What Jesus Did

Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hill country of Judea. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the unborn baby inside Elizabeth jumped. Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth said with a loud voice, "God has blessed you (Mary) more than any other woman. And God has blessed the baby which you will give birth to. You are the mother of my Lord, and you have come to me! Why has something so good happened to me...

 

[Continuing, the angel said to Mary,] "What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail."

—Luke 1:36-37 NLT

Key Thought


It's almost as if the angel was saying, "How about a little help with that impossible faith, Mary? Check with your old relative Elizabeth. The impossible has really happened to her! She's...

 

Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her.

—Luke 1:38 NLT

Key Thought


The greatest in the Kingdom of God is a servant (Matthew 23:11-12). So we should not be surprised when God's Son and our Savior explained his role as a servant (Mark 10:45), should we? Jesus conviction about the greatest being a servant wasn't just talk. He certainly demonstrated it, and his mother was a great example of...

 

Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin." The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God."

—Luke 1:34-35 NLT

Key Thought


Every baby is precious. It was made by God in its mother's womb. This baby promised to Mary, however, is even more precious. This child is conceived by the Holy Spirit of God. He is holy, the very...

 

"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"

—Luke 1:30-33 NLT

Key Thought


Fear. It can be overwhelming. It is sometimes paralyzing. We shouldn't be surprised that one of...

 

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!" Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

—Luke 1:26-29 NLT

Key Thought


When we were children, many of us imagined ourselves in special circumstances...

 

Soon afterward [Zechariah's] wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. "How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children."

—Luke 1:24-25 NLT

Key Thought


God's passion is to take away our disgrace — the disgrace of our failure, our misfortune, our sin, and yes, even the disgrace of circumstances. Elizabeth's being childless was a circumstance beyond her control but still considered a disgrace...

 

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. When Zechariah's week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.

—Luke 1:21-23 NLT

Key Thought


In the first two chapters of Luke, God announced great news through angels. God did great...

 

Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure [we will have a child]? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years." Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time."

—Luke 1:18-20 NLT

Key Thought


I would...

 

[The angel said to Zechariah, "John] will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly."

—Luke 1:17 NLT

Key Thought


Israel looked forward to the return of Elijah, the prophet who was to precede the Messiah (Malachi 4:5-6). Since Elijah didn't die but went straight to God, the...