You Who Are Highly Favored!

Luke 1:26-38

Key verse 28

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Introduction:

We are living in a very unpredictable time. Although president election is over, people are very concerned about fiscal cliff and possible economic disaster. It seems that we need take action to keep our economy growing and reduce our astronomical amount of deficit. But throughout the history unique challenges are always there in each generation. As a historian, Luke started his book with a focal point of Jesus’ birth. He could have said many things such as Roman Empire or world economy. But he mentioned about God’s consistent work according to his own time schedule. Likewise, we must direct our attention to his message at this Christmas and may redirect our easily distracted mind to Jesus and his coming. 

1. Read verses 26-29. When and where, and to whom was the angel sent? (26, 27) Who was Mary and what was her situation? (27) How did the angel greet her? (28) What do you think it means to be “highly favored?”  Why was she greatly troubled at his greeting? (29)

1.1) Read verses 26-29.

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

 

1.2) When, where, and to whom was the angel sent? (26) 

When - Six months after Elizabeth got pregnant(36)

Where - Nazareth, a town of Galilee.  (it reminds me of “Isaiah 9:1-7”)

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you  as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. 5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

To Whom - to a virgin Mary.

1.3) Who was Mary and what was her situation? (27) 

She was a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

In those days in Jewish society, being pledged to be married (to be engaged) is equivocal to marriage. After one year they will have a wedding but they were regarded as a husband and wife after they were engaged – Jewish engagement is far more binding than our engagement. The word ‘divorce’ is used to break the engagement in Jewish society. 

Mary was technically a wife of Joseph who was a descendant of David.

She must have been dreaming a sweet home with him and practically prepare what’s necessary for their marriage. 

She must have wanted her sweet dream to continue for good without any disturbance. 

1.4) How did the angel greet her? (28) 

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

1.5) What do you think it means to be “highly favored?”  

 

Generally “favor” means to get something from someone else free of charge. 

Many misunderstood that to be favored by God means to receive some human blessing.

But the biblical concept of “favor” - karis, has the same root and meaning as the word, “grace,” and the derivative words are “beauty” and “thanks.”

It implies that we can be thankful, beautiful, and full of grace when we receive the favor of God. 

When are we supposed to be thankful our lives are beautiful. To be favored by God means, it is not the time of fulfilling our own desire and worldly prosperity or success, but a time of being used by God as his holy instrument despite cost and pain. 

Genesis 12 shows the same principle in that Abraham had to leave his family to correspond God’s calling.

To Mary, by the same token, God’s favor or grace meant that she was to become the mother of Jesus. 

So God’s grace equals God’s mission.

God’s grace is the bestowing of his mission on his chosen ones. 

What is God’s high favor and grace upon you? 

1.6) Why was she greatly troubled at his greeting? (29)

However, it was very costly for her to accept God’s grace personally because she had to give up her dreams about her sweet home. 

It is not easy to give up the position of a president or a queen. But it may be more challenging to renounce our tangible and petty desires. 

Humanly speaking it’s impossible to give up such human dream. 

What a great sacrifice she ended up making before God in this passage!

It is very hard for one to give up one’s human dream. 

Even Simon Peter never gave up his earthly dream to become prime minister in Jesus although he seemed to give up his family and career to follow Jesus. But nothing is possible with God and Simon Peter finally set aside his deep seated love for this world when he met risen Jesus personally on the beach and repented truly. (Jn ch 21) 

Also Mary’s trouble was due to the legalistic and traditional atmosphere of Jewish society .

She can easily become an object of scorn to others when she turns out to be pregnant before marriage. It was very dangerous because she could be stoned to death before her father’s house, shaming her father. 

Despite all these odds, she went through thought process to value God’s favor and grace upon her. 

2. Read verses 30-33. Why should Mary not be afraid? (30) What did the angel tell Mary about the son she would bear? (31) What did the angel say about Jesus? (32a)  What  will he be given? (32b) How long will his kingship and kingdom last? (33)

 2.1) Read verses 30-33.

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

2.2) Why should Mary not be afraid? (30) 

“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

2.3) What did the angel tell Mary about the son she would bear? (31) 

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

2.4) What did the angel say about Jesus? (32a)  

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 

“Jesus will be great” indicates what Jesus will do with his power as the Son of the Most High. 

Sometimes in under developed countries sons of presidents of nations commit many crimes and bring shame on their fathers. 

But Jesus will be truly great in that he gave up his all privilege and honor and power to obey his father and die on the cross to serve many as a ransom. Jesus will be great before God as the Son of God instead of shaming God.

Coming down as a human being is very humiliating but from God’s point of view it is truly great!

2.5) What  will he be given? (32b) 

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David

In the flow of the context, David served the will of God in his generation. (Acts 13:36) by shepherding his people Israel. 

In such a way David became a shadow of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus was born of a kingly line, David. 

Jesus is the true King who is worthy of our worship because he conquered death.

 

2.6) How long will his kingship and kingdom last? (33)

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Any earthly kingdom is temporal (Daniel 7:13-27(in particular, v 14, 18, and 27)) but Jesus’ kingdom will never end.

Daniel 7:13-27: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority,glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. 16 I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this.

“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’ 19 “Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. 23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.26 “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worshipand obey him.’

We learn through these references that we are co-heirs of the kingdom of God together with the saints and the people of the Most High. 

In short, the very purpose of Jesus’ coming to this world was to bring us back to his eternal kingdom and make us his heirs.

You are highly favored!

3. Read verses 34-38. What was Mary's first response? (34) How did the angel answer? (35-37) What was Mary’s second reply? (38) What can we learn from her?

3.1) Read verses 34-38.

34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

 3.2) What was Mary's first response? (34)

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

She was puzzled by her common concept that a virgin can not give birth. 

She asked the angel humbly and honestly. 

 3.3) How did the angel answer? (35-37) 

35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.”

3.4) What was Mary’s second reply? (38) 

38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”

3.5) What can we learn from her?

She was teachable and obedient. Although she was a young girl, she knew how to deny herself and live as a servant girl before living God. 

She said, “May it be to me as you have said”. 

Her faith was not emotional, but biblical in that she accepted all teachings through one to one Bible study with the messenger of God (angel Gabriel). 

Also she knew how to sacrifice her dream when she came to know that how valuable it is to be used by God and for His plan. 

She had simple and absolute faith in trusting God’s word through a Bible teacher (angel’s function in this passage)

May the Lord raise up 100,000 women of faith to change America to be a kingdom of priests. 

In conclusion:

Praise the Lord who raised up a woman of faith, Mary. We are recently blessed with three faithful women: Hanna (from Sunday worship service), Deborah (daily bread), and Mary. Their influence is great in that they were not shaky at all but absolutely trust in the Lord by their personal faith. May the Lord raise many women of faith in America so that she may be a kingdom of priests and a Holy nation. We also gain eternal perspective in and through Jesus who is the true king and ruler through eternity and resume our position as his honorable coheirs.

One word: “You who are highly favored!”