The Birth of Jesus Foretold
Notes
Transcript
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Introduction
Introduction
As we come to this passage in Luke’s Gospel narrative, there is one thing that we must emphasise and recognise. While the announcement of John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah, was a grand announcement indeed, and a cause for great celebration, what we have before us this morning is the announcement of someone far greater.
In this section, Luke clearly records for us the announcement by the same angel that approached Zechariah, as he now appears to Mary, and announces to her the birth of the Messiah of Israel and all the world - for all who would believe in Him.
As we come to this passage, I would like us to consider it under 3 main headings...
Proclamation...
Pre-Eminence...
Peculiarity...
1. The Proclamation Concerning the Messiah (vv.26-28)
1. The Proclamation Concerning the Messiah (vv.26-28)
We read in verse 26 these words...
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
As Luke continues his record of these events concerning the Messiah, he links back to what he has just said concerning John the Baptist in the preceding verses. When he writes, “in the sixth month,” he is referring to the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth with John the Baptist. This becomes clear when you consider verse 36, where the angel specifically tells Mary that Elizabeth is six months pregnant.
Immediately a link is created between John the Baptist, who was to prepare the way for the Messiah, and the Messiah himself, who would far exceed John the Baptist in His ministry and work.
We see also from this verse that Luke records for us that “...God sent the angel Gabriel...” This is the same angel who had appeared to Zechariah in Jerusalem in the temple in order to announce the forerunner to the Messiah. This was one of the more prominent angels in Jewish thought.
What should stand out to us as we read these words of the appearance of the angel to Mary, is the location that this appearance takes place. When appearing to Zechariah, the appearance was in Jerusalem, at the temple. That almost seems fitting - it was the place where God’s presence was felt in a peculiar manner.
But to Mary, he appears in Nazareth, a town in Galilee.
Why is this so obscure or strange?
To begin with, Galilee was a region that was not highly regarded at all.
We get a glimpse of this In the book of John. In John 7 we find the account of Nicodemus asking a question to some Pharisees that were opposed to Jesus. When he asks this question (seen as a defender of Jesus) they respond with their question:
52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
The very question: “Are you from Galilee, too?” was one of condescension. And they said that if you really knew the Scriptures, you would know that a prophet doesn’t come out of Galilee.
But to add to this, the Angel goes to a place within Galilee named Nazareth, which was as insignificant a place as there could be.
You will probably recall the account of Philip approaching Nathanael and telling him that they had found the Messiah...
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
Nazareth was an insignificant place. In fact, it was a despised place among the Jewish people. Nothing good could come from this place. The fact is that this grand announcement of the Great King, was also the announcement of a lowly and humble servant.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
Keep this in the back of your minds as we go on.
We see further from verse 27, the person to whom the angel Gabriel appeared.
He appeared...
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
The point of great significance is that this young lady to whom the angel appeared was a virgin. What we will find and see through his emphasis is again a great uniqueness in the person of Christ as his birth is foretold.
While the birth of John the Baptist would be a great wonder and miracle because of the fact that Elizabeth was old, and because she was barren, the birth of Jesus would far exceed this, because Mary was in fact a virgin.
Notice that Luke refers to her as such twice in this verse...
…to a virgin pledged to be married...
…The virgin’s name...
Keep in mind that Luke was a doctor, and careful in his fact-checking. But he had no problem asserting the truth that Mary was indeed a virgin.
Luke does say however that she was pledged to be married to another young local of Nazareth, named Joseph. The pledge of marriage that it speaks of here was far more formal and committed than our engagements of our day.
What happened typically in those days was that marriages were arranged, often when the sons and daughters were quite young. While the young men would sometimes have a say in who they were to marry, typically the young ladies didn’t have a say. They were simply arranged to marry into another family.
As a result of the family of the daughter losing someone to help in their home, the husbands family would typically pay what was called the bridal price. When such a marriage was arranged, a formal contractual agreement would be drawn up and signed, which would enforce the pledge, but the young couple would stay apart, usually at least for a year. They would certainly not have any intimate relations.
This engagement, however, was fixed and firm. Although it was not formal marriage, It could nonetheless -not be broken, except by divorce (see Matthew 1:18). Furthermore, if the husband died before the couple that was pledged was formally married, the young lady would still be considered a widow.
Most people would suggest that at this time, Mary was a teenager, possibly around 15 years old, perhaps a little bit younger. That was the typical age that a young lady became pledged to be married.
But again, Mary is someone otherwise insignificant. Unknown.
Joseph himself is not prominent in any way. He was a local carpenter.
But what is important to note concerning Joseph, who would serve as the adoptive father of Jesus the Messiah, was that he was from the line of David. He was a descendant of David.
Luke will confirm this later on on Luke 2:4...
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
We’ll touch a little bit further on this later on.
But before we get there, we must note the greeting of the Angel Gabriel to Mary. Look with me at verse 28...
28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
What a marvelous greeting this is!!!
