Luke 1:26-38
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was.
30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God.
36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month.
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
The Annunciation to Mary
God’s faithfulness
This is an exceedingly well-known passage. Throughout history, many artists have endeavored to depict this scene. As we reflect on today’s passage, let us begin by focusing on God’s faithfulness. The annunciation to Mary did not come out of nowhere, disconnected from its surrounding context. It is the fulfillment of the covenant God made with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). Why can we say that? (1) “Jesus” means “The Lord is salvation.” The boy to be born from Mary will save God’s people, Israel, and also the Gentiles. This is the fulfillment of the promise that all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through the descendants of Abraham. (2) “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David” is the fulfillment of the promise that the Messiah would come from the line of David and establish the Davidic kingdom. Jesus became the “Son of David” in the legal sense through His father Joseph, and in the physical sense through His mother Mary (ref. 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Isa. 9:6-7). (3) Mary’s virgin conception is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. The people of Israel had long awaited the day the Messiah would be born. When the fullness of time came, God brought His promised word to pass. Our God never forgets what He has promised. Let’s praise this God from the heart.
Mary’s response
Mary’s response reveals three of her qualities. (1) Faith: she understood that this annunciation was taking place within the context of a covenant relationship with God. (2) Humility: she was fully aware of her own inadequacy. The name of the town she lived in, Nazareth, does not appear even once in the Old Testament or the Talmud. Jewish women had longed for centuries to become the mother of the Messiah. Yet that privilege was given to Mary. She must have deeply felt that all she could do was give thanks for the Lord’s grace. (3) Obedience: she made the decision to offer herself before the Lord as bondservant. This was not a forced servitude, but one of her own free-will. God also has a wonderful plan prepared for you. He works great things through those who willingly become His servants. Let us pray, “May it be done to me according to your word.” (See also Rom. 6:16-23).
Today's prayer
Gracious God, I am clay in Your hands. Please shape me according to Your plan. Like Mary, I pray, “May it be done to me according to Your word.” In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.