The lutheransermons's Podcast

Sermon for the Baptism of our Lord - January 9, 2022

Sermon for the Baptism of our Lord, based on:

Isaiah 43:1-9

Romans 6:1-11 

Luke 3:15-22

Sermon originally delivered January 13, 2013

Sermon for the Epiphany of our Lord - January 6, 2022

Sermon for the Epiphany of our Lord, based on:

Isaiah 60:1-6

Ephesians 3:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12 

Sermon originally delivered January 6, 2013

Preparing for Worship - January 9, 2022

This is the Sunday of the Baptism of Jesus and remembering the value of our own baptism or the need for our own baptism in Christ Jesus, if we have not yet received it.

The Old Testament lesson is from Isaiah 43:1-7. God speaks of what He has done for the people He has created. He has redeemed them and called them by name and saved them and calls them to Himself. “Fear not,” He says, “for I am with you.”

In the same way, our Epistle lesson, Romans 6:1-11, tells us that as Jesus died and rose again to new life, in our baptism we have died to our old life and been raised to a new life in Christ Jesus. We are no longer enslaved to sin, that it must reign in us. We are now alive in Christ and His enabling grace (v.14) and we will also live with Him, by faith.

The Gospel lesson is from Luke 3:15-22. John has the people ready and wondering about the Christ, the promised Savior. John makes it clear that he is not the Savior, but the Mightier One will come, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then, Jesus is baptized and identifies with all the sinful people who need baptism, including us. The Holy Spirit then comes upon Jesus in a visible way, as a dove, and the Heavenly Father declares that Jesus is His Son, perfectly pleasing to Him. The one true Triune God is at work in Jesus to rescue the sinful world through Him.

The Psalm is Psalm 29. This is a great Psalm of praise to the God of glory, whose voice was heard at creation “over the waters,” making our marvelous universe and world, and whose voice would be heard again “over the waters,” when His own Son would be baptized at the Jordan River. God’s power and strength can be seen in mighty storms and floods in the natural world; but above all, He is able to give spiritual strength and peace to His people (as is seen above all in Christ Jesus and what He did for us).

Bible Study - The Christmas Story Part 8 - Luke 1:57-80

Last week, we heard of the visit of Mary to Elizabeth and the encouragement they received from each other, as God’s Holy Spirit worked through each of them and God’s promises to them, especially in their Savior, Jesus.

Now we move to the story of the birth of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son, John, in Luke 1:57-80. It was a time of rejoicing for these parents and their neighbors and relatives, as this child was safely born. The Lord had truly shown His “great mercy” to these elderly people in giving them a child. They followed, in thankfulness to God and doing what God in the Old Testament asked of them, in having their child circumcised on the eighth day after his birth (Luke 1:57-59).

See Genesis 17:9-14 and how important circumcision was. Baby boys were brought into covenant relationship with God as His chosen children through this process. There are parallels with baptism, which brings forgiveness and new life to little children and all others who are baptized, under the New Covenant, with water and the Word, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (See Colossians 2:11-13, also.)

It was the custom to give the child his name on this day, and most everyone expected that the child would be named after his father, Zechariah, or with another family-related name. Instead, both parents indicated that his name should be John, following what the angel Gabriel had said (Luke 1:13). Elizabeth spoke, and Zechariah wrote this on a tablet, since he could not speak. The name “John” was very appropriate because it means: “The Lord has been gracious.” God was gracious to this couple and to the whole world, in finally sending this child, John, who would prepare the way for the Savior Himself, born of Mary (Luke 1:59-63).

The people “wondered” at all this, until Zechariah suddenly could speak again and “blessed God,” speaking well of Him in praise. Then, awe and fear came upon the people, who talked and thought much about all this. “What then will this child be?” they were saying. Clearly, “The Lord’s hand was with this child” (Luke 1:62-66).

