God's gift to all the world.

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary” (Luke 1:26-27, ESV).

  She was a young girl, a virgin when the angel appeared to her.  She wonders about the details of the child that she was to carry and asks how this “Son of the Most High” will come in her body but she accepts in perfect trust the assurances of the Word delivered by an angel.  What is remarkable about her response; is the fact that her simple trusting faith is drastically different then the response of Zachariah the father of John the Baptist on his visit by an angel just earlier in the same gospel.  Zachariah doubts.  Mary believes.  Mary asks, “How will this be …” and Zachariah asks, “How shall I know this?”  Mary looks ahead with an expectation and wonder at God’s power while Zachariah looks at the impossibility of the event happening given the circumstances.  Mary was not a religious priest but her faith dwarfs Zachariah’s lack of belief even if he seems the more the logical choice of the exemplar.  Zachariah is quieted of all possible speech by the hand of God while Mary by answering, “Behold I am a servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” is noted for her faith. A living faith in a mighty God that would evidence itself a short time later in her beautiful and powerful proclamation, recorded for the ages as “The Magnificat.” Joseph was unsure in response to his situation with Mary, but after his encounter with an angel, he simply does what the angel directed him to do.  Elizabeth gives direct credit to God for His favor when she realizes a miracle has happened.   What do these interactions between the realms of God’s provision of sovereign grace and those He wishes to involve in the implementation of His plan, bring to the Christmas story?  What are the lessons of the contrasts in faith that we see here in the lives of Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and Zachariah?

 

     God’s divine incarnation plan which is sometimes called “The Christmas Story” with all its twists and turns radiates grace.  God’s grace cannot be held up by the lack of faith of one of the participants or by any other action or inaction.  Since God is the Creator of the universe … all that is created including all the human beings and of all nations is melded and moved in His grace to be used for His purposes.  God can use the accepting or the unbelieving and even the hostile to bring about His purposes.  On the other hand; that Mary is chosen shows God’s omniscient knowledge as to His intimate familiarity of all His children.  Mary was specially chosen for a role of honor by God Himself.  Still the story is not about the people such as Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and Zachariah but the incarnation event of God coming in human form that brings salvation. 

     It was that event, the birth of Jesus as a baby where God delivered His only begotten Son in a fullness of grace unseen before on the created earth, that the world would be saved. God’s amazing grace that would lead to the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ to redeem all sinners who would believe in Him, even for those that might doubt at first, those that believe in an instant and for those who had waited for centuries for their salvation to come as a Messiah for all nations.  In the Incarnation, God delivers in the presence of His Son, the fulfilled promise of favor, peace and grace to all.  We often talk of how Jesus freely offers salvation to the poor or the rich but the inclusiveness of the gospel extends beyond monetary conditions or social classes to include all persons for all time.  No one is left out.  Anyone who believes and would desire the gift found in the Christmas story will not be excluded from salvation through the Son.  The gift is the Son and in the Son is the salvation of the world. The salvation of the world is the real message in the event that happened so long ago in a stable in the town of Bethlehem so long ago.

“For nothing will be impossible with God …” (Luke 1:37, ESV).

Suggested Reading … Luke 1