I too am writing this so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. Christmas is a time of stories, heartwarming tales of love, sacrifice, faith. But many of them are just that, stories made up about things we would like to happen, wish would happen.
But Luke went to those who knew Jesus and talked to them to get their stories and write an accurate account. One of those people was Mary of Nazareth. This is her story. However this story does not begin with Mary. We are towards the end of the greatest story which began with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Over 500 earlier, the Jews returned from 70 years captivity in Babylon and rebuilt their temple. At that time enthusiasm for their faith was high, and they were devoted to their God and each other. But as humans do over time, their devotion waned and the people returned to their old ways of self-centeredness. God, longing for His people to remember Him, sent the prophet Malachi. He was the last prophet to add to the Jewish scriptures 400 years before Jesus' birth, in the book that sits at the end our Old Testament. He writes...
“Look! I am sending My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to His Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all. “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.
On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant—all the decrees and regulations that I gave him on Mount Sinai[c] for all Israel.
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Malachi 3:1, 4:1-6)
1. What does God say is coming?
2. Who is God sending? When he comes, what will he do?
3. What does God want for His people?
Luke begins his story by establishing a time line, pointing to who was king at the time.
When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. (Luke 1: 1-7).
4. What does Luke tell us about Zechariah and Elizabeth?
One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”(Luke 1:8-17)
5. What did the angel tell Zechariah?
6. Contrast this with what Malachi prophesized. What did this mean? Who will this child John be?
Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” (Luke 1:18-25)
7. What was Zechariah's reaction to the angel?
8. What was Elizabeth's reaction to the angel?
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. (Luke 1:26-27
9. What did Luke tell us about Mary and Joseph? Why are those facts important?
Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.(Luke 1:28-38)
10. How does Gabriel describe Mary's Son? What does this mean for Mary and for the nation of Israel?
11. Mary's cousin Elizabeth was an older married woman without any children, so her baby John would take away Elizabeth's dishonor and disgrace. In contrast, Mary was not married yet and was required to stay a virgin until her wedding day. A baby for Mary would bring disgrace to her family and grave danger to her. Yet what was her reaction to Gabriel's news?
12. What do you think compelled Mary to react in this way?
A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your Child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.” (Luke 1:39-45)
13. Why do you think Mary went to visit Elizabeth?
14. Mary treasured these memories and years later shared them in detail with Luke. Why did Luke feel it was important to add these details to his story?
Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear Him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped His servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful. For He made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home. (Luke 1:46-56)
15. This last section is call the Magnificat because Mary starts with praising her magnificent God. In it she describes God. What does she say about Him?
16. What does Mary expect God is doing in the coming of baby Jesus?
17. What sections of her praise is especially meaningful to you this year?
Dear Jesus, may we be count among those who fear You and adore You as our King!
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