828
THE KING’S BUSINESS
Fridayy s September 17. Luke 1:2S-30.
believe many things which we cannot un derstand or explain. There are inexplicable mysteries in many things that we are bound to believe, and he who will not believe anything that has inexplicable mystery in -it, is a momster of conceit. It is espe cially popular in our day not to believe in the Virgin Birth :of our Lord, but the proof of it is overwhelming, and the only alter native to believing that He was born of a virgin is to believe that there is upon His name one of the foulest blots there can be -upon the name pf any man; and whether they know it or .not, those who question His Virgin Birth ascribe to Him the black est dishonor. This, many still claiming .for themselves the name of Christian, are will ing to do lest someone consider them un- scholarly and' not quite up-to-date. They would'rather dishonor the Lord than to be considered unscholarly or behind the times. But it is not scholarship, but a lack of real scholarship that leads anyone to deny the Virgin Birth of our Lord. These verses not'only set before us the Virgin Birth of our Lord and His consequent humanity and Deity, but they also declare His mission to His people according to the flesh, i. e. to Israel. He is to have the “throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob.” We may try to spirit ualize this all away, but if we do we are “handling. the word of God deceitfully.” Zacharias had doubted Gabriel’s words when he announced to him the birth of John, asking, “Whereby shall I know this?” and he had been punished by being made dumb for a season: Mary on her part does not doubt Gabriel’s word (cf. v. 45) but inquires “how” it is to be fulfilleC That it would be fulfilled, she does not question, for God’s messenger says so; but the man ner of its fulfillmenf -is a great mystery to her, so she inquires and is informed. The answer to her question is full of deepest significance (y: 35). The way in which Jesus, was to be formed ■ physically and lit erally in her. is closely parallel to the way in which Christ is formed -spiritually in each one- of, u s, (Eph. 3 :16, 17; Gal. 4:19L
The story of the annunciation of Mary that she was to become the mother of the Christ is full of deep and precious lessons. .The angel Gabriel, the same person who .announced to Zacharias' the birth of the Forerunner, is chosen to announce also the fact and;the. manner of the birth of the ■Christ Himself. His first word to the lowly but noble virgin was “Hail” or “Rejoice” ; then follow the words so full of meaning, “Thou art highly favored (or endowed with .grace), the Lord is with thee.” Many other Bible saints had been told “The Lord is with thee,” but these great words had a peculiarly deep meaning when told to Mary. This wonderful message delivered by an angel brought at first painful agitation to Mary’s heart, and not joy; and so the hu man heart is often overwhelmed rather than gladdened by some glorious message from the celestial world. The message is not understood; but the angel reassured Mary with the message which God so often sends to His loved ones, “Fear not.” How prone our hearts are, at our very best estate, to fear, and how unwilling God is that we should fear, so we constantly hear that ten der, word dropping from heaven, “Fear not,” “Fear not,” “Fear not.” But note the reason that Gabriel gives Mary why she should not fear, “Thou hast found grace with God.” Grace and fear do not belong together. Note also that the choice of Mary to be the mother of the Christ was an act of grace on God’s part, and not a mat • Tn Gabriel’s words found in verses 31 to 35. we fmd the clearest and fullest declara tion, on the one -hand qf the. true humanity pf Jesus-; and on the other hand- of, the true Deity, of Jesus: Mary was to be the mother, of Jesus, and;God was to be His Father. This may.present to us a mystery (hat we. ea.ntjqt explain ; nevertheless, such is the clearly revealed fact, and all of us ter of desert on her part. Saturday, September 18. I ^ Luke 1 :31-35.
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online