The Son of the Most High
Luke 1:26 - 38
Key verse: 32a
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”
Introduction:
At this coming Christmas time, we’d like to think about Jesus’ birth and the meaningful message delivered through the angel to Mary. Mary was willing to receive God’s words humbly despite difficulties. May the Lord help us to learn of her faith and to be used for God’s glory. Amen.
1. Read verses 26 - 29. When and where does God send the angel Gabriel? (26) To whom the angel Gabriel is sent? (27) What is the angel’s message to her? (28) What is her response? (29)
1.1 Read verses 26 - 29.
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
1.2 When and where does God send the angel Gabriel? (26)
When : In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy
Medically speaking second trimester is very stable period for a baby in a womb.
God did a miacle for a faithful couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, to see God’s fruit through a son. (it is like the case of Abraham and Sarah in the book of Genesis)
Praise the Almighty God who richly bless us according to his faithfulness!
Where : Nazareth, a town in Galilee
Narareth was a village several miles northeast of Jerusalem.
According to what Nathanael said in John 1, it is one of despised cities, probably like south central Los Angeles.
1.3 To whom the angel Gabriel is sent? (27)
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
Mary is said to be betrothed(pledged) to Joseph.
There were three stages to a Jewish wedding in that day:
*engagement (a formal agreement made by the fathers),
*betrothal(the ceremony where mutual promises are made), and
*marriage (approximately one year later when the bridegroom comes at an unexpected time for his bride and last for a week).
So when a couple was betrothed, they were under the obligations of faithfulness, and a divorce was required to break the betrothal. This was not a casual promise at all.
Joseph - Although he seemed to be a ordinary man, his name shows God’s faithfulness to keep his covenant made to king David(2 Samuel 7) as well as Abraham(Genesis12, 15, 17, 22).
The virgin’s name was Mary.
Mary was a virgin. Mary was chosen by God.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
1.4 What is the angel’s message to her? (28)
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.
Gabriel says to Mary(two thinsgs). She is highly favored and the Lord is with her.
This is what we would like to hear from the Lord! And nothing matters!
As a matter of fact, we are highly favored like her thanks to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross. The Lord is with us through the Holy Spirit and His truth.
1.5 What is her response? (29)
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
She was troubled greatly because she might have wished ordinary time without any disturbance during her period of betrothal.
She wondered what kind of greeting this might be!
2. Read verses 30 - 33. How does the angel convince her? (30) What is God’s favor for her? (31a) What will He be called? (31b) Why will He be great? (32) How will He reign over Jacob’s descendants? (33)
2.1 Read verses 30 - 33.
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
2.2 How does the angel convince her? (30)
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
But the angel assured her by saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary”
The Angel again says, “You have found favor with God”
It reminds me of Noah. Although he had been faithful in following God, still the Bible clearly says that he found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
What does that mean by finding favor with God?
Mary or Noah did not earn His grace but merely found it.
God’s word of blessings are available in his words anytime.
For instance in Genesis 6, people became corrupt despite God’s truthful words.
Only Noah had maintained holy fear about God’s words and made the ark in holy fear.
As a result he was enabled to find favor with God.
Likewise Mary is about to find God’s favor. The same principle is applied to her in finding God’s favor to be used in His redemptive purpose.
2.3 What is God’s favor for her? (31a)
You will conceive and give birth to a son,
The focus is not on Mary, but on a Son.
She will look at the meaning of bearing a Son and the purpose for God’s glory.
2.4 What will He be called? (31b)
and you are to call him Jesus
Jesus means “salvation.”
2.5 Why will He be great? (32)
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
He will be great and He will be called the Son of the Highest.
True greatness is from the true God, Jesus Christ!
2.6 How will He reign over Jacob’s descendants? (33)
and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.
The throne of His father David: He will be the Messiah prophesied to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16), who has the rightful authority to rule over Israel, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul,whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
I think that Mary knew exactly what Gabriel was talking about because she was a woman of the word of God and the Holy Spirit works according to her obedient heart.
When he said you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, she knew he quoted from Isaiah 7:14 : the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son.
Like Mary it is important to remember the words of God.
3. Read verses 34 - 38. What does Mary ask to the angel? (34) How does the angel answer to her? (35 - 36) How does the angel assure Mary? (37) How does Mary respond? (38) What can we learn of her?
3.1 Read verses 34 - 38.
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 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[a] the Son of God. 36 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. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
3.2 What does Mary ask to the angel? (34)
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
How can this be, since I do not know a man? Mary’s question is logical.
3.3 How does the angel answer to her? (35 - 36)
35 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. 36 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.
The power of the Highest will overshadow you: Gabriel answered that the power of the Highest, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, would overshadow Mary.
Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age: With such an amazing promise, Gabriel also brings evidence - Elizabeth is pregnant.
If God can do that, He can do what He promised for Mary.
3.4 How does the angel assure Mary? (37)
37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
With God nothing shall be impossible: The point is clear. More literally, one could translate this for no word of God shall be powerless. God will absolutely perform what He has said.
“Sovereign Lord. You are God! Your covenant is trustworthy.” 2 Samuel 7:28.
3.5 How does Mary respond? (38)
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
She is the maidservant of the Lord, and it isn’t her position to argue with her Master, but to accept what He says.
Let it be to me according to your word: Mary then responds with an affirmation of faith. Let it be to me according to Your word is the proper response!
All she just says is more than she possibly imagined.
Maybe in the middle she might have been difficult such as others misunderstanding or even danger to be stoned to death.
Mary agrees to receive a pregnancy that will be seen as suspicious, and this in a culture that had a death penalty for adultery.
Someone decided to be a shepherd by denying himself or severing worldly friendship or even family priority. Or being a missionary without consequences down the road.
Mary even identified herself as servants(slaves or sinners) willingly so that the purpose of God would be fulfilled.
I personally believe that she probably conceived Jesus as soon as she had believed the word of God.
Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.(1 Timothy 3:16)
But the message of the Scriptures is clear regarding the Virgin Birth.
There can be no question about the Virgin Birth, only questions about our holy fear concerning the divine authority of the Scripture.
May the Lord help us to develop holy fear about God’s divine authority in His living words that can be distorted through Satan’s deception.
May the Lord help us to increase our personal faith in His trustworthy words rather than anything else.
3.6 What can we learn of her?
May the Lord resume the authority of God’s words so that we may be like Mary.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
The angels are supposed to assist us to believe God’s words in our hearts.
In conclusion:
Mary was surprised at unexpected happening. But it had been planned minfully by the Sovereign Lord who had promised to David and prepared Mary as a humble servant of the Lord. No sooner had the Lord told her about Jesus’ birth through the angel than she accepted it personally and identified herself as a servant of the Lord. May the Lord raise up many servants like her who set a good example for us to follow in revering the word of God.
One word: I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to be be fulfilled.
Copyright © 2024 LA UBF All rights reserved.