About two thousand years ago, the first Christmas sequence of events was sparked by a visitation. The Angel Gabriel came to Mary and informed her that she was going to have a baby. This baby would be the savior of the world. Gabriel went on to visit Mary’s betrothed husband, Joseph, and the rest is history.
It is helpful to know that we have much in common with Gabriel. No, we don’t approach others, and they fall on their face from the absolute beauty and power. However, the three objectives Gabriel arrives to carry out are the same objectives God now gives us. What were the three statements of Gabriel? First, he proclaims that he, “Stands in the presence of God”. Second, he was sent to speak. And finally, he was to bring good news.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that, “Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit.” That’s a slight difference now that Jesus has been resurrected. Where Gabriel stands in the presence of God, today the presence of God stands in those that receive the Son. It was a promise that Jesus gave the disciples at his departure. Jesus said he must leave, but the Holy Spirit will come after and abide in us to accomplish great things.
What things are we to accomplish? We have the same objective Gabriel had, to speak. The message of love and justice that Jesus spoke must be our message as well. For us today, speaking comes at a cost, but the outcome is irrelevant to the message. Believers are called to obedience not comfort. Gabriel’s message sounds crazy to the rest of the world, but his job was to deliver it. Virgin birth… is that even possible? Gabriel said, “With God all things are possible.” We speak the message and don’t question the sender of that message.
What of the message itself? Glad tidings (“euangelizo” in the original language) is where we get the word evangelism. That is the “good news” we are to bring. A child was born 2,000 years ago to bring forgiveness of sins to all who would believe. The meaning of the song title, “Hark the Herald” is “listen to the messenger”. Turns out, an angel is simply a messenger of good news.
We have been commissioned to speak the message to our generation. We proclaim a Messiah has come! It’s a message of true love and justice. I picture Gabriel looking at us from where he is now, giving us a great charge by proclaiming, “Hark, YOU are the harold!”
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Randy Therio serves as pastor for Multiply Church in Winslow.
