two natures, the human and the divine in one Person, is beyond anyone's comprehension. Even the angel could not find words ade quately to describe the event. Ev ery child, according to the teaching of the Bible, has a sinful fallen na ture. This is disclosed very early in life. Jesus Christ, however, was born holy, sinless, spotless and de filed. Only in this way could He be Cod's acceptable sacrifice for lost men and women. Mary submitted to the program of God (Luke 1:38). This is a sub lime example of obedience. She took the place of a female bond- slave. She was willing no matter the consequences. Mary made her self available for the Master's use. What would be the price she would have to pay to be the mother of the Messiah? First of all she would be under the shadow of suspicion of premarital unchastity. Her future husband would seem to have real cause to reject her. She faced the possible loss of marriage, a home and her loved ones. Such would be crushing blows. The Lord in His grace and mercy revealed the truth to Joseph. Often, like Mary, we choose Cod's will, expecting to lose everything only to find the greatest gain of all. Mary would also be subject to scandal throughout Nazareth. The women would smirk and gossip about her. Mary's repu tation could be ruined. Joseph's heart would ache over the mistreat ment of his beloved. Yet, the virgin Mary was willing to submit to the program of Cod so that she could become the mother of Christ, the Redeemer, What a tremendous per sonality is this woman Mary. In the life of the human mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see a modest Jewish young virgin who Page 41
She was rather the one on whom the unmerited favor of Cod was shown (Luke 1:28-30). Mary ac knowledged herself to be a sinner when she spoke of Cod as her Sav iour (Luke 1:47). The character of her Son was revealed to be deity (1:31). Isaiah foretold this event at least 700 years before Jesus was born (Isaiah 9:6). A Child was born but a Son was given. Christ never had a beginning and this is why He could only be given. The child born reveals His humanity (John 1:14-18). The angel revealed four great truths concerning the One who was to be born: His name, His ministry, His deity, and His humanity. Mary reacted to the angel's announce ment immediately with a question, "How shall this be, seeing I have not lived with a man?" (Luke 1:34). Along with her curiosity was a claim to purity: she was a virgin. The overshadowing by the power of the Highest would bring about con ception and the birth of Christ. The virgin birth was beyond any doubt a biological miracle (Luke 1:35). "For with Cod nothing shall be im possible." The conception of John the Baptist by her cousin Elizabeth was also a miracle. She had been medically barren and now too old, humanly speaking, to have chil dren (Luke 1:7, 18, 36). God was not limited by His own laws of re production. Christ's holiness was directly related to a sinless concep tion. He was the only holy Child ever born to mankind. In this su pernatural birth, there were no contaminations from Mary's sinful nature. We must admit that Jesus Christ defies all human descrip tion. It is most interesting that the angel should have called Jesus "That holy Thing.” The union of
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