Luke 1:26-38

Context:

Zechariah: “A priest of the division of Abijah”

Elizabeth: “One of the daughters of Aaron”

John (the Baptist):

Luke 1:15 – “…filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb”

Luke 1:16 – “…by turning many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God”

Luke 1:17 – “…go in the spirit and power of Elijah” (see: Mal. 4:5-6)

Luke 1:18 – “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Luke 1:24-25 – “After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 ‘Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.’”

Luke 1:26 – “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth.”

Luke 1:27 – “…to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.”

Two Important Details About Mary

1. She is a virgin

Isaiah 7:14: “virgin,” Heb. almah, “a young woman of marriageable age”

Luke 1:27: “virgin,” Gk. παρθένος (parthenos), “a virgin”

2. She is betrothed

Luke 1:28 – “And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’”

“Favored one,” Gk. χαριτόω (charitoō), “to favor”
Passive form: κεχαριτωμένη, “the one who is favored”
Latin: “gratia plena,” meaning “full of grace”

Luke 1:29-33 – “But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 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.’”

“Annunciation of Mary,” Lat. annuntiatio, “announcement or proclamation”

1. Jesus is the Son of the Most High

Luke 1:76 – John described as “prophet of the Most High”

Heb. 1:3 – “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

Heb. 1:5 – “For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you?’ Or again, ‘I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son?’”

Heb. 1:6 – “And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’”

Heb. 1:7-8 – “Of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.’ 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.”

2. Jesus is the Son of David (2 Sam. 7:8-16)

2 Sam. 7:14 – “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.”

Luke 1:34 – “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Luke 1:35 – “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.”

Luke 1:36-37 – “And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:38 – “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

Modern Hope:

1. “Wishful Thinking”
2. “General Positivity”

Biblical Hope:

Heb. qavah and yakhal, “wait”
Gk. ἐλπίς (elpis), “expectation”

My definition: “Biblical hope is waiting patiently and expectantly for God to do what He said He would do.”

TAKEAWAYS

1. Hope is based on God’s promises, not our pleas.
2 Cor. 12:7-10

2. There is hope still for the future.
Isaiah 26:19 & Phil. 3:11
Isaiah 25:8 & Rev. 21:4