Christmas Faith
Christmas is fast approaching and with it many people are more open to discussing the true meaning behind the holiday. We see many hearts softening during this time and people are encouraged more to share the good news of the Savior Jesus Christ. While the focus should rightfully be placed upon the Son of God, Jesus Christ, have you ever considered what others were thinking regarding His birth? Over the next couple of weeks, we will be discussing people whose faith brought about God’s plan for salvation to begin.
If you read our post last week regarding God’s fulfillment of His plans at the proper time, then you will recall that Zacharias and Elizabeth were meant to have the child that would come before and prepare the way for Jesus Christ, Luke 1:17 “17And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” But in order for this to occur, the woman who would give birth to the Son of God had to be prepared. She not only had to come of age, but had to have a willing heart in order to serve God.
This woman has become a common household name throughout the ages, I don’t think there is anyone who has heard the story of Jesus Christ’s birth who has not heard of His mother, Mary. But have we ever really looked into her faith and what it meant? Many studies have been done on her answer to the angel Gabriel and what it meant for the goal of salvation (Luke 1:26-38), but have we ever considered what Mary might have been thinking?
Imagine being a young woman who was suddenly approached by Gabriel the Angel “28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:28-29. Mary wasn’t concerned about the fact that an angel approached her, but was instead confused by the greeting and why she was being called favored one. Mary had no inclination that she had been chosen and prepared for the task of bearing the Son of God. However, in order to be used by God for this task, Mary must have had a heart full of faith in the promises of God that He would present a Messiah. This does not mean that Mary’s actions were what made her become the mother of God, but that her faith allowed her to willingly say that she would follow God’s will for her life.
We next see Gabriel explain to Mary what God had planned for her, “30 And 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 call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”” Luke 1:30-34. Many have compared Mary’s statement to Zacharias when he was told that Elizabeth would bear him a son. The difference between Mary and Zacharias is that Mary was not questioning that God would be able to make His word come to pass, but instead was merely questioning how it would happen since she was a virgin. Zacharias wanted proof from Gabriel that what the angel said would be true, while Mary wondered how it would come to pass. She was not doubting that what was being told to her was the truth.
This is a question that Gabriel has no issue answering, “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; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:35-38. The pure simplicity in Mary’s answer would baffle many today. Instead of asking for clarification or if she truly was the right person for this honor; Mary simply blesses God and acknowledges that through His power, there is nothing that He could not do. Her answer again shows how great a faith Mary had.
Mary’s acknowledgement of God’s plan for her did not come without consequences. A pregnancy is difficult to hide; and in a time where the idea of adultery had more considerable consequences then now, Mary knew what her answer would mean. I once heard a pastor say that if he could have planned the path for salvation he would have waited for Mary and Joseph to be married before she became pregnant with the Son of God. This response is in fact very good proof on why humankind should not be in charge of God’s plans. If God had waited for Mary and Joseph to be married, then it would be impossible to prove that Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus Christ. This fact is important for two reasons. First, by using as virgin God was able to show the world His might and power, He could make the impossible happen. The second reason is perhaps the most important. If Mary and Joseph were married when she became pregnant with the Son of God, then Jesus would not be God. By having a human father, there is the issue of Adamic sin. Sin comes into a person’s life in two ways, first through the Adamic sin which is passed down through the father, thus every person who has an earthly father has been born with sin. Secondly, sin is passed through our personal actions. So, Jesus Christ Himself would have to be perfect in His own actions, which His resurrection showed proof of. But for this to happen, Jesus had to be born to a virgin. This is why it is so important to remember that God’s ways are not ours, ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.
If perhaps Gabriel and Mary’s interaction would have resulted in a private acknowledgement of God’s plan for her, more believers would be inclined to react as Mary did. It is easy to praise God when His promises don’t place us in difficult positions. But this is often not the case and it certainly wasn’t for Mary. For a young woman to become pregnant before she was married was of great dishonor and often resulted in punishment. Mary was aware of what her answer would mean, she was aware of the whispers it would cause and the general disbelief that she was faithful to her fiancé. However, this knowledge did not stop Mary from placing her own comfort aside in order to follow God. We as believers today need to remember this in our own spiritual walk. God will often place us in situations of discomfort to share His Word to those around us. Today we face punishments just as an unfaithful woman would have. We could lose our friends, family, jobs, or even be jailed for our beliefs. But this should not stop us from responding as Mary did, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word” Luke 1:38b.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex