Luke chapter 1
I love the book of Luke. I love the precise details that Luke gives in describing the circumstances surrounding the birth of Christ. Luke said that he was careful to investigate and write it out “so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught”. There are many hidden gems. Please read the entire chapter of Luke 1 and think along with me as I exhort and encourage you.
Although this teaching is focused on Mary, the mother of Jesus, there are a few things that I want to point out before going on to the Scriptures concerning her:
In verse 6, notice that Elizabeth and Zacharias were walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. They weren’t just called blameless. It says that they were walking blamelessly. They were keeping the commandments, just as we are to keep the commandments. “This is My commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you…You are my friends, if you do what I command you” (John 15:12, 14). Who is the friend of God? The one who does what he is commanded–to love God and love his neighbor.
In verse 74, notice that Zacharias prophesied that the purpose of Christ’s coming was “To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” (Therefore, we are to be holy and righteous before Him all our days.) Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age…” (Therefore, we are to live righteously and godly in this present age.) 1 John 4:17 says, “…as He is, so also are we in this world.” (Therefore, we are to walk like Christ in this world.) Elizabeth and Zacharias knew something back then that the church has forgotten today.
Keep these two points in mind for later reference.
Mary isn’t just an exciting Biblical story; it’s a parallel, a parable,a mystery concerning each of us! It’s an exciting story about us! Mary is an example of what each of us are to be.
Listen to what the Scriptures say concerning parables and mysteries:
“And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them `To you have been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables’” (Mark 4:10-11).
The story of Mary is one of the mysteries of the kingdom of God. You will hear the mystery if you will listen with your spiritual ears. I’m going to cover a lot of Scriptures as I make the next five points, so think on them as you read, and hear them spiritually for yourself. I don’t want you to sit back and only read this exhortation casually. I want you to study it, discern it, and learn it for yourself. Don’t be left on the outside–without insight!
The story of Mary is the story of a human girl, asked to do something humanly impossible, her response, and how it applies to us.
Point #1
Note that the angel Gabriel said to Mary “Hail favored one! The Lord is with you.” And “You have found favor with God”.
Did you know that all of us who receive Christ Jesus are favored by God and given the power to become a son of God like Jesus?
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right [power] to become children of God…For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1:12, 16, 17).
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men…” (Titus 2:11).
The Amplified Bible explains grace this way: The unmerited favor and merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, and keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian virtues.
God has poured out His grace or favor on each one of us through Jesus Christ. Therefore, He says to each one of us, “Hail favored one, the Lord is with you!” The Lord is greeting you. The Lord favors you. The Lord is with you. He is calling out to you because He has a special purpose for you–something He wants to do for you and through you.
Point #2
This next point is a most important point. Without understanding this, you cannot walk the Christian life!
Note what Gabriel says to Mary next (v 31):
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb [your heart], and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”
What Gabriel said to Mary, God is saying to you:
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”
The goal of a Christian is to have Christ fully formed in you. You are to bear Christ. His image and likeness is to be your image and likeness. His love is to be perfected in you. You are to be like Christ.
Now, don’t get this mixed up with Satan who wanted to be “like God”. Satan wanted to usurp God’s authority. You are called to be “like Christ” in nature and character; Christ submitted Himself to God’s authority and was, therefore, “like God”.
“[A]nd put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth” (Eph. 4:24).
“…put on the new self, who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him” (Col. 3:10).
I’ll say it again: The goal of a Christian is to have Christ fully formed in you.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).
Since you are called to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, whatever He did, you also are to do.
“…as He is, so also are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). Therefore:
He loved. We love.
He forgave. We forgive.
He was humble and kind. We are humble and kind.
He was broken for us. We are broken for others.
He laid down His life. We lay down our lives.
He was crucified. We are crucified with Him.
He overcame the world, the flesh, and the devil. We overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.
He was made perfect through suffering unto obedience. We are made perfect through suffering unto obedience.
“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:8, 9).
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
You have been called to follow in Christ’s steps–to be as He was in this world.
True Christianity is this: To have Christ fully formed in you–not verbally, not partially, not merely positionally.
It is to have Christ fully formed in you–completely, perfectly, totally, actually, physically, and spiritually.
Paul said, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). This was Paul’s goal for the church: Christ fully formed in us.
This was Paul’s goal for himself, too. He said, “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on…” (Phil. 3:12).
Christ fully formed in us is also God’s goal for us. The Scriptures say that He gave gifts to the church–the five-fold ministry–for one purpose: “For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children…” (Eph. 4:11-14).
I’ll say it again: The goal of a Christian is to have Christ fully formed in you. You are to grow up into Him in all aspects. You are not to remain an undeveloped babe in Christ!
The angel said to Mary, and the Scriptures are saying to you: “And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”
Point #3
Now note Mary’s response (v34): “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
Mary is saying, “How can this happen, since it is humanly impossible for me to have a child?” (Mary was not yet living with Joseph as husband and wife.)
