NATIVITY By Mike Herron

Chapter 8: THE ANNUNCIATION TO MARY - Luke 1:26-38 (December 21 st )

he angel’s announcement to Mary is quite different than the experience with Zechariah. While Zechariah responds with unbelief, Mary embraces God’s plan completely. Zechariah’s encounter takes place in the holy place of the sanctuary; Mary’s in her home in Nazareth. God was moving His plan of salvation from its center in Jerusalem to the center of the human heart and the settings of everyday life. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke is careful to give us the time line of events , ‘in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy . ‘ Mary lived in ‘Nazareth, a city of Galilee , a remote corner of the country, with no reputation for religion or learning, but which bordered upon the heathen, and therefore was called Galilee of the Gentiles .' 1 Luke importantly emphasizes that Mary is a virgin (parthenos) three different times in this story. Most likely 13-17 years old, she was formally engaged to Joseph and was waiting the consummation of their marriage after one year’s time. She was named ‘Mariam’ after the sister of Moses. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. It appears that the angel walked into her home in a natural way startling her with his announcement. His address highly favored, is used only one other place in the New Testament