Zechariah was then filled with the Holy Spirit and inspired to give a great prophecy that we still sometimes sing in worship, the “Benedictus” (the Latin for his first word, “Blessed”), praising and speaking well of “the Lord God of Israel” (Luke 1:67-68).

Verses 68-75 then speak of what God will do through the child of Mary, Jesus, in fulfillment of many prophecies and picture images of the Old Testament. This comes first, for Jesus is most important, as the Lord and Savior of the world. Then, verses 76-79 speak of the child, John, who would prepare the way for the Lord Jesus, calling people to be ready to receive the “tender mercy” of God, through repentance and “forgiveness of their sins.”

Some call the “Benedictus” the last prophecy of the Old Testament, Old Covenant times, and the first of the New Testament, the New Covenant, centered in Christ Jesus.

God was “visiting” and “redeeming“ His people through “a horn of salvation” coming from a descendant of King David, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy (Luke 1:68-70).

• When God “visited" His people, it meant He was ready to go into action on behalf of His people, “remembering” His “covenant” promises to His people. He had not forgotten, but it was now the right time for Him to act, beginning with the promises made to Abraham (Luke 1:72-73).
  • See Genesis 21:1-2, where God “visited” Sarah and Abraham with the birth of their child, Isaac, in their old age, through whom would eventually come the Savior, Jesus, who would bless all nations (Genesis 12:3).
  • See also Joseph’s words about God visiting His people and rescuing them from slavery in Egypt, in Genesis 50:24; God “visiting” and providing food for Israel in Ruth 1:6, so that Naomi and Ruth could go back to Israel and play a part in the coming of King David; and on and on.
  • In Psalm 8:4, the word for “caring” is really a caring visitation, as in Jeremiah 15:15. That is quoted in Hebrews 2:6, where the Greek word is “visited," the same as in Luke 1:68. The greatest visitation, of course, is that of Jesus, as he came to be the Savior. See Luke 19:44, where Jesus spoke of fellow Jews rejecting Him and missing that “time of visitation.
• The “horn of salvation” is an Old Testament term for the strength to save people. The horn of a a strong wild animal represented that strength. See Psalm 18:2-3, where God is called “the horn of our salvation.” See also Psalm 132:17 and Ezekiel 29:21, for example. Jesus as Lord has that strength to save us.
• God’s greatest “redeeming” work in the Old Testament was in rescuing His people from slavery in Egypt and setting them free by His work for them. See Exodus 6:5-6, where God’s remembering and redeeming are combined. See also Exodus 15:15 and many other such passages. Jesus is the great Redeemer of the New Testament, shedding His blood to pay for our sins. See Ephesians 1:7 and 1 Peter 1:18-19 and Galatians 3:13, etc.

All of this redemption is predicted and described in Zechariah’s prophecy in this passage. God’s people were saved, too, so that they could then go and serve the Lord in the freedom He brought them. See Exodus 5:1-3 and 7:16 and passages like Psalm 106:7-12, where God saved His people, that they might “remember His steadfast love” and “believe His Words“ and “sing His praise.”

So also, Zechariah predicted, we New Testament people are “saved” and delivered” by our Lord Jesus, so that we might “serve Him without fear,” knowing that He has counted us as “holy” and “righteous” in His sight “all our days” by what He has done for us. “Perfect love casts out fear” - that perfect love of Jesus for us. (See 1 John 4:10-11, 16-18, along with what Zechariah prophecies in Luke 1:71-72 and 74-75.)

Zechariah then turned in his prophecy to his child, John, who would be “the prophet of the Most High” God and “go before the Lord to prepare His ways.” John would point people to “the knowledge of salvation” through Jesus, who would be, as John said, “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and who brings us “the forgiveness of our own sins,” through the “tender mercy of God” (Luke 1:77-78).

All this about John is predicted in passages we have already looked at, like Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3-6 and the prediction of the Elijah to come (Malachi 4:5-6) whom Jesus identified as John. Note also in Malachi 4:2-3 the prophecy of “the sun of righteousness rising with healing” and the wicked being defeated “on the day when the Lord acts.” This points again to Jesus.

