Mary

(Luke 1:26-38)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… the Great I AM”

Series Title:  “What Child is This”

December 8^th, 2024

Something to think about:

In his commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Biblical scholar N. T. Wright suggests,

“Ask a newspaper editor what sort of stories will sell the most copies, and three categories come swiftly to mind:  sex, royalty, and religion.  If they can be combined, so much the better.  ‘POP STAR’S LOVE CHILD’ is good; ‘PRINCESS HAS SECRET AFFAIR’ is better; ‘KING’S SECRET NIGHT WITH NUN’ is better still.  So when people read the story of Gabriel visiting Mary, with the child to be born being the future Lord of the World, their minds easily jump in the way the newspapers have conditioned them to do.  People have read into the story all sorts of things that aren’t there and have failed to notice some of the really important things that are.”^[1]

As we consider the narrative of Mary’s interaction with the angel Gabriel in Luke’s Gospel three distinct things stick out:

• The fact that she was a virgin.
• The reality that she was favored by GOD.
• Her willingness to risk everything to be GOD’s servant.

How do these things help to define one of the most significant women of the Bible when during her day she was seemingly insignificant and obscure?  Let’s take a closer look:

Luke 1:26-38 (NLT),

²⁶  In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, ²⁷  to a virgin named Mary.  She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.  ²⁸  Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman!  The Lord is with you!”

²⁹  Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.  ³⁰  “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!  ³¹  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  ³²  He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  ³³  And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 

³⁴  Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen?  I am a virgin.” 

³⁵  The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.  ³⁶  What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age!  People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month.  ³⁷  For nothing is impossible with God.” 

³⁸  Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.”  And then the angel left her.

Key Point:  “Mary became the vessel of GOD’s salvation.”

How was Mary chosen to be the one through whom the Savior would be born?  Let’s look in more detail at the following:

• Mary was a  .

Luke 1:26-27 (NLT),  ²⁶  In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, ²⁷  to a virgin named Mary.  She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 

• Mary was a  woman.

Luke 1:28 (NLT),  Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman!  The Lord is with you!”

• Mary was a  of GOD.

Luke 1:38a (NLT),  Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May everything you have said about me come true.”

Something to take home:

Biblical scholar, Ken Heer, explains that

“After delivering his message, the angel left her.  Times of divine visitation are wonderful, but the moment comes when we are left alone.  There are no angels.  There is no further word from God.  There is no one else with whom we can share our thoughts or questions.  No doubt Mary would wake up tomorrow with a new set of questions, but who would answer them?  Who would walk with her through the days of uncertainty that lay ahead?  The words of the angel would become her assurance:  ‘The Lord is with you.’  When we follow the plan of God, we experience the presence and receive the provisions of God.”^[2]

Like Mary, you may seem insignificant and obscure.  You may think that you have nothing to offer GOD; nothing that would make Him look your way.  But you must remember you are fearfully and wonderfully made!  GOD knows you better than you know yourself, and He loves you and desires you just as much as any other character in His grand story in the Bible.  You are not insignificant; you are chosen.  Do you choose Him?  Are you willing to be the LORD’s servant?  Are you willing to be a conduit of GOD’s message of salvation to the world that He has placed you in?

Key Point:  “Mary became the vessel of GOD’s salvation.”

^[1] Wright, Tom. 2004. Luke for Everyone. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

^[2] Heer, Ken. 2007. Luke: A Commentary for Bible Students. Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House.