1. 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

2. 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be borne will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

4. “This Advent season, while our focus will appropriately narrow to a baby in a manger, let us pray that we afterward embrace the grand vision of the same Incarnate Word of God, that the darkness will not win, that life and light and faith may reach to the very ends of the earth.” ~ David Gill

6. Favor = Grace 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [khaw-naw] – To decline (of the slanting rays of evening) or To Incline; to pitch a tent, to encamp [khaw-nan]– comes from khaw-naw to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior

8. Waiting Twist, stretch, enduring tension OT Expect, await, anticipate Expectant, ready and willing to receive Endure, putting up with surrounding difficulty Welcome from and out of all creation eagerly awaits Rom.8:19 Waiting for an outcome

9. Waiting Into Grace

10. Mary waited into Grace “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” “How will this be, since I am a …?” “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

11. Faithfulness to God = Empowerment with the Holy Spirit While he was serving as priest before God … Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

12. Faithfulness to God = Empowerment with the Holy Spirit “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

13. Faithfulness to God = Empowerment with the Holy Spirit 3939And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.40 4141Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

14. “This Advent season, while our focus will appropriately narrow to a baby in a manger, let us pray that we afterward embrace the grand vision of the same Incarnate Word of God, that the darkness will not win, that life and light and faith may reach to the very ends of the earth.” ~ David Gill

15. Joyful Joyful we adore Thee God of glory Lord of love Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee Opening to the sun above Melt the clouds of sin and sadness Drive the dark of doubt away Giver of immortal gladness Fill us with the light of day

16. Thou art giving and forgiving Ever blessing ever blest Wellspring of the joy of living Ocean depth of happy rest Thou our Father Christ our Brother All who live in love are Thine Teach us how to love each other Lift us to the joy divine

17. 7“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Luke 17

18. Faithfulness to God = Empowerment with the Holy Spirit 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15