Day 3

Luke 1:26-38

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^a 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.

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind?

Questions

Why are Mary and Zechariah afraid when they see an angel?

Why is it important that the child come from someone who has not had sexual intercourse?

Who is moving the story of Jesus’ birth and why is it important?

Write down Mary’s reactions as the story unfolds. How do they change? What can we learn from the change?

Could I respond like Mary does in verse 38 when my whole world is getting ready to change?

My Notes

vs 26 The sixth month connects the story of John and Jesus and gives us a time frame.

God's the one moving the story it is clearly His work and action. Look at the times he says God's in charge

Nazareth see John 1:45-46 a small town that was considered insignificant in its day

vs 27 pledged to be married - this is more than an engagement- Joseph would have to divorce her even though they were not married see Matt 1:18-19

descendant of David and in vs 32b throne of his father David, kingdom will never end.” we see the promise made to David coming true see (2 Sam Isa 11:1, 2 Sam 7:11b-16)

Virgin having a child Luke's emphasis that this is God's doing not any other way see vs 34-35

Mary's Reactions

greatly troubled

wondered

afraid

puzzled How will this be?

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

Note when God challenges our world we also have the same reaction. He works with us to bring us to His way, to understand. Mary does better at coming to see God's way than most people in the Bible think of Zachariah, Moses, Gideon, Peter and the giving the message of Jesus to the Gentiles, Disciples reaction to Paul becoming a follower of Christ rather than a persecutor.

Look at the Number of Titles Jesus is given: Son of the Most High, Jesus (meaning God will Save), King over house of Jacob, Never ending King, Holy one, Son of God. The titles given to Him are what he already is, they are not something he has to earn.

vs 35-38 - The message of what faith is. Believing that God is at work even when it seems impossible and accepting what he is doing and being willing to do what he asks.