Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 1:31-38

After Mary had heard that “the Lord is with her.” and that she has been shown favor.

And we know that means grace; even before Jesus is mentioned in our text as we learned last Sunday.

So now we continue to read of the angel Gabriel’s message to Mary as he expounds greatly on the Holy Son to come.

Please stand for the reading of the Word

Read - Luke 1:31-38 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

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 father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

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

And the angel answered 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 called holy—the Son of God.

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.”

Pray

Luke 1:31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”

Now Gabriel says to Mary “Behold” - and in the greek Behold means to see, view and perceive

And it’s important to notice the Angel who says “behold” means that He has seen, and or come to realize the message…

And we know Gabriel who is found to be standing in the presence of God.

So Behold what?

Before we continue on we have to understand where Mary is at emotionally, mentally and spiritually from our text last week.

So from last week we have to understand that Mary is already

“Troubled”- Meaning thrown into confusion as to whats being said in the angels greeting

And she is also “discerning” what kind of greeting this might be?

In the greek discern meaning - thinking deeply and thoroughly

Mary is already overwhelmed, by such news of this favor (which is God’s grace) and the presence of the Lord with her.

As we mentioned last week in the sermon, Jesus wasn’t yet mentioned but today we will see His name.

What more could anyone take at this point?

“And behold (see, or view)…you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus.

We have to go back and receive this message in context such as Mary would of received it.

Mary as we learned last week is betrothed to Jospeh

Meaning she is saving herself for her husband to consumate their marriage and have children

But Gabriel tells her that she “will conceive in your womb...”

Mary you will become pregnant, short and sweet.

Hold on now! Mary is about to get married, she can’t become pregnant yet?

What might of been running through her head?

Culturally in this time: The unfaithfulness in the waiting of betrothal:

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Betrothal)

The penalty under the law of Moses for disrupting this principle by adultery, rape, fornication, or incest was death by stoning (Deut.

22:23–30).

Later under some circumstances the Jewish legal system allowed divorce.

So this news from the angel, that she will conceive and or become pregnant is a huge deal...

Culturally speaking - and for the sake of her future marriage with Joseph:

But we know in the Gospel of Matthew that Gabriel was sent to Joseph to tell him of this child in His soon to be Wives womb.

And that Joesph planned to secretly divorce her we know…

But God had all of the details worked out so that the Angel Gabriel was sent to Joseph to tell him what Mary was told

That this child is from the Holy Spirit

Matt 1:18-21 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb (and I am working out all the details) and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”

and…bear - meaning to bring into the world in greek

Gabriel letting her know it will not be a daughter, but a Son

And his name will be what?

Jesus!

Notice Mary didn’t get to pick the name, just like Zechariah didn’t get to pick the name for John.

No his name will be

Jesus, because that is who He has always been!

Jesus which in OT Hebrew means - “salvation”

Re-Read - Luke 1:31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”

Luke 1:32 “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 father David,”

And now enter in Jesus; the Messiah to come, mentioned in the narrative Luke writes.

The one John was to “prepare the way for”

But as Mary hears this news, as she is not already baffled at the grace, favor and presence of the Lord

Maybe for Marry Isaiah 7:14 - comes to mind.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Is she the one this OT Scriptures speaks of?

So now Gabriel expounds on who this Son, Jesus will be.

“He will be great...”

“He” - being Jesus her Son whom Gabriel is telling her about

“will be great” - remarkable; or important in the greek definition

Example - For when we claim someone to be a “great basketball player” Say for instance Luca Doncic who plays for the Dallas Mavericks - so he is remarkable; has great skills; as you watch him in his young age averaging a triple double, making amazing passes, and shooting step back threes you would notice his greatness.

And he will one day be listed in the hall of fame with the greats like Michael Jordan, or Larry Bird

So when someone Is great in a specific skill or sport; we know it Because we see it.

If we can remember from Luke 1:15 that Zechariah is told this about John:

As it says... “he (John) will be great before the Lord.

Meaning John isn’t the greatest, even though his birth announcement was first

But here in our text the angel Gabriel says “He will be great, not “he will be great before....” …

Notice the difference John will be great before someone; that someone being the Lord

But the Son to come will be great before no one!

Because Jesus is indeed the pinnacle of greatness!

“...and will be called the Son of the Most High...”

As if being the greatest isn’t enough

So now Gabriel says this Son, who is Jesus who is great and who also is “Son of the Most High...”

The most High God is a term taken from the Septuagint, and translates a Hebrew word that was often used by non-Israelites who confessed the true God.

In many languages the concept of “highness” also means “greatness,” but this is not necessarily true.

A literal translation of Most High might imply merely a position on top of other gods but without necessarily suggesting greater importance.

In such instances the closest equivalent of the Most High God is “the Greatest God.”

And so for Mary being Jewish not of Israelite descent; the term “The Most High God.” would of made sense to her.

Verse 33 “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 father, David

“And the Lord God” (Father)

Will give “Jesus His Son” what?

“The throne of his father, David...”

Why is this important?

We know from OT prophecy about the Messiah to come:

Is 9:7 “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.”