The Virgin Conception & the Testimony of Three Witnesses

Let me invite you to turn in your Bibles this morning to Luke chapter one. Luke chapter one, we're gonna try with the time that we have this morning to look at Luke chapter one verses 26 through 56, we'll at least look at most of these verses as the third installment of our Advent series and the title of this message is The Virgin Conception and the Testimony of Three witnesses. There are many today, as you guys know, who Do not believe in the doctrine of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

They deny the Bible's teaching about the virgin conception and the virgin birth of Jesus.

The atheist at atheist.org call That doctrine, fake news. And they put up billboards like this little gem, telling us to skip church this Christmas season because the Christmas story is all fake news, they say. Here's the irony though. Such atheists deny the virgin birth of Christ, saying that it's impossible that a boy can be born from a woman and have no earthly father, yet they have their own miraculous doctrines.

That are even more fantastic to believe. For example, speaking about where every human being comes from. The prominent atheist, Quentin Smith says the most reasonable belief is that we came from nothing. By nothing and for nothing.

We should acknowledge our foundation. And nothingness. Stephen Hawking. Says the universe can and will create itself from nothing.

Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing why the universe exists, why we exist. And the atheist at atheist.org would tell us that we should listen to thinkers like Smith and Hawking rather than to the Bible, but it sounds an awful lot like Hawking and Smith also believe in a virgin birth. Only the one they believe in is the virgin birth. Of the universe, which gives rise to every human being in that universe.

They believe that nothing spontaneously gave birth to everything. And everyone that now exists. One writer whose name is Vincent Vit responds to such a view of origins and says, is this a less miraculous birth than the story of Jesus? That's a great question that he's asking.

Having said that, the notion of the virgin birth of Christ actually should provoke questions in us. If we're honest. In fact, if you're asking this morning, how can this be that a child would be born of a virgin, you might be encouraged to know that Mary herself, the mother of Jesus, asked that very question. In verse 34 of our passage today, she responds to the announcement.

That she will conceive the Messiah in her womb, and she says, how can this be since I am a virgin. That was her question, which means that she was questioning the doctrine of the virgin birth long before anyone else ever did. But something brought her to a place of resolution and confidence. About this doctrine.

She asked this question in verse 34, but by the time we get to verse 46, Mary is singing a song of praise. To God from a place of full confidence over the virgin conception of the Messiah in her womb. And the question that we're gonna ponder this morning is how did Mary get from a place of questioning to a place of full confidence and praise? That's what I'd like for us to focus on this morning as we look at our text for today.

We're gonna find that what convinced Mary was the testimony of three witnesses. In Deuteronomy 19:15, the Old Testament law said on the evidence of two or three witnesses, a matter shall be confirmed. And in the verses we're gonna look at today, we see Mary receiving the testimony of three witnesses that leave her. In a state of complete confidence regarding the virgin conception within her womb.

And that's how we're gonna frame things as we work through our passage for today. Three witnesses whose testimony moves Mary from a place of perplexity. To praise regarding the virgin conception of Christ within her. And the first of these witnesses, as you might have guessed, is the angel Gabriel, the angel Gabriel.

In verses 5 through 25, we looked at those verses last Sunday. we saw last week how Gabriel had appeared to Zacharias and told him that God was going to give him and his wife in their old age, a child, a son. Who would grow up to be the forerunner of the Messiah. And we were told that soon thereafter, Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for 5 months, marveling at God's goodness to her.

And now observe what happens beginning in verse 26. Now in the 6th month, so in the 6th month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the descendants of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, the text says, which implies Mary was in a house or in a room at this moment. And coming in, he said to her, greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you.

By the way, the name Gabriel means mighty one of God. the root of the word Gabriel is Gabor, which is the same word used to describe David's mighty men. His warriors in the Old Testament. So you can be sure that Gabriel was not some sissy looking angel that Some paintings make him out to be, he would have been an imposing presence.

Showing up in Mary's house. And on top of that, as I mentioned last Sunday, pretty much every time an angel appears in the New Testament, They, they freak someone out. It was one of the negative features of their job. Even when they came to give good news, they scared people when they showed up.

