Mary of Nazareth
Luke 1:26-38
INTRODUCTION:
Just about everyone in the world has heard something about the Christmas Story. Almost everyone knows that … along with Santa Clause, Christmas trees, and songs about Decking Halls with Holly … there is a back story. And the back story involves a baby and a manger.
You know the locale – a manger in Bethlehem. You know the cast of characters – Mary and Joseph, the angels and shepherds, the wise men and King Herod. You may know the plot details – the census, the long journey, the over-crowded inn.
But there is much more to the Christmas story that meets the eye. For the next 4 Sundays we’re going to take a close look at the Christmas story. We’ll examine what actually happened historically … over 2000 years ago on the other side of the planet. We’ll look at what this story teaches us about God’s Character and Purposes. We’ll see what the story means for our lives today.
We’ll start by looking at Mary’s Home-town.
1. Mary’s Town
Luke 1:26-27 starts the story with these words: God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
Nazareth was not a hot spot in Galilee. It was an insignificant little town with a population of around 200 farmers, shepherds, and manual laborers. The hot spot was Sepphoris – a thriving city of over 30,000 including wealthy merchants who lived in luxury villas.
How many of you have heard of Sepphoris? We’ve all heard of the little nothing village of Nazareth. Why? Because Nazareth was Mary’s hometown … and Nazareth became the hometown for Jesus. In fact, Jesus and his followers were called “Nazarenes.” This was an insult. It was a way of saying, “You’re nobody from nowhere.”
You may remember when Phillip told his friend Nathanael about Jesus … Nathanael’s response was, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” If Nazareth had any reputation at all, it was a bad one!
But God chose this insignificant little town to fulfill His greatest work on earth. That tells us something about how God works. He chooses the most out-of-the way places, the most insignificant people, the most unexpected methods to accomplish his purposes.
Paul expanded on this in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29: "Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
God often chooses to work quietly behind the scenes. No one but Mary knew anything of import was happening that day in Nazareth. As far as everyone else was concerned, life was going along as it had been for many years.
The Romans ruled the world. They had placed King Herod … the most ruthless and godless of rulers … over the region. There was tyranny and corruption from the top of the government to the bottom. Even the High Priest collaborated with the Romans for personal gain.
The political and social situation in Israel looked hopeless. No one but Mary knew God was beginning to build his earth-shattering Eternal Kingdom … in a little village out in the middle of nowhere.
It’s often true that you can find hidden layers of meaning in God’s actions. It turns out that the name “Nazareth” has prophetic significance.
“Nazareth” comes from the Hebrew “netzer” which means “branch” or “shoot.” Sometimes a “shoot” will grow from the stump of a tree that has been chopped down. That shoot or single branch is called a “netzer.”
In Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah is sometimes pictured as a “branch” or “shoot.” Look at Isaiah 11:4 “A shoot shall come up from the stump of Jesse (Jesse was King David’s father), and a branch (netzer) shall grow out of his roots…”
And so, in God’s surprising plan, the hometown of the long-awaited Messiah --- the “branch” or “netzer” --- would be a town called “the branch” or Nazareth. Gabriel came from heaven to Nazareth and delivered an amazing message to a descendent of Jesse – and David – a young virgin named Mary.
2. Mary’s Message
The angel went to Mary and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28
You might remember that Gabriel is the same angel who appeared to Daniel in the Old Testament. (We just finished a series from the book of Daniel a couple of weeks ago.) When Gabriel appeared to Daniel, he gave a similar greeting. Gabriel said he had been sent with a message for Daniel because “you are highly esteemed.”
Gabriel said almost the same thing to Mary: “You are highly favored.” How amazing, to be told by an Angel, straight from God’s throne, that God is highly impressed with you! The greeting Gabriel gave was actually a one-word title – Mary, you are “kecharitomene.” The underlined part of that word “chari” means “grace.”
The greeting literally would be, Mary, you are “one who has been filled with grace”
Grace is defined as “goodness that we don’t deserve, kindness, salvation, forgiveness, blessing – all these things as a pure gift.” Grace is at the center of what God was doing at Christmas. The child born to Mary would be grace in the flesh.
The Angel Gabriel told Mary, You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:31-33
Gabriel told Mary to name her son Yeshua. Jesus comes from the Greek, but Mary heard these words in Aramaic. In that language his name was Yeshua which means “God saves.” This was a common name in those days. But this was no common child. Gabriel told Mary three unique things about her this special child who would be named Yeshua:
1) He will be great. People expected the Messiah to be a great warrior, but Jesus would re-define the word great. He taught his followers, “whoever wishes to be great among you must be the servant of all.” Matthew 20:26
2) He will be called the Son of the Most High. Jewish children were all considered to be children of God. What makes Gabriel’s statement unique is the presence of the article “the.” Yeshua would not be another son of the Most High. Yeshua was THE Son of the Most High.
3) He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end. This is a Kingdom like no other. It is not defined by geography but by faith. The citizens of God’s kingdom are united by love of God and love of neighbor. For the last 2000 years that Kingdom has grown to cover the earth.
At Christmas we celebrate the beginning of a Kingdom that will never end. The Kingdom of Yeshua has changed the world … but not from the top down. It’s a Kingdom that grows in obscurity … as God changes one heart after another. And it started in an obscure village with the cooperation of an apparently ordinary young woman.
3. Mary’s Response
Let’s think about Mary for a minute. She was a young girl, engaged but not yet married. We don’t know what her parents did, but chances are her father was some sort of laborer. Most men in Nazareth worked for the wealthy people in the nearby city of Sepphoris. Most women married young if possible and worked at home, raising their children.
Mary was probably younger than we would expect. If their parents were able to arrange a marriage, most girls married around age 14 or 15. The custom was that a girl would be betrothed for about a year and then the marriage would take place. Mary was betrothed, not married. And her first response to the angel was to ask a practical question:
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
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. Luke 1:34-35
Then the angel gave Mary some evidence to reinforce the truth of God’s message to her.
He told Mary, 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. For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1:36-37
You see, God doesn’t demand “blind faith.” The Angel didn’t scold Mary for asking questions. He provided answers and evidence because Mary’s questions didn’t come from rebellion … they were honest questions … and God gave her honest answers.
We know a lot more, scientifically, than Mary did at that point. We know about DNA strands. We know that conception requires a DNA strand from the male as well as a strand from the female.
We don’t know exactly how Jesus could be human and also God’s only begotten Son. But is it really so hard to understand the One who Created DNA and all the laws of biology could do whatever He chooses to do?
Mary didn’t understand how the Angels message could come true, but she totally believed that God could do whatever He promised. And Mary was ready to do her part. Her answer was simple and profound:
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:38
What an amazing experience. There’s nothing to indicate that Mary’s life --- up to that point --- was anything but ordinary. She was going about her normal life … perhaps helping her mother clean the house or going to fetch water.
Then … without warning … an Angel appeared and everything changed.
Mary said “yes” to Gabriel’s message. She said “yes” despite the fact that this announcement literally came out of the blue. Mary said “yes” even though … according to the law … she could be stoned for an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. She said “yes” knowing that it would mean the end of personal dreams for her wedding day … and would very likely force Joseph to call off the wedding altogether.
It’s amazing to realize that the cooperation of this ordinary young girl played a crucial role in the salvation of the human race.
God’s plan to step into our world hinged on what Mary would say to the Angel Gabriel.
With her heart pounding, filled with surprise and confusion … excitement and fear …Mary made her choice: “I am the Lord’s servant.”
That’s the way we are all meant to live.
CONCLUSION:
Most of life tends to be like Mary’s was before the Angel appeared. We live normal lives, doing what’s required day to day. But there comes a time … for all of us … when God bursts into our routine lives with a message.
It’s not usually an Angel that brings the message. It may come through another person or while we’re reading scripture. It may come through a song on the radio while we’re driving … or in that “still, small voice” late in the night. But we know in our heart that we are hearing a message from God.
Sometimes God asks us to be with people we don’t want to be with --- to go places we don’t want to go --- to let go of something we want to hang on to --- to take a risk that fills us with a mix of excitement and fear.
How will you respond when God speaks to you?
While we’re thinking “Christmassy” thoughts this December, let’s remember the choice Mary made. Let’s remember how God chose a poor, insignificant young woman in a poor and insignificant little town to change the whole world.
Mary’s response can inspire us to say with her: “Here am I, Lord. Use me according to your will.”
