Of all the Gospels, Luke gives us the most details of Jesus’ birth and life. I love details-I want to be able to envision every part of the story. His aim is to show how Jesus, although fully divine, was also fully human. He wants the Gentiles (non-Jews) to understand that Jesus, the Savior, lived the perfect life and was not exempt from pressures and temptations just like you and me.
Let’s read Luke 1-2:20
Wow-Luke fills his story with vivid and critical details that lead up to Jesus’ birth and of the birth itself. Luke does not start his account with Jesus’ genealogy as Matthew does because Luke has less need to convince his audience of Jesus’ lineage and more interest in giving a “carefully investigated” account. I find it fascinating that Luke was a doctor, which explains his desire for accurate, true investigations into the birth of Jesus, and that as a doctor who knows what it is required to conceive, he believed Mary’s miraculous story of the virgin birth to be true.
Luke begins with the angel’s promises to Zechariah and Elizabeth who were “upright in the sight of God” and known for their holiness and pursuit of God. Zechariah was a Jewish priest who was the first person to be told about Jesus’ birth and would become the father of John the Baptist. Luke writes that God promised Zechariah and Elizabeth a son in their old age. The angel appears to Zechariah and gives a long, detailed announcement of how he and Elizabeth will have a child, what to name the child, and who the child will become.
Zechariah’s encounter with the angel stirs my heart as I wonder, once again, how would I respond?
Unfortunately, Zechariah responded with doubt and as a result of this doubt, could not speak until after the birth of his son, John. That’s serious business! I cannot say I would not respond the same way. I might even respond a little harsher… “Are you crazy? Do you know how old I am?” Zechariah simply asked, “Are you sure? How can this be?”
How many times have I hesitated, questioned, doubted, and resisted His voice and calling in my life?
Then we move on to Mary to whom the angel also appears. Again, the angel describes to Mary that she will give birth to a son, to name Him Jesus, and that He will be the Son of God.
Read carefully here because Mary also asks a question, “How will this be…since I am a virgin?”
Although Mary responds with a question, her question does not question the power of the Lord or the validity of the information the angel is delivering. She believes it will happen. Her question is asking how is the Lord going to do this… “Ok, Lord, I know You can do this…I know You will do this…but how are You going to do this?”
How is He going to use me? Not-is this possible?
Mary’s response makes me want to get on my knees and cry out in prayer to Him that I can have faith like her in that moment. Faith that does not question and ask are You sure? Is this really Your plan? Is this even possible?
I pray to have faith that says how are you going to use little me? I will follow and obey. I am willing.
And that is exactly what Mary did. She told the angel, “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Mary’s heart was with God and although much of this may not have made sense in her head or to the outside world, she obeyed and followed with her heart. Mary’s obedience is inspiring, but I also find peace in the fact that God uses all kinds of people for His purpose including the doubters like Zechariah, and little me if we are willing.
Mary goes on to visit Elizabeth to spread the good news, gives a beautiful song of praise to the Lord, and eventually gives birth to Jesus, the King, the Son of Man.
Luke shows us the importance of the virgin birth because Mary could only have Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit making Him the fully divine Son of God, but also the fully human Savior known as the Son of Man because he was born to a woman, a human who feared and failed just like us throughout her life but who had admirable obedience in a miraculous circumstance to say, “Lord, I am your servant…may it be done.”
Shared with love,
Lindsay
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