We saw last week how Gabriel frightened Zacharias when he appeared. To him earlier in this very chapter. So Gabriel no doubt knows this and expects this, and he tries to do everything he can so as not to frighten Mary. He comes in and says about the kindest thing an angel could ever say to a person.

He says greetings and literally the Greek here, it's, it's a command. He's saying, be rejoicing, be happy. Favored one, the Lord is with you, he says. If you're ever greeted by an angel, this is the most positive greeting that you could ever hope for, right?

But observe Mary's response in verse 29, but she was very perplexed at this statement and kept pondering what salutation. This was Sometimes we can be casually perplexed about something, but this is no casual perplexity on Mary's part. Literally, this expression reads that she was thoroughly agitated by this statement that Gabriel has made. No doubt she is agitated by a strange man showing up in her home and by the fact that this man seems more than human and looks like he could put the hurt on anyone that he chooses.

Yet he's speaking directly to her. In a very familiar and kind way. Which probably alarmed her coming from a strange man. He acts like he knows Mary, but she's never met him before, so she's left agitated through and through by the statement that he's making to her, and literally the text tells us that in response, she kept on pondering what salutation this was.

Meanwhile, Gabriel is standing there waiting for a reply from Mary while she's doing all of this thinking, and he's getting nothing from her. After all, how do you reply to an angel who greets you? In this way Do you say hi? In return Do you say thank you to the complimentary things that the angel has just said to you?

Do you find something about the angel to compliment in return? Nice wings. I love. what do you do?

Mary doesn't know, her parents never taught her how to respond to a greeting from an angel, so she's got nothing for Gabriel at this point. Well, sensing the awkwardness of the moment, Gabriel seeks to put her at ease and carry the conversation forward. Look at verse 30. The angel said to her, do not be afraid, literally stop being afraid, Mary, for you have found favor, and this is the Greek word for grace, you have found grace, you have found favor with God, and notice that word found.

This implies that Mary was actually seeking God's favor, and Gabriel is saying to her, you have found in a unique and special way the favor with God. that you have been seeking for. In the Old Testament, this language is used with regard to, to Noah. In Genesis chapter 6, I believe the text tells us that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

And God ended up using Noah to be the means through which the human race would be saved. And here Gabriel is saying to Mary, you have found grace. With God. One writer says that this language signifies God's gracious choice of someone through whom God does something special.

And that's so true. And in being the recipient of such words, Mary is assuming her place alongside of Noah. God is going to use her for a very significant purpose that ranks up there with what he did. With Noah.

Well, Gabriel proceeds to explain just what that purpose is and how it's all going to happen. Observe what he says in verse 31. Is verse 31 on the screen? OK.

Because I can't see that. So if I'm off, just raise your hand, stand up, yell, and we'll get in sync. Verse 31, Gabriel says, and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him. Jesus.

There's a strong sense of imminence here in Gabriel's words. This conception is going to happen very, very soon, like today, he's announcing. And what will be conceived in Mary's womb is a boy and that boy is going to grow in her womb and come to full term. Mary will give birth to a son, she has to name him Jesus, and the Hebrew name for Jesus is Yehoshua.

Yehoshua, which means Jehovah saves or Jehovah is salvation. Gabriel continues in verse 32, saying he will be great. And will be called the Son of the Most High. Kings in this day and throughout the Old Testament were referred to as sons of God.

So this is a royal title indicating that her son will be the Messiah King, whom the Jews have longed for over many centuries. Gabriel is literally telling Mary that she will be the mother of the Messiah. What will happen to this Messiah? He continues in verse 32, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.

And that's a loaded promise. There's no throne of David in operation at this time in Israel's history because the Romans are in charge, but Mary would know from what the angel is saying that at some point, the Romans are going to be removed from power and the throne of David is going to be re-established and it's her son that's going to sit one day. Upon this throne of David, and he will be seated there by God. And he's not just going to reign upon the throne of David for 40 years like David did.

Look at verse 33. Gabriel says, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And his kingdom will have no end. In other words, his term of service will be forever.

His kingdom will have no end, both in time and in space. He will rule eternally over the entire physical and spiritual universe, and you will never be able, try as you might, to find the outer borders of his rule. Imagine what this had to have been like for Mary. To hear all of this.

