His Kingdom Will Never End

Luke 1:26-38

Key Verses: 32-33

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

I. You who are highly favored (1:26-31)

1. Look at verses 26-28.  Who was Mary and what was her situation? (26-27)  What was the angel’s greeting? (28)

  

2. Look verses 29-31.  How did Mary respond? (29)  Why was she so troubled at his words? (29)  What does it mean to find favor with God? (30)  How did God show his special favor to Mary? (31)  Why is God’s favor a great blessing to us?  

II. His Kingdom will never end (1:31-38)

3. Look at verses 31-33.  What does the baby’s name “Jesus” mean? (31)  Who would he become? (32)  What great promise to David did God fulfill? (2Sa 7:7:11b-13)  How different would his reign and his kingdom be from the worldly kingdom? (33, Isa 11:1-10, Dan 7:14, 18, 27)  

 

4. Look at verses 34-38.  What was Mary wondering? (34)  What answer did the angel give? (35-36)  How was this possible? (37)  What was Mary’s decision and on what did she base her decision? (38)  What can we learn from her?

His Kingdom Will Never End

Luke 1:26-38

Key Verses: 32-33

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

Luke continues in the same style in which he has described Zechariah's encounter with the angel of the Lord. The angel Gabriel announces the news of the conception of the Son of God to Mary. 

Several themes are interwoven in this passage: (1) the divine sonship of Jesus (32, 35); (2) his messianic role and reign over the kingdom (vv.32-33); (3) God as the "Most High" (32, 35); (4) the power of the Holy Spirit (35); and (5) the grace of God (29-30, 34-35, 38).

The greatness and majesty of Christ, our spiritual King and Savior is proclaimed in this passage. He was born to die and rise from the dead to reign in the hearts of those who eat and drink of his sacrifice. He came as king to make inwardly conformed as his servants those who partake by faith of his sacrifice, saying, "May it be to me as you have said" (38).

I. You who are highly favored (1:26-31)

1. Look at verses 26-28.

ANSWER:

Luk 1:26-28  In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  27  to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.  28  The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Who was Mary and what was her situation? (26-27)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:26-27  In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  27  to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

Mary was: 1) A virgin; 2) Pledged to be married

Virgin.
Mary had not yet had sexual relations with a man. Since Jewish girls married young, it is likely that Mary was a teenager when the angel appeared to her. The young Virgin Mary contrasts with the old priest Zechariah, who was past the time for having children. 

Pledged to be married (betrothed).
In Jewish culture this was much stronger than the engagement period today. This relationship was legally binding as husband and wife, but intercourse was not permitted until marriage. Only divorce or death could sever it. 

Joseph, the man to whom Mary was betrothed, was a descendant of David. Her son Jesus was thusly a legitimate member of the royal line. This has an important bearing on the promise in verse 32b.

This happened “in the sixth month”, meaning that Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy (36, 24-25). The mention of Elizabeth's “sixth month” establishes a link between Jesus and the prophet John the Baptist (Joh 1:15; 3:28).

Gabriel was sent by God to Mary. Gabriel means ‘Man of God’. This was the angel God used to send messages of great importance to man; he was sent to Daniel (Dan 8:16; 9:21), to Zachariah (Luk 1:11, 19), and to Mary (Luk 1:26).

Nazareth was a town in Galilee: The people in Judah despised the Jews in Galilee because of their contact with the Gentiles there (Mat 4:15). They especially despised the people from Nazareth (Joh 1:46). But God in his grace chose a girl from Nazareth in Galilee to be the mother of the promised Messiah!

The Son of God chose to be born under such lowly, dishonorable circumstances. He gave up his glory and made himself nothing (Php 2:7) out of his love for us to save us.

This King chooses to be born in those who are lowly in spirit (1Co 1:27-29; Mat 5:3).

What was the angel’s greeting? (28)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:28  The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

(See the above underlined text)

“highly favored”.
She was “highly favored” because God chose her to be the mother of the long awaited Messiah – the mother of the Redeemer of mankind. This was a high honor. Long before this, his coming had been predicted (Gen 3:15; Isa 7:14); long had the eyes of the nation been turned to him. She, among all women, received this great privilege to bring the Messiah into the world.

Those who hear Christ’s word and obey it are more blessed than Mary (Luk 11:27-28).