Notice how similar this is to the words of Zechariah in Luke 1:78-79, promising “the sunrise who shall visit us from on high” and bring “light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” and bring us peace. A rising star led the wise men to Jesus, the Light of the world, not John, as we shall see in weeks ahead. Yet John had the great privilege of “bearing witness to the Light, that people might believe in Him” (Jesus).

See John 1:1-14. All this is exactly what Zechariah predicted, in this remarkable prophecy in Luke 1:67-79. (See also 2 Peter 1:19-21 and 1 Timothy 1:2, where we hear of the “Grace, mercy, and peace which come to us from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,” born as a tiny baby in Bethlehem.) Our future and hope are always in Jesus alone, not in John or any other human person.

Luke 1 ends with mention that the baby John also grew and became spiritually strong (he was not perfect, but was a great witness for His Lord) and spent time in the wilderness, fulfilling his Nazarite vows (Luke 1:15-17) and preparing for his work of calling people to repent and receive baptism and forgiveness and to be ready for the Kingdom of God, coming in Jesus (Luke 1:80).

Next week, we will finally get into the familiar Christmas story itself. But even there, there is much to remember and learn.

Sermon for New Year’s Eve - December 31, 2021

Sermon for the New Year's Eve, based on:

Isaiah 30:8-17

Romans 8:31-39

Luke 12:35-40 

Sermon originally delivered December 31, 2012

Preparing for Worship - January 2, 2022

This is the 2nd Sunday after Christmas, and our readings have to do with how Jesus was growing in wisdom as a young person and how we can be growing in true wisdom as well.

The Old Testament lesson is from 1 Kings 3:4-15. Solomon had become king of Israel at about the age of 20, and God said to him in a dream, “Ask what I shall give you.” Solomon praised God for His steadfast love and asked only that he be given “an understanding mind” (literally, in the Hebrew, “a hearing heart”) so that he would listen to God and know good from evil and be able properly to govern the people of Israel. God promised him that and much more, as he walked in God’s ways.

The Psalm is Psalm 119:97-104. The psalmist says that he will meditate on God’s Word and in that way be wiser than his enemies and have more understanding than his teachers and the aged, the elders. There are many smart people who know much about many things; but only through Lord and His precepts will one have true wisdom and understanding, the psalmist declares.

In the Epistle, Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul speaks of God’s eternal plans and purposes in Christ. This is wisdom and insight revealed only by God to people through “hearing the Word of truth, the Gospel of salvation,” and coming to “believe in Him, in Christ.” This is all by God’s grace and “to the praise of His glory,” as gifts from Him, in Christ.

The Gospel is Luke 2:40-52. We hear that Jesus, as a true human child, did not always use His power as the Son of God, but had to grow in wisdom and strength by the favor of God, just as we do. He knew that He needed to spend time in the temple in Jerusalem, His Father’s house, listening to God’s Word and asking questions, and showing His own understanding in the responses He gave, though His own parents, Mary and Joseph, did not understand what He was doing. Through it all, He was obedient and grew in the wisdom of God, which brings eternal blessings.

Bible Study - The Christmas Story Part 7 - Luke 1:39-56

This week’s study focuses on the conversation between the two key women in the Christmas story, Elizabeth and Mary, the mothers of John the Baptist and Jesus. The angel, Gabriel, had told Mary not only of the coming of the Savior through her virgin birth, but also that her relative Elizabeth was expecting a child in a miraculous way, since she was far too old to have a child.

In Luke 1:39-40, we hear that Mary decided to visit Elizabeth and quickly went to the town in the hill country of Judah where she and Zechariah lived. She must have thought that Elizabeth would surely be welcoming of her and understanding of her unusual circumstances, since both were experiencing a miraculous birth.

