The story of Jesus birth begins in a town in the hills between Galilee and the mediterranean. It was a simple life then. Small homes built with stone had a courtyard at their center, chalk-stone pottery, and perhaps some very simple tools for cooking adorned the walls.
Nazareth was a town of between 300 and 400 people, out of the way of normal travel routes. Most of the inhabitants raised animals, but there was room for a synagogue, and a few craftsmen of various trades to make a small living. At least some of their pottery was imported to the ancient town1, and they were not known for any particular art or export.
What we do know is that the town of Nazareth had at best a poor reputation, and at worst may have had a very negative reputation. In John 1:46, Nathanael says to Philip, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”2, implying that the city had a reputation for not producing anything good.
We also find in the Gospels, that this is the town that would attempt to throw Jesus off a cliff! Luke 4:16, “And He came to Nazareth…”, Luke 4:28-30, “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way”.
It is here that our story begins. In Luke 1:26-273 an angel appears to a young lady in this town with some startling news! Mary is the fiance of an upstanding man named Joseph, more about him tomorrow. She is a virgin, a devout Hebrew, respectful in subjection to her parents and to the betrothal that was likely arranged for her.
The angel begins with an incredible salutation, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”4 It is significant that God would chose to honor Mary with the privilege to mother the Messiah. God has chosen the woman to bestow the gift of childbearing, the honor of giving life, the wonder of raising infants to maturity. And to this woman, He chose to give the highest honor of human motherhood.
Mary did not question the angel of the Lord, she didn’t hesitate to believe the angel, and we see a heart of complete meekness and tranquility in this young virgin. Living in a town with noHer upbringing in this quaint remote town may have helped her develop this wonderful heart attitude, but no doubt her family and friends also played a role.
She was not troubled at the appearance of the angel, or the idea that a message would come from God, rather, she was troubled at the greeting the angel gave and began to imagine the different possible messages that could come next…5 was there about to be a judgment on their little town of Nazareth? Would something happen to her family or her fiance?
The angel calms her fears and then proceeds to explain just what is about to happen. She will conceive and bring forth a son whose name will be “Jesus”.6 This was not a completely uncommon name in those days, but there was significance to its meaning: ‘Jehovah saves’. This child that Mary was about to carry in her womb was to be the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world.7
Mary’s response is very interesting and telling of her great character of which we see but a glimpse in the pages of Scripture.8 She does not deny the message of the angel, perhaps she was familiar with Isaiah 7:4 “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” However, she is curious to know how this would happen, how it would work. It’s almost as if her desire is to submit herself to the will of God under any circumstances, and so her question is to know what process she should plan submit to.
The angel’s answer is a very powerful and meaningful answer. It is given in 3 parts:
What will happen.9
Evidence that God is able to do this and is doing similar things with others.10
A statement of God’s power.11
What will happen? The Holy Ghost will come upon her: as He had in some rares specific cases in the old testament, the Holy Spirit would indwell an individual. He was certainly capable of indwelling people before the cross, but this was a significant event.
The evidence? Mary’s cousing Elizabeth had conceived miraculously as well! Mary will have to go see her…
The statement of God’s power? “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
The example of Mary in the real story of Christmas is a vivid challenge to you and I to be fully submitted to the will of God. Are we ready as Mary was to yeild ourselves completely, regardless of how overwhelming or challenging or impossible the call that we believe God is calling us to?
v38. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/listen-what-do-we-know-about-nazareth-in-jesus-time-an-archaeologist-explains/
Jhn 1:46 KJV - And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Luk 1:26 KJV - And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luk 1:27 KJV - To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary.
Luk 1:28 KJV - And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women.
Luk 1:29 KJV - And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Luk 1:30 KJV - And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luk 1:31 KJV - And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luk 1:32 KJV - He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luk 1:33 KJV - And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Luk 1:34 KJV - Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Luk 1:35 KJV - And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Luk 1:36 KJV - And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
Luk 1:37 KJV - For with God nothing shall be impossible.