Would you for a few moments consider one of the greatest mysteries of the incarnation? How could the unlimited power of the God who created the universe be packed into the limitations of a human body? To complicate things a little more, “How could that unlimited power be packed inside a human embryo inside the womb of a teenage girl?” This very question is exactly what is being wrestled with by a teenage girl named Mary. How would you feel if you were told that you were going to be the mother of the Son of God? Millions of Roman Catholics through the ages have given Mary the distinction of being the mother of God. Most Protestants have gone the other way and virtually ignored her contribution. Today I want you to put yourself in the place of this young mother to be. We are going to listen to her reactions and try to see the different emotions that she was dealing with. Through Mary’s eyes, we will begin to see Jesus with greater clarity.
I. An announcement with some extremely high stakes.
A. Mary understands both the glory and the risk of Gabriel’s announcement.
1. It is one thing for an older couple to conceive and have a child after menopause; it is something entirely different when a young woman in the middle of her engagement turns up pregnant.
2. In the ancient world engagement and marriage was a two step process.
a. The engagement involved a witnessed agreement to marry and the settling on the bridal price.
b. A year later the actual marriage ceremony would take place and the husband then could take his new bride home.
3. The engagement was a binding legal agreement and could only be broken through the granting of a divorce.
4. Mary’s age is not stated but at the time she received Gabriel’s announcement she would have been between the ages of 13 and 15 according to ancient customs.
5. Luke makes it very clear in our passage that Mary is still a virgin.
6. For just a moment consider this, “If a young girl claiming to be a virgin turned up pregnant, how would you react?”
7. Maybe now we can understand just how high the stakes were for Mary.
8. Mary accepts God’s plan for her at the risk of divorce, social ostracism and possible execution. Mary receives within her body the plan and power of God.
9. All of sudden God has stepped into Mary’s life and brought her into His service and she obediently accepted.
B. Elizabeth’s son was to be the one preparing the way for the Lord but Mary’s son was going to be the long awaited Messiah.
1. Luke paints a significant portrait of Mary’s character. She is seen as a model believer, taking God at His word as well as being a faithful follower.
2. However, do not take this that Mary’s faith came easy. Remember she asked, “How could this be because I am still a virgin.”
3. Gabriel makes it clear that there is tangible proof of the fact that God is working. Her cousin Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy.
4. John was the prophet like Elijah that would precede the coming of the Messiah.
5. The virgin birth is what sets Jesus’ birth apart from John’s. The way Jesus was conceived made Him totally unique.
6. Not only was Jesus going to be great like John, He would be known as the Son of the Most High God.
II. Two confessions that testify to an unexpected truth.
A. Luke’s narrative now takes an unexpected turn as the two unexpected mothers meet together.
1. Mary very hurriedly obeys Gabriel and journeys to the hill country of Judea to visit with Elizabeth and see the sign that she has been told of.
2. This journey would have been between 80 and 100 miles and would have taken Mary about three or four days.
3. The odds are pretty good that Mary arrived on Elizabeth’s door step quite unexpectedly.
4. Mary stays with Elizabeth until she gives birth to John.
5. An important event takes place as Mary and Elizabeth meet, the child in Elizabeth’s womb literally jumps for joy.
B. In response to her baby’s reaction Elizabeth filled with Holy Spirit makes a very profound confession.
1. The reaction of Elizabeth’s still three month premature baby clues her in that God is doing something special.
2. Elizabeth is humbled by the fact that she not only gets to participate in God’s plan but she is able to witness Him at work.
3. Elizabeth proclaims Mary as being blessed among women.
a. Mary is blessed because God has chosen her to bear His Son.
b. Mary is blessed because she has accepted God’s Word.
4. Mary discovers that to be blessed means to be happy that God has touched your life and that you believe that He has the ability to makes His promises come to pass.
5. Elizabeth without a doubt is reminded of the fact that God is always faithful to His word.
C. Mary’s confession comes in the form of a hymn from the heart of a grateful believer.
1. The theme of Mary’s hymn is the reversal of Israel’s fortunes that God has already set into motion.
2. When you examine Mary’s words and Zechariah’s words you pickup on some definite nationalistic overtones.
3. Mary’s hymn actually has more than a dozen phrases that point to Old Testament texts.
4. Mary’s words of praise proclaim the fact that God is faithful and worthy of praise because He never fails to take care of His own.
5. The fact that cannot be missed is Mary’s humility. She acknowledges that God owes her nothing and she owes everything to Him.
6. Mary realizes that because of God’s divine touch on her life all generations that will follow will consider her blessed.
III. What would happen if we began to see Jesus through Mary’s eyes?
A. We would understand that God always delivers upon what He promises.
1. Zechariah just could not believe that he and his wife would be blessed with a baby at their age.
2. We can have confidence that God will keep His promises regardless and it will happen according to His time table not ours.
3. Regardless of how unlikely or impossible God’s promises may seem, they will be delivered on when He feels the timing is right.
4. If you are waiting for an answer from God, remain patient and continue to wait upon Him.
B. We would understand that God often chooses the most unlikely candidates for service.
1. Mary being young, poor and female would have made her unusable to God for a major task in the minds of most people.
2. God chose Mary for one of the most important acts of obedience He has ever demanded of anyone.
3. You may feel that your ability, experience or education make you an unlikely candidate for God’s service. Do not limit His choices just trust Him.
C. We would understand that God’s favor doesn’t always bring instant success and fame.
1. God’s blessing on Mary, the honor of being the mother of the Messiah would lead to much pain and ridicule.
2. Through Mary’s son the world would find its only hope and that is why Mary is praised by all generations.
3. If sorrow weighs you down and you have lost all hope, be patient and wait for God to finish His work.
D. We would understand that Jesus really does understand what we are going through.
1. Because of Jesus being of a woman, he was a human being; but as the Son of God, Jesus was born without any trace of human sin and is fully divine.
2. Since Jesus lived in this world as a human being He fully understands our experiences and struggles.
3. We should not be afraid to tell Him all our thoughts, feelings and needs. He has been where we are and has the ability to help.
4. Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “If Jesus Christ were not true God, how could He help us. If He is not true human how could He help us?”
A Bishop in the United Church of the Brethren in Christ that lived in Ohio paid a visit to a small Midwestern religious college. He stayed at the home of the college president, who also served as professor of physics and chemistry. After dinner the bishop declared that the millennium could not be far off, because just about everything about nature had been discovered and all inventions conceived. The young college president politely disagreed and said he felt that there would be many more discoveries. When the angered bishop challenged the president to name just one such invention, the president replied that he was certain within fifty years men would be able to fly. “Nonsense!” Sputtered the outraged bishop. “Only angels are intended to fly.” The Bishop’s name was Milton Wright, and he had two boys at home who would prove to have greater vision than their father. Their names were Orville and Wilbur.
When these two boys made their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, they sent a short telegram home to their sister that read, “First sustained flight, 59 seconds. Be home for Christmas.” Their sister was so thrilled by the news, that she took the telegram to the local newspaper editor. He read it with interest and the next day printed this headline: Famous Bicycle Manufacturers Will Be Home for Christmas.
Not only is a lack of vision dangerous so is the denial of the good news a messenger brings to your attention.
