God's Grace — Erlo Stegen

Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you for this opportunity to meet in this way. May your word not just come to us and not penetrate, but may it be like fire that comes to dry wood. Amen. Our text we find in Luke chapter 1 and verse 26.

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, the virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women. But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

And behold, you will conceive and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the highest. Verse 34, then Mary said to the angel, how can this be since I do not know a man?

And the angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the highest will overshadow you. Therefore also that holy one who is to be born will be called the son of God.

Verse 38, then Mary said, behold the maid servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah and entered the house of Zacharias.

And greeted Elizabeth. And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she spoke out with a loud voice and said, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Verse 45, blessed is she who believed for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, my soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For he has regarded the lowly state of his maid servant. For behold henceforth all generations will call me blessed. Stop reading thee. We've read many verses. I'll just touch on a few points. God sent Gabriel the archangel responsible for the children of Israel.

And God sent Gabriel to Galilee, a heathen place, and he said I'll send you to a city there called Nazareth. And sent him there specifically to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. And he said to Joseph, my son, I will send you to a city called Nazareth.

And so she was engaged to him. And the angel said to her, rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women. She was shocked and troubled by this greeting. And wondered what kind of greeting this was and what it meant.

And the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. The first point, you have found favor and grace before God. So you will be called blessed among all women because you have found favor before God.

And we can agree and say well it's true, she was truly favored. She had found great mercy and grace that God should come down and be conceived in her. She had found favor and grace. She was not like all the other women.

She was different because she had found grace. But when I thought about it, I said, but is she the only one that was favored? If you think of it as Christians, almost every single service one goes to, you hear about the grace of the Lord Jesus.

And it is even said, may the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. It's the same grace. But now you can say, but in her case it was different. Well, in a sense, yes, it was different. But still, let's not just take it lightly.

In fact, if someone came to me and said to me, you know that the grace I received is even greater than the grace that Mary received, I would not disagree with that person. It would actually get me to think.

And that person could then argue and say, well, the Lord Jesus was conceived in her womb and she brought birth to him physically. Yet in my life, Jesus, the resurrected Lord, to whom all power is given in heaven on earth, he himself has come and come to live in me.

Where's the greater grace? Where's the greater grace? Yes, she received favor and grace. But how can you despise the fact that the resurrected Lord who rose, he descended to hell, overcame the devil and hell and ascended to sit at the right hand of God.

He himself comes to live in me and in us. But now let's for a moment just forget about the baby that was conceived in her womb and the resurrected Lord. And just let us look for a moment just at the grace.

Have you yet received God's grace? In the New Testament, we read that where sin abounds, where it was powerful, there his grace appeared and abounds much more. Much, much more and overcame. Just imagine such grace.

So whether you were a prostitute, an immoral person, a murderer, whatever filth you were in, there God's grace appears and is greater still. And there his grace appears and is great and abounds much more than all that filth that you were in.

Is there greater grace than that? Now if you find such grace, that grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, what kind of a person shouldn't you be? And even if you're a small little baby, how fortunate aren't you?

When John the Baptist was in the womb and he heard the greeting of that one that was so highly favored, he jumped in his mother's womb. When that unborn child heard the greeting of that highly favored one, in that moment he leapt in the womb and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

It's no small thing to receive such grace. Imagine that unborn baby rejoicing, leaping, filled with joy because of that grace and receiving it. There's really no, you cannot find words to describe the height, the depth, the breadth of this matter.

Now Titus in chapter 2 speaks of this grace. In Titus we read, chapter 2, verse 11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

So that marvelous grace was not just revealed to Mary alone, but to all of us. As it says, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Now tell me, if you've received such great grace, which is for all men, and you personally have received it, what man of person shouldn't you be? You should almost not be walking on the ground anymore.

You should be at a totally different level. You should be a person walking on air, in the skies, because of the grace of God. But if you're down in the dumps, depressed, I've got no word to compare you to that kind of creature that's like you.

But if you're down in the dumps, depressed, I've got no word to compare you to that kind of creature that's like you. But if you're down in the dumps, depressed, I've got no word to compare you to that kind of creature that's like you.

But if you're down in the dumps, depressed, I've got no word to compare you to that kind of creature that's like you. There are many people to be found in churches, but there are only a few that enter heaven.

And Gabriel, the angel said to Mary, you have found favor in God's eyes, you've received grace. And today that grace is revealed to everyone, no matter who you are. And if you say Mary was blessed, how much more you?

When you greet people, what do they experience? Are they filled with the Holy Spirit just by meeting with you? And if you say Mary was blessed, how much more you? And of filth and all other things, no wonder.

