Filling Up Christmas | The Fullness of the Spirit | Galatians 4:6-7; 5:16-25, Romans 8:14; 14:7-8 | Week 3

Last week I opened up by saying one of my favorite things about Christmas is Christmas movies.  That is true.  One of my second favorite things about Christmas is the songs.  I love singing Christmas songs.  {Ryan asks congregation to share favorite songs with person next to them.}  One of my favorite Christmas songs this year is "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."  But there's a song that's not growing on me [like Hark the Herald].  Every time this song comes on the radio, I think to myself, "I don't know.  I'm not sure."  The song is "Mary Did You Know?"  Before you hate me, here's what's going on in my head the entire song --- SHE KNEW!  SHE KNEW!  Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?  She knew.  Mary, did you know that your baby boy has come to make you knew?  She knew.  Mary, did you know that this child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you?  Yes, she knew.  Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?  She knew.  Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?  She knew.  She knew.  I am lamenting this, in our kitchen, and Kelly says, "Well, did she know he'd walk on water?"  Okay, 75% of the song, she knew!  How do we know?

If you have your Bible, open to Luke 1:30-35, that's where we're going to start today.  Here's the way we know that SHE KNEW.  It's called the Annunciation.  And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." {Isn't it interesting that finding favor with God has the potential to lead us to fear?  Sometimes what God does in our life are things that we don't quite expect and maybe didn't chart out on our own, and every time we find favor with God, we either have the choice to operate in faith or fear.  That's a side note.}  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."  And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"  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 born will be called holy----the Son of God...