This week's Bible Study - December 16, 2007
Being Changed by the Savior
 Background Scripture:
Luke 1:26-50
Quote of the Week:
“If your're not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he'll be ready to take your job.”
-- Brooks Robinson
Have you ever been placed in a difficult situation? I'm sure this has happened to all of us, at many times during our lives. I don't think you can live without facing something along this line from time to time. Sometimes we have to do things that we'd rather not do, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, we're asked to do things that just seem strange. Life always involves making decisions that impact us on a daily basis - and some of our decisions may alter the course of our lives.
I would contend that none of us have faced the situation that Mary, the mother of Jesus, faced, upon finding out that she was to bear a child. Mary was engaged to Joseph - I'm sure they had dreams of a life together - and they probably thought about what that meant. They abstained from sexual relations, but Mary became pregnant. How might that change things?
Just as in the previous lesson about Zechariah receiving a visit from an angel, we read in this passage that God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. Even as the story begins, we begin to understand that God had a plan from the start. Maybe it doesn't match up to how we would do it, but none of us is qualified to make that call. Generations upon generations of people had come and gone - those who tried to please God tried to follow a system of rules and regulations that were ordained by God. None of them could do it. What happens when you try and make something happen on your own - over and over - yet you fail? You become frustrated and disheartened. This was the human condition as this time. Sure, there were folks who were involved in temple worship and trying to adhere to the laws, but God, in his wisdom, knew that wasn't enough. He knew they needed more. So, he put his plan into play - and an angel went to a specific town, at a specific time, to a specific virgin who was engaged to a man from a specific tribe.
It was no accident. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel had a very specific message for Mary - "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." I'm sure that this message astounded Mary. She was, after all, a young woman - she may have been a very good girl and may have truly worshipped God, but so were many others at that time, as well as before and since. Why was she being singled out? The passage says that Mary was greatly troubled at the words and was wondering what type of greeting this was. It was something that made her think, but it really seemed to have little relevance to anything else.
However, the angel kept going. He told her to not be afraid. It is interesting to realize that both Mary and Zechariah were greatly troubled and afraid at the appearance of an angel. I dare say that would be the case for each of us. Again, the angel told Mary that she had found favor with God. It was the next statement that would rock Mary's world. She would be with child and give birth to a son, and she was to name him Jesus.
How much of that do you think she heard? She would be with child…. WHAT? Here she was, a virgin, engaged. She had not had sexual relations with Joseph, and now she was pregnant? This was not the ordinary thing to happen and I feel sure any fear she had of the angel was replaced with shock and awe at what she had heard. Everything in life changed upon that phrase - she would be with child. There was no question - Mary, would you like to conceive the Son of God? It was told that it would happen. She was at a crossroads - an angel had spoken the word of God. She would be with child - she would have a son and she would call him Jesus.
If you were Mary, what would your first question be? How? This is a normal question. Mary was dealing with the same type of things we deal with - reality. There is a way that the world works. Virgins don't have children. So, Mary asked the angel. An important lesson for us here is that God expects us to ask questions. We know that he deals on a different level than we do, but at times we have to trust him to go beyond our understanding. It is understandable that we would be confused and that we would occasionally have questions. It is not a problem to ask, as you try to understand - but it becomes a problem when we stay in disbelief - sticking with what we 'know' and denying what God intends to do in our lives. As you learn more in your life, you realize you don't know as much as you maybe thought you did.
Perhaps Mary was wondering if she was supposed to get with Joseph - or if God had other plans with someone else. We've seen in other Biblical heroes - that they took God's intent into their own hands and forced the situation. Abraham was to become the father of a great nation, yet he and Sarah were old and barren. So, he got with Hagar, Sarah's slave, and had a son - Ishmael. As you may know, the result of that wasn't so good. It's better to see what God's intent is when he speaks, rather than taking his word and going off to make it happen.
The angel said that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High would overshadow her. The child would be a holy child - to be called the Son of God. The angel also stated that Elizabeth, her 'barren' relative, would have a child. Nothing was impossible with God. God gave Mary signs that he was at work. God never works in isolation - he is at work in many people's lives right now - often to fulfill a specific purpose.
What was Mary's response? Did she keep asking questions? Do you think she would have understood if the angel explained how all of this happened, from a medical standpoint? She took what the angel said and declared that she was to be the Lord's servant and may it be as was said. Then the angel left.
So, now, everything was okay, right? She was to have a child and life would march along. This was just the beginning of the problems Mary would have. How would Joseph react? What would her family and friends say? This wasn't a normal occurrence and I'm sure it would turn some heads. There was much she had to deal with, but she was ready to be the Lord's servant.
After the angel left, Mary went to visit Elizabeth. The angel had said that Elizabeth was bearing a son as a miracle, as well. Seeing Elizabeth and hearing about her situation would help Mary continue forward in her faith. Often, when we feel that God has spoken to us, it helps to hear how God is at work in the lives of others. Elizabeth, full of child, was also filled with the Holy Spirit. She exclaimed a blessing upon Mary. She also indicted that the baby in her womb leaped when Mary had spoken. God was certainly at work in the lives of multiple people. Knowing what God was doing in each other's lives would help them to continue.
As Mary talked to Elizabeth, thinking of what the angel had said and how God was going to be using her, she sang to the Lord. She was more than willing to do what God asked and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. God had selected her to do this great thing and she was beginning to see how her actions would impact generations. She proclaimed the mercy of the Lord upon those who fear him and how God had shown mercy upon many generations.
Closing
You and I will not have to deal with the situation that Mary dealt with. The birth of Jesus Christ literally rocked her world and changed everything. However, the birth of Jesus Christ does impact us as believers. If you don't think so, you may want to think again about your relationship with Christ. Is it out of convenience, or has he changed your life?
Sometime, God may speak to you in a very clear way that may not seem to be what you would expect. Are you willing to listen and follow, or are you too set in your ways. What areas of your life are you willing to give to God, and what areas are you planning on keeping for your own? When God speaks, he often has plans that are beyond our understanding.
When has God spoken to you and how has he spoken to you? Sometimes, I think that we don't place ourselves in an area where we could hear God. If we are not involved in a church and a small group of believers, we miss many opportunities for God to speak. But, God can also speak in many other ways - the key thing to consider is if we are listening to him.
How is God working in your life right now? How is God working in the lives of others around you? We really need each other and we need to be able to share what God is doing in our lives. Are you part of a group of believers who regularly share what God is accomplishing in their lives?
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