Firstly, the angel calls Mary “highly favored.” Let us be sure that Mary is not highly favoured because of her own intrinsic worth. It was not because of her qualities, or her own character that she was here called “highly favored.” Rather, she was one upon whom great favour had been bestowed, despite any unworthiness.
This is very similar to the grace and favour that is bestowed upon us as God’s children...
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
God chose, in His great wisdom and mercy, to go to a lowly young lady, in an insignificant place, and to bestow His gracious favor upon her, for the benefit of the world.
Not only is the grace of God bestowed upon her, but she receives this wonderful reassurance: “God is with you.”
What a reassurance to receive. The Lord is with you.
These were the words of the Lord to Gideon, when he was tasked with being a deliverer / Judge for the nation Israel as they had descended into a state of apostasy, and were oppressed by the Midianites.
As Gideon is told to go and deliver, his response in Judges 6:14-15...
15 “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”
And so Mary, as insignificant as she may have been; not only as a person from Nazareth, in Galilee, but as a woman from Nazareth in Galilee, is chosen by God, who will be with her for His own purposes of deliverance.
And that leads us to our second main point...
2. The Pre-Eminence of the Messiah (vv.29-33)
2. The Pre-Eminence of the Messiah (vv.29-33)
As this angel announces this wonderful greeting to Mary, we see firstly her response to the angel, but this response will lead the angel to elaborate on the pre-eminence of the Messiah that would enter into the world through her.
Verse 29 shows us her response...
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
The surprise of Mary is evident. The word “Troubled” here means that she was perplexed at this message. Mixed in with the perplexity was some measure of fear, as verse 30 makes clear when the angel reassures her.
The wonder that she has is at the greeting that was given.
She doesn’t see herself or consider herself to be one who should be called highly favoured. She was not one who saw herself as great, or as worthy of God’s grace upon her in a peculiar way. She was not a person who grew up being taught that she was God’s chosen instrument.
She was confused by this. It was entirely unexpected to her.
The angel, seeing her fear and confusion as she puzzled over these words, responds in verse 30ff...
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
The angel begins with reassurance. As he had said to Zechariah, so he says to Mary - do not fear. Don’t be afraid.
He goes on to say to her that she has found favour with God. Again, this is not favour due to intrinsic good or worth, but rather the gracious and unmerited favour of God.
Gabriel then makes his announcement to Mary...
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
This is a prophetic announcement very similar to that given to Zechariah. Included in the similarities is the fact that Mary is told what the child is to be named.
His name is to be Jesus, which means “to deliver / to rescue.”
21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Five-fold Description of who Jesus is...
At this point, the Gabriel goes on to give a five-fold description of who this son will be. And what a glorious description it is!
Firstly...
2.1. He will be great...
2.1. He will be great...
This is the overarching characteristic of Jesus, and is true of Him because of the work that he will do, according to the descriptions that will follow. But Christ is the greatest, most profound, most exalted person in all of history.
Consider how Isaiah conveys this...
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
There is none superior to the Son.
The greatness of the Son transcends our comprehension.
The second descriptor is that He will be...
2.2. Son of Most High
2.2. Son of Most High
When Luke writes here that “He will be called the Son of the Most High”, it’s the same as saying that this will be true of Him. It’s not merely that he will be called this, but that this would be who He is.
The Most High refers here to God Almighty. Luke uses this same phrase in Acts...
48 “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:
The OT refers extensively to God being the Most High.
And so we find that this child’s name would in fact be the Son of God. In John 5:17-18 we read...
17 Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
The well-known John 3:16 says...
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
He was the Son of God from eternity past to eternity future.
He was God the flesh.
In Him, all the fullness of the godhead dwelt bodily.
This is the one that would be born to young Mary.
Further to this...
2.3. He will be King
2.3. He will be King
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David… This was the great expectation of the Jewish people - a King to rule on the throne of David forever.
The Psalmist wrote concerning this promise of a king on the throne...
11 The Lord swore an oath to David,
a sure oath that he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne—
As the Angel announces these things to Mary, these truths of God would have been racing through her own mind. Here was the pronouncement of the long-awaited Messiah!
2.4. He would be ruler of Israel
2.4. He would be ruler of Israel
Verse 33... “...and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; ...”
This is a reference to the people of God. Those who trust in the God of Jacob. It was not a reference to a political ruler, as the Israelites had thought. Rather, it was an indication of ruling over a people that placed their trust in God alone. He would be a ruler of the true Israel, the church.
2.5. Kingdom will be eternal
2.5. Kingdom will be eternal
“...his kingdom will never end.”
He would come to sit on the throne, and rule and reign forever and ever. There would be no end.
This was the fulfilment of the promise to David in 2 Samuel...
12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of this...
7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
And Psalmist wrote of this in Psalm 89...
4 ‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ” Selah
29 I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure.
The pre-eminence of the Son to be born to Mary is clearly portrayed for her.
He would indeed be lowly and humble, but he would also be the greatest person ever to walk this earth. And He was being sent in order to rule and reign as supreme, in righteousness and justice.
Notice thirdly with me...
