In Luke chapter 1 we find an intensive conversation between Mary and the messenger angel Gabriel.
Luke 1:26-30 ESV 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. (28) And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" (29) But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. (30) And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Have you ever wondered what type of life Mary lived that would cause the angel to say "you have found favor with God?" I firmly believe that it was not what she did or what she didn't do that determined favor. I believe that we can determine from the Word that it was it heart of faith that pleased the Father.
When we speak about Mary's faith we have to discuss her question in Luke 1:34. Mary's question in Luke 1:34 has nothing to do with her judging whether or not she will do it.
Luke 1:31-34 ESV And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. (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, (33) and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." (34) And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
Think about the questions she could have asked. She doesn’t look at the possible consequences of such an event as pregnancy outside of marriage and ask the question, for example, “What about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, won’t they stone me?”
Mary and Joseph loved one another so a question that would be normal to ask would have been “What do I tell my soon to be husband Joseph?” Family life was very important therefore, Mary could have asked “What do I tell my family?”
These questions never entered into the equation because of her heart of faith to do whatever God said. She has a single question and that is, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" This is another way of saying “How is God going to do it?” Wow! We for sure need to be the type of believers who would have a heart to respond to God this way. The angel was directed by the Holy Spirit to say, “Favored one,” to Mary. Her response, when she was told how God was going to do this miracle, “Do whatever the Lord wants.”
Luke 1:35 ESV 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.
Luke 1:38 ESV 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.
A simple explanation as “The Holy Spirit is going to come upon you and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you” was sufficient for Mary. All Mary needed to know was that it was going to be a supernatural work of God.
What if we come to a place to say to the Father I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.
Luke 1:26-30 ESV 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. (28) And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" (29) But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. (30) And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Have you ever wondered what type of life Mary lived that would cause the angel to say "you have found favor with God?" I firmly believe that it was not what she did or what she didn't do that determined favor. I believe that we can determine from the Word that it was it heart of faith that pleased the Father.
When we speak about Mary's faith we have to discuss her question in Luke 1:34. Mary's question in Luke 1:34 has nothing to do with her judging whether or not she will do it.
Luke 1:31-34 ESV And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. (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, (33) and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." (34) And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
Think about the questions she could have asked. She doesn’t look at the possible consequences of such an event as pregnancy outside of marriage and ask the question, for example, “What about the Pharisees and the Sadducees, won’t they stone me?”
Mary and Joseph loved one another so a question that would be normal to ask would have been “What do I tell my soon to be husband Joseph?” Family life was very important therefore, Mary could have asked “What do I tell my family?”
These questions never entered into the equation because of her heart of faith to do whatever God said. She has a single question and that is, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" This is another way of saying “How is God going to do it?” Wow! We for sure need to be the type of believers who would have a heart to respond to God this way. The angel was directed by the Holy Spirit to say, “Favored one,” to Mary. Her response, when she was told how God was going to do this miracle, “Do whatever the Lord wants.”
Luke 1:35 ESV 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.
Luke 1:38 ESV 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.
A simple explanation as “The Holy Spirit is going to come upon you and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you” was sufficient for Mary. All Mary needed to know was that it was going to be a supernatural work of God.
What if we come to a place to say to the Father I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.
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