"Favored One"

Why me?

Why Mary?

4 Main Emphases:

Messenger (vv. 26-27)

To where? (v. 26)

No where. Small town. Out of the way. Of no consequence.

Nathanael questioned, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Jn. 1:46).

To whom? (v. 27)

Virgin (Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”)

To a soon to be family of Davidic lineage.

Very factual /limited setting, but...

Grand and glorious messenger.

Message (vv. 28-33)

Mary will receive as special blessing (vv. 28-30).

“Favor” comes from the word “grace.”

God does not show favor based upon merit, otherwise it wouldn’t be grace.

Noah found favor/grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen 6:8).

If you are saved, then you have found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

“Blessed” (KJV/NKJV “are you among women”) is “to speak well of” (some old manuscripts do not have this).

Even Mary seems surprised (v. 29). Genuine faith will ask “Why me?!”

The why is not answered. The what is.

She will give birth to a special Son (vv. 31-33).

He will be the Savior (“Jesus” = Jehovah is salvation; v. 31).

He will be the Son of God (v. 32, also v. 35). Unique title

He will fulfill scripture (vv. 32-33)

2 Samuel 7:16 “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ””

Isaiah 9:6–7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

We have a grand/glorious messenger with a grand/glorious message.

The place and the person were just the opposite.

Miracle (vv. 34-37)

The baby will be conceived by the Holy Spirit (vv. 34-37).

There should be no doubt that Mary was a virgin (v. 34).

Jesus had to be conceived by the Holy Spirit because He is Holy (v. 35).

God has proven that He can do anything (vv. 36-37).

Mary (v. 38)

Consider her submission.

She does not argue or doubt. She yields herself to God and His will.

She basically says that if this is what God wants, then this is what she wants.

Consider her sacrifice.

She accepts the disgrace of what this pregnancy looks like.

She accepts the difficulty of explaining the situation.

She accepts the changes to her preconceived hopes and dreams.

Faith is the response to revelation, despite the circumstances.

Mary’s faith was manifested in her submission.

If faith is manifested through submission, then submission should be a significant and regular part of the Christian life…since faith should be a significant and regular part of life.

While her response is commendable in some ways… what else could she do?

It’s not a command. It’s what God’s going to do.

Mary is just a recipient.

Mary was chosen for no apparent reason.

This was a work that only God could do, and only God did.

Why me?

Mary is an example of a favored one responding appropriately.

If you are a favored one, then you should respond similarly.

We won’t receive revelation from an angel, but we have received revelation from the scriptures.

Benediction: Jude 24-25 “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-17