In our last message we learned that while Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, Gabriel, an angel of God, came to Mary and informed her that she will give birth to a son through the Holy Spirit and She must name her Jesus.
What we also learnt is that:
1) Mary was still a virgin at the time of Gabriel’s visit
2) Mary was legally married
3) Joseph comes from a line of Kings.
4) Mary did not do anything to deserve being a mother of Jesus, it was simply God’s grace bestowed upon her.
5) Mary is not a source of grace but a recipient of God’s grace
6) Mary was to name our Lord, Jesus.
Let’s now continue with the second part of our message on the birth of Jesus Christ.
Luke 1:32-38 (ESV Strong’s Bible)
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Verse 31 ends with Gabriel telling Mary that she must call the baby Jesus. Now we see Gabriel telling Mary who Jesus will become and what He will be. Gabriel told Mary 5 things that will become of or happen to Jesus.
Gabriel told Mary that
1) Jesus will be great.
2) Jesus will be called the son of the Most High which refers to God. Therefore He will be called the Son of God.
3) God will give Him the throne of His father David.
4) Jesus will reign as King over the house fo Jacob forever
5) There will be no end to His Kingdom
Therefore in summary of the above, Jesus will be a Great King over the House of Jacob forever.
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Mary on hearing these news rightfully asked how it will happen since she was a virgin. Gabriel informed here that Jesus will be conceived through the Holy Spirit and hence Jesus will be called Holy, The Son of God.
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Gabriel also informed Mary of another miracle that has already happened and this is the miracle involving Elizabeth who was Mary’s relative. We are informed that she was barren, meaning that she could not have children but, by God’s intervention, she was pregnant. Gabriel then emphasized to Mary that nothing is impossible with God. This could be that Gabriel wanted to assure Mary that just as much as Elisabeth became pregnant even though she was barren, she will also bear a son through the Holy Spirit even through she was a virgin.
38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Unlike John the Baptist’s father Zachariah, Mary responded with belief. She believed what the angel told her. She submitted herself to the will of God by saying that she is a servant and beleived.