1Start
An angel came to a young woman in the small town of Nazareth. Her answer to him gave this week its title (Luke 1:38).
2Read Together
Mary was engaged to Joseph, a man from King David’s family (Luke 1:26–27). In the sixth month of Elisabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel, the angel who had visited Zacharias, was sent to Mary (Luke 1:26; 1:36).
Luke 1:30 · King James Version
30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luke 1:34–35 · King James Version
34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:37–38 · King James Version
37For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
3What It Teaches
Gabriel greeted Mary, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28). Mary was troubled and wondered what kind of greeting this was (verse 29). Gabriel told her, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God” (verse 30).
Zacharias and Mary both asked the angel a question. Zacharias asked how he could know the promise was true (Luke 1:18). Mary asked, “How shall this be?” and then trusted the answer (Luke 1:34). A question asked in faith is welcome.
The angel said the Holy Ghost would come upon her, and her son would be called “the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Jesus is the Son of Heavenly Father and of Mary. From Mary he received a mortal body that could feel pain and die, and from his Father he received power over death (John 10:17–18).
Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). A handmaid is a servant. Mary could see only a small part of what lay ahead, and she said yes to all of it.
4Talk About It
Mary said yes to the Lord before she knew how everything would work out. What is something the Lord has asked of our family that we could say yes to in the new year?