When Mary greeted Elizabeth, baby John leaped in her womb. This was no ordinary movement of a baby in the womb. Verse 44 tells us that baby John “leaped for joy.” Luke 1:15 records the words of the angel that John would “be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb,” and was enabled by the Spirit to respond to Mary and the Savior coming to them.

Elizabeth was also “filled with the Holy Spirit,” and spoke well of Mary and her child, with a loud cry, as “blessed” by God Himself. She even recognized that baby Jesus was “her Lord,” the One John was to prepare people for. (See again Luke 1:17.) Why, she asked, was this privilege given to her to see Mary, and with her, the Lord Jesus? Elizabeth then used another word for Mary being blessed that means more like her being “happy and fortunate” that by God’s grace, she believed the Word of God brought by angel Gabriel and trusted that God would fulfill His promise to her - unlike Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, who at first doubted it all (Luke 1:42-45).

Note that the focus is more upon God’s grace to Mary in giving her the great privilege of being the mother of the Lord and Savior than upon Mary’s greatness. Elizabeth also knew that she herself did not deserve the honor and privileges given to her.

Words similar to what was said to Mary were also spoken to some in the Old Testament. See the story of a woman, Jael, in Judges 4, who was able to kill Sisera, leader of enemies of God’s people. Jael is called “most blessed of women” in Judges 5:24, but it is clear that God enabled her to do what she did, and He “subdued” the enemies of God’s people (Judges 4:23). Jael was simply His instrument by which this happened. See also Deuteronomy 28:4, where God says to all his people, and to all Jewish women, “Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb” because out of that nation would eventually come the Savior, who was now coming through Mary.

See also Luke 11:27-28, where Jesus was speaking and a woman cried out to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Certainly Jesus respected and loved His mother. He made sure she was taken care of in John 19:26-27.  But in Luke 11:28, Jesus responded to the woman, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” Hearing God’s Word and trusting in Jesus is most important.

Mary responded to what Elizabeth said by also giving the glory to God, not to herself. (The words she said are used in worship and in hymns still today in what is called the “Magnificat.”) Mary “magnified the Lord.” She glorified and praised God, not herself. She used words and ideas that come right out of the Old Testament and people’s praise of God in the past.

See, for example, the song of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Hannah also was miraculously blessed to be able to have a child, Samuel. Hannah began, “My heart exults in the Lord… I rejoice in Your salvation.” Mary said something very similar: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:47). Both Hannah and Mary knew that they were imperfect and needed the Savior God was sending. See in Matthew 1:21 the most important part of the meaning of Jesus’ name as Savior: “for He will save His people from their sins.” The Bible never claimed that Mary was sinless; rather it says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” other than Jesus (Romans 3:23).

Mary rejoiced because God looked upon her in her humble estate as a simple servant of God. She knew that future generations would call her “blessed” (happy and fortunate), not because she was so great in herself, but because the “Mighty” God “had done great things for her,” in allowing her to be the mother of the Savior. Mary did not call herself holy. She said of God, “Holy is His Name,” as Hannah also did in 1 Samuel 2:2 (Luke 1:48-49).

Mary also emphasized the mercy of God. “Mercy” means “compassion” or “pity” on those who are needy and really need some help, but still “fear God,” with reverence and trust in Him (Luke 1:50). See also Luke 1:54, where Mary remembers that “God has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy” to them - not because they deserved it, but because He was compassionate to them. The word for “helped” in this verse means “taking someone’s part and coming to their aid.”

An Old Testament example of that is in Isaiah 41:8-10, where God says to His servant Israel, “You are My servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” God does not forget. The fact that He remembers his mercy simply means that He is ready to go into action in help to people, as He did in the greatest way in finally sending Jesus into the world to be the Savior, through Mary.

