The Favored One: Luke 1:28-34
“28) And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29) But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30) The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 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; 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?”” Luke 1:28-34
Gabriel addressed Mary as a “favored one.” Some people make the mistake of assuming that God is no respecter of persons. They think He treats all people alike. That line of reasoning is an excuse for sinful living.
Psalm 4:3 exposes the false premise of that reasoning; “3) But know that God has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.” God bestows favor on the righteous!
Such was the case with many key actors in the nativity story. They were godly and righteous. So Mary found favor with God.
So it is with every believer. Jesus died to make us holy. He wants us to walk in moral freedom, a clear conscience and holiness. (See 1 Peter 1:13-19, 1 Timothy 1:5)
It was at this point that Gabriel told Mary about God’s plan. She was going to conceive in her womb a son and she was to name Him Jesus. Matthew 1:21 gives meaning to this name; “… for it is He who will save His people from their sin.”
Luke 1:32 and 33 are two of the most important verses in the Bible; “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; 33) and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Those two verses are packed with Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. They are profound!
Mary’s next question was “How can these things be, since I am a virgin”” Her testimony was honest and sincere. She was absolutely holy and pure.
It is at this point that one wonders about the different treatment between Zacharias and Mary? At his doubt he was silent and unable to speak until John was born, but Mary had no negative consequences for her unbelief. Why?
As I ponder this, there is only one plausible answer. God is all powerful. He created the heavens and earth in six days before He rested. One must only conclude that keeping a woman from talking is a miracle so huge that it would have pushed Him into another day of rest! This was no time for Him to be sleeping on the job.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
“28) And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29) But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30) The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 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; 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?”” Luke 1:28-34
Gabriel addressed Mary as a “favored one.” Some people make the mistake of assuming that God is no respecter of persons. They think He treats all people alike. That line of reasoning is an excuse for sinful living.
Psalm 4:3 exposes the false premise of that reasoning; “3) But know that God has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.” God bestows favor on the righteous!
Such was the case with many key actors in the nativity story. They were godly and righteous. So Mary found favor with God.
So it is with every believer. Jesus died to make us holy. He wants us to walk in moral freedom, a clear conscience and holiness. (See 1 Peter 1:13-19, 1 Timothy 1:5)
It was at this point that Gabriel told Mary about God’s plan. She was going to conceive in her womb a son and she was to name Him Jesus. Matthew 1:21 gives meaning to this name; “… for it is He who will save His people from their sin.”
Luke 1:32 and 33 are two of the most important verses in the Bible; “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; 33) and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Those two verses are packed with Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. They are profound!
Mary’s next question was “How can these things be, since I am a virgin”” Her testimony was honest and sincere. She was absolutely holy and pure.
It is at this point that one wonders about the different treatment between Zacharias and Mary? At his doubt he was silent and unable to speak until John was born, but Mary had no negative consequences for her unbelief. Why?
As I ponder this, there is only one plausible answer. God is all powerful. He created the heavens and earth in six days before He rested. One must only conclude that keeping a woman from talking is a miracle so huge that it would have pushed Him into another day of rest! This was no time for Him to be sleeping on the job.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
