Prelude: What can we learn from a teenager? What can we learn from her faith? Purpose: Let’s learn about the simplicity of trust in God. Plan: Let’s look at Mary’s faith in Luke 1:26-38.
Luke 1:26-28 Gabriel
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named 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!”
This was Elizabeth’s 6th month of pregnancy with John. It is the only indication we have that John was 6 months older than Jesus. Mary and Elizabeth were related. Some translations of verse 36 say they were cousins, but the original Greek word simply means a relative. Highly favored one is sometimes translated “full of grace” and portrays Mary as a receiver of grace not the “Mother of Grace.”
Luke 1:29-30 Favor with God
But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Mary was a virgin engaged to Joseph. It was common custom, so it’s possible that Mary was probably a teenager. She was greatly troubled at the words of the angel. So he comforted her saying, How great an example of faith can a teenager be? To be an unwed mother during her engagement period would have been a great scandal. What would her parents think? What would her groom think? What would the neighborhood gossip be? Would her child forever be called illegitimate? How could this be favor with God? The reassuring words of the angel were puzzling.
[Philip King & Lawrence Stager. Life in Biblical Israel. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, 2001. 37.]
Luke 1:31-33 Endless Kingdom
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Imagine being a teenage girl engaged to be married in a year. An angel appears to you in your parents’ home and tells you that you will bear the Savior of the world while a virgin. You are young and inexperienced in life. You are unsure of yourself. You are in a quandary whether your betrothed will still want to marry you. You wonder if people in your village will reject you. You are unsure what your own parents will say, but you have that innocent faith of young people. What will Mary say?
Luke 34-38 Let it Be
Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary chose to have faith instead of unbelief or complaining as Israel did. When we complain we are looking to visible circumstances instead of our invisible God. Instead of letting God be in control, we want to take control instead of waiting on his mighty hand. Do we complain or simply accept God at His word like Mary did?
Postlude: Mary found favor with God and had the faith to say, Let it be to me according to your word. May we also say as Jesus did, not my will but yours.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
