LEARNING DAILY

Luke 1:26-28, Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

Continue reading on through verse 38. Pastor Ed Newton talked about the surprise Mary got when the angel Gabriel came to her. “She lived in a small village – less than 700 people”, he said. Gabriel greeted Mary as “highly favored, blessed among women”. Mary’s response was to be “greatly troubled at the saying” (verse 29). Mary was troubled because she had no expectation about what was about to happen; “she had not been waiting around for an angel to proclaim her position, to bestow the honor of being the mother of God” (Pastor Newton). Return to the greeting given by the angel Gabriel and notice “there was no confirmation of Mary’s expectation; it was nothing she earned – it was favor bestowed on her by God Himself” continued Pastor. The angel Gabriel told Mary to not be afraid. God had appointed Mary for this moment when she would bring God’s Son into the world. “What a privilege for Mary! What a privilege for Believers to introduce the Savior to others in the days we live in!” (Pastor Newton). Pastor continued, “Believers today honor Mary for being chosen by God for this honor; Believers worship Jesus, the Son of God.”

Pastor mentioned the question that Zacharias asked when he was told that his wife Elizabeth would become pregnant, “How can this be?” Compare this question to the question Mary asked, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Mary’s reaction was one of uncertainty and a question or reminder that “she had not known any man” (verse 34). Mary’s question was not “if” but “how”. Gabriel explained that this would occur by a miracle of the Holy Spirit!

This miracle is accomplished through the creative power of God – El Elohim! “The power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called the Holy Son of God”! Pastor said, “If Mary had not been a virgin as prophetically spoken by Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14), then the sin nature of man would have been passed to Jesus.” Understand the significance of that! Because Jesus was born to a virgin, He was not born into sin; He was sinless and because He was He became the substitute for all who would believe!

Mary’s response to this was, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be according to your word” (Verse 38). “The miracle of God happened at that moment” (Pastor Newton). Pastor said the Son was the carbon copy of the Father, “He is the begotten Son of the Most High”(verse 32). The apostle Paul writes in Colossians 2:9, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”. John wrote in John 14:9, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the carbon copy of the Father – they are equal! It is the purpose of Jesus to reveal the Father to those on earth, to free those who believe from slavery to sin.

In this season be reminded that the God who created all things, who needs nothing chose to come to this earth clothed in the flesh of humanity, was laid in a feeding trough and cried because he needed humanity to take care of Him. He was perfect and sinless in every way, born into a sinful world so that He would die on a cross to set those who believe free from the bondage of sin and death. Let that be your hope, not only in this Christmas season but every day as you walk a narrow way into His kingdom for all eternity!