As Christ was conceived in Mary, so he is now conceived in the hearts of those he highly favors to savingly hear of his life-giving word (Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23; Joh 6:63; 5:25; 17:26; 14:20; Gal 4:6, 19; Eph 3:16-17). As servants of the Word, we are highly favored to be the vehicles through which this birth takes place in our Bible students.

Christ is the king who rules the hearts of those in whom he dwells (Ro 8:9; Eze 36:27). By our fruit of love and obedience, we know that he is born in us and reigns within us (1Jn 3:24). And the person in whom Christ lives has died (Gal 2:20; 2Co 5:15).

“The Lord is with you” recalls the way the angel of the Lord addressed Gideon to assure him of God’s help in the assignment he was about to receive (Jdg 6:12).

 

2. Look verses 29-31.

ANSWER:

Luk 1:29-31  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  30  But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  31  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

How did Mary respond? (29)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:29  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

(See the above underlined text)

Mary, a poor virgin in Nazareth, certainly never expected to see an angel and receive special favors from heaven.

There was nothing unique about her that such things should happen (48). 

Why was she so troubled at his words? (29)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:29  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel’s words were so unexpected, so sudden, and so extraordinary, and it was so high an honor that she was filled with anxious thoughts, and did not know what to make of it.

What does it mean to find favor with God? (30)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:30  But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

The term “favor” (grace) refers to God’s unmerited kindness toward sinners.

Although she was a godly woman, it was God’s grace, not Mary’s character that made her God’s choice.

We are, like Mary, the recipients of God’s favor – of his saving grace (Eph 2:8-9; 2Ti 1:9; 1Co 1:26-29). 

How did God show his special favor to Mary? (31)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:31  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

The special favor was shown by her being selected as the mother of the Messiah. 

Why is God’s favor a great blessing to us?

ANSWER:

God’s favor consists in having conceived within us, Christ the King (Eph 3:16-17). To have living within us Christ, the great King of the heavenly kingdom, brings the blessedness of freedom from sin and power to love God and enjoy him and have his peace reigning in us (Isa 55:12-13).

God’s favor is on those who are coming to Christ for salvation (Psa 65:4; Acts 3:26; Joh 6:44).

God’s favor is the possession only of those who are in Christ and have Christ in them (Eph 1:3-4; 2:6-7; Gal 3:29, 14). Those who are not in him are under God’s eternal wrath (Joh 3:18; 2Th 1:8-9).

The favor bestowed on Mary was the greatest honor ever afforded to a woman, but at the same time it carried with it tremendous social disgrace. God’s favor comes with a cost (2Ti 3:12; Mk 10:30).

God will allow things to happen in our lives that are hard to bear and hard to understand, yet the Lord sends them our way so that we might grow in him and come to know him in a better way (Php 3:10; Ro 5:3-4; Jas 1:2-4; Heb 12:7-11).

II. His Kingdom will never end (1:31-38)

3. Look at verses 31-33.

ANSWER:

Luk 1:31-33  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  32  He 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,  33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

What does the baby’s name “Jesus” mean? (31)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:31  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

Jesus means ‘the Lord saves’ (Mat 1:21). It comes from the name Joshua (Num 13:16).

He was not to be named Joseph Junior as was the custom (Luk 1:59).

Who would he become? (32)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:32-33  He 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,  33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

The angel predicted five things about the baby:

He will be great.
His greatness is different than worldly greatness. He had power and authority but gave them things up to obey God and down his life for all sinners. This is true greatness.

He will be called the Son of the Most High.
This points to his equality with God. It shows his deity and humanity. As Mary’s son, he would be human; as the Son of the Most High, he would be the Son of God.

He will be given the throne of his father David (King). 

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.
The true “house of Jacob” are those who believe in Jesus. He is to rule the hearts of all believers, all who trust in Him, those who are Abraham’s descendents by faith (Ro 4:11, 17; Gal 3:29).

His kingdom will never end. 

Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of men (Luk 17:20-21; Joh 18:36; Ro 8:9). But one day he will return and establish his righteous kingdom on earth and thereby fulfill his covenant with David (Mat 13:41-43; Isa 9:7; Rev 20:6). 

What great promise to David did God fulfill? (2Sa 7:11b-13) 

ANSWER:

2Sa 7:11b-13  "`The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you:  12  When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.  13  He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Jesus’ coming fulfilled the promise to David concerning his offspring who would reign forever (2Sa 7:13-16; 1Chr 17:11-14).