Then you have not received that grace and then you will wake up in heaven. So that means you have not received that grace. It hasn't come into your life. Otherwise you'd be totally different. And if you don't hear, maybe you need prayer that those demons can get out of your ears, that you'll hear.

And in Titus we read then that this grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. And we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age. Now, some people speak glibly of this grace, even some preachers just so.

Oh, may the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. But it means nothing to them. And that's why, and to you as well. And that's why your life is just down on a low level. If you've received that grace, that grace will teach you to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts.

What do you say then of your children who go out? They go into the world and are swallowed by the world. It's obvious that they have not received God's grace. And what do you as a parent say about it and do about it?

Because. And we should live soberly. In other words, a straight line, not a crooked way. And we should live righteously, that nothing unrighteous, which is not right, be found in us. And godly, living in the fear of God.

In this present age, this present age. And right now, in this present time. Have you received this grace? Is this grace evident in your life? Has it been revealed in your life? Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ.

It's sad when such meaningful words are spoken and yet they mean absolutely nothing to you. You hear about the grace of God, it means nothing to you. It's love. It is called love. Imagine the Imagine the significance of these words and the significance of this grace.

It should give you goosebumps when you'd hear it, but you feel nothing because you're just a carnal Christian, just by name, but you are worthless. Then you might as well just go and go to your, spend your time in the bar.

Get your money. So this grace teaches us, it instructs us like a teacher teaches a child. Now we must move on because the sun can go down just on this point. And then Mary said to the angel, how can this be since I do not know a man?

And then Mary said to the angel, how's it possible? And the angel answered and said to her, the Holy Spirit will come upon you. And the power of the highest will overshadow you. Like a cloud overshadows you, so his power will overshadow you.

And then she said, but how is it possible that I give birth to this son? Not just any child, but the special son. How is this possible? And he will be called the son of God. The Holy Spirit will come upon you.

The power of the highest will overshadow you that he who is born of you, the Holy one born of you will be called the son of God. And Mary answered, said behold the maid servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.

Now remember, it wasn't just an insignificant thing that Mary fell pregnant before she was even married. Remember with the Jews, there was that law that should someone fall pregnant out of marriage, that person should be stoned, killed because that abomination should be wiped out of Israel.

Remember that one woman who was caught in the act of adultery and they brought her to Jesus and said this, according to the law of Moses, she should be stoned to death. What do you say? They say to her.

In those days it was a disgrace for a child to fall pregnant out of marriage. Not like today where they do it repeatedly and then they bring the children home and the grandparents care for them and then they go and fall pregnant again.

There was no flirting and dating like you find even among Christians today that even Christians go into marriage and they no longer appear. This is the time where many fall. And in the Greek that refers to people who have fallen away from that which God has given them or where he has put them and they are no longer found faithful in that.

And you belong to those that are numbered amongst the great one, the great people, number of people have fallen away. And then you are disappointed. You're disappointed about the double standards of the spiritual leaders at that time.

Maybe similar to today where they brought that woman who had been sinning. But where's the man? Well, it could be maybe it was one of their own children or a child of a minister. And that's why they ignored him and they just brought this poor girl.

But it just goes to show it goes to show what a disgrace it was at that time and the scourge of this time even today. And it says there will be a great falling away. They will fall away from the grace which God has given them.

And I cry for mercy. Now, at that time, then it was a disgrace. They were not modernized like we are in South Africa today. A person is a drunkard. A person is a drunkard, an immoral, a prostitute, but then goes and sings and dances in the church.

See, that is the time the Lord speaks of the great falling away. So it was a disgraceful thing. And she said, but how can it happen? And what she could have said, what will everyone say? What will my husband say or future husband say?

Because in those days, they didn't date. They didn't visit each other. Not like today where people are together. They sit on top of each other and they are just driven by their lusts of the flesh. But she was prepared to just to die to all that and say, Lord, no matter what the people will think of me and say of me, but if this is your will, I'm your servant.

May it be as you want. And there was no trace of resistance to God's will in her life. She just bowed and said, Lord, may your will be done. And she said, behold, I am the maidservant of the Lord. No matter what Joseph says, what the Pharisees, what everyone else says, Lord, may it be according to your will.

And remember when Paul said when it was good for God to reveal his son to me, I did not consult with flesh and blood, but he just asked God, what is your will for me to do? What do you want me to do? Paul was a Pharisee.

God. God. God. God. God. Paul was a Pharisee, a born of a Pharisee and blameless according to the law. Yet he didn't say, what will my father, my brothers, what will everyone else say? He just didn't consult with flesh and blood, but said, Lord, may what do you want me to do?

