Mary

Yesterday, our Pastor's sermon was from Luke 1:26-38 about Mary and when she was told by the angel, Gabriel that she would have a baby. I have heard this passage preached on before, but this message was different. He described Mary as Philip Yancy does, "the first person to accept Jesus Christ on His terms no matter what cost." Let me see if I can explain.

Luke 1:26-38
"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"
29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He 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, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
35And 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. 36And 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. 37For nothing will be impossible with God."
38And 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."

This story doesn't seem all that "amazing" to us in the 21st century. After all millions of teenage girls are becoming pregnant yearly in our society. It has become the norm. It's not a big thing for a young girl to become pregnant or even to become a mother.

First of all, let me give a little historical background to help us understand what is going on here. Mary would probably have been between 10-13 years old. In Jewish law during those times young girls would have been "engaged" as early as 10 years old and married around 12 or 13. So she was very young. Again, the Jewish tradition was so that the Father and the Groom had an agreement between themselves and there was a price set and once money had exchanged hands the deed was good. The Father gave the Groom his word that his daughter was pure and a virgin. Again in those days if a girl/woman would to become pregnant and not be married, she would be stoned to death.

Again, in our society, this story doesn't seem that weird. Young girls are becoming pregnant in nearly every community in our nation - some because it is the "in" thing to do. It is not out of the norm at all.

So now to the passage when Gabriel visits Mary. Remember how young she is and then think of the message Gabriel gives her. Gabriel greets her as, "O favored one". He tells her, she is going to have a baby, but this seems impossible to Mary, she is a virgin. Gabriel tells her that the baby will be God's son. Gabriel goes on to tell her how he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. How he will be from the line of David and his kingdom will reign forever and will never end!

Mary has to be confused at this point. Her mind has to be running through what her family and friends will say - what will happen to her. She could be killed as a result of this pregnancy. Instead of all that though, she replies, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

Gabriel tells her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her. He goes on to tell her about her Aunt Elizabeth, (the barren one) who is right now 6 months pregnant and how nothing is impossible with God.

And what is her response? "Sorry Gabriel, I can't do it. I could be killed! My dad already paid the deed! I'm going to marry Joseph! I will be disgraced!

NO, she simply says, "May it be to me as you have said."

She trusted God! She had a faith relationship with Him. The Lord needed her to be a ready and willing recipient of the Will of God. She trusted Him. She had childlike faith - Faith on God's terms, not her own. She didn't have excuses when everything she knew told her this could be very bad for her. She had childlike faith - Faith that says, yes it may not make complete sense to me, but Jesus is calling and I am willing to do whatever He calls me to do.

Are you that willing? Do you have that kind of faith! The Bible says we are to have faith like a child. Not questioning and making excuses or even making our own terms.

"OK God, I'll do what you want, if you promise to give me this".

No, faith that says, "God, I may not understand completely, but I trust you and have faith that you will go before me!"

Lord, I want that kind of faith. Help me to say "yes" to you, no matter what the circumstances around me may seem. Give me faith to simply say, "whatever you want, I will do it."