ニューイングランドの母校からアドベントの便り、その9
2016 Gordon-Conwell
Advent Devotional | Day 9 | Nothing is Impossible with God
Luke 1:37-38
I was preparing a sermon from Nehemiah 4, which recounts the Jews’ overwhelming work of rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem while being attacked by many enemies, spearheaded by two ambassadors of ill-will, Sanballat and Tobiah, two “downpressors” who kept discouraging their work. Eventually the Jews had to work with a load of supplies in one hand and a weapon in the other, a sword and a shovel (Neh 4:17). I wondered why I kept on thinking of Luke 1:37: “for nothing is impossible with God.” And then I realized that what the angel Gabriel told Mary was the same message that the Israelites had heard almost 500 years earlier. The first response that Nehemiah made every time he had trouble was to pray (Neh 4:4, 9). As their enemies multiplied, he prayed before they acted because the God he trusted was very great and awesome and, thus, with God nothing was impossible (Neh 4:14).
The “impossible possibilities” Gabriel gave to Mary were these: She would be with child and give birth to a son, even though she had no premarital relation with Joseph or any other man :: The son would be called “Jesus” (Jeshua or “salvation”), even though that was not a name of her relatives :: This son Jesus would be great and would be called the “Son of the Most High” :: The Lord would give this son the throne of his ancestor David, even though Mary and Joseph were poor :: The son would reign over the house of Jacob forever and his reign would never end, even though Mary and Joseph would certainly have an end :: The son would be called the “Son of God,” even though a humble woman would be the mother :: Mary’s relative Elizabeth at an elderly age already had a child six months living in the womb (Luke 1:31-36).
The angel explained how all this could happen, stressing “not impossible” is any promise from God. What promises have you received? Are they indeed from God? Then, respond as Mary did: “Behold, the servant of the Lord.” The servant is obedient to the good master. “Let it happen to me according to your promise” (Luke 1:37-38, my trans.). If the word comes from God, then nothing is impossible. Allow God to work through you to achieve God’s great ends.
Dr. Aida Besancon Spencer
Professor of New Testament
