God Promises a Savior

December 4, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 1:26 – 38 Lesson Passage: Luke 1:26 – 38 It has been said that a person is no better than their word. A similar statement suggests that a person’s word should be their bond. So when a person gives a promise, there is an expectation that they are going to perform and/or deliver what has been promised. Life experiences teach us that even well-meaning people oftentimes fall short of fulfilling promises or keeping their word. So the other cliché applies that implies that everything should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s okay to feel that way based on personal experiences with people. However, we experience something totally different with God. God always keeps His promise. In fact, one theologian has suggested that God’s prophecy is a mold that history gets poured into. What God says is absolute. If God declares it, then it is so. Today’s lesson involves a promise of God. For centuries, God had sent prophesies concerning a Messiah coming to Israel to deliver them from their enemies. Now that the fullness of time had arrived, the announcement would not be made by a prophet of God. Rather, God’s messenger, Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, would deliver this very personal message to the one bless to be used by God to bring the Savior into the world. Gabriel delivered the message from the throne of God directly to Mary. He addressed her as being highly favored among women by God. Nothing was left to chance. Gabriel instructed Mary as to the miraculous conception of the Messiah. The Holy Ghost would control the process so that the child would be sinless. He would not inherit sin from an earthly father or his mother. Because of this, he will be called the Son of the Highest (or the Son of God). Further, the baby shall be named Jesus which is by interpretation, The Lord Saves, because he will save his people from their sin. As further proof of the certainty of the Savior’s arrival, Gabriel offered Elizabeth’s pregnancy as a reminder that God can do what others think is impossible. Although others had concluded that Elizabeth would not have children because she was called barren, she was at that time six months pregnant. With so much evidence supporting Gabriel’s announcement, Mary surrendered to the will of God for her in this situation. What an awe-inspiring position for Mary to be in. When others make promises to us, we consider those promises in light of our opinion about their character. God sent a promise to Mary that was almost too much to fathom. Of all of the women God could have used for such a blessing, He chose a poor virgin from Nazareth. For whatever reason, she had found favor with God. Because God chose her, she was blessed among women not just then but throughout time since. Even today, she is referred to as the Blessed Mary by millions around the world. God’s promise of a Messiah was going to come to pass and Mary was blessed to be used by God in the process. When God makes a promise, it will come to pass because God always keeps His promise. Robert C. Hudson November 21, 2016