Blessed Are You - Luke 1:26-45

Introduction

During the days of the Civil War, a young boy was born into slavery. Orphaned as a baby and raised in poverty in the state of Missouri, his name was George Washington Carver. From these humble beginnings, Carver would go on to change the world.

From a young age, Carver had a hunger and passion for learning. Despite countless obstacles—including schools that refused to teach Black students—he persevered. He would walk miles to attend school and even built his own laboratory at home. Eventually, his determination led him to earn a degree in agricultural science, where he made groundbreaking contributions to the world.

Carver revolutionized agriculture in the South, but he is perhaps best known for discovering over 300 uses for the peanut. From soap and paint to shampoo and lotion, and even plastics and fuel, his ingenuity transformed a simple nut into extraordinary possibilities. But Carver’s work didn’t stop there—he also innovated with sweet potatoes, pecans, and other crops, revitalizing Southern farming.

His life was marked by humility and faith. He once said, “God gave them to me; why should I claim the credit?” Another of his famous statements encapsulates his legacy: “When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”

Carver’s story reminds us how remarkable things can emerge from unlikely sources when touched by God’s hand.

Transition:

As we turn to Luke 1:26-45, we see another extraordinary story of greatness arising from the ordinary. God chose Mary—a young woman in a small, insignificant town—to bring the Savior of the world into being. It’s a profound reminder that God delights in showing his favor to the humble and the ordinary to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

Big Idea: God works through humble faith to accomplish His glorious purposes.

Scripture: Luke 1:26–45 (NRSV)

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him 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 ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel said to 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 holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

1. God’s Favor Comes to Humble Places

a. Nazareth’s insignificance

Transition: Let’s start by considering where this extraordinary story begins – a place that wouldn’t even have shown up on a map: the village of Nazareth in the region of Galilee.

This place did not have the greatest of reputations. Many Jews looked down on Galilee because it had a mixed population of Jews and non-Jews. Then the village of Nazareth itself was a trashy, corrupt halfway stop between the port cities of Tyre and Sidon, which was all overrun by Gentiles and Roman soldiers. Nazareth was treated as an insignificant place, to the point that it wasn’t mentioned in the Old Testament, the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus, or even in the rabbinical texts like the Talmud or midrash. Its later significance comes entirely from its connection to the Gospel story; so by consensus, Nazareth was not much.

I wish I could have been in the room when Luke first shared this story. Imagine the amazement of 1st-century Jewish listeners! Matthew begins with Jesus’ genealogy, tracing Him to David and Abraham. Mark opens with, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” But Luke starts differently—he introduces Zechariah, a priest in the Temple, and his barren, righteous wife, Elizabeth. The setting and details seem to point to an incredible announcement: Gabriel is here to proclaim that Elizabeth’s child will be the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of God.

But that’s not what happens. Instead, Gabriel announces that Elizabeth will bear a son named John, who will prepare the way for the Lord. And when Zechariah hears this, his response—rather than faith—is doubt, questioning the angel’s message. Then, the angel Gabriel, sent by God, went to Nazareth. “Okay, maybe not the most special place, but maybe a special person! Maybe it was the most righteous, kingly, wonderful and handsome man that would be the Messiah or be the father, or there would be a royal woman passing through Nazareth because Apple Maps sent her in the wrong direction, and she would be a princess or queen or priestess, and she would give birth to the Messiah!”

No.

The first verses we read today highlights a significant choice God made: “…the angel Gabriel was sent by God to … Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

b. Mary’s humility

In the eyes of the world, Mary was not someone of much significance either. She was a young girl, likely a young teenager. And like many other poor peasant girls of her time, Mary was almost certainly illiterate, her knowledge of Scripture coming only from what she had memorized at home or heard in the synagogue. From all appearances, Mary’s life would have been ordinary: destined to marry humbly, bear children, live quietly in her small village, and one day pass away like countless others—a nobody in a nowhere town.

But everything changed when an angel appeared to her with life-altering news: she, a virgin, would conceive a child by the Spirit of God, and that child would be the Messiah. Imagine with me this is the first time you’re hearing this story. On the one hand, this is thrilling news: God’s promises are finally being fulfilled—not in some distant future, not through a queen in a palace, but through Mary, an ordinary girl. This isn’t happening in Jerusalem or near the Temple of God, but it’s happening here, with her. She had been chosen by God to play a central role in His redemptive plan for humanity. This is breathtaking, joyous news.

