Luke 1:39-45
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

Mary is the type of woman who puts her faith into action. She not only says, “Lord, your will be done,” but she also “hurries” to see God at work in the life of her relative Elizabeth. The journey to Judea which Mary undertook was not a simple drive to the next town; it was a difficult journey which must have taken at least three days at that time.

Mary did not let that stop her from going to Elizabeth, rejoicing with her, and praising the Lord for fulfilling His promises. In his description of the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, Luke continued to highlight the superiority of Jesus over John.

Even in the womb, John leaped for joy, for he was already pointing to the Messiah, God’s Anointed One; to Jesus.

Elizabeth’s and Mary’s response to all of these amazing events was a song of praise for God’s mercy.

They were praising God for showing mercy to His people.

We can also thank God for the spiritual ancestors in our specific lives.

One of our readers wrote:
God’s faithful need those who get it- who get God’s faithfulness, miraculous abilities and challenges that come with trusting in God.
God gave Mary and Elizabeth to each other. They get God and they get each other.
What wonderful stories they can tell! What wonderful support they can offer to each other.
Rick Rooks

Luke 1:36-38
Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Mary did not ask for a sign! But Gabriel gave her one by explaining Mary’s relative Elizabeth was also pregnant as the result of God’s grace. Gabriel gave Mary a person to whom she could go for support during what could prove to be a difficult time for Mary as she fulfilled God’s will.

This also showed Mary nothing is impossible with God. God chose to use a barren woman who was past childbearing age and caused her to become pregnant. God selected a virgin and caused a child to grow in her womb. With God, nothing is impossible.

God’s proclamation of a child to be born was met with various responses throughout Scripture. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, laughed (Genesis 18:9-15). Zechariah doubted (1:18). By contrast, Mary presented herself, knowing she was merely the servant of the Lord. She believed the angel’s words and agreed to bear the child, even under humanly impossible circumstances. There would also be difficult social consequences.

A young unmarried girl who was pregnant exposed herself to many problems. Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for life. If her own father rejected her, she could be forced into begging or prostitution in order to earn her living. She risked losing Joseph, her family, and her reputation. And her story about being made pregnant by the Holy Spirit risked her being considered crazy as well.

Still Mary said, despite the risks, “Let it be with me according to your word.” When Mary said these words she didn’t know the opportunity she would have. She took the risk of faith; she didn’t consult with anyone; she didn’t take time to weigh the pros and cons. She only knew that God was asking her to serve Him, and she willingly obeyed.

We need Mary’s kind of trust and responsiveness.

God wants willing servants.

Luke 1:38
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Gabriel explained how Mary would become pregnant and yet remain a virgin. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; these words picture the powerful presence of God. The same word is used in the Transfiguration accounts to describe the overshadowing cloud, (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7).

This would be a special baby, for He will be holy. Jesus was born without the sin that had entered the world through Adam. He was born holy, just as Adam had been created sinless. We must be careful not to explain that Jesus was sinless simply because he did not have a human father. To do so would mean Mary would have been sinless, which she was not.

Jesus’ sinlessness rests not on His miraculous birth to a virgin girl but on the basis of His position with God. Through the birth of Jesus, God Himself entered the world in human form. This is the miracle! In 1:32, the angel said Jesus would be called “the Son of the Highest”; here he adds that he will be called the Son of God. This passage is important to the theology of who Jesus was.

The title “Son of God” shows He has a special role in God’s purpose and He is the true Son of David, the expected Messiah. The mention of the Holy Spirit gives the name greater significance, showing God, through the Spirit, has a special role in creating this child.

The connection of “Son of God” to Son of the Most High states Jesus’ divinity.

In contrast to Adam, who disobeyed God, Jesus would completely obey His Father, enabling him to face sin’s consequences in sinners’ place and make them, sinners, acceptable to God (Romans 5:14-19). This Son would be born totally because of God’s initiative and by His grace. Jesus came as a gift from God.

If Jesus Christ were not true God, how could He help us?

If He is not true man, how could He help us?