Mary: Such an Example for Us All!

Mary
Luke 1.26-38

Mary is the most significant and important woman who have ever lived. The problem with Mary is that people don’t know how to respond to her, although she is one of the greatest examples for us as believers. Some make Mary out to be not the mother of the Savior, but the savior herself. They pray to her, and deify her. This is faulty. Others in reaction to these faulty beliefs make too little of her, not talking about the great example she has set for all of us.
To begin we have to understand the story inside of context. Luke is the author of the book. Luke was a highly respected physician as noted by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 4.14 calling him the “beloved physician.” Commissioned by the wealthy Theophilus to research and investigate the story of the Carpenter from Galilee he had heard about, Luke set out to do such work. He spent years of his life researching, investigating, interviewing, anything that had to do with the story of this man from Nazareth, the one who 30 years prior had been brutally killed, supposedly for the sins of the world.
During his investigation Luke would have most likely found Mary, and talked with her. Since the book was written somewhere between 63-68 AD, Mary would have not been “Virgin” Mary any longer, but probably older, a more mature, grandmother Mary. Now, the part about Mary not being a virgin, sounds disrespectful, but its true. Jesus had half brothers, two of which wrote books of the New Testament (James, and Jude) and one (James) who we know was a pastor in the early church of Jerusalem. So the fact that Mary is prayed to and worshipped today as “ever-virgin” is false. Remember, she is not Savior, but instrument used of God to bring the Savior into the world and set a wonderful example to us all.
To begin, we have to fill in the story. Luke made his acknowledgements to Theophilus, saying essentially, “this is what I found” (Luke 1. 4). He records the story of the Angel Gabriel coming to Elizabeth and Zacharias and told them they were going to have a son (Luke 1.5-25). Luke records that Elizabeth was barren, and that both of them were stricken in years, simply put, they were beyond the years of having kids. This would be the first of two miracle births that would occur in a 15 month period.
Starting in verse 26 the angel Gabriel made a second visit, to Mary, during the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. At this point Mary did not know that Elizabeth, her cousin, was pregnant. The angel was sent to Mary in the town of Nazareth, in the region of Galilee. This was a nothing city, the type of city one pastor says is like the “town you drive through to stop for a corn dog, to go to the bathroom, and get the heck out thanking God you don’t live there”. Most people, especially young teenage girls like Mary at this time, would have been illiterate. Not able to read or write. And yet, God still chose to send the angel to her, to fulfill His ultimate purpose.
In verse 27 we see who ultimately the angel was coming to visit, as the previous verse did not divulge. This verse says that the angel came to a virgin (never had sex), who was espoused to a man (engaged, only broken by legal divorce [Matt. 1]) and that her name was Mary. There are many people who will debate the term virgin, saying that it merely meant a fair maiden, or young girl, but the bible says what it says, she was sexually pure, and a virgin! However, this as some might suggest didn’t last her who life, she did have intimacy with her husband Joseph, and had kids. The virgin birth brings with it several implications: 1) To fulfill OT Prophecy (Gen. 3.15; Is. 7.14); 2)To avoid the curse of Jeconiah (Jer. 22.23-30)This did not allow Jeconiah’s descendants to rule the throne of David. Joseph was a descendant of Jeconiah through the line of Solomon, however Mary was not a descendant of Jeconiah but still a descendant of David through the line of Nathan; 3)To avoid the inheritance of a sin nature; 4)To avoid receiving a human father; 5)To avoid creating a new person; Jesus was incarnate (Jn 1.1).
Verse 28 helps us to understand Mary a little bit better, and deal correctly with those that sometimes make maybe a little too much of her. In this verse the angel Gabriel tells Mary that she is “highly favored” (KJV) and later in verse 30 he tells her that she is favored of God. This favor is grace given. She is the recipient of grace, not the giver of grace. Grace is something none of us deserve, but something we rather receive. Grace defined= unmerited favor; something that we don’t understand, or deserve, but something that we all need. This is was gave Mary, a nobody from a nowhere town, the ability to mother the Christ child, grace. Nothing greater, nothing less, simply grace, God’s greatest Christmas present.
In the next section of verses, 29-33, Mary is told by the angel that this is the king that would fulfill the covenant God made with her father David, years prior. In II Samuel 7.12-17 we see God talking to David through the prophet Nathan and making a
covenant with him that his descendants would reign forever. The promise is referred to by theologians as the “Davidic Covenant”. This would be fulfilled through Jesus.
Being a virgin, it would make sense that Mary might have a few questions as to how this birth might take place. This is the purpose of verse 34, Mary asks the question. She did not ask in disbelief like Zacharias did but more in submission. She was willing to be used of God, but there were certain circumstances (not having sex) that presented a roadblock for her. Then the angel responds and gives the incredible answer to her inquiry.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” This is where Mary finds out that her older, barren cousin was also having a kid. These verses 35-37 provide the plan God is intending to use to to bring salvation to the world! He planned on using two miracle births, to two people who didn’t have impressive credentials to do His work. Amazing how we may discredit ourselves, because we think that we’re not good enough, when God is just looking for someone to be willing like a Mary.
Verse 38 is the attitude in which we should all have. Her willing spirit to be subject to God, is the example she wonderfully set for all of us. She planned on marrying Joseph, she planned on being a wife, and a mother, and then this angel shows up and re-writes the script. How would you respond? If the angel told you, “here’s a new script to read” how would you respond? Willingly? She responds so awesome, “behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word...” (v.38). What an awesome response. Whatever you say God, I’m down!! Can you say that? Are you there? Let Mary be your example!