(The life of our Savior) Jesus birth foretold to Mary and she visits Elizabeth. Chapter 1.5

The life of our Savior

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Luke 1:26-56

 

We left our last study with Zacharias being told by an angel in the temple services with the amazing news that his wife Elizabeth would bear a child, a special child, one that would turn Israel back to their God. The angel said he would be the forerunner of the Lord in the Spirit of Elijah. This was the beginning of the Good News.

 

The Bible says in Luke 1:26 that in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. This was sixth months after John’s conception.

The angel Gabriel came in unto Mary and said, “Greetings favored one, the Lord is with you.”

Mary was perplexed just as Zacharias was in the temple six months ago. Mary was no doubt wondering what this was for and what possible outcome could happen, worried about the worst most likely.

Its important know that Mary did not have disbelieve like Zacharias did, she was just shocked.

The angel said to Mary in verse 30, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.”

This whole plan of God’s was perfectly planned, the time, couple, the town, working class, the whole bit.

God does this same thing today in our lives.

The angel says in Luke 1:31

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

This was to fulfill all the prophecy and promise that God had made to Abraham about his bloodline. Everything about Jesus’ birth and life was complete fulfillment, those that believe in Him rejoice.

 

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

This is very important, being that God has no sin and sin is the very root of anything and all things that go bad in our lives God could not have a sinful man create the Savior, the Son of God. So it had to be a virgin and the seed for the child had to be from God, a holy son with sin never touching Him or in His DNA.

 

35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

We see story’s all through the Bible were faith makes the impossible possible, if we sat around a camp fire and we told story after story of our lives and if we really looked into our lives about how God made something possible we would have big reflection and be shocked. He works everything out for those who seek Him. (Rom. 8:28)

We don’t realize the things God has done for us and is doing if we are not focused on Him.

38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

This shows that Mary was fulling ready to serve the Lord and she was always ready to do the Lord’s will. This was why she was the person that God chose for His plan of Salvation, the women to carry the Son of God.

 

The next verse in the Bible is awesome to me.

Luke 1:39 says Mary at this time went in a hurry to Elizabeth and Zacharias house. I envision her running with amazing joy and maybe even crying tears of joy.

Mary had to be overwhelmed with shock as well.

It sometimes is hard for us to wrap our minds around the fact that these were real people, real women, this is not a fairytale.

When Mary got to their house and Elizabeth heard her greeting the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

Luke 1:42-45

42 and she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

 

Mary sings a song after the initial meeting with Elizabeth. There are many things in Mary’s words that show her wisdom and how amazing her connection was with God; again this was a big reason why she was chosen.

Luke 1:46-56

And Mary said: 46 “My soul exalts the Lord, 47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;

Mary was a humble believer in God, this practice we as Christians need to embrace and follow. This humility thing can be a struggle for me, but working on it hard with the Lord’s help.

 for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. 50 “And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him.

His mercy is on generation after generation that fear Him? Fear is those who revere God and live in harmony with His will. God will show those people mercy.

Think about that for a minute.

God truly blesses those that have a relationship with Him, and when good things happen to us, we give thanksgiving to God.

Those that over and over have problems and drama are not putting God first in their lives and in return Satan gets into everything he can.

(this sounds harsh but it’s not meant to, its just reality, its not what God wants for us, Satan loves it on the other hand.)

The world we live in is spiritual, most non believers don’t realize the negative life style of living for the flesh fuels Satan and his destroying ways.

This is different than bad things happening to believers, now we need to understand and this will help us when stuff goes bad, get closer to God and things in time will turn around.

James the half brother of Jesus talked about this in his letter in chapter 1, everything can have a positive shinning light on it and that shinning light is God!

God wants to give us grace and mercy but we have to fear Him…………we have to really truly have a heart for God.

We have to give God a chance!

 

51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

Mary signs “with His arm”, she is figuratively speaking of God’s powerful acts. God does not have a body, He is a spirit (John 4:24). What is truly in our hearts? We can’t fool God, He is the creator of our spirit so He knows what it’s up to and thinks. Being proud is a HUGE issue with us humans and being proud doesn’t work with God’s kingdom.

 

52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.

Doesn’t this sound like Jesus speaking? This is another sign that Mary and Joseph were what we would call low income people, possibly. But their spirit and love for God was far from low. God always takes care of the humble who love Him.

We will see time and time again Jesus examples of this in His teachings.

54 He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy,

Jesus was sent for Israel first.

55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth until John the Baptist birth then headed home.

The ball is rolling now and things are getting closer to John the Baptists preaching and the birth of Jesus.