Birth Announcements: Part 2
Luke 1:26-38
By Dave Redick
Hwy 20 Church of Christ, Sweet Home, OR
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus"
Introduction
For nearly 2000 years the followers of Jesus Christ have argued over the proper place of Mary. The early church apparently did not have this problem. Mary is mentioned in the birth narratives of Jesus in Matthew and Luke and then infrequently and briefly in the rest of the gospels. After that she is mentioned only once in the book of Acts and then she passes into obscurity.
The New Testament Writers developed no theology concerning Mary's part in God's plan of redemption, yet later generations have gone to seed in their speculations.
By the fifth century she was hailed as "the Mother of God." By the middle ages she had become, in the imaginations of some, the "perpetual virgin" and "co-redemptrix." Today prayers are lifted up to her by millions of people, though the Bible gives no basis for it. As recently as 1950, the Pope declared the "assumption of Mary," a non-Biblical doctrine that teaches that Mary did not die, but rather ascended into heaven just as Jesus did. I once saw a painting from Mexico (predominately Catholic) that depicted Jesus at the front gate of heaven turning people away and Mary at the back gate letting people in!
In reaction to these things, Protestants have often gone to the other extreme, reducing Mary almost to a non-entity. Rarely is she mentioned.
According to the Bible, Mary was a virtuous woman. Otherwise God would not have chosen her above other women to become the bearer of the Son of God on earth. She was a humble woman who did not let this high honor go to her head. She was also an obedient woman, the kind of person all Christians should be.
In our short series called "Birth Announcements," we are going to look this morning at the announcement of the birth of Jesus to Mary by the Angel Gabriel. You will find it in Luke chapter one. We will begin reading in verse 26 and work our way down through verse 38.
We begin with:
I. The Angel's Visit.
Verse 26 informs us of the time and place of this event.
(Read v. 26)
The mention of the "sixth month" ties this in with what Luke has just finished telling his readers right above in his narrative. It was the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elisabeth, Mary's relative and the mother of John the Baptist. We considered that birth announcement last time.
Six months after Gabriel visited Elizabeth, the mother of John, he came to Nazareth, Mary's hometown. Mary and Joseph would later return to Nazareth, after the death of King Herod, to raise Jesus. For that reason, Matthew tells us in Matthew 2:23, Jesus would be called a "Nazarene".
So Gabriel comes to Nazareth, dispatched by God, to speak to this young woman named Mary. Verse 27 introduces her.
(Read v. 27)
We know nothing about Mary prior to this. We don't know who her parents were or if they were living when these events happened. Nor do we know how old she was when Gabriel came to her. Girls as young as twelve were sometimes betrothed in that culture, though it was not necessarily a common thing.
It says here that Mary was a virgin. Why did Luke make such a personal comment as that? (We probably wouldn't introduce someone in that manner. "I want you to meet Mary. She's a virgin.") To understand the significance of Luke's introduction, you need to know a little about Scripture. You see, 700 years before this, a prominent Jewish prophet made a prediction about the coming of the Messiah. We read his words in Isaiah 7:14 where it says, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."
Isaiah wrote that seven centuries before Jesus birth. It is only one of over 300 prophecies concerning the coming of Messiah.
If you are a Christian you may have just accepted the statements in the Bible about the virgin birth without much question. Many Christians have. Yet, like the case with some of the other claims about Jesus, there are those who have attempted to discount the virgin birth. Why? I see at least three reasons.
 | Firstly, the enemies of Christianity would love to discredit any and all of the claims of the Bible about Jesus. If they could show he was not born of a virgin, then his pre-marriage conception would cast doubt upon the character of his parents and ultimately upon Him. |
| Secondly, there are those who wish to be considered Christians because they are attracted to the high ideals of Christ, yet are unwilling to accept the accounts of miracles in the Bible. To explain away the virgin birth makes the Bible, at least to them, a little more "believable". |
| Thirdly, some people don't know what the Bible says on the subject. They're ignorant for one reason or another, so when one of the two kinds of people I just mentioned (an enemy or a rejecter) comes along and throws out a challenge, the claim is accepted without little struggle because they simply don't know what the Bible teaches. In such a way Jesus is discredited in them before He is even heard. Such people fall victim to blasphemous misrepresentations such as the Universal Studios movie of a decade or so ago called "The Last Temptation of Christ," which reportedly depicted Jesus as the mixed up, sex crazed, illegitimate son of Joseph and Mary. |
What does the bible say about the virgin birth? We'll look at the answer to that question in detail as we get into this passage.
