This message covers some character attributes of Mary, by looking at her reaction to the news of the conception of Christ (Luke 1:26-38). Mary is shown to be a super model for Christians, especially women and mothers. This was delivered on December 13, 2015 at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
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Mary the Supermodel Lk 1_26-38
SERNON NOTES:
Luke 1:26-38:
v.26:
This is not the sixth month of the year, but Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy.
- Luke 1:24-25
- Luke 1:36
v.27:
Mary was a virgin:
The importance of the virgin birth cannot be overstated. The right view of who Jesus is, hinges on the fact that He was born of a virgin. Both Luke and Matthew expressly state that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived, as is prophesied in Isaiah 7:14
The conception was a completely supernatural and miraculous act of the Holy Spirit. This is assures us of both Jesus’ deity and sinlessness.
What do we know about Mary?
1) Mary was betrothed:
She was a committed young woman. Her husband had already been chosen, by God, and he was a Godly man. God in His ultimate wisdom picked them both, and put them together.
2) Mary was of the House of David:
It is important to note that Joseph was of the house of David, because the Messiah would be of David’s lineage.
- Jeremiah 23:5-6
Mary was also of the house of David. We see her genealogy in Luke 3:23-31. (Emphasis on verse 23).
Joseph’s genealogy is found in Matthew 1:2-16 (Emphasis on verse 16)
The phrase “son of” is much less definite than begat. It would not be unusual to use it in reference to a son-in-law. We often do that today. Also, it was normal practice to list men in the genealogies.
v.28:
God had chosen her for a special task, and the announcement was of the Messiah Himself, therefore nothing less than an angel would do. Plus, this type of announcement would eliminate all doubt that it was indeed a message from God.
Mary was “highly favored” (“full of grace”) by God, this speaks to her character. God’s favor comes through faith and obedience. Mary was, as we will see, very faithful and obedient. She had gained God’s favor, and been chosen for a once-in-the-history-of-the-universe task. She would conceive, carry, and give birth to God’s own son, God incarnate, the Messiah, our (and her) salvation, Lord of lords, and King of kings! Mary had been chosen, nobody else. She was truly blessed among women.
“The Lord is with you” God was certainly with her in a big way. She would conceive out of wedlock, yet be protected from the standard punishments. God would intervene with Joseph so that He would go ahead with the marriage, giving Jesus a proper home with two Godly parents. God would also be with her physically in the form of Jesus Christ. She was certainly blessed and favored, but understandably perplexed and afraid. The Lord was with Mary, so that He could ultimately be with us!
v.29:
When you consider Gabriel’s greeting, you can understand why Mary was perplexed and afraid. This type of greeting was not typical for someone like Mary. She wasn’t yet married, and wasn’t from a wealthy family, so she had little or no social status. To be addressed as “highly favored one” must have been strange. Mary’s response reveals her humility and honesty before God. She certainly never expected to see an angel and receive special favors from heaven. There was nothing unique about her that such things should happen. This was all a surprise to her, and she handled the unexpected very gracefully.
v.30:
“Do not be afraid” were common first words when an angel would appear to someone, and understandably so. The angel reassures Mary that she is on God’s “nice” list, and this all points to the fact that Mary was the recipient of God’s grace, NOT the giver.
v.31:
The angel informed her that the child she would carry would be named Jesus (Jehovah is Salvation).
v.32:
“He will be great” the emphasis is on the greatness of the son, not the mother. The angel here confirms both the deity and humanity of Jesus. As Son of the Highest, Jesus’ deity is revealed, and in referring to “His father David” we see His humanity through earthly lineage.
v.33:
Jesus is referred to as the King, whose reign will last forever. It refers to both the Jewish character of the millennial kingdom (which is centered in Jerusalem) and the eternity of Christ’s rule over all of creation. This is all in line with God’s covenant with David 2 Samuel 7:12-13
v.34:
Notice Mary’s question. The angel had told her that the child would be the Son of God. She was told that He was a king who would reign forever. None of that seems to impact her as much as how a virgin can conceive.
Mary understood the angel to be speaking about an immediate conception. She was understandably curious as to the “how” since she was still in her engagement period. Being no actual marriage yet, there had been no consummation. Her question was born out of wonder, not doubt or disbelief. That is why the angel didn’t rebuke her as he had Zacharias Luke 1:20 The angel then proceeds to explain what will happen.
v.35:
The word overshadow is not the same as begat, and does not imply any type of sexual intercourse. This was a creative act of the Holy Spirit, not some sort of god-human cohabitation that is sometimes seen in pagan mythology. It was entirely supernatural and miraculous. Overshadow literally means to cast a shadow upon. It is reminiscent of the glory of God coming to rest on the tabernacle
- Exodus 40:35
That Jesus would be holy, is more than just morally pure, it means being totally set apart to God.
v.36:
In order to reinforce his news, the angel tells her of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Mary would have understood that God had a hand in that as well, since Elizabeth had been barren.
v.37:
There should be no doubt that God is capable of anything, even the things which we can’t even conceive.
v.38:
Look at Mary’s response! This would put Mary in an extremely difficult and embarrassing position. Imagine what she must have been thinking. Being unmarried, she faced the stigma of unwed motherhood. Obviously, Joseph would know that the child was not his. She would be accused of adultery, an offense punishable by stoning.
Now. . . if she had been listening carefully (we can safely assume that she was), she knew that she wouldn’t be killed. The angel had told her that she would give birth Luke 1:31. That she would name the child is evidence of the birth taking place. The naming didn’t normally occur until the time of circumcision on the 8th day. Even so, she had no idea how much she may have to suffer.
Despite all of that, Mary was immediately obedient. She didn’t say “let me pray about it.” God had already spoken. When God speaks on an issue, the time for prayer is over! Mary willingly gave of herself. In a totally selfless manner, she was willing to obey, regardless of what others (even Joseph) might think. Mary was a selfless, and giving person, the model of what a mother should be. The model of what a Christian should be.
I’m sure that Mary had her own plans, her own idea of what the future would bring, yet she willingly gave that up. Many mothers today aren’t willing to put aside their own selfish desires for the sake of their children.
Many mothers willingly leave their children to others, while they pursue their own selfish ambitions. Their only care is to maintain a certain lifestyle. They are willing to sacrifice their kids at the alter “stuff”, in order to see that their selfish wants are met.
A Godly mother (Godly parents) often have to give up their own desires and plans, as a sacrifice of love. A Godly mother is constantly giving, scarcely thinking about herself. Speaking of giving, it is something that is on everyone’s mind this time of year, but what does it really mean? Our giving doesn’t always convey the proper attitude, as such giving can be either good or bad.
How can giving be bad? Often we just give because its expected during Christmas. We tend to get caught up in lavish spending on unnecessary items, after having complained all year that we were broke. Too often we neglect the genuine needs of others throughout the year, while indulging in luxuries at Christmas time. We run up debts that prevent us from giving as God would have us to the rest of the year.
Good gifts are a genuine token of your love, which are not beyond your means. What we give should be given in love. The best gift is a sacrifice of love that puts others ahead of yourself. The best gift is the love of Jesus Christ, which you can easily share.
Mary was truly a giving person. Mary is the model woman, model mother, model wife, and model Christian. She is really is a super-model, because of her obedient and giving attitude, the world gained a savior.
You won’t be called to give birth to the Messiah, but God does ask you to give of yourself in some way. If you are a mother (parent), your greatest ministry is to your children. What sacrifices are you willing to make, to see to it that they are raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? How far are you willing to go? What inconveniences and hardships are you willing to endure for the sake of God and others.
In Defense: The Blog 
Posted on December 13, 2015
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