Luke 1:26-38

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/The_Annunciation_to_the_Virgin_Mary_at_Nazareth.htm

Six months after Elizabeth conceived God sent Gabriel once again to deliver a message about a miraculous birth.  This announcement would be quite different from the one made about John the Baptist.  He was born of an elderly woman who was barren.  The announcement about Jesus tells us that He would be born of a young woman who was a virgin.  What is very clear is that this would be a major event in the plan of God for the reconciliation of man to Himself.  God begins to reveal just exactly how He would pay the price for man’s sin.  The Old Testament had foretold many things about the Law of God and the coming of Messiah.  The New Testament unfolds the history of how God fulfilled His plan of redemption.  Scripture records for us the reactions that Mary had to the announcement of Christ’s birth, but more importantly it reveals to us several realities about Jesus.   

THE REACTIONS OF MARY: Mary was another person that was used by God in the fulfillment of God’s plan.  When Gabriel announced to Mary that she was favored by God; her first reaction was that of being SCARED.  It is not every day that an angel appears and makes any kind of pronouncement to men.  Most certainly it would be a unique occurrence for Mary.  The reality is that any time that men have a super-natural encounter with the Lord or some sort of a divine encounter the proper response is that of fear.  Mary was a common person who was taken aback by this greeting from Gabriel.  The Lord’s will for our lives can also be scary for us to consider.  Things did not get much better when Gabriel explained to her that she would give birth to a child named Jesus.  Mary was SCEPTICAL at this announcement because she was a virgin.  In her mind, as it would have been in our minds, Mary’s pregnancy was an impossibility.  This is another reality about the work of God in our lives.  There are times when God’s will for us seems impossible.  We may think that we are unable or unqualified for some task that the Lord places before us; but God never seems to be too concerned about these sorts of things.  He is completely able to equip us to do that which He calls us to accomplish for His kingdom.  Gabriel goes on to explain how the Holy Spirit would come over her and cause her to conceive and exactly who Jesus would be.  Mary overcame her fears and questions and was simply SUBMISSIVE to that which God was calling her to do.  Certainly, this was not a convenient time for her to have a baby.  However, it was a great honor to be chosen as a means through which the Messiah would come into the world.  She was informed of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and bowed to the will of God for her life with a grateful heart.  This is the attitude that God is looking for in each of our lives.  Being an instrument of God many put us way out of our comfort zones doing things that we may not fully understand.  However, there is not greater honor in the world and we must learn to be submissive to His will.

THE REALITIES OF JESUS: This passage also reveals to us several truths about Jesus that we would do well to understand.  First of all we see that the birth was Jesus was announced by a special MESSENGER.  Gabriel is an angel of the Lord who was given the task of announcing the coming of Messiah.  Right from the very beginning we see that Jesus was far more than a man.  John the Baptist was sent as a forerunner, Gabriel was sent to announce His coming.  This is the turning point in the history of redemption.  Generations wondered how God would bring about the forgiveness of sin; now God is unfolding this plan before our very eyes.  The text reveals to us the METHOD by which Messiah would come into the world.  Jesus was born of Mary who was a virgin and was conceived by the Holy Sprit.  These truths are vital to our faith and to God’s plan of redemption.  The Bible makes it clear that we are all condemned by the sin of Adam and that they curse of sin as well as our sin natures are inherited by us through our fathers.  Since we were all condemned by the sin of one man; it is completely just for all of our sins to be paid for by the death of one man.  However, that man had to be completely without sin.  If that man possessed a sin nature or had committed sin; his death would have only been the just payment of his own sin.  Jesus was the Man, born without a sin nature because He had no human father.  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  This theological and legal truth is the cornerstone on which the Gospel is built.  The only reason that the death of Christ of the cross is able to provide for the forgiveness of our sin is because of His virgin birth through the Holy Spirit.  This announcement also reveals to Mary and to us the MISSION for which Christ was born.  He came to reign over the house of Jacob, the kingdom of Israel on the throne of David.  When David was promised to have an heir on the throne the house, kingdom and throne were all three promised to him.  It is no coincidence and was certainly not lost on Mary the fact that her son Jesus was coming to be the promised Messiah.  There were many misunderstandings about Messiah, how He would come, who He would be and what He would do.  There continue to be many misunderstandings today.  Those who lived with Jesus did not expect Him to die; they expected Him to reign.  They were taken by surprised by the crucifixion and the vision of a suffering Messiah.  Many today continue to be confused about Messiah.  The fact that He came into this world for the purpose of ruling and reigning in fulfillment to the promises made by God is too often forgotten or explained away.  The truth is that Jesus is King and He is coming again.  When He comes again it will not be as a baby and it will not by to suffer at the hands of sinful men.  He will come to rule, reign and judge the earth.  There will be a New Heaven and New Earth in which only righteousness will dwell and over which He will reign with and over all who believe for all of eternity.

APPLICATION: When God calls us we must not allow our doubt, fears or lack of understanding stand in our way.  We must be fully submissive to Him in all He calls us to do.  We must recognize exactly who Jesus is and stand in awe and worship as we consider how God realized His plan of redemption through Jesus.  We must bow before Jesus our Savior, our Lord, our King.