Like Mary, when the Lord spoke to her, the angel spoke to her. She said it troubled her. She thought deeply about it. Yet she bowed and said, Lord, may it be according to your will. She said, I behold, I am the maid servant of the Lord.

May it be unto me as the Lord says. No doubt. No other thoughts. 100%. May that what God has said be true in my life. And that you believe according to God's word. And as she said, may it be according to your word.

That is when she conceived. That very moment, that miracle happened. And Christ, the Son of God, came into that woman's womb. Fully surrendered. Fully dedicated. Fully decided. Having made a decision.

God and God alone. Nothing else on the throne. And that miracle happened. Shortly afterward, she decided, she's going to visit her relation, Elizabeth, who was much older than what she was. The angel had mentioned her.

But I don't mention it. We've got no time. The time is too short. And to them,. And as she entered the house of the Christ and greeted Elizabeth. And she was filled with the Holy Spirit and called out with a loud voice.

We don't even have time to speak about it. And she said to her, blessed are you among women. Three times blessed. Because she had belief. I wish I could say this in German. She was three times blessed.

Why? Because she believed. She believed and then it happened. You doubt and it doesn't happen. And after Elizabeth had spoken, Mary heard those words, then Mary said, my soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit has rejoiced in God, my savior.

For God, he has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant. God has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant. God has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant. I'm not surprised that God could do this through Mary.

Because she was not a proud person, nor haughty, or someone who thought herself better than others. No, she was humble, lowly. God saw her lowly, her low state. She was small in her eyes, very small. Is there somebody amongst us who isn't small?

You're a cursed one. You belong to the devil. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God, my savior. For he has regarded the lowly state of his maidservant. It's wonderful if someone is in a lowly state, not someone who is proud.

There was a man, he was in a high position, the king of Israel. He was blessed in many ways. And he was filled with the spirit of God. But things went wrong in his life. The prophet Samuel came to him and said, O king, when you were small in your eyes, you prospered, things went well.

But now you've become proud and things have gone wrong. He lost his position as king. Eventually he committed suicide. That's where someone ends who thinks a lot of himself. Dear friend, if you want to get places spiritually, you've got to be humble.

Down there. Otherwise, you fool yourself that the spirit of God will come into you. He never comes into you. But the spirit of the devil will. The spirit of the devil will come into you. But the spirit of God will come into you.

The spirit of God will come into you. The spirit of Satan will come into you. When we are born in a low state or someone that's humble, but it's people who fight against this. They don't want to be humble.

They always just say, no one takes notice of me. They don't greet me. They don't visit me. I'm nothing. You know whose child you are. The sooner you realize it, the better. Maybe there's hope for you that you'll get to heaven.

But I pity myself if I've got to conduct your funeral, and I think you're in heaven and you're burning in the lake of fire. Why is pride such a vital thing in the lives of Christians? We can understand of the world.

But Christians, children of God. You know why? It's because you've never seen your sinfulness, your filthiness before God. In German we say, Deine Schandtaten. Deine Schandtaten. Your abominations that you've done.

The things you've done that are a disgrace. You've forgotten about it. If you fight with what has to do with the spirit of pride, just go back to where you have fallen. Think of your sins, your big ones, and swallow them once again.

That should cure you for the rest of your life. Think how you have sinned in your youth. How you have sinned in your past, even as a Christian. That you hang your head in shame. You have failed. I can't forget.

I am the greatest sinner of all. Because I fought children of God. I opposed them. I went against them. That made him humble for the rest of his life. It is a shame and it is a disgrace that you have forgotten about your sins.

The things that you did and your sins. Just think of what you have done. That you have forgotten about it. It is a shame that your children have fallen. The soul in his flesh. Where he said, I persecuted He says, I persecuted the church, I went against the children of God, I spoke against them and that humbled him.

The problem is, you are proud because you've never seen your sinful state. You're sitting on top of your sin, that's your problem. Let's bow our heads and pray. May I hear your word, that is calling me, speak to me, through your Holy Spirit, that I'll see my sin and that my sin will be taken away.

And now I pray, dear Lord, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, which you are offering us anew today, be well accepted in everyone's heart. And Lord, where is there still pride, may that grace be greater than the pride that will bring about the true smallness, humility, amen.

You know water, and water flows where it's lowest. Water always flows where it's the lowest to the lowest point, not uphill, but at the lowest point. And the Holy Spirit also flows and works at that point where people are at their lowest state and humble.

Thank you.