe the Angle so the angle made him mute.

So Six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy Gabriel was dispatched by God to see a young woman named Mary who was about to be married to a man named Joseph who was a descendant of David. See, God liked her. So he chose her to be the mother of the savior of the world. No pressure. And Mary said what we should all say when the lord calls us to do something.

* "I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled." -Luke 1: 38

So Mary was now with Child. Joseph did not break up with her despite all the rumors going around town cause the Angle had come to him also and told him…

* “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, -Matthew 1: 20-21

They were excited. So much so that Mary took off to go see her cousin, Elizabeth.

See, John, the baby Elizabeth was about to have would be none other than John the Baptist, the one told about that would come before to prepare the way. And as soon as he was born, His pa, Zachariah could speak again. Just as the Angel had said.

It was all going down just like God planed. To get the full story that goes into this portion of the birth, read Luke chapter one. Put yourself there. In that time. What it must have been like to be Mary and Joseph. In that small town with all the eyes on you. All the rumors. But they trusted God and they gave themselves to his plan.

So. We have hard the prophecies. We know have heard the announcement. The baby is on the way. Next week, on Christmas day, a child will be born.

Merry Christmas.

Press on. Fight the good fight. As a Soldier for Christ.