These words must have immediately reminded Mary of the promise of the LORD God to David (2Sa 7:13-16; 1Chr 17:11-14). David understood the prophecy as referring, not only to his immediate son (Solomon) who would build the temple, but also to the future Son who would rule forever. 

How different would his reign and his kingdom be from the worldly kingdom? (33; Isa 11:1-10; Dan 7:14, 18, 27)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Isa 11:1-10  A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.  2  The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD --  3  and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;  4  but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.  5  Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.  6  The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.  7  The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.  8  The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.  9  They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.  10  In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

Dan 7:14  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.

Dan 7:18  But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever -- yes, for ever and ever.'

Dan 7:27  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 worship and obey him.'

His Kingdom will never end.

Everything that is of this world is shakable. Buildings crumble into dust, companies go into bankruptcy, our houses age and deteriorate, and worst of all, our bodies eventually wear out. But the kingdom of God lasts forever. Revolutions may destroy the kingdoms of the earth, but the powers and gates of hell and death shall never be able to overcome the kingdom of Christ (Mat 16:18; Heb 12:28). 

Jesus will reign among his people on earth until the end of time, and be their king forever in heaven. His kingdom is the only kingdom that shall never have an end. He is the only King who shall never lay aside his crown and never die. He is the only King that can defend us from all our enemies, sustain us in death, and reward us in eternity. 

Christ’s kingdom will be glorious and full of peace (Isa 11:10, 6). The kingdom of this gentle and wise Shepherd-King will be made up of men and women whose wickedness has been slain by the breath of his lips through his Spirit and word and who have been born again as his children and who have died to the love of this world and to sin and self (Isa 11:4; Joh 3:8). The choice is yours whether to live for this world which is perishing or to live for Christ and his eternal kingdom. May this King make us all wise by the counsel and education he gives by the breath of his Spirit and word and thereby give us power always to make the right choice (Isa 11:9; Joh 6:45, 65).

4. Look at verses 34-38.

ANSWER:

Luk 1:34-38  "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"  35  The 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.  36  Even 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.  37  For 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.

What was Mary wondering? (34)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:34  "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

Mary knew what would happen, but she did not know how it would happen. Her question was not evidence of unbelief; rather, it was an expression of faith. 

She believed the promise, but she did not understand the performance. How could a virgin give birth to a child?

The angel did not rebuke Mary, as he had rebuked Zechariah (20). This indicates that Mary did not doubt the angel's words but merely wanted to know how such an event would be accomplished. 

What answer did the angel give? (35-36)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:35-36  The 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.  36  Even 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.

Gabriel explained that this would be a miracle, the work of the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus would be conceived in her by the direct power of God.

Luke mentions the Holy Spirit here and five other times in his first two chapters (Luk 1:15, 35, 41, 67; 2:25, 26). 

The word “overshadow” suggests that the cloud of the Shekinah glory – the cloud of God’s holy, powerful presence – would come upon her (Exo 40:38; Mat 17:5). 

The same Spirit who hovered over (overshadowed) the unformed earth in Gen 1:2 would overshadow Mary and give her a holy Son.

The child would be called "the holy one," both because he himself was the holy, sinless seed (Word) of the Father and because his conception was through the Holy Spirit. 

This miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus Christ was necessary because of his deity and preexistence (cf. Isa 7:14; 9:6; Gal 4:4; Joh 16:28).

Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, would not be the father of the child, even though Jesus would be legally identified as the son of Joseph (Mat 1:16; Luk 3:23). Rather, Jesus would be conceived by the direct agency of God the Father. Jesus is thusly the Father’s “begotten” Son with regard to his human nature. But, of course, with regard to his deity, he eternally preexisted as the Son of God before his incarnation (Joh 1:1; 17:5; Col 1:16-17; Rev 13:8).

Gabriel was careful to point out that the baby would be a "holy thing" and would not share the sinful human nature of man. 

David confessed that he was sinful from the time he was conceived (Psa 51:5). Not so with Jesus. Jesus knew no sin, he did no sin, and he had no sin (Heb 4:15; Joh 8:29; 1Jo 3:5; 1Pe 2:22; 2Co 5:21; Mic 5:2; Isa 9:6). His body was prepared for Him by the Spirit of God who "overshadowed" Mary (Heb 10:5). Mary's womb became a holy of holies for the Son of God!

