The Annunciation
TRANSLATION
(28) Now in the sixth month (of Elizabeth’s pregnancy) God sent the angel, Gabriel, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth (27) to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a direct descendant of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. (28) He came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (29) Mary was greatly troubled at his words 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 give birth to a son, and you will 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 him the throne of his father, David, (33) and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
(34) And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” (35) And the angel, answering, said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you so that the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (36) And behold, your relative, Elizabeth, is also going to have a son in her old age. And she who was said to be unable to conceive is now in the sixth month of her pregnancy, (37) for nothing is impossible with God.” (38) And Mary said, “Behold, I am the Lord’s servant. May it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.
OBSERVATIONS
This passage, containing God’s message to Mary conveyed to her by the angel, Gabriel, features a number of important repetitions that help us grasp its meaning. “Month” is found twice (vss. 26 & 36) while “angel” is found five times (vss. 26, 30, 34, 35, & 38). Names for deity, including “God” (vss. 26, 30, 35, & 37), “Lord” (vss. 28 & 38), “Lord God” (vs. 32), “Most High” (vss. 32 & 35), and “Holy Spirit” (vs. 35), occurred frequently. “Virgin” is found three times (in vss. 27 & 34) as is “Mary” (in vss. 27, 30, & 34). “Greeting(s)” (vss. 28 & 29) and “son” (vss. 31 & 32) are also found twice each.
OUTLINE
I. The angel Gabriel visited Mary to tell her that she, though a virgin, would give birth to a special son. (26-33)
II. Gabriel answered Mary’s “how” question and then told her about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. (34-37)
III. Mary humbly embraced her role as the “servant of the Lord.” (38)
IDEA STATEMENT
Having learned from Gabriel that she had been chosen to be the mother of the promised Son of David, Mary willingly submitted to God’s plan for her life.
APPLICATION
In 1902, Adelaide A. Pollard was hoping to go to Africa as a missionary but was unable to raise the needed funds to make the journey. Greatly discouraged, she attended a prayer service one evening and heard these words from an older woman: “It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord. Just have your own way with our lives.” These words moved Pollard to meditate on Jeremiah 18 where the prophet described how God instructed him to go to the potter’s house to learn from what he observed. What the prophet realized was summarized in verse 6: “‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done?’ declares the Lord. ‘Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.’”
In response Adelaide penned all four stanzas of Have Thine Own Way, Lord, a hymn that has become a favorite of many believers in the years since. Both the opening and closing stanzas help us understand what Mary meant when she said, “Behold, I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be done to me according to your word.”
Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way.
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way.
Hold o’er my being absolute sway.
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.