Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia
“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. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” And 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. (Luke 1: 36-38) Warm Christmas greetings! There is an intricate history behind Christmas but the fact that it comes just a week before the close of the year is a blessing. It is as if we celebrate all that the Lord has done for us throughout the year, and then we prepare our spirit to engage the world around us for another year! Though the Bible does not mention Christmas, you can find many peculiar references to “Christmases.” In the Gospel of Luke, you find a magnificent narrative! Before the birth of Christ, the angel
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August 2012 10th Edition Gabriel appeared to Mary, hailed her and troubled her heart. The angel Gabriel quoted a prophecy to a frightened woman before coming down to more earthly affairs. For instance, Elizabeth, the aged and barren kinswoman of Mary, shall conceive. And Gabriel concludes: For nothing will be impossible with God. This is quite a literary rendition of the Greek version. This verse in Greek rightly poses this: “you do know, that nothing is impossible beside God to do all that he declares” which affirms that the prophecy is all about Mary and at the same time offers her an ancient affirmative saying that brings comfort to her. For this is a situation that all Jewish children and adults are schooled in accordance with Genesis 18:13-14a: “The LORD said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too marvellous for the LORD? “Mary understood that Elizabeth with child was a sign from none other than Yahweh himself who is the Lord of Israel. The angel Gabriel used the literary refrain “for nothing will be impossible with God” to affirm it. She also knew that if Elizabeth is a sign that reflects Sarah, then she is going to be a new sign. Yahweh has chosen her, and she should prepare herself for something far greater.
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