As we begin our Advent series, Come and Behold Him, we step into the four weeks of anticipation and preparation that mark the arrival of Jesus Christ. Advent isn’t just a countdown to Christmas—it is a reenactment of the longing, hope, and expectation that filled the people of God for generations as they waited for the Messiah.

From the earliest pages of Scripture, God promised a Deliverer—the Seed who would crush the serpent (Gen. 3:15), the Offspring who would bless the nations (Gen. 12:3), the Son who would reign on David’s throne forever (2 Sam. 7:12–16). By the time of the first Christmas, the people of Israel were living with a deep yearning for the One who would save, restore, and rule with righteousness.

And then—into that centuries-long anticipation—God reveals the identity of the Promised One to an unexpected person: a young girl named Mary.

In Luke 1:26–38, the angel Gabriel announces that Mary will bear Jesus—the Son of the Most High, the eternal King, the long-awaited Savior. But Mary’s first response isn’t about glory or privilege. It’s the deeply human question: “How can this be…?” She feels the cost. The risk. The consequences.

And yet her answer becomes one of the greatest statements of faith in all Scripture:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Today’s sermon explores:

• The centuries of anticipation that lead to Jesus
• Why God chose Mary and what her response reveals
• The real-world cost she faced in obedience
• The meaning of yielding to God’s will—before understanding the outcome
• How Advent calls us to the same posture: “I am the servant of the Lord.”

Mary shows us the heart that prepares for the coming of Christ—a yielded, surrendered, servant posture that says:

“Let it be to me according to Your word.”

This Advent, may we learn to behold Him as she did.

Scriptures: Luke 1:26–38; Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12; 2 Samuel 7; Isaiah 9; Romans 12:1–2; Proverbs 3:5–6; 1 John 2:16

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