Mary was expressing confidence, not in herself, but in God, in this great responsibility of giving birth to the Savior and then in helping raise Him. Note also that God had made such promises of help to “Abraham and his offspring forever” (Luke 1:55). Who are these “offspring”? The New Testament says that they now include all believers in Christ, whoever they are, including us today who trust in Jesus and are baptized. (See Galatians 3:7-9, and 13 and 26-29, and Romans 4:16, etc.)

So much more could be said about this song of Mary, in its parallels to the song of Hannah, and many psalms and other Scriptures. The commentator, William Arndt, summarizes Mary’s words in this way:

1) She thanks God for having favored her, a humble maid of Israel, in such extraordinary fashion (v.46-50).

2) She praises God for resisting the haughty, the proud, and the self-righteous, and for aiding the poor, the lowly, that is, the humble sinners (51-53).

3) She exalts the name of God because the Lord fulfills the promises which he had made to the fathers in the Messianic prophecies 
(54-55).

We could look at many more such passages, similar to what Mary said. Some of these I mention in the full podcast, and you could look at more of these on your own.

• From the Psalms: Psalm 34:2-8, Psalm 35:9, Psalm 107:8-9, Psalm 111:9-10
• Jesus’ words: “Some are last who shall be first, and some are first who shall be last.” (Luke 13:30)
• Reminders that many of the blessings that God gives are spiritual, not physical: Romans 14:17, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9, I Peter 2:9-10, 2 Peter 1:19

Finally, we read that Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home (Luke 1:56). That may mean that she stayed through the birth of Elizabeth and Zechariah’s son, John. If so, Mary received even more in encouragement from what happened there and the prophecy of Zechariah, as we will hear and be encouraged next week, too.

Sermon for the 1st Sunday after Christmas - December 26, 2021

Sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas, based on:

Psalm 111

Colossians 3:12-17

Luke 2:22-40

Sermon originally delivered December 30, 2012

Preparing for Worship - December 26, 2021

This Sunday is the 1st Sunday after Christmas. Here are the readings most likely to be used. The Old Testament lesson is Exodus 13:1-3a,11-15. The firstborn of the Jews were spared when the firstborn of the Egyptians died in the last plague against the Egyptians, and the Pharaoh finally set God’s people free. Future firstborn sons belonged to God, first, and were to be “redeemed.” (See Numbers 18:15-16, also.) This was to remind God’s people that they were His and always dependent on Him. This also explains some of the ceremonial laws that were followed when Jesus was “presented” in the temple in the Gospel lesson.

In that Gospel lesson, Luke 2:22-40, Joseph and Mary did everything expected for a newborn son and his mother in Jewish law. In His life, Jesus faithfully followed all of God’s will, without sin, in our place, and freed us from that ceremonial law and the curse of all sin. This passage also shows us two faithful Jewish people, Simeon and Anna, who waited for the coming Savior, and rejoiced when Jesus, that promised Savior, was brought to the temple. They also spoke of the redeeming work that Jesus would do. Finally, we hear that Jesus, as a true man, was growing and becoming stronger, physically and with the wisdom and favor of God.

The Epistle, Colossians 3:12-17, speaks of our own growth in our Christian life, as God’s chosen ones, called to faith by God’s love, and the Christlike qualities God wishes to work in us, through the Word and power of Christ, who lives in us. We are called to do everything in the name of Christ Jesus, with thanksgiving.

The Psalm is Psalm 111. The Psalmist thanks and praises God for His great works on behalf of His people and His redeeming work, above all. We, in thanksgiving to Him, are to fear Him, with awe and love and trust.

For some churches, including St. James, the readings may be those for the day of Stephen, the first martyr of the early Christian church. The Epistle lesson, from Acts 6:8-7:2, 51-60, tells of how Stephen spoke out boldly for Christ and the Christian faith and then was arrested and stoned to death, as the Jewish religious leaders were outraged at what he was saying. Stephen saw a vision of the risen Lord Jesus at the right hand of God, as he was dying, and prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

This is not the first time in the Bible a spokesman for the Lord was killed. In the Old Testament lesson, 2 Chronicles 24:17-22, King Joash turned against the one true God and worshipped idols and had the priest Zechariah stoned to death for criticizing him and pointing out the idolatry in the land.