3. The Peculiarity of the Messiah (vv.34-36)
3. The Peculiarity of the Messiah (vv.34-36)
When I say peculiarity, I mean his uniqueness. He would be unique.
Mary asks the right question in verse 34...
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
We must recognise by this question that Mary anticipated an imminent fulfilment of this prophetic word, based on the language of the angel. In other words, she realised that the angel was not saying that once she is married to Joseph, then these things will unfold in the normal course of things. She realised that the angel meant that should would be pregnant now...
And so she asks, how can this be?
What we must note in this question, is that she doesn’t ask for a confirmatory sign as Zechariah did. She simply asks for understanding of how this will be possible in light of the circumstances.
The angel then responds in verse 35...
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
The Angel, Gabriel, explains to Mary that she would indeed be pregnant, but that this would be by the power of the Holy Spirit.
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Gabriel also says to her that “...the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”
Notice that this is the power of God at Work. Mary would be overpowered by, surrounded by the Holy, powerful presence of God.
The picture that is created for us is of the Tabernacle...
35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
The same word is used in the account of the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain.
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
As the Angel here speaks to Mary, and says that the power of God would overshadow her, so he announces to her that the holy one to be born to be born to her will be called the Son of God.
Don’t let the glory of this scenario pass over your minds in familiarity.
God is pronouncing here, to a simple young lady from an insignificant town, that the all-powerful Son, the one who is equal with God, will enter into humanity.
Think for a moment about the response of the demons, and even Satan himself to this glorious Son.
3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
The Tempter knew the power of the Son. That at a word, he could change stones into breat.
But we should not only consider the power of the Son, but also his holiness. Gabriel refers to the son that will be born to Mary as the holy one. This refers to the purity of Jesus, along with his otherness, his separateness.
The demons spoke of him like this...
24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
The peculiarity of Jesus is announced by the Angel.
But the angel goes on to say in verse 36...
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
The angel now announces to Mary that Elizabeth is with child. Clearly this information had not spread to Mary yet. Elizabeth was probably at this time in seclusion… you will recall that from v.24. But now Mary is made aware of the fact that her relative is also pregnant, which will lead her to go and visit Elizabeth soon.
Perhaps this was even a prompting by the angel to go to Elizabeth and see that she was indeed pregnant, and that all that had been told her was in fact true.
But note the wonderful assertion by Gabriel in verse 37...
37 For nothing is impossible with God.”
Here is a key underlying truth that makes God to work in the manner that He does. God worked to allow Elizabeth to conceive, even when she was not able to. This would demonstrate that He was at work. God’s power in that context would overcome all the physical restrictions that may otherwise have been in the way.
How much more so in this context with Mary. She was a virgin, and yet would be with child, because nothing is impossible with God.
As the creation of the First Adam in the Garden of Eden was performed by the power of Almighty God, so the creation of the Second Adam would be by the mighty hand of God.
The prophet Jeremiah said...
17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
Even the salvation of man. Sinful, unworthy people, entering into the presence of God… This is all only possible by the power and miraculous working of God…
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Do you see this?
Notice Mary’s response in verse 38...
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
What a profound and beautiful response from Mary. She acknowledges that she is merely the servant of God. There is no indication of pride. There is no indication of her thinking that she is worthy, or she deserves this. She simply humbles herself, and acknowledges that she is a servant of the Most High God. There is a sense of deep respect of God from her response.
She simply says, may it be as you have said. Here was a child-like faith in the power of the Almighty. She didn’t doubt God’s ability to do what he had now promised.
She didn’t raise questions about what people would think about her, or say about her in such a situation when she was found to be pregnant, although unmarried.
23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.
Mary here simply submits to the will and providential working of God. One commentator writes...
“Her servanthood is not a cringing slavery but a submission to God that in OT times characterized genuine believers and that should characterize believers today (cf. v. 48).”
Application / Conclusion
Application / Conclusion
Just a few thoughts that I want to leave with you as we close...
We should be struck through this announcement about how great the Son is in terms of who He is. But we should also be struck the humility with which He comes and enters into the world.
Nothing can even come close to the greatness of the Son. He’s the second person of the godhead. He’s equal with the Father. His greatness is beyond our understanding. The very fact that He entered into humanity to dwell with man is profound. He entered into this world that is so full of sin and suffering and evil.
Have you wearied of all the sin in this world as you live here? Thought to yourself, what a terrible world we live in…
Well if we as sinners, who ourselves turn against God, sin against God time and again, if we become wearied of the sinfulness and the corruptions in this world, just consider the Holy and Righteous One entering into humanity.
But we get something of a picture of the humility of Christ, the heart of Christ as He comes into this world. He comes to a place of obscurity; through a person who was unknown and insignificant. He will be born in Bethlehem, in a stall....
Everything points to the lowliness of this Saviour. But to our encouragement, He loves those who are sinful, weak and frail. This is the character of our lord.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
15 For this is what the high and lofty One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Consider Isaiah 55:8-9...
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Then go to Isaiah 55:1-7...