The Lord’s Message:  Word of God Speak:  Mary

The Lord’s Message:  Word of God Speak:  Mary
Date:  December 7, 2025
Where:  Tilghman Methodist Church
Scripture Reference:  Luke 1:26-38

            Last Sunday, we began a new sermon series called, “Word of God Speak.”  There are 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  Theologians called this time “Silence of God”.  During this time God did not utter a prophetic word.  There are no records of God speaking to prophets.  There are no records of God speaking to any human beings.  Then after the 400 years, God makes a divine appointment with an old priest named Zechariah.  Zechariah and Elizabeth have been praying to God for a child.  There are well past the age of having children.  Out of 20,000 Levitical priests, Zechariah is chosen by God to serve in the temple as the priest to burn the incense.  This left him all alone.  God then sent the angel Gabriel to tell Zechariah that Elizabeth would become pregnant and give birth to a son.  They were to name their son John.  John would have the Holy Spirit in him from birth.  John would have the very important ministry of preparing people’s hearts to welcome in the Messiah.  This week we are going to learn that God has a lot to say.  The angel Gabriel is going to be very busy. 

            Let us pray.

            In Luke 1:26, six months after God had sent Gabriel to Zechariah, He sends the angel to a small village in Galilee named Nazareth.  This is the first mention of Nazareth in the Old and New Testament.  There is no mention of Nazareth in any prophecy.  Even Josephus, the Jewish Historian, does not write anything about Nazareth.  Nazareth was a small, humble Jewish village of about a few hundred people.  It is located in a secluded basin surrounded by hills in Galilee.  The people living here are mostly farmers or tradespeople.  It did not have a very good reputation.  In John 1:45-46, a Jesus disciple-to-be, Nathaniel, responds to learning that Jesus came from Nazareth, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” 

            David Matthias said that “Nazareth was an uncelebrated, forgotten town, off the beaten path, even for Galilee.”  God does some of His best work in forgotten off the beaten path places. For example, a small fishing town called Capernaum was home base for Jesus’ ministry.  Or like Tilghman Island, where I have seen God doing tremendous ministry through the people on the island.  

             God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth.   It gets better, because in Luke 1:27, we learned that God sent the angel to a virgin named Mary who was betrothed to a man named Joseph.  We also learned that Joseph is a descendant of David. 

            Gabriel’s greeting to Mary is found in verse 28.  This greeting has three important points.  She was highly favored, the Lord was with her, and she was blessed.   These same points are true of all believers in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  We are highly favored by God.  God is always with us.  We are blessed by God. 

            In verse 29, Mary was troubled by Gabriel’s greeting.  Mary, a poor devout young woman from an unknown town, is surprised and puzzled at hearing the extravagant words said about her.  God’s choice of Mary to be the mother of Jesus so wise.  God can use humble people.  God cannot use people that are filled with pride. 

            Gabriel calms Mary’s apprehension in verse 30. In verses 31-33, we learn the reason  God sent Gabriel to Mary.   Mary, a virgin, was to become pregnant and give birth a son.  This son would be a special son, named Jesus.  We think Jesus is a special name, and we should, but in Jesus’ day, it was simply a common name.  Her son, Jesus, would be the long-awaited Messiah as prophesied about in Isaiah 7:14. 

            “He will be great.”  There is no other person in all of history that has had more of an impact.  An unknown man, whose mother was an unknown virgin from an unknown town in Israel, has changed humanity forever.  The great preacher Charles Spurgeon said this about Jesus, “Conquerors are great, and He is the greatest of them.  Deliverers are great, and He is the greatest of them.  Liberators are great, and He is the greatest of them.  Saviors are great, and He is the greatest of them.” 

            “He will be called the Son of the Most High.”  He was Mary’s son, but He was also God’s Son.  He was fully human and fully divine.  In John 1:14, John writes this truth about Jesus. 

            “The Lord will give Him the throne of His father David.”  In 2 Samuel 7: 12-16, God sends the prophet Nathan to David to tell him that his kingdom will last forever.  David’s kingdom came to an end when the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and exiled many Israelites to Babylon.  God kept His promise through Jesus.  If you remember Jesus’ earthly father was Joseph, a descendant of David.  When God remakes heaven and earth, then the kingdom of God will be established forever as it is in heaven, so it will be on earth. 

            In verse 34, Mary asks a very logical question, “How will this be?”  She is a virgin.  She knows that it takes a man and a woman to make a baby. 

            In verses 35-37, Gabriel answers Mary question.  The Holy Spirit will overshadow her.  In the Bible, overshadow means to cover with a cloud.  This is the Shekinah glory, the glory of the Lord.  We have an example of this in Exodus 16:10. Another example is during the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17:5.  This cloud is the visible manifestation of the glory and presence of God.  This means that the same power that was at work in the life of Moses will be at work in the life of Mary.  This is also the same power that all believers in Christ receive as the gift from God, the Holy Spirit, when we accept Jesus into our hearts. 

            “So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.”  Jesus did not become the Son of God.  He was always the Son of God.  Jesus is God in the flesh. 

            “For nothing is impossible with God.”  God will absolutely perform what He has said.  In Isaiah 55:11, God’s word will accomplish what He sets out to do. 

            Unlike Zechariah’s response of unbelief, Mary’s response is one of deep faith, verse 38.  She calls herself a “maidservant of the Lord.”  This shows that she is not going to argue with God, but simply accept what Gabriel has told her.  The song of praise that she sings in Luke 1:46-55, shows her acceptance. 

            What have we learned?  First all Christians, no matter where they come from, are highly favored by God, God is with us, and we are blessed by God.  Second, God has a plan for each one of us.  Third, we need to simply not argue with God, but say Yes to Him. 

            So, let us listen to God and do what He says. Amen.