On the other hand, this news would bring with it some profound challenges. Mary was engaged to Joseph, and I wonder if Mary paused for a moment. She must have thought and agonized over how to explain this to Joseph. For any husbands and fathers in the room, how would you react if when you were engaged your fiancée came to you and said, “Honey, don’t freak out, but I’m pregnant with someone else’s child—but don’t worry, it’s God’s.” What were the chances that Joseph would believe her?

Best case scenario, Joseph breaks the engagement, leaving her a single mother. Worst case, she faces death by stoning for the assumption of adultery under Levitical law. Even if she survived that, it would mean a lifetime of ridicule, rejection, and loneliness. In a small town like Nazareth, such news would spread quickly. Her family would likely cast her out, and she would live alone bearing the stigma of scandal in her small, judgmental community.

Transition: For God to call and choose Mary was a profound honor, beyond words. But for Mary, this honor would come with its challenges. The weight of explaining to Joseph, the fear of rejection, the threat of punishment. The angel’s words must’ve been so sweet to her heart: “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30) We see that Mary didn’t run or rebel – she stayed, she listened and meditated on the words, she trusted the Word of God.

This leads us to our second point: while God’s favor might bring challenges, it also brings His presence. Mary’s story reminds us that God’s favor is not a promise of comfort, but a promise of His closeness, a promise that enables us to face whatever lies ahead.

2. God’s Favor Brings His Presence

a. The meaning of favor

The word “favor” here is more than just a blessing; it’s the assurance of God’s presence and His active involvement in Mary’s life. The word “favor” here in the Greek is “Xaris,” which can also be translated as “grace, goodwill, a gift, kindness.” Biblically, when we see the stories of people like Noah, Moses, Gideon when it says they had God’s favor, it didn’t mean they were shielded from the hardships of life, it means that He is with us through the hardships, that he remembers us, that his face is turned toward us. The favor of God is the guarantee of his gracious and merciful presence in our lives. Maybe you’re asking yourself, “do I have favor with God? I’m not like one of the heroes or characters of the Bible. I haven’t done much.” (Or you’re thinking) “I have done so much and yet I don’t feel like I have God’s favor. How do I know he is with me? Where is my angel to promise and prove to me God’s presence is with me?”

b. The assurance of God’s presence

Titus 3:6, “[God] poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Ephesians 1:5-6, “[God] predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace (xapis) that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.”

Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand…”

If you have placed your faith in the Messiah, Son of David, Son of God, you have favor with God. Through Jesus Christ, through faith in him, believing he is Lord and Savior, the Bible tells us that our relationship with God has been redeemed. We have been reconciled with our Creator through Christ as our Advocate (2 Cor. 5:18). And because of the gracious sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross, we have the Spirit of God within us, which means the eternal, holy, comforting presence of God is with us. It means we have been adopted as his children and will never leave his presence.

Mary heard the angel, the Lord is with her. She would be part of God’s plan and God would be with her. She then becomes a prime example that we cannot earn God’s favor or grace, but rather it comes as a response to the humility of our hearts. God works through humble faith to accomplish His glorious purposes, but it will require trust and obedience on our part.

3. God’s Favor Requires Trust and Obedience

a. Mary’s honest question

When confronted with the extraordinary, Mary doesn’t resist or question God’s ability. Instead, she asks one honest question: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Earlier in the chapter, Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, questioned the angel’s message with doubt in his heart. But Mary’s question isn’t a doubting question but it’s a desire for clarity—an acknowledgment of the biological impossibility. Her question reflects curiosity, not disbelief, and this serves as a model for us today.

As disciples, we too are invited to bring honest, simple questions to God:

• “God, how am I a new creation?”

• “What does it mean that I am your child?”

• “How do I experience the life of Jesus in me today?”

These questions reflect a longing to understand and live in the fullness of God’s promises. It’s when we meditate on these questions that we begin to get some answers–life changing answers.

b. Mary’s humble surrender

There were many ways Mary could have responded to the angel; she could have refused or succumbed to fear. After all, saying “yes” risked everything: her engagement, her reputation, even her life. Yet her eternally worthy response is one of complete surrender: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

This moment of humble trust reveals Mary’s character— a life lived in obedience to God. Her willingness to embrace God’s plan, despite the cost, is why she has such an enduring legacy of faith.

