Luke On Jesus’ Birth
The Baby Born To Mary
Luke 1:26-56
Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago in the town of Bethlehem. And we are in a four-part series studying what Luke tells us about the birth of Jesus. Luke started by telling us about how the angel told Zechariah that his wife, who was past child-bearing years, would get pregnant with John the Baptist – the one who the Old Testament taught would prepare the way for the Messiah.
And today Luke has us focus on Mary – on how the angel gives Mary a shocking announcement. But before we go there, I want us to understand how Mary would have heard the angel’s announcement.
So let’s start to asking – what did Mary already know about the coming Messiah? And to answer that, let’s turn to Isaiah 9. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Isaiah 9:6 is on page 573 in the Bibles we are passing out.
Mary would have been steeped in the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah – and so she would have already known much about the coming Messiah. And one example of a passage she most surely was taught is Isaiah 9:6-7 --
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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.
So Mary probably already knew that in the future –
- The Messiah would be born as a baby boy
- Although born as a baby, He Himself would be Mighty God
- He would be a king in the line of David
- But he would not be any ordinary king, because His kingdom would have no end.
So with that in mind – let’s turn to Luke 1:26 (page 855) and ask what did the angel tell Mary? Start reading in v.26 --
26 In the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, which we read about last week] 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.
31 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."
So notice what the angel has told Mary –
- V.31 -- you will conceive and bear a son.
- V.31 -- you shall call his name Jesus.
- V.32 -- He will be great and called the Son of the Most High
- V.32 – God will give him the throne of his father David
- V.33 – He will reign over the house of Jacob forever
- V.33 – His kingdom will have no end.
And then look at Mary’s response in v.34 --
34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
Mary does not say – what’s this about a baby being born who is the Son of the Most High God and a king in the line of David whose kingdom will have no end? She already knew this is what God was going to do at some point. So her question was not – WILL this happen? She already knew it would happen. Her question was – HOW will this happen through ME, since I am a virgin?
Now some of you here might not believe Jesus was born of a virgin – because that sort of thing just doesn’t happen.
But think about it like this. How can we account for the fact that there’s a universe, and a beautiful planet earth, and that you and I are here with eyes that read and ears that hear and that we are communicating meaningfully? How did this all come about?
It either all happened by chance. Or it was created by a personal, all-powerful, God. And all the evidence of design points to the fact that it was created by God. And the same God who spoke the universe into being and who created Adam out of the dust can cause Mary to become pregnant without sexual relations.
That’s what the angel says in v.35 --
35 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.
Mary will get pregnant by God’s power – no sexual relations involved. And the child born to her will be fully man – and the Son of God – fully God.
Think about it. The baby born to Mary would be like no other baby ever. Fully man, yes. But born of a virgin by God’s power because He is also fully God. So this baby Jesus was fully God – who has existed without beginning from eternity past, through whom everything was created, who has infinite power and perfect goodness and love. This baby is God – born of the virgin Mary, and laid in a manger.
Our God has chosen to be born as a baby here on planet earth. That changes everything.
Keep reading in v.36 --
36 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.
37 For nothing will be impossible with God."
And look at Mary’s response --
38 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.
Now at this point Luke wants to give his readers confirmation that Mary’s baby really is the Messiah who is fully God. And to do this he tells us what happens when Mary visits Elizabeth. So let’s read this – asking – how do Elizabeth and her baby respond to Mary?
Look at what Luke tells us --
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,
40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her [Elizabeth’s] womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
So how do Elizabeth and her baby respond to Mary?
In v.41, we read how her baby responds. Remember that Elizabeth’s baby is John the Baptist – who was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah who was fully God. So while still in the womb, he leaps when Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting. And in v.44 we read that the reason he leaps is because he is full of joy. So this confirms that Mary’s baby was the Messiah who was fully God.
And then in v.43 we see how Elizabeth responds. Read again what she says –
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Elizabeth says Mary is the mother of her Lord. Elizabeth understood that the baby in Mary’s womb was the Lord – her Lord.
So what does she mean when she says Mary’s baby is her Lord? Consider this. Luke has already used the word “Lord” ten times in his Gospel – and every time it refers to God.
And so Luke confirms to us that Mary’s baby is the Messiah who is fully God.
Now – one last question – how does Mary respond to all this? You can see Mary’s response in vv.46-56 -- a famous part of Scripture called “The Magnificat.”
First, Mary praises God for doing great things for a humble, undeserving girl like her. Start reading in v.46 --
46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
Mary knows that God is doing something for her that is great – she is going to be the virgin who will bring into the world the Son of God.
But this is not because of anything special in Mary. She says God looked upon her humble estate. She knows she does not deserve this. Why not? Because like all of us, she has sinned against God. That is one of the clearest lessons of the Old Testament – we have all turned our backs against God and gone our own way.
But Mary admitted her sin before God. She knew she needed a Savior – note how she describes God as her Savior in v.47. She had humbled herself before God and trusted His mercy. And so God had forgiven her through the death the Messiah would die. And so God is now doing astonishingly great things for humble Mary.
So first, Mary praises God for doing great things for a humble, undeserving girl like her.
Then second, Mary praises God for doing great things for the humble who admit their need – and for sending away the proud who don’t admit their need. That’s vv.50-53 --
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
“Fearing God” does not mean running from Him. It means understanding that He is God, that He has your eternity in Your hands, that He has made a way for you to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ – so you realize all that’s at stake and run to Him. And when we do that – God pours His mercy upon us.
Keep reading in v.51 --
51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
Underline that word “proud.” Those who humble themselves before God, admitting their sin, and trusting His mercy in the Messiah Jesus Christ – receive mercy. But if we are proud, refusing to bend the knee before God and His King – He will scatter us.
Keep reading in v.52 --
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
Those who trust in political power, those who trust in money -- God will destroy. But those who are humble before God and hungry for God – God will exalt and satisfy.
Then third, Mary praises God for fulfilling His promise of mercy to Israel. That’s in vv.54-55 --
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
God had promised to show mercy to the people of Israel by coming to earth in the person of the Messiah. This Messiah would be a king in the line of David, who would pay for sin by dying on the Cross and rising again, and who would free people in Israel from their sin and bringing them into relationship with God. So the Messiah would help Israel.
But not just Israel. In the very first book of the Bible, God promised Abraham that through Abraham’s seed – through the Messiah -- all the people groups of the earth -- would have the curse of sin removed and receive the blessing of knowing God. So this can be true of all of us.
So that’s how Mary responds. And Luke tells us this because He wants us to understand – because of the Messiah, because of Jesus’ life and death and resurrection, God will save and forgive and satisfy all those who humble themselves and admit their need.
But God sends away the proud who won’t humble themselves and admit their need.
So this morning, don’t be proud. Don’t refuse to admit your need.
Humble yourself before the Messiah, before Jesus Christ. Turn to Him and trust Him to forgive you, change you, satisfy you. He will.