I Am The Lord’s Servant Series

INTRODUCTION

I Am The Lord’s Servant

People give a lot of importance to job titles. One frequent question asked by the HR or the hiring manager is, “What was your last position?.” We love titles. Do you know what title Mary used when the angel Gabriel spoke to her?

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

I AM THE LORD’S SERVANT

Today we are going to look at the infancy narrative – “The annunciation by angel Gabriel to Mary. This passage is going to teach us the cost of true discipleship. “I am the Lord’s Servant”

We have come to a time when the world celebrates the birth of Jesus. This is because God appeared in the flesh in Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 3:16

Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

God appeared in flesh and that finds its mention in the scripture in the Gospels. Let’s turn to Luke 1, the infancy narrative in the Bible.

TIMING AND BALANCE OF POWER

Jesus comes to inaugurate the kingdom of God in a very humble way. When he comes, there are other strong human leaders, and we see that here;

In the days of Herod the King Luke 1:5

Decree from Caesar Augustus (Octavian) 2:1 (27 BC-AD 14)

They are the powerful images within world history. In effect, Mary is a favored woman to carry the pregnancy with the Messiah into a world in need of a Saviour.

BACKGROUND

Out of the 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John); Luke seems to have a special emphasis on women. These opening chapters of Luke provide a tryptic (works intended to be held together) of women in the stories of Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna. These three women interpret one another and the centerpiece is Mary.

Luke 1:26-27

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Mary will be about 12 years old, about to turn 13. Custom is such that she could be betrothed at 12 and marriage can be consummated at 13. Now if you are living in the 21st Century, then you are thinking that 13 is too young.

Presently, the age of consent in India according to the POSCO Act 2012 is 18 years old.

In 1860, the age of consent according to the Indian Penal Code was 10 years.

The British raised the age of consent, The Age of Consent Act, 1891 to 12 years from 10.

Until 1880 the age of consent in all states of the US but one was 10, in the state of Delaware it was 7.

So then you should appreciate the fact that in the ancient Jewish culture in which Joseph and Mary lived, there was a level of decency to say the woman could be given out to marriage at 12 but the marriage cannot be consummated until 13.

VIRGIN MARY – THE LORD’S SERVANT

Mary is first of all described as a virgin.