Hearing Mind And Doing Muscles Luke 1:26-45
person would be a Jewish young woman, Mary the mother of Jesus. As is the case
with Apollos (lesson #6), the lesson of her life may be missed unless we do some
reading line by line and between the lines. In his inspired account, Luke writes of
Mary as being "highly favoured." This means graciously accepted, and much graced.
Why was Mary so highly favoured?
Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary.
28. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured,
the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind
what manner of salutation this should be.
30. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour
with God.
31. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and
shalt call his name Jesus.
32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there
shall be no end.
34. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
virgin. She had not fallen into the world's idea that to be hip or cool means getting
some experience in sex before marriage. She kept herself until after marriage. Here is a
role model for children and teens who took God at his word. God thought so highly of
her that He selected her to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ
blight to her legacy. [For more on this, you may consider Web Links page, Link BT,
while there do search for "Maryolotry."] What makes Mary outstanding is not
inventions of man such as "perpetual virginity" (she conceived children the natural way
after Jesus' birth, Matthew 13:55-56). Rather, it is the fact that she took God at His
word. This is obscured when men imagine all kinds of mystical connections with
Mary. Along with her husband Joseph, a carpenter (Matthew 13:55), the couple
appeared to be godly intelligent simple working people. They were humbly obedient to
the word of God.
original patriarchal law (See lesson #18 section II, on laws from Adam to now under
Christ). And as under the old testament Israelite law, it is a violation against others
(Deuteronomy 22:28-29). Finally the new testament law of Christ shows that
fornication is also a violation of one's own self (1 Corinthians 6:13-15). Overcoming
self means not sinning against God, others, or self.
unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God.
36. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age:
and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37. For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to
thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a
city of Juda;
word." As James says, we are called to be "not hearers only, deceiving your own
selves," but to "be ye doers of the word" (James 1:22). Mary is a doer on her way to
visit older cousin Elisabeth (Luke 1:36), who was six months pregnant with John the
Baptizer (Luke 1:5-25, which would therefore make him a cousin of Jesus, six months
older).
grasp it, but she could and did believe and accept the responsibility. Later, "being great
with child", with Joseph she made the 65-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem
(to be taxed or registered by Caesar, Luke 2:1-5). The baby Jesus was delivered while
in Bethlehem. No special doctors or hospital or even a Motel 6. In fact, His "cradle"
was a cattle trough in a barn, which is what a "manger" is (Luke 2:6-7).
Herod wanted to kill her son who was born The King. So she and Joseph hit the road
again, this time over 200 miles to Egypt. Finally, God told them it was safe to go back.
Without murmuring or complaining, Mary and husband with the child Jesus in tow
headed back home to Nazareth in Galilee (Matthew 2:1-23), thus fulfilling another
prophecy about Christ.
Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe
leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42. And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44. For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe
leaped in my womb for joy.
45. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things
which were told her from the Lord.
"Blessed is she that believed." Mary was pure, she was a doer, and she was a
believer. Like it says of Abraham in Romans 4:20, she "staggered not at the promises
of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Mary went
through things that throw unbelievers for a loop. With trust in God and quiet strength
she never gave up. For us she is an example of overcoming.
He was, Mary was there. And just before Jesus turned the water to wine, Mary
made another statement that showed she had Overcome Self. Now Jesus was her
son, but above that He was her Savior. She told the servants at the marriage in
Cana, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it" (John 2:1-11). Man alive! In such
simple words that a child can understand, that says it. Just do what He says.
now. But, in an revealing show of the human personality of Jesus (lesson #26), Jesus
requited his mother's care for him. Mary heard Jesus tell the beloved John (the
apostle, not the forerunner) who was also there, to take care of Mary as if she were
his own mother (John 19:25-27). "Her children arise up, and call her blessed...",
Proverbs 31:28. After "losing" her son Jesus, Mary did not lose her devotion to God.
In Acts 1:14, weeks after the death of Christ, she was with some other disciples in an
upper room. They were praying and waiting on the Savior's promise to come shortly
from on high. This would bring all together God's plan for salvation in the church of
Christ (Acts 1:8-14; 2:1, 5, 16ff, 22, 33, 38, 39, 47).