The case of Elizabeth is mentioned to inspire Mary with confidence, and to assure her that what was now promised would be fulfilled. 

How was this possible? (37)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:37  For nothing is impossible with God."

With God, all things are possible; nothing is impossible with him (Mat 19:26).

What was Mary’s decision and on what did she base her decision? (38)

ANSWER:

Luk 1:38  "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Mary willingly submitted to God's plan, calling herself the Lord's servant. Her believing response was to surrender herself to God as his willing servant. 

She called herself the Lord’s “servant”, meaning female slave. This shows how much Mary trusted God that this was a high favor and high honor (Joh 12:26). Because of her faith in his goodness and love, she could submit to the Lord and make this daring choice.

She experienced the grace of God and believed the Word of God, and therefore she could be used by the Spirit to accomplish the will of God.

She belonged totally to the Lord, body (Luk 1:38), soul (Luk 1:46), and spirit (Luk 1:47). What an example for us to follow!

She accepted the cost that accompanied God’s high favor. 

She surrendered her right to enjoy her future husband. The center of her attention was now going to be the baby Jesus rather than serving her dream husband and family.

She risked being stoned for adultery for breaking the 4^th commandment (Deut 22:23-24) and risked being exposed to shame and ridicule. She allowed her marriage to be jeopardized by this pregnancy (Mat 1:19). Yet God would surely vindicate her character in due season (Psa 37:5-6). 

How much are we willing to risk for our Lord? Would we risk our reputation if God clearly asked us to do so? Is he worthy in our eyes even of such a sacrifice?

What can we learn from her?

ANSWER:

Her submission to God characterizes those who truly believe in the high favor of the calling to a life surrendered to the Lordship of Christ our Savior (Php 3:8). 

If anyone would have the high favor of this glorious King being conceived in their heart, they must surrender their life and offer it to God with the determination to die to self and to this world (Ro 12:1-2; Joh 12:25; 2Co 5:15; Luk 14:33). They must lay hold with holy violence of the means of saving grace  (Luk 13:24; Mat 11:12; Ro 8:13).

We also ought to hold our identity as the Lord’s servant and obey him, remembering the grace of his sacrifice. Yet, with supreme vanity we can say, "I am the Lord's servant". We can say these words in denial of the reality of our sinful condition and denial of the very reason Jesus came to be born and die.

Let us not forget that Jesus came to be born as king for a nation that had failed the first covenant established by Moses. Christ was born of a woman and born under law to redeem those who had failed the first covenant of law, who had failed to keep their end of the contract (Gal 4:4-5; Heb 9:15-17). He came to reign as king according to a new covenant established on the cross (Mat 26:28); he came to establish a covenant of grace wherein the Lord's righteous requirements are met by the power of his sacrifice. The foundation of our relationship with him is not our performance as his servants -- that which we rely on is not our flesh (Jer 17:5; 1Jo 4:15-16a). We have entered a new relationship with the Lord as his servants founded on the glory of his Son -- founded on his love and grace and the power of what Christ accomplished on the cross -- a relationship in which our inner being is crucified and made alive by his blood sacrifice -- a relationship in which we no longer live but our King lives in us (Jer 31:33; Php 2:13; Eze 36:26-27).

Those who say with vainglory in their heart, "I am the Lord's servant", will sooner or later have to learn as did Peter on the night of his Master's betrayal that they are weak servants of sin for whom Christ had to suffer (Luk 1:51; 1Co 10:12; Pro 3:34; Joh 13:38; Mat 26:34, 75). Our absolute dependence is on him who came to make us inwardly free from the flesh and from law as the Lord's servant (Ro 7:5-6; 1Co 15:56-57; Ro 2:29; Php 3:3).

We are the servants of this great King who take the bread of his bodily sacrifice and eat of it, saying, "May it be to me as you have said".