In the same way, we respond, “Lord, how can Christ be fully formed in me, since it is humanly impossible for me to be perfect like Him?”
Consider Abraham. Genesis 17:1, 2 says, “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, `I am God almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.’”
God told Abraham two things: 1) Walk before Me and be blameless. 2) I will multiply you exceedingly.
First of all, humanly speaking, it is impossible for any man to be blameless. Second of all, humanly speaking, it is impossible for a 99-year-old man and a barren woman to multiply.
The Scriptures say, “…he [Abraham] contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb [not to mention the fact that she was 90]” (Rom. 4:19). In Abraham’s flesh, it was physically impossible. In Sarah’s flesh it was physically impossible.
When we consider our human flesh, it is physically impossible to be perfect as Christ is perfect. It is physically impossible for Christ’s nature to be fully formed in us based on our own ability. How can a man live up to God’s standards?
We, along with Mary, ask, “How can this be?”
Point #4
Here is the reply. Gabriel answers (v35, 37): “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God…For nothing will be impossible with God.”
What is the answer? God says, “I will make you able! I will send my Holy Spirit to you! I will empower you beyond your physical ability! I will impart my seed into you! Christ will be fully formed in you! With Me, nothing is impossible!!!”
Isn’t God’s response wonderful, amazing, and powerful?
“…He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).
“…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12, 13).
God will perfect His work! He will work in you and with you! He will perfect that good work that He started in you right up until the day that He comes.
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3).
Scripture says “when He appears, we shall be like Him”. Therefore, it is important to understand that we are to purify ourselves during our lifetime so that when He comes, we will be like Him! Christ will be fully formed in us!
Note: There is no opportunity later, after death, to purify your heart, to be conformed to Christ Jesus, to be perfected in love. The only change which happens later is when the righteous are given a new body [You can study this in 1 Cor. 15:42-54; Phil. 3:20-21; Heb. 9:27-28 and 12:8-14, 23].
We are without excuse! God has provided everything we need to live a life of godliness and holiness before Him in our bodies on this earth:
“[S]eeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Peter 1:3, 4).
“Partakers of the divine nature” is another way of saying “partaking of the nature of Christ”, who is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15).
Since we are called by God to partake of His divine nature, we must use our God given gift of faith in order to partake and to receive His precious and magnificent promises. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). God’s promises to us are powerful! As His obedient children, He actually empowers us to cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit and be holy, partaking of His divine nature.
Let’s look again at Abraham’s example. When he considered his old body and Sarah’s barren womb, he still had faith. He considered God’s promise more powerful than his and Sarah’s body. Rom. 4:20-22 says: “yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”
Imputed righteousness is defined here as “being fully assured that what God has promised, he is also able to perform” and then living as though it is going to happen. Having a baby was too hard for Abraham and Sarah to do, but it wasn’t too hard for God to do through them. And He did it! They had a real, physical baby. It started out by faith, “the substance of things hoped for”, but it manifested itself in the flesh. It started out as “hope against hope” believing, but the promise came to pass in their bodies.
“Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him” (Gen. 21:1, 2).
“By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised” (Heb. 11:11).
Abraham and Sarah didn’t consider the circumstances of their flesh; they only considered God’s promise.
In addition, Abraham’s faith was perfected and Abraham physically walked before God and was found blameless. (Jas. 2:22, 23)
Genesis 26:5 says, “…Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.”
Genesis 26:5 was spoken after Abraham’s death, and before the Law of Moses, in order for us to know with certainty that God judged Abraham to be blameless during his stay upon the earth.
Why is this crucial to know?
Because we are to be “imitators of those (Abraham and Christ Jesus) who through faith and patience inherit the promises of God” (Hebrews 6:12-20; Gen. 17:1-11) which lead to eternal life. Abraham, by faith in God’s promise that he would walk blamelessly before God, walked blamelessly before God! Christ Jesus, “in the days of His flesh” … learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:7-10).
What Abraham and Christ Jesus were able to do by faith in God’s promises, we shall also do by faith in these same promises! It is a certainty — those in Christ shall walk blamelessly before God. This is not optional!
Abraham walked blamelessly according to the Spirit of the law:
What is the Spirit of the law? Paul wrote in Galatians 5:14, 16-17, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself…walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh…For the flesh sets itself against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”
“But the one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty [see Rom. 8:2], and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25).
Abraham came to a place where he was not a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer of God’s Word. As a result, Abraham proved that He loved God with all of his heart, soul, and mind while he was still living on this earth. And God’s love was perfected in him.
“…God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world” (1 John 4:16, 17).
We can have confidence in the day of judgment for this reason, because God’s love–the nature of Christ Jesus–is perfected in us. As He is, so also are we in this world.
Just like Abraham, we must start out our Christian walk by faith, believing that Christ will be fully formed in us and that we will be blameless. At first we don’t see the promise fulfilled, but we press on, believing that what God has promised, He also will bring to pass. Christ’s nature will be formed in us, during our stay on this earth. Scripture teaches that we will be perfected in love, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment and not shrink back in shame. Even though everyone of us are weak in our flesh, God is able to perform His promise in the one who believes.