Mary was engaged to Joseph. Their engagement, or more properly, "betrothal," was more binding than is our custom today. It was as legally binding as marriage. It could only be ended by divorce. It seems the primary purpose was to provide a waiting period to assure the chastity of the bride. That is why Matthew records in his account of this that Joseph was going to quietly divorce Mary. He thought, when she told him she was pregnant, that she had been unfaithful to him. Of course, she hadn't, as we shall shortly see.
Joseph and Mary were both descendants of David. Luke mentions Joseph's lineage here because the Christ was to be born of the bloodline of David. We'll look at that again in a few minutes.
Gabriel's greeting is in the next verse.
(Read v. 28)
What favor it was for Mary to be chosen to be the mother of the Christ Child, the Savior of her people and the whole world!
Mary's response follows.
(Read v. 29)
Can you blame Mary for this sort of response? Outside of Gabriel's visit six months before this to Zacharias, something Mary hadn't heard of yet, there had been no visit from God among the Jews for nearly 400 years. Now, suddenly, with no pre-announcement, here is Gabriel speaking to this young virgin. It's understandable that she would be troubled and afraid.
Gabriel was quick to put her fears to rest however, being no stranger to delivering messages to men and women on God's behalf.
(Read v. 30)
That word "favor" is worth noting. It is the Greek world "CHARIS" and it is translated elsewhere in Scripture as "grace".
"Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found grace with God."
It was knowledge of the grace that God had for her that put her fears to rest.
Grace is unearned favor and just as knowledge of this grace from God to Mary allayed her fears, so such knowledge of God's grace should take away our fears.
All true Christians have "grace" or "favor" with God. They need not fear condemnation. They need not fear God (in the sense of terror of His judgement). If you, as a Christian, are fearful of God in this way, you need to become better acquainted with God's grace and how it impacts your relationship with Him.
The main message of Gabriel is found in verses 31-37. They are words that would change Mary's life forever. Let's look more closely at:
II. The Angel's Message.
Gabriel's message begins with a birth announcement.
(Read v. 31)
These initial words spoken to Mary are not unlike the words spoken by Gabriel to Zacharias six months earlier. Look back up the page to verse 13 of this chapter.
(Read v. 13-15a)
Though they sound very similar, there are several fundamental differences between these two birth announcements that are worth noting.
A primary difference was that the angel foretold John's birth to his father. In Jesus case it was told to his mother. Probably this was because Jesus was to be born without the agency of a human father.
A second difference is found in the kind of life that was foretold. Let's read what was predicted of Jesus' life.
(Read v. 32-33)
Both John and Jesus were to be great, but the similarity ends there. John was to be the forerunner of Christ. He was to prepare the way. Drop down to verse 76 of this chapter. Notice what it says of John.
(Read v. 76)
John was to be called "the prophet of the Most High." Now look again at verse 32.
(Read v. 32a)
John was to be called "the prophet of the Most High." Jesus was to be called, "the Son of the Most High." That difference has eternal significance.
It isn't enough to do as some world religions do today - view Jesus as a "Great Prophet." He is more than that. The distinction is seen here. He is "the Son of the Most High." World religions such as Islam that teach that Jesus was only a prophet fall short of Biblical standards and, therefore, differ critically from true Christianity. The difference between John and Jesus is like the difference between the President's press secretary and the President himself! John was a very significant spokesman for the Son. Jesus was the Son.
A third difference is also evident here. John was to be a servant of the king. Jesus was the King. Verse 33 says, "He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end."
A thousand years before Christ, when David was King of Israel, God promised that David's house would rule over Israel forever. Let's look back at that prediction in 2 Samuel 7:12-13:
"When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever."
The rule of the house of David was interrupted when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 606 BC. From that time onward, down to the time of Christ, the Jews were anxiously waiting for this descendant of David who would re-establish the kingdom of Israel. That one predicted by David came to be known among these expectant Jews as the "Anointed One" or "Messiah." (By the way, the word "Christ" we use is simply a transliteration of the Greek word "Christos" which is the equivalent for "Messiah.") In our text in Luke, Gabriel is telling Mary that this Son who was to be born to her would be this one predicted. Look at the words again: "the Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David." This was a tremendous fulfillment of prophecy!
