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Nothing Is Impossible With God
Advent 4 - Luke 1 : 26-38
December 24, 2006
Rev. Tonya Arnesen

In January of 2002, a hospital in London, England, mistakenly sent letters to over 30 unsuspecting patients informing them that they were pregnant. It seems that while preparing a form letter which was supposed to tell people about a change in the hospital’s surgical schedule, a clerical worker hit the wrong key. And so, instead of informing patients they needed to reschedule their procedure, the computer sent identical form letters telling them they were “with child.” Among the recipients of the letters were six elderly men.

Can you imagine the surprise of those six men? “Your doctor at Such-and-Such hospital is pleased to inform you that you are “expecting!” Quite a shock, to say the least. No doubt, the news would have caused some high anxiety with some of the women patients, as well.

Don't you think Mary, the mother of Jesus, experienced high anxiety when the angel of the Lord first appeared to her? Mary was a virgin engaged to be married. She had never been with a man--even the man she was to wed. But an angel of the Lord appeared to her and announced, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” Having an angel appear to you is surprise enough, but this message was a stunner. No wonder Mary was troubled!

The impending birth of a child can be both a source of joy and apprehension in most households. Will it be a boy or a girl? Will he or she be healthy? Who will the baby look like? There are many superstitions and old wives' tales that claim you can predict a child's destiny by some physical characteristic at birth. According to Alvin Schwartz’s book of superstitions:

·        If you have a bald-headed baby with big feet, it will get straight A's.

·        If it has a big mouth, it will be a good singer.

·        If it has big ears, it will be generous

·        If it is born on a Sunday or on New Year's Day or during a full moon, or if it has a full set of teeth when it arrives, it also will be lucky

·        But if it has only one tooth, it will be a vampire.

Was the baby Jesus bald-headed, big-eared, or born on a Sunday? Who knows? But Mary certainly didn't need to use superstitions or old wives' tales to tell her what her child would become. An angel told her before he was even born: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'

It is interesting to note that the angel referred to Jesus as "Son of the Most High." There are many names for God in the Bible. There is El Olam, the God of Eternity. El Shaddai, God the Provider. Yahweh Shalom, the Lord is peace. But the angel identified Jesus, the coming Messiah, as the Son of El Elyon, the Most High God. That is a name of greatest power and glory. It is almost as if the angel was saying to Mary, "The God of Anything-Is-Possible is speaking to you!"

Friends, we all know it was impossible for Elizabeth to be pregnant at her ripe old age. It was impossible for Zechariah to be struck speechless until the moment he named his son. It was impossible for a young, unmarried virgin girl to become pregnant. It was impossible for Joseph to accept the truth about the child his wife was carrying. But the truth is the word “impossible” is not in God's vocabulary – God can make anything POSSIBLE!

That’s why when the angel said to Mary, “Nothing is impossible with God,” she believed him. In spite of her poverty, in spite of her humble station in life, in spite of the Jews' current oppression by the Roman government, in spite of the fact that Mary was a virgin, she still believed that God could do exactly what God said God would do.

Someone once said that one sign of spiritual maturity is, "the quiet confidence that God is in control, without the need to understand why He does what He does." Mary had that kind of faith. She believed in God's promise and she accepted God's plan. She entrusted her life fully to God, because she knew that with God, nothing is impossible.

In contrast, when we hear those words today, most modern-day Christians simply nod our heads and smile blandly. Or we may pray, then cross our fingers and hope for the best – but not expect much. Are we willing to believe it that NOTHING is impossible with God? Are we confident that God CAN bring new life and vitality to our dying relationships? That the “Great Physician” CAN bring us healing and wholeness? Do we trust that God WILL offer help and guidance when we’re fearful and anxious? That God IS ABLE to provide for all our needs? That God CAN transform a broken life, a declining church, a crime-ridden city? Friends, do we really know that “nothing is impossible with God?”

Think about that word – impossible. If you capitalize the first two letters, you’ll see God’s name, “I aM.” That name comes from the Old Testament story of Moses. When Moses asked God what His name was, God said, "I am who I am. Tell them I am, sent you." The word impossible is made up of God's name, "I M" and possible. I Am Possible.

A teacher asked her class what each wanted to be when they grew up. She got all the usual answers: "President," "a fireman," "a teacher." One by one they answered until it she came to little Billy. She asked, "Billy, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Billy blurted out his response, "Possible." His answer startled the teacher, so she asked, "Possible? What do you mean by that, Billy?" The boy answered, "Well, my mom is always telling me I'm impossible. So, when I grow up I want to be POSSIBLE."

Friends, the good news for us this morning is that with God, nothing and no one is impossible. No matter how impossible your situation may seem right now – God can make a way when there seems to be no way! No matter how impossibly far away you may have drifted from the Source of life and hope, God says, “If with all your heart you seek me, I will let myself be found.” No matter how impossibly unfaithful you have been, or how impossibly unworthy you may believe yourself to be, God says, "For I so loved the world that I gave my only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, I did not send my Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

New life? Possible! Fresh beginnings? Possible! Hope and joy – even in the midst of difficult circumstances? Possible! Healing and wholeness of mind, body and spirit? Possible! Deliverance from sin and temptation? Possible! Forgiveness and reconciliation? Possible! A safe city, where people treat one another with dignity and where the sanctity of human life is respected? Possible! A world where no child goes without adequate food, shelter or health care? Possible! A planet where all of God’s children can live together in peace? Possible!

Friends, I wish you a Merry Christmas – and I pray that one of God’s gifts to you this holy season is the quiet confidence that nothing is impossible with God! Amen.

Rev. Tonya Arnesen

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