It was an ordinary village. Nazareth. In the backward territory of Galilee. No great men had been born there; no great battles had been fought there. Not much of a village, I guess. Not even named in the OT.
She was an ordinary girl. Young, perhaps 15 or even 14. A virgin, engaged to the village carpenter ("tradesman"), Joseph. Joseph also had this claim: He was descended from King David! Mary & Joseph were obviously faithful, Mary was especially well versed in Scripture (Luke 1:46-55 - "Magnificat"). But really, Mary was an ordinary girl, set to live an ordinary village life. Or was she…?
Join me in Luke 1:26-38 (focus on vv.30-33).
Unknown to Mary, her aging relative Elizabeth, was six months pregnant. Now the same angel that appeared to Elizabeth's husband, the priest Zacharias, enters Mary's home! His name is Gabriel ("God is my strength"). An angel is a messenger, asinless creature; Gabriel had been sent from the presence of God (1:19) to visit young Mary with history's most important birth announcement, the "ultimate reveal"! It's no wonder that Mary was amazed, even afraid!
We'll frame up their encounter like this:
Gabriel gave the greeting, Mary got the message, we all get the blessing! 1. A Virgin Who Conceives – v.31 2. The God Who Becomes Flesh – v.32 3. A Kingdom that Never Ends – vv.32-33 4. The God Who Is Gracious – v.30 |