In the Gospel lesson, Matthew 23:34-39, Jesus said that this rejection of God’s true prophets and leaders had been all too common in Old Testament times, from the first murder, of Abel by his brother Cain, to the last one mentioned in the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures, this death of Zechariah. (The Hebrew Scriptures have the same content as our Old Testament, but the order is different and the last of their books is 2 Chronicles.) Jesus also called Jerusalem “the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.” He knew of His own death, soon to come, and of the death of Stephen and so many others.

The Psalm is Psalm 119:137-144. The Psalmist speaks of how he has been “small and despised” in the eyes of others, and faced “trouble and anguish” and says, “My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget Your Words.” Jesus quoted a similar psalm, Psalm 69:9, with regard to His own zeal for God’s house and the reproach He would receive; and He predicted His own death, too, in John 2:14-22.

Bible Study - The Christmas Story Part 6 - Luke 1:26-38

Last week, we heard in Luke 1:5-25 of Zechariah and Elizabeth and the promise in their old age of a child, John, who would prepare the way for the coming Savior. This week, we hear in Luke 1:26-38 of the promise to Mary that she would give birth to that promised Savior, Jesus. Watch for similarities and differences in what we hear in these two stories.

It was the angel, Gabriel, who was sent from God to talk with Mary, as he had to Zechariah, about six months earlier (Luke 1:26). Gabriel went to the small town of Nazareth, in Galilee, in the northern part of Israel, where Mary lived and was betrothed (engaged) to Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. She was still a virgin, as they were not yet married and living together. Gabriel came to Mary with the words, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Mary was confused and perplexed at these words, and was pondering, reasoning within herself, about what the angel’s greeting meant (Luke 1:27-29). (We get the English word for “dialogue” from the Greek word used here.)

Mary must have also been afraid, having an angel suddenly appearing to her, for Gabriel said to her, as he did to Zechariah, “Do not be afraid,” (literally, “Stop being afraid”), “for you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). The word for “favor” in verses 28 and 30 is related to the word ”grace.” The Roman Catholic church understands these words to mean that Mary is “full of grace” and “a fountain of grace” who is sinless and is so good that she has extra grace to bestow on others who call upon her. That is not at all what this passage says, though.

Mary is a “favored one,” not as the mother, but as the daughter of grace, who has been graced, favored by God, with the privilege of being the woman through whom Jesus would be brought into the world. The particular Greek word used here is used in only one other place in the New Testament, in Ephesians 1:6. Paul is talking about how we become children of God through Christ Jesus, according to the purpose of His will (v.5) “to the praise of His glorious grace, in which He He has blessed us (literally, “graced us”, the same word for “favored” in Luke 1:28) in the beloved, in Christ (v.6). In other words, not only Mary is favored, graced by God, but all believers are, as “ones having been graced” by God, by His undeserved love and favor given to us.

Clearly, as we return to Luke 1:31-33, the important One in this whole passage is not Mary, but Jesus, for who He is and will be. Mary will be honored to “conceive and give birth to this Son, because His name will be “Jesus” (Savior, or The Lord Saves). “He will be great.”

Note that in Luke 1:15, John is also called “great,” but “great before the Lord” because of what God will do with him. Jesus will be “great” in Himself, for He is “the Son of the Most High” - an Old Testament name for God Himself. John is called “the prophet of the Most High,” preparing the way for the Lord (Luke 1:76). But Jesus is the Son of the
Most High, of God Himself (Luke 1:32).

