Human Response to a Heavenly Message (Pt. 2)

We talked last week about Gabriel meeting with Zachariah. Zachariah had an incredible time with this meeting, but didn’t believe Gabriel in the beginning.

The Heavenly Message had a Human Response. We learned a lot about this...

Tonight, I want to talk with you all about the differences in responses between Zachariah and Mary.

1. Heavenly Hello

verses 26-28

So last week we talked about a Human Reaction to a Heavenly Message, and we saw Zachariah’s response: doubt to rejoicing.

I think we can learn from Mary’s response here in a HUGE way… but before we get there

Notice what Gabriel says to Mary in the “hello” of this Heavenly Message

In this “hello,” Gabriel reminds Mary that she is:

a) Mary is Highly Favored

Notice how he starts this message:

“Hail, thou that are highly favored.”

another way to say this is, “Grace! to you who are highly graced.”

“Mary had to be saved too...”

“Mary was blessed among women but she wasn’t above women!”

Although she was a godly woman, it was God’s grace, not Mary’s character that made her God’s choice.

That phrase “Highly favored” is used in all of God’s people: Ephesians 1:6

b) Mary has the Heavenly Father

notice: “The Lord is with you.”

what an incredible statement to open up this announcement.

“Mary, God is with you...”

What a promise for us, too:

God will never leave you or forsake you.

No matter what you might do, God is always with us!

Even after hearing this encouragement, Mary is sort of blown away… check out verse 29

She was “troubled” and “cast her mind” on this heavenly greeting.

she was trying to figure out what was going on hahaha - I don’t know about you, but I would be in the same exact boat!

well after getting this “Hello”

2. Heavenly Assignment

verse 29-37

Gabriel has already encouraged Mary, but look how this message takes a turn

Here’s where things begin to get good: Gabriel isn’t just coming here to chat, he is about to tell Mary about her “Heavenly Assignment”

notice that Gabriel breaks down this “assignment” into three parts:

a) Identity

verse 30 - “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God!”

He is just reiterating what he said to her in the beginning.

b) Instrument

Verse 31 - Here’s why I’m here: “Behold” - Look here

You are going to have a Son named Jesus

Even though you’ve never been married (yet), but you are going to be a vessel to bring the Savior of the world into this world

Don’t forget that we as Christians are vessels to bring Jesus everywhere we are.

c) “Emmanuel”

verse 31-33:

His name will be JESUS

He shall be great

the Son of the Highest

He will reign forever and ever!

God is with us!

d) Encouragement

verse 34 - Mary asked, “How WILL this be?”

Zachariah asked just a little bit of time before this, “How can this happen...” but Mary shows more faith

In a moment where she could’ve said, “Why is this happening to me?” or “what will everyone think?” - she speaks up in faith, and says, “You just tell me what You have planned!”

What a willing vessel! What a tremendous amount of faith!

Gabriel comes back after what almost sounded “impossible” and says that the Holy Spirit is going to put Jesus inside your womb, and you are going to give birth to the Son of God

Oh, and your cousin Elizabeth is carrying His frontrunner

“Nothing is impossible with God.”

3. Human Response

verses 38

Here’s what gets me about Scripture - we have everything we need to know right in front of us

We know how we are to live

We read promises that God is with us

We read about how there is no temptation that can overcome us

We trust that God sent His Son to save us, and to use us

We have everything we need at our fingertips!

but What gets me is our response sometimes...

verse 38 should be one that changes the way everyone of us thinks: Mary says, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

“LOOK! Here’s your servant!”

Stallion needs to be broken… how do you know when it’s been broken?

The cowboy can stay on it’s back. It’s not that it loses it’s ability, or strength, or uniqueness - it’s that it’s finally under someone else’s control.