I Am the Servant of the Lord

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” then the angel left her" (Luke 1:38).

The angel Gabriel visited Mary in Nazareth and told her that she was going to have a son and that this child would “be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). He would sit on David’s throne and rule over God’s people forever. In short, He would be the long-awaited Messiah, the Savior of the world.

Mary wondered how this could be, since she had never known a man intimately, but the angel assured her: “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” (Luke 1:35). After this explanation came from the angel, there was no argument from Mary. She acquiesced in what he told her.

There is a bit of theological controversy about the second half of Mary’s reply. Her statement is sometimes called “Mary’s fiat.” Fiat is the Latin imperative or command form of the verb to be. Some say that here Mary is giving a commandment to the angel, “Be it so unto me.” There are those who say that Mary’s fiat was absolutely necessary in order for Christ to be born. Christ, they say, could not have been born without Mary’s okay, and so Mary contributed to the work of our salvation.

Nothing could be further from the tone of the words of Mary here. Mary is not giving orders to the angel. She is bowing before the orders of God, given her by the angel. It is not power but obedience that is manifested here.

There was glory, to be sure, in being the mother of the Messiah, but there was pain as well. What would it be like to have this tremendous responsibility on your shoulders, to raise a Child who was God Himself in the flesh?

In Mary, we see a true servant of the Lord. The beginning of Jesus’ life is marked by a mother who submits to God’s will, even when it is disclosed by angels bearing an incomprehensible message.

Our obedience is in ordinary circumstances without angelic visitation or divine responsibilities. However, submissive obedience is still the key. In your mundane daily tasks today, complete them with godly obedience.

Mary the "Theotokos"

"The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28).

The highest title ever bestowed on a woman by human beings is the title theotokos (pronounced in English “thee-OH-te”-kos”). It means “bearer of God.” Now when the church fathers bestowed this title on Mary they did not mean anything so crass as that Jesus derived His divine nature from Mary. Rather, what they meant was that Mary was the mother of a child who was God Incarnate.

Think for a moment, women, of the awesome responsibility you feel at the thought of bearing and rearing a child. Imagine what Mary felt at the responsibility of bearing and rearing the Son of God. What kind of a woman would God choose for this task? When I think of heroes and heroines of the Bible, surely there is none greater than Mary. I am aware of the tension between Protestants and Roman Catholics over the role of Mary. The Roman Catholic Church has exalted Mary to such a high state of veneration that Protestants have often reacted by down-playing who she was.

Notice, though, what the Bible tells us about Mary. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” These words were spoken by Mary’s cousin Elizabeth under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:42). The Spirit inspired Mary herself to say, “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name” (Luke 1:48–49).

Mary’s statement is found in her prayer of adoration, which begins “My soul magnifies the Lord.” In Latin, the first word is magnificat, and her song is thus known as the Magnificat. It is sad that so few Protestant churches sing the Magnificat, because it is one of the greatest hymns of praise ever inspired by the Holy Spirit. If you want to make a radical improvement in your prayer life, memorize the Magnificat. It is the song of the bride, and all of us are members of the Bride of Christ, the church.

If you do not already know the Magnificat, copy it out (Luke 1:46–55) today. Begin to work on memorizing it. Take an opportunity to read this passage with your family on the next Lord's Day.

The Most Unusual Message in History

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 

A little girl once opened a big box under the Christmas tree to find a giant doll that, when set upright, towered over her. Her parents noticed a few minutes later that the doll had fallen to the side, but the little girl was having a ball playing in the oversized box. 

We’re apt to do the same at Christmas, discarding the baby but having a great time with the wrappings. At the outset of the season, I’d like to turn us toward that Baby. Here in Gabriel's announcement, we learn four things about Him:

1. His Name (verse 31). “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua,” meaning “Jehovah Saves,” or “Salvation of Yahweh.” Woven into the syllables of that name, we see the suffering He would endure, the salvation He would bestow, and the splendor He would display. Throughout the Gospels, we find that name over and over—172 times in Matthew alone: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem....Jesus was led up by the Spirit....Jesus began to preach....Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching....” The greatest songs in history have been about this sweet name: “Jesus, the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease.... Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so....Jesus is the sweetest name I know, and He’s just the same as His lovely name.” The name Jesus contains and conveys His mission—to seek and to save those who are lost.

2. His Nature. In Gabriel’s brief announcement, four different “sonships” are given to Jesus. He is: (1) Son of Mary (v. 31); (2) Son of the Highest (v. 32); (3) Son of David (v. 32); and (4) Son of God (v. 35). Two of these references imply His human nature (son of Mary; son of David), and the other two refer to His divine nature (Son of the Highest; Son of God). He is both God and Man. Only Christianity presents a God who, out of love, became a human being through the womb of a virgin to provide atonement for sin.

3. His Nobility (vv. 32–33). He will be given to throne of David and will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end. His is a powerful kingdom. If the skies could part as they did for Stephen in Acts 7, we would see Jesus on His throne, worshipped by angels, feared by demons. His is a permanent kingdom. He rules over the stars and planets, over all time and space. His is a providential kingdom. Behind the scenes of history is His all-controlling hand. His will be a political kingdom, for one day the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover 

the sea (Hab. 2:14). His is a personal kingdom—He wants to be king of our hearts.

4. His Nativity (vv. 34–35). Here we enter one of Christianity’s deepest and holiest mysteries. Jesus was born without human interaction, of divine conception, of a virgin who had never known a man. Gabriel explained it using two phrases: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you”, and “the power of the Highest will overshadow you.” Similar language in the Old Testament describes the clouds of glory resting on the tabernacle in the wilderness. In some mysterious way, the creative power of God was to rest on Mary as the clouds of glory had rested upon the ancient tabernacle. As a result, the child Mary bore would be called the Son of God.

Mary’s response to this message was simple and sincere: “Behold, the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” When we come face-to-face with God’s wondrous plan for us—a plan that is always centered around Jesus Christ—there is no response better than: “Behold, I am your servant. Let it be to me according to Your word.”