We as God’s people today are offered the same opportunity: to trust and obey God’s Word and witness His grace at work in our lives. As Proverbs 3:3-6 (CSB) reminds us, “Never let [steadfast love] and faithfulness leave you…Then you will find favor and high regard with God and people. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Illustration: (Swimming against river current) Trusting in God isn’t always easy, but it’s easier than trying to go against Him. Think of God’s activity like the current of the Mississippi River. You can enter the water and swim with the current, moving freely and even being carried along by its pull. Or you can fight against it—kicking, flailing, exhausting yourself—only to end up moving downstream anyway. The one thing you can’t do is stop the current or pretend it’s a still pond. God’s plans are always moving forward. The question is whether we’ll cooperate and let Him carry us, or resist and make it harder on ourselves.

“I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

Transition: What if Mary had hesitated? What if her trust in God had faltered or wasn’t sincere? Trusting God’s plans isn’t just about making our journey smoother; it’s about aligning ourselves with His greater purpose. When we trust and obey, we not only experience His grace in our lives but also we participate in His redemptive work in the world. That’s exactly what we see in Mary’s story. Her humble trust in God didn’t just impact her—it introduced the Redeemer to the world. And this brings us to the heart of the story: the identity of the child who would bring redemption to all.

4. God’s Favor Brings Redemption to the World

a. The Child’s identity revealed

This is how Luke decides to introduce the main character of the story. This is the beautiful masterpiece God has brought together to introduce his Son, Jesus, to the world. For Luke’s original audience, these titles the angel gives to Jesus carried immense weight. That he will have ’The throne of David’ reminded the people of God’s covenant promises, and ‘the declaration that His kingdom will have no end’ pointed to the fulfillment of their deepest hopes. In a humble town, in a quiet village, in a humble girl, God by his mysterious power and grace would send Jesus to be the Messiah and save people from their sins. He was to be great, the Son of God.

b. God’s plan for salvation

This was God’s plan for salvation. Jesus would be like the star on a tree, the final touch in the plan of redemption that started since the days of Adam and Eve. Out of God’s infinite mercy, his Son would enter into this broken world.

Jesus didn’t just come to save the world in some abstract way. He came to save you and me. God’s favor is not distant; it’s personal. Through Christ, we see the depth of God’s love and the lengths He will go to redeem us. Jesus himself trusted and obediently submitted to the will of the Father to be human like us, and to die for us so that we would have a healed relationship with God himself.

c. Joy to the world

i. This is the good news. This is reason for celebration and joy to the world. Just as Elizabeth’s child leapt for joy, our hearts should leap in response to this incredible news. The joy of salvation isn’t confined to that moment, for Mary or Elizabeth or the Apostles or the early church—it’s for all of us, here and now.

Conclusion

I’ll close with this: God has a habit of working through humble faith to demonstrate his favor and accomplish His glorious purposes.

1. God’s Favor – God’s favor is His unmerited blessing, given to us despite our unworthiness.

2. God’s Favor Comes to Humble Places – It often rests in the unexpected, humble circumstances of our lives, not in places of power or pride. This is to demonstrate that nothing is impossible with God.

3. God’s Favor Brings His Presence – When we experience God’s favor, we encounter His transformative presence in our lives.

4. God’s Favor Requires Trust and Obedience – Embracing his favor calls us to trust in His plan and obey His direction, no matter the cost. But God, in his grace and mercy, makes it worth it.

5. God’s Favor Brings Redemption to the World – God’s favor through Christ brings salvation and restoration to all of creation.

6. This is my Call to Action for us today– Will you, like Mary, respond to God’s call with humble trust and obedience? Will you step into His plans, however uncertain or daunting they may seem, knowing that His favor brings His presence, joy, and redemption to the world? As Christmas comes closer, I invite you to respond to God’s favor by stepping out in trust, obedience, and a commitment to participate in His redemptive work in the world.

End in prayer.

[1] Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke(Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1981), p. 343. [2] Sources such as the Apocryphal Gospel of the Birth of Mary and the History of Joseph the Carpenter, Renowned scholar Raymond Brown, in The Birth of the Messiah, also leans toward the younger age.