In addition, the Son of Mary, Jesus, would receive “the throne of His father David” and “reign forever,” with an “everlasting kingdom.” The Kingdom of Israel split after David and Solomon into two kingdoms, and never again was there one kingdom with a king from the line of David. There were kings like Herod, as we have heard, but he was not even a Jew. When Jesus came, though, born of the Virgin Mary, He was the fulfillment of all those Old Testament prophecies, like 2 Samuel 7:16, Isaiah 9:7, Daniel 7:14, and so many more. His kingdom would not be “of this world” (John 18:33-37), but we are all part of this everlasting kingdom, by faith in Him. (See passages like John 17:13-20.)

Mary had been pondering all this, though, and she asked what seemed to her to be a logical question: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). People did not have all the scientific knowledge we have today, but they did know the basics of how a child is conceived. Literally, Mary said, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?” In those days, “to know” sometimes meant to have sexual relations with someone, to “know” in such a deep, personal way. (See, for example, Genesis 4:1, and Matthew 1:24-25, where in spite of what the Roman Catholic church says about Mary being a perpetual virgin, the Scriptures actually say that Joseph “knew her not until she had given birth to a son, and he called his name Jesus.”) The virgin birth of Jesus Himself is affirmed, though, by both Luke and Matthew, as we will see.

In fact, the angel answered Mary’s question by simply saying that it would be by a miracle of God. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” One commentator, Donald Miller, points out that the word “overshadow” is also used in the transfiguration of Jesus in Luke 1:34-35. A cloud overshadowed everyone and then the voice of God the Father spoke, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him.”  

In the Old Testament, the glory of God was often shown by a cloud. God was both present and yet hidden from the people. See Exodus 40:34-38, and Exodus 13:21, 14:19-20, 16:10, 19:9, and 34:5. In Genesis, God created the first man, Adam, in a miraculous way. Here, the angel was saying, the conception and birth of the second Adam, Jesus, would also happen in a miraculous way, simply through the power of the Holy Spirit. As Miller says, “this calls for worship, not explanation.”

The Scriptures say that our own spiritual birth into the Christian faith comes also through the power of the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God and the Word of God, connected with the water of Baptism. We are “born again of water and the Spirit” (John 3:3-6). We “have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding Word of God” (1Peter 1:23). It is a miracle of God for us, too, that calls for worship, not explanation. We do not know just when, but some think that the conception of Jesus happened when the angel was bringing these Words of God to Mary, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit worked through that Word.

What is clear is that, as the angel went on to say, “Therefore” (not because of some power or quality in Mary, but because of the miracle of God), “the Child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Jesus was “holy,” set apart for His saving work and without sin, from the time of His conception onward and through His whole life (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, etc.) The same was never said of Mary, or any of us, in the Scriptures. (God the Son had been God and holy from all eternity before becoming man for our salvation.)

The angel then went on to tell Mary that her “relative Elizabeth in her old age had also conceived a son” and was already in her “sixth month” of pregnancy. This was also a miracle of God, but a different kind, as Zechariah and Elizabeth conceived this child, John, the normal way - but at an impossible age and when Elizabeth was seemingly barren, unable to have a child. How could all of this have been happening? The angel simply says, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:36-37). God is not powerless in any way or any situation, though it is His good and gracious will that will be done, according to His wisdom, and for the ultimate good of those who are called by Him and love Him (Romans 8:28).

Mary had been graced with God’s favor, as His gift, and she responded with trust in God and His Word. She said, “Behold" (a way of saying “Look, see, pay attention!), "I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your Word” (Luke 1:38). That is always the goal of God and His Word  and therefore of Luke and what he wrote in this Gospel: “that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:4).

Then we simply hear: “And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38). Gabriel’s task had been completed. Mary had heard God’s Word, and she trusted it, by God’s grace. May the Lord lead us, also, to trust in Him and His Word, and if we are struggling, like Zechariah, wake us up spiritually, and help us to trust God and His Word more, too.

Next week, we will look at Mary meeting with Elizabeth and their encouraging each other; and we will hear Mary’s song of praise to God her Savior. A blessed Christmas celebration to you all, too, even if you are in a situation or country where few pay attention to the true Christmas story.