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Luke 1:26–38 (ESV)
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 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 bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 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.” 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. 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.” 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.
Do you like surprises? Surprises are a challenge when they leave us startled, scared, and/or scrambling, like when someone intentionally tries to frighten you. However, surprises can be a blessing when they bring joy or delight into our lives, like when you get an unexpected gift or when a longtime friend or loved one unexpectedly shows up at your door.
In this passage, Mary gets a very unexpected surprise visit from the angel Gabriel, and the news he brings is one that is a great blessing to all of us.
One of the great good surprises of this passage is the announcement of God’s sovereign activity through Mary’s life. The loving and saving work of God is going to be revealed in and through the life of Mary as she becomes the mother of Jesus. God, in His sovereignty, is intervening in the lower story of human history, fulfilling His promises from back in Genesis to draw people to Himself through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
One of the things that stands out in this account is the difference between Mary’s reaction to this good surprise compared to that of Zechariah at the surprise news that he will have a son (John) from the passage just before this one.
Mary was filled with wonder and discernment. Zechariah was filled with fear. Zechariah was filled with doubt and disbelief at the angel’s announcement. Mary’s response to the angel’s announcement is not one of disbelief but honest wonder, not questioning “if” it can happen, but “how”.
I love Mary’s response at the end of the passage as she submits herself to following God’s will.
Mary couldn’t have possibly known all that it would cost her to submit and commit herself to God’s plan for her life, but she would have known that there was a cost.
When it becomes obvious that she is pregnant, and people do the math, what will people think? What will her family say? What will Joseph do when he learns that his betrothed is pregnant, and how will he and others respond to her answers…, a visit from an angel?
In spite of all those concerns, Mary responds by trusting and committing her life to God’s vision.
The challenge for us is no different today. Just like Mary, we are challenged to trust and commit ourselves to God’s vision for our lives. It’s a vision which has changed the world, it’s a vision that can change our community, and it’s a vision that continues to challenge and change our church and our lives.
The real question is whether or not we will commit our lives to God’s vision, as risky and challenging as that might be.
God bless you and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott
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