Later, after Jesus' birth, when Gabriel announced his birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields and they quickly came to Bethlehem to see the Christ child and tell Many and Joseph what had been told to them, Luke records that "Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."
A portion of her pondering must have been the marvelous realization that this Son of hers would fulfill the greatest prophecies in the Old Testament!
But let's not get to far ahead. There is still a very practical issue in the mind of this young virgin of Nazareth that needs to be resolved. She puts it in the form of a question.
(Read v. 34)
"Wait a minute, Sir. I have no husband. I've had relations with no man. How can all of this take place? I don't understand."
Take a moment, if you will. Transport your mind back - away from the familiarity we have with this foundational Christian doctrine of the virgin birth - to the wide-eyed innocence of Mary. She was hearing this for the first time. It didn't make sense to her.
The angel's explanation follows.
(Read v. 35)
No human father mentioned is there? That's because there wasn't to be one. The conception was miraculous - a virgin with child, just as Isaiah had predicted.
How can people read these things and say the Bible doesn't teach the virgin birth of Christ?
"Oh, but Dave, you don't understand. You see, the word 'virgin' in the prophecy can also be translated 'young woman' or 'maiden' just as accurately as 'virgin.' So you see, there is no virgin birth."
Have you ever heard that objection? Let's consider it. Turn in your Bible to Isaiah 7:14.
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."
As I implied, some point out that the world "virgin" here can also be translated "young woman." They're right, of course, until you consider that the word used here has a context. Notice that Isaiah says that this birth was to be a sign. What the word "sign" usually means in Scripture is "attesting miracle" - something out of the ordinary that flags attention to some truth being taught. Now ask yourself this: If the word "virgin" here actually means "young woman," what kind of sign would this event be? In what way would this prediction of the birth of the Messiah to a "young woman" be any different than any other birth?
There are six billion people on our planet. Every one of them came into the world in the same way. A woman and a man conceived a child and that child was born. If the birth of Jesus is no different than those six billion births, how can it be said to be a sign? (The only sign it provides in my mind is a sign of the ignorance of the people who propose it.)
Before we leave this, let's consider one more passage.
(Read Matthew 1:18-25)
I can understand how a person can have difficulty believing that a child was conceived without the agency of a human father. In any other context it is a preposterous assertion. What I can't understand is how those who claim to be a Christians can read these passages and reject what they clearly say. If these verses are mistaken and you can't trust them, then how can you trust anything else that is written in this book we call the Bible? Further, if it is mistaken, how can we even know that the Jesus we follow is even the same Jesus who lived so long ago in the home of Joseph and Mary? You see, the credibility of the entire Bible rests upon the validity of its claims. Therefore, Christianity stands or falls on issues like this one - the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
Mary needed a bit of convincing herself - so much so that the angel offered some evidence of his claim.
(Read v. 36-37)
In verse 39, Luke tells us that, as soon as the angel departed, Mary beat feet up to the hill country of Judah to check out the angel's story. Can you blame her?
Let's consider now:
III. Mary's Response.
I'm amazed and impressed with the simplicity of the statement she makes to the angel. It could serve as a model for any child of God.
(Read v. 38)
"Be it done to me according to your word."
What an attitude of submission! No questions. No arguments. No bargaining. No denial. "Whatever God wants is fine with me."
I was given a little sign a few years ago that I keep on my file cabinet in my office. It says, "If it is God's will, I will."
That was Mary's attitude. She wasn't forced to bear a child against her will. She was ready to do whatever God wished.
Realize though that her decision wasn't problem free. Think of the difficulties she would have to endure in order to do God's will and submit to a virgin birth.
| She would be the subject of gossip, which probably did happen. |
| Others might shun her in her village who did not understand. (Imagine trying to explain to a group of busybody women that an angel told you that you would be the recipient of a virgin birth!) |
| Mary also had a well-founded reason to believe the Joseph would divorce her. |
All these risks, yet she never hesitated or refused God's will. I like the way the Phillips Translation renders this: "I belong to the Lord, body and soul."
God's love and favor sometimes brings with it great responsibility and some difficulty. Faithfulness usually has a price. Every time Mary faced the malicious gossip, the awkward silence when she came into the room, the furtive glances and the upturned noses, she would understand the price of her statement, "Be it done to me according to your word."
If God, in the course of your life, wills that you suffer for His cause, will this be your attitude?
Let's pray...
Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.
Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.
All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.
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