It’s all about Jesus!
Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Luke 1:28
Mary needed the Savior, too.
Mary’s story is about Jesus. Just like every believer, our stories are about what the Savior has done.
Mary is the favored one, in Luke’s account.
Arguably, Mary was the life most affected by Christs’ birth, at least in a maternal and practical sense.
Just imagine. You are a young teenager having a regular day. Suddenly, an angel appears from nowhere to tell you the most amazing thing.
Gabriel was one of only two named angels in the Bible. He was a messenger for God. Gabriel tried to comfort Mary’s fears.
If we think that Mary was a spiritual giant, we should reconsider. She did not welcome this news with fearless abandon.
We need to re-read the Christmas story. The scripture conveys her fear and her confusion. Luke 1:28-30
What we need to know is that Mary received God’s grace.
Grace (charis), by definition, means unmerited favor. The translated scripture was a Greek word that meant “much grace.”
Mary wasn’t highly favored because she was sinless. Mary was given grace/favor by God.
What we know is that Mary walked rightly before God. Luke 1:38
Mary’s training shines. You can see that in her song recorded in Luke 1:46-55.
Most of her song was inspired by scripture from the Old Testament.
We also know that Mary recognized that she needed the Messiah, too. Luke 1:47
She saw Jesus as her Savior. Because of this, we know that the sorrows and troubles of her story ended with the crucifixion.
Her completed joy began at Christs’ resurrection. It continued the day that Mary finally joined her son and her Savior in Heaven.
That must have been a happy reunion for both of them!
But, as far as Jesus is concerned, He will welcome you and I with no less joy. Luke 15:7
This Christmas, I hope that if you have never received God’s beautiful Gift of charis, you will accept it. I hope that you will no longer be able to resist.
If you are already highly favored by having Jesus in your heart, please share the Good News of that Gift.
This great salvation is personal, never private.
CHARIS
One of the sweetest narratives in the Christmas story is Mary’s Song, Luke 1:46-55 otherwise known as The Magnificat.
Let’s revisit this beautiful passage. Remember, it was composed from the Spirit-filled heart of a young woman. She was in need of her Savior.
Old Testament References in Mary’s Song:
1 Samuel 2:1-10 Hannah’s Song
Here is a useful table of Old Testament references found in Mary’s Song
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 