He who was conceived in Mary for the sake of being sacrificed and to rise from the dead as the great King now reigns in the hearts of those who count themselves as great sinners who must daily eat of his sacrifice (Joh 6:55; Mat 6:11; 9:12; 18:4; Luk 1:48). His true servants serve him in the new way of the Spirit, and believe and know of the greatness of his grace and of his sacrifice and of its great transformative power, and partake of that sacrifice with the cry in their heart, "May it be to me as you have said.". He who was born to offer himself as the bread of life shall be satisfied (Isa 53:11) and make us inwardly conformed by that sacrifice into his likeness as his Spirit comes to dwell and illuminate and reign within us. He came to make us learners of him (disciples), and to give birth within us of new holy desire, led by his Spirit inwardly to love and exalt and worship and serve and obey him as his servants to make disciples of others. The cry of our heart by the Spirit is, "Abba, Father, may it be to me as you have said; make me forever more your servant" (Deut 15:16-17; Ro 8:15; 6:6-7; Gal 2:20).

 They, in fact, married very young: “The usual age for a girl’s betrothal was between twelve and twelve and a half (Bill. II, 374); but there is incontestable evidence of betrothals and marriages at an even earlier age (p. 363 n. 26).” (Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the time of Jesus: an investigation into economic and social…, Pg 365)

 This is reflected in Mat 1:19 where Joseph is called her “husband” and “divorce” was the means he considered to break off the betrothal. Mat 1:19 reads, “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” Jeremias states, “The betrothed woman is called ‘wife’, can become a widow, be put away by divorce and punished with death for adultery (Bill. II, 393ff. has the evidence). ...But it is only with the marriage itself; which ordinarily took place one year after betrothal (M. Ket. v.2), that the girl definitely passed from her father’s power to her husband’s (M. Ned. x.5). ” (Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the time of Jesus: an investigation into economic and social…, Pgs 367-368)

 The word Gabriel in Greek is from the Hebrew word (H1403) גַּברִיאֵל Gabriy'el (gab-ree-ale') meaning, “1. man of God; and 2. Gabriel, an archangel; [from H1397 and H410]” (Jonathan Kristen Mickelson, Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)  But there is no single definition: “The etymology of the name is disputed, meaning “God is my Warrior” or perhaps “Man of God.”” (David Noel Freedman, Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible, Pg 474). The word is actually a concatenation of two terms: geber (H1397) and el (H410). The word geber (gheh'-ber) means, “1. (properly) a valiant man or warrior; 2. (generally) a person simply”. The word el (H410) means, “1. strength; 2. (as adjective) mighty; 3. (especially) the Almighty (but used also of any deity)”. Arising from these two terms, come a wide variety of alternative meanings of this name Gabriel. It can mean: "warrior of God", "hero of God" (Andrew Robert Fausset, Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Subject: Gabriel), “champion of God” (M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Subject: Gabriel), “God is my strength”, “God is my hero”, “God is my Warrior”, etc. 

 “The northern part of Upper Galilee was inhabited by a mixed race of Jews and pagans (Jdg 1:33). Its Israelite population was carried away captive to Assyria and was replaced by a colony of pagan immigrants (2Ki 15:29; 17:24), hence called “Galilee of the nations” or “Gentiles” (Isa 9:1; Mt 4:13, 15-16). During and after the captivity, the predominant mixture of Gentile races impoverished the worship of Judaism. For the same reason the Gallican accent and dialect were noticeably peculiar (Mt 26:73). This caused the southern Jews of purer blood and orthodox tradition to despise them (Jn 7:52).” (Kevin Green, Zondervan All-in-One Bible Reference Guide, Subject: Galilee)

 The word “favor” comes from G5485 χάρις charis (khar'-ece) which means, “1. graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act; 2. (especially) the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; and 3. (also) gratitude”  (Jonathan Kristen Mickelson, Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)

 “The Greek form of the name Ihsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT). It was a fairly common name among Jews in 1st century Palestine, as references to a number of people by this name in the LXX and Josephus indicate.”  (Biblical Studies Press, New English Translation, 2006) “Noun: Ihsous, GK 2652 (S 2424), 917x. The name Ihsous is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name “Joshua.” Two OT figures named Joshua provide intriguing foreshadowings of Jesus Christ. First is Moses’ godly successor, who led Israel through the Jordan River and into the promised land of Canaan (see the relationship between these two in Heb. 4:6-11). Second is the high priest at the time of Israel’s return from exile: Zech. 3:8 states that this Joshua (or “Jesus” in the Greek translation of the OT) is a symbol of the coming Messiah. The name lèsous was common among Jews at the time of Jesus Christ and prior to the first century (for other individuals named JoshualJesus. see. e.g., Neh. 3:19: possibly Mt. 27: 16f; Lk. 3:29 Col. 4: 11). The personal name given to Jesus is an especially appropriate one for the Messiah to hear since its Hebrew antecedent. Joshua, means “The LORD [Yahweh] is salvation.” The words of the angel to Joseph in Mt. 1:21 emphasize this very point: “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who will save his people from their sins.” (William D. Mounce, Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Word: Jesus)

