Luke 1:26-56

Introduction

Last week we met Zechariah and Elizabeth and saw the birth of John the Baptist foretold and saw that john the Baptist would be the one that came before the Messiah

This week we meet Mary and see the birth of Jesus the Messiah foretold

Birth of Jesus Foretold (Luke 1:26-38)

Luke 1:26–27 KJV

26 And in the sixth month the angel 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.

Nazareth: John 1:45–46 “45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.”

A Nazarene was looked at by them the same way somebody from Greeneville, or western North Carolina, or northeast Georgia would be by the fancy people on the coasts or the big cities. “Can anything good come out of Appalachia?”

Virgin Birth: the Bible clearly says Mary was a Virgin. The historical church and church fathers affirm the fact:

Apostles’ Creed contains all the fundamental articles of the Christian faith necessary to salvation, in the form of facts, in simple Scripture language, and in the most natural order—the order of revelation—from God and the creation down to the resurrection and life everlasting.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

and born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to hell.

The third day he rose again from the dead.

He ascended to heaven

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic* church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Why is this important right now? I think about culture and where we’re living a lot and this matters today. I’ll prove it:

If you were paying attention to all the crowds God blessed this little church with this week during Jubilee, God sure seems to be moving in a mighty way especially in the younger crowd.

One of the things happening is a trend of some moving from some more of the silly things we see out there in the evangelical church more focused on entertainment and theater (like WWE wrestling Sunday morning services) to the more liturgical and traditional worship of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

Honestly, by God’s grace, the youth are seeing their need and desire for something that addresses their hurt and loneliness caused by everything from parents that aren’t there to social media interaction all day long and the structure and formality if Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy seems more serious and meaningful than some of the evangelical mess they’re seeing out there on tic toc.

That’s one of the draws Tyler Gaulden has. You saw it Thursday! You may have had a thought or two when you saw the lights and the cameras, you may even think it as the Pastor and I and a few others are filming and trying to get out there on social media. But the fact is his presence and preaching are a good balance of the visual appeal drawing their attention, and the solid doctrinal messages that’s real. Real is what they’re looking for!

What’s that have to do with Mary and a virgin birth? How we view Mary matters so much right now that Pope Leo XIV and the Vatican published on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 Mater Populi Fidelis (“The Mother of the Faithful People”)

a Doctrinal Note “On Some Marian Titles Regarding Mary’s Cooperation in the Work of Salvation.”

It clarifies the Catholic churches stance on some “Marian Dogmas”:

Claude

Luke 1:28–33 KJV

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.

highly favoured (28): accepted; used to refer to all believers in Ephesians 1:6 “6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Mary received God’s grace and doesn’t dispense it in any way

Fear not (30): same reverent and appropriate fear Zachariah had coming into contact with even the 2nd hand holiness of God Gabriel had on him

Son of the Highest (32-33): Luke is calling Jesus the Son of God and the one prophesied about in:

2 Samuel 7:12–13 “12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

Isaiah 9:7 “7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Luke 1:34–38 KJV

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said 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.

Mary didn’t understand most of what was happening but she knew biology and that babies didn’t come from storks

The Holy Spirit would mirror the creation of all things in the beginning (ex nihilo - from nothing) in Mary’s womb and Jesus would be conceived with no physical union of any kind. A miraculous creation free from any sin and fully God and fully man

differs from:

Mormons who believe an actual physical union between God and Mary happened

and Jehovah’s Witness that believe Jesus was the 1st created being and a lesser being than God

cousin Elizabeth (36): Mary was a descendant of David through her father.

be it according (38): betrothed isn’t engaged

Betrothal could take place as early as 12 years old

usually lasted for about a year (SB II, 373–375, 393–398).

Although it was regarded as equally binding as marriage, the girl having the same legal position as a wife, it was not normal for the consummation of marriage in the wedding bed to take place during this period

Mary was facing not only embarrassment but supposing to be a virgin and ending up pregnant and being proven adultery (not joseph’s) in their day could mean her life and at least considered defiled and worthless with no support

yet Mary is able to trust God and willingly submit to His will without understanding!

Mary Visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45)

Luke 1:39–45 KJV

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of 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.

80-100 miles take 3-4 days; not up the road a piece...literally putting sandal leather to faith!

John the Baptist leaped, not a normal kick some would try to say. I imagine Elizabeth knew it was different and in a flash as the Holy Spirit fills her she knows for sure. Knows the past and prophetically sees the future. Knows what’s happen to Mary and prophesies for all of us!

Elizabeth isn’t praising Mary but the Lord of Glory in her womb. Mary isn’t “blessed” because she has some special character or trait or because she’s sinless or special other than God especially chose her among all women to bear the baby that would offer salvation to the world!

Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)

Luke 1:46–55 KJV

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Antonio Vivaldi’s Magnificat in G minor may be the most popular version of the classical piece. I would describe it as energetic and full of joy, majestic, passionate, and triumphant. All he did was compose 12-15 minutes of music and singing to match Mary’s song here in these 10 verses

Magnificat is the first word (magnify) in the Latin translation. full of OT allusions and quotations. Mary's heart and mind had been filled with the Word of God they had at the time

pointing to the law, the psalms, and the prophets. The entire passage is a point-by-point reciting of the covenant promises of God.

saviour (47): Mary recognizes her own need of a savior and that savior was the One True God of the Bible.

she not only sees herself as sinless but understands divine grace is her only hope of salvation and that divine grace is coming to man as Jesus, the baby in her womb!

lowly (48): Mary has the humility that pray I could show!

Conclusion

What can we (especially as men) take away from the lesson:

#1 Jesus, Savior, King was born of a virgin to live a sinless life, die a vicarious death, be divinely resurrected and is seated on the right hand of God making intercession for God’s people!

God is sovereign and in control and we don’t have to be so we need to trust His plan and work and quit trying to control everything ourselves

Mary was willing to submit to the word from God even knowing it could cost her everything. As husbands, fathers, and leaders or employees it goes against culture to be willing to lay down our plans and what we want to constantly look for and find the will of God in the Word or God

The Magnificat should be the model of how we respond to God’s work in our lives. It should bring real worship and praise, not just thinking “God is real” but be willing to talk about and even sing about who God is and all God’s done