Just as God gave Mary His promise, He also is giving you the same promise (v35, 37): “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God…For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Point #5
Now God’s plan cannot come about without a proper response. God is not a tyrant. You are not a puppet.
Note Mary’s response (v38): “And Mary said, `Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”
Mary says two powerful things here: 1) “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord.”
2) “Be it done to me according to your word.”
Mary surrendered herself completely to the will of God. She bowed to His request and humbled herself as a bondslave. In doing so, she surrendered:
her reputation
her plans
her relationships
her security
her ideals
her soul [mind, will, emotions]
This is what it means to be a Christian! Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Mary denied herself, took up her cross, and followed Him.
But Mary didn’t merely surrender herself helplessly like a puppet. She believed the promise of God and said, “Be it done to me according to your word.”
Mary had true child-like faith. Remember when Jesus put a child among them and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”? (Matt. 18:3)
True child-like faith believes what is said even though it sounds impossible. True faith doesn’t just `believe’, it believes the impossible! Mary had this kind of faith. And she said, “Be it done to me according to your word.”
However, not all men have true faith. Even Jesus questioned whether He would find this kind of persistent faith when He returned saying, “…when the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)
Do you have true faith?
God is saying to you, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb [your heart], and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”
God is saying to you, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God…For nothing will be impossible with God.”
God is saying to you, “Be perfect as I am perfect.” [Matt. 5:48]
God is saying to you, “Be holy as I am holy.” [1 Peter 1:16]
Will you reply, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word”?
When you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, you are saying, “I am submitting my spirit, soul, and body to become like Christ in every area of my life. I am pursuing the goal of having the nature and character of Christ fully formed in me.”
Have you made that commitment? Without it, Christ is not your Savior or Lord.
To commit ourselves and to fulfill God’s will, we are called to build on (to imitate) the Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ Jesus. (Eph. 2:19)
Paul said that he suffered the loss of all things, and counted them but rubbish in order that he might gain Christ.
Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and left everything, not knowing where he was going, because he desired a better country–a heavenly one. Therefore, God has prepared a city for him.
Elizabeth and Zacharias were walking blamelessly, waiting for the fulfillment of the Scriptures concerning the Savior, and laid down their lives to prepare the way for Jesus Christ through their son John.
Mary chose to suffer the loss of all things in order to bear Christ in her body.
This is the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you willing to count the cost of losing your life on earth in order to obey the Gospel?
In Luke 1:45 Elizabeth said to Mary: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
Blessed are you who believe that there will be an actual fulfillment of what God has spoken through the Scriptures–in you, on this earth.
Blessed are you who are not a forgetful hearer or a mental believer, but an effectual doer of God’s Word.
Blessed are you who are being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created you
The story of Mary reveals the mystery of the Gospel–Christ formed in you, your hope of glory–and becomes the story of all those who receive the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Addendum:
In addition to the parallels concerning the promises given to Mary and you, there’s more. The following Scriptures from Luke chapter one reveal promises concerning Jesus. Below them are Scriptures which reveal that these same promises are given to you. Just as Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:44, 45), you are to fulfill the Scriptures through the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4; Gal. 5:14).
1) You will be called a son of the Most High.
Promise given to Jesus: “And behold you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High…” (Luke 1:32a)
Promise given to you: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High…” (Luke 6:35)
2) You will sit on the throne of God.
Promise given to Jesus: “…and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His Father David” (Luke 1:32b).
Promise given to you: “He who overcomes, I will grant to him [you] to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21).
3) You will reign with God forever.
Promise given to Jesus: “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever…” (Luke 1:33a)
Promise given to you: “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him;” (2 Tim. 2:12)
Promise given to you: “…only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27…they shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).
4) Your kingdom will be eternal–have no end.
Promise given to Jesus: “And His kingdom will have no end” (Luke 1:33b).
Promise given to you: “For in this way (practicing the deeds of the nature of Jesus Christ [v 1-10]), the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you” (2 Peter 1:11).
5) You will receive the power from on high–the power of the Holy Spirit.
Promise given to Jesus: “…The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [Mary];” (Luke 1:35a)
Promise given to you: “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
Promise given to you: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1:8)
Promise given to you: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself” (Acts 2:38,39).
6) You will be His holy offspring and called the son of God.
Promise given to Jesus: “And for this reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35b).
Promise given to you: “As He spoke [these promises] to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever (Luke 1:55)…if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal.3:29).
Promise given to you: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).
Promise given to you: “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and He will be My son” (Rev. 21:7).
One final word:
Just as God’s Word predestined everything that was to be fulfilled in Mary’s and Jesus’ life, that same Word has predestined everything that is to be fulfilled in yours. Just as Mary and Jesus cooperated with God in fulfilling their purpose–obedient in everything–you are to cooperate with Him through obedience to the Word of God.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to the His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren” (Rom. 8:28, 29).