 The NAS translation of verse 38 uses the word “bondslave”. The word “servant” comes from G1399 δούλη doule (dou'-lay) meaning, “1. a female slave (involuntarily or voluntarily)” (Jonathan Kristen Mickelson, Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries) “Traditionally, “handmaid”; Grk “slave woman.” Though δούλη (doulh) is normally translated “woman servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free woman serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times… in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. δοῦλος). The most accurate translation is “bondservant,” sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος (doulos), in that it often indicates one who sells himself or herself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.” (Biblical Studies Press, New English Translation, 2006)

HIS KINGDOM WILL NEVER END

Luke 1:26-38

Key Verses 32-33

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

Good morning! This year we would like to have three Christmas bible studies: the first one has to do with his kingdom; the second one with His person (God with us); and the third His work. So today we will think about his kingdom – the kingdom Jesus came to build so he could give it to his children.

Today’s passage is brief: just 12 verses. It describes a 1:1 study between Gabriel and Mary. I do not think the Bible study lasted long. Perhaps it took more or less five minutes. Yet, the result was beautiful: Mary opened her heart and said, “I am the Lord’s servant: may it be to me as you have said!” How did it happen?

Look at v. 26. “In the sixth month…” It took place in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Elizabeth was one of Mary’s relatives – a cousin. The baby growing in her womb was John the Baptist- the forerunner of Jesus the Savior. 

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. In the Bible the angel Gabriel appeared to three persons: about 7 centuries before to Daniel, and after about 700 years after to Zechariah (the husband of Elizabeth), and Mary.

God sent Gabriel to Mary to tell her what God had promised to Daniel, that is, the promise to send the Savior – the builder of his kingdom. At the time when Gabriel appeared to Daniel, Daniel lived in Babylon (somewhere in the present day Iran/Iraq). At that time Israel lost their kingdom. They were in exile. During the exile Daniel prayed that the Lord restores His kingdom to his people. God honored his prayer. God showed him visions – the visions of earthly kingdoms and the vision of the eternal kingdom to come. Daniel 7 and 9 describe them. God showed him that earthly kingdoms will come and go. God showed him that eventually God’s kingdom will replace all the earthly kingdoms. Then only God’s kingdom will remain. God revealed to Daniel that God had already given to his Son (whom Daniel calls “the one who looks like a son of man”) authority, glory and sovereign power, so all peoples, nations, and men of every language would worship him. Let us open the Bible and read Daniel 7:13-14.

13 “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.

One may wonder saying, “Well, what does this vision have anything to do with me”? Daniel also must have had the same question. So the angel said, “‘But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 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 worship and obey him. This is the end of the matter.’” (Daniel 7:26-28a)

What is at stake (or in the Christmas gift box for you and me, if you will) is, “the sovereignty, power, and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven”. In essence the promise is that God is going to send Jesus to wrench the sovereignty, power, and greatness of the kingdoms, out of the hands of beasts. He is going to take possession of the kingdoms, and hand them over to the saints. 

In order for this vision to be fulfilled however, Jesus has to be born into this world. So God sent Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

Nazareth still exists today. It is still a small town. To go there you fly out from LA to Tel Aviv. Usually people visit Jerusalem which is about two hours by taxi. Then from there they take a bus. Although the distance is more or less 120 km, as the bus stops and goes, it easily takes a day to get there. There is a church (St. Joseph Church of Nazareth) standing at the place where Joseph maintained his carpentry. Perhaps Mary might have lived nearby. At the church, there are art works on the walls of the church, like the painting showing Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary.

The town is surrounded by mountains, so it is even hard to get out of the town and go to urban cities like Tiberius or Jerusalem. In the day of Mary road system did not develop well, so people did not move around as fast as today. So Nazareth of Mary’s days was a truly small, quiet, sleepy town.

