The following are sermon notes of a sermon preached this past Sunday, titled “Favored Ones: When God Chooses the Ordinary.” The main scripture is Luke 1:26–56.
Christmas reminds everyone that God often chooses the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. Mary, a young woman from an insignificant town, engaged to a humble carpenter, received a visit from the angel Gabriel with words that changed history: “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” She wasn’t a princess, a scholar, or a leader—she was ordinary. Yet God’s grace chose her, seeing what others overlooked and empowering her to respond with trust.
Everyone lives in their own “Nazareth”—places that feel small, invisible, or mundane. Jobs go unnoticed, routines feel ordinary, and life can seem insignificant. But God’s favor doesn’t depend on status, talent, or perfection. God shows up in ordinary lives, inviting people to participate in something larger than themselves.
The message is clear: God’s grace is for everyone—prevenient grace that seeks, justifying grace that embraces, and sanctifying grace that transforms. Trust doesn’t remove fear or uncertainty, but it allows God’s power to work through ordinary moments. Faithful obedience can turn small, everyday acts—listening, helping, showing kindness—into conduits of mercy and transformation.
Like Mary, people are called to say yes, even when it’s scary or unclear. Ordinary lives become stages for extraordinary acts of love when attention, care, and service are guided by God’s grace. Communities, families, and workplaces transform when ordinary people respond faithfully, letting mercy, compassion, and hope lead. Even spilled coffee or quiet routines can become moments for God’s love to shine.
This Christmas, hear the angel’s words in your heart: “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” And may the response be: “Here am I; let it be with me according to your word.”
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