By the time the angel visited most likely Mary was a young woman, as young, vibrant as any of our JBF or HBF sisters. She was a virgin. She was really happy for she was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

David was the most famous king in the history of Israel. David belonged to the line of Judah one of the twelve tribes of Israel, the line from which God had promised to send the Savior. David lived about 1000 years before Christ. Although David was a king, his life was not easy. So he was longing for the Savior to come. In today’s daily bread passage as well, looking forward to the Savior, he says “I call to you, LORD, come quickly.” He then says, “My eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord.” Psalm 141:1,8

Bible scholars are divided on the issue of Mary’s ancestry. Is she a descendant of Levi (priestly line) or a descendant of Judah (royal line – the line from which the Lord God promised to send the Savior)? But since she is pledged to be married to Joseph – a descendant of David, she belongs to the house of David from whose line the Savior was to be born!

Look at vs. 28-29. “The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. “ Most likely, by the time Gabriel visited her, she was happy in expectation of the marriage life with Joseph. So she might have been thinking of Joseph’s favor, secretly talking to herself like “Is he going to be gentle and kind? What would the first kiss with him be like?” Yet, the angel talked about God’s favor. What the angel said was greatly disturbing. She felt as if the dream for the happy life of marriage was being shattered to pieces.

So what did the angel say? Look at vs. 30-33. “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Being a Jewish girl she must have been familiar with what the angel was talking about –the meaning of the name Jesus (Yaweh delivers or saves), the Son of the Most High, or the throne of his father David. She also must have heard of God’s promise to send the Savior to rule over the house of Jacob. Concerning the promise to the house of Jacob, the Prophet Isaiah said, “I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him.” (Isaiah 8:17)

Micah, the Prophet Isaiah’s contemporary, also prophesied saying, “Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”” (Micah 4:2) Both of them lived about 8 centuries before Christ. Yet they both saw the vision of God’s kingdom coming. They were waiting for the Savior to come and rule his people with loving kindness. In the day of Mary the Roman Empire was ruling. Yet, the angel said in effect that finally the time came, so she would bear the Savior – the builder of God’s everlasting Kingdom. Gabriel spoke of the fulfillment of God’s promise and she understood the mission.

But she had a question, so she said, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel waited for this moment to come, so he said in vs. 35-37, “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.  Even 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. For nothing is impossible with God.” Being a Jewish girl, she was familiar with all the miracles God performed in Israel history like people crossing the Red Sea as on dry ground, Aaron’s staff (which was dry) not just blossoming, but bearing fruit overnight, etc. So she understood what the angel was talking about, especially the power of God. Indeed the news that God opened Elizabeth’s womb helped her to open her heart fully. On hearing the news, she was already thinking about going and visiting Elizabeth. 

Then, she needed no more Bible study. So she said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Before the Bible study, she was greatly troubled. But after the Bible study, she became thankful for such a great favor from God that the thought of Joseph, the dream for sweet marriage, were all gone! She realized that she was indeed highly favored by the Most High! With deep conviction and thanks she accepted the mission saying, “I am the Lord’s servant! May it be to me as you have said!

Once upon a time an English educator named Daniel Defoe spoke on the necessity to educate women saying, “I cannot think that GOD Almighty ever made them [women] so delicate, so glorious creatures; and furnished them with such charms, so agreeable and so delightful to mankind; with souls capable of the same accomplishments with men: and all, to be only Stewards of our Houses, Cooks, and Slaves.” As he mentioned, God created women for a noble purpose, that is, to serve the Lord. Mary understood the mission. So she said, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Whose servant? Yes! The Lord’s! I would encourage all sisters in this room say, “I am the Lord’s servant!”

There are many blessings coming from the Lord for those who are in the Lord. But of all the blessings, the blessing to serve the Lord as the Lord’s servant is by far the greatest, for the Lord is the source of all blessings – the blessings like joy of life, sense of fulfillment, the fulfillment of the meaning of life, etc. Most importantly the Lord is the builder and sustainer of the everlasting kingdom. When a woman serves the Lord and his blessed kingdom purpose, the Lord blessed people coming to her life – her husband, her children, her children’s children, and all who visit her house. As she keeps serving the Lord as the Lord’s servant, the Lord literally uses her to be a mother of many nations, so through her service, God’s kingdom would expand from generation to generation!

In conclusion the angel said, “He 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Thank and praise be to God who fulfilled the promise to send the Savior. Next Sunday we would like to have a Christmas worship service at the University of Cal Poly Pomona. May the Lord bless us to invite many so they would meet the new born King, and find a place in His kingdom!

One word: his kingdom will never end