Just a few moments earlier, she's doing chores in her home. And an angel appears and tells her these amazing things about what's going to happen to her and to her son. Who will eminently be conceived and Her womb There's a lot to process, obviously here for Mary, and it leaves her with Really only one question and it's a logistical question. Look at verse 34.

Mary said to the angel, how can this be since I am a virgin? I'm honestly amazed that Mary had only one question. I think most of us would have had at least 20 questions, even on our best day. But Mary has one and it's a biological question.

The angel has just told her that she will have a son who will be the Messiah, he will live and reign forever. Over the entire physical and spiritual universe and her response is, how can this be since I am a virgin? Evidently the only thing that Mary is having any trouble with And Gabriel's words is the part about her conceiving in her womb. Everything else he said is not a problem for Mary.

It's the conception part, the part that has to do with her conceiving and giving birth that she's wondering about. In normal biology, Mary knows that in order to conceive a child in her womb, she needs to be physically involved with a man. So she's hearing what Gabriel is saying and she's believing him, but she's wanting to know. What am I supposed to do?

How can this be? How can I eminently conceive a child in my womb when I'm not engaging in physical relations with any man? Her question is a totally fair question, which is why Gabriel does not rebuke her for asking her question, but he rebuked Zacharias earlier in the chapter. For asking his question.

Look at verse 35, and the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, and for that reason, the Holy Child shall be called the Son. Of God. Notice if you really break this down that Gabriel isn't saying a whole lot here that would satisfy most people. In fact, what he's saying here for most people would raise 20 other questions.

But he's saying enough to Mary for her to know the radical truth that the biological father of her child will be God. And again, this is a woman who a few moments earlier was doing her chores in her house or something else, and she's now visited by an angel who's announcing amazing things to her. He's telling her, you will miraculously as a virgin conceive a child in your womb. His name will be Jehovah Saves, he will be great, he will be the Messiah, he will rule forever, and there will be no outer borders of his kingdom.

And his biological father will be God. That's the testimony of Gabriel that Mary is receiving and has left to process. Gabriel continues in verse 36. He says to Mary, and behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called Baron is now in her 6th month, for nothing will be impossible with God.

Mary would not have known. Anything about Elizabeth being pregnant with the forerunner of the Messiah. But she would now know from what Gabriel has said to her that somehow her pregnancy has something to do with her own pregnancy. Why else would Gabriel give her this news?

After hearing these words from Gabriel in reply to her question, Mary. has no more questions. Look at her response in verse 38. And Mary said, behold.

The bond slave of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. And the angel departed. From her Doctor Eric Sprankel.

is an associate professor of clinical psychology and sexuality studies at Minnesota State. University On December 3rd, just 2.5 weeks ago, he tweeted these words for public consumption. After pondering the Bible's teaching on the virgin birth, he said the virgin birth story is about an all knowing, all powerful deity impregnating a human teen. There is no definition of consent that would include that scenario.

Happy holidays. That's how unregenerate minds process. The Christmas story. In the era we live in today.

They see Mary as a victim because of the power differential between her and the sovereign God of the universe, but keep in mind, guys, that the possibility of being the mother of the Messiah, the long-awaited Messiah was the dream of every Jewish girl in this day. And notice that Mary explicitly gives her consent. And actually invites God to carry out His will in the matter. She says, behold, the bond slave of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word.

That's her consent. But let's not be naive. There's something truly amazing about Mary giving her consent. So quickly here in our passage today, think about it, ladies.

How would you have responded to this announcement from an angel. Imagine that you're engaged as Mary is and your wedding is a few months away and you have all these dreams about how special it's going to be. And what family you're going to have and then imagine that an angel shows up and says, today, you're going to conceive a baby in your womb and 9 months from now, you will give birth to the Messiah, and the biological father is going to be God. How would you respond?

To that news. I'm sure that you would feel honored. But would you not have other thoughts also? Like, what about my wedding?

What about my dreams as I have been dreaming them? This means that I'm actually going to be pregnant at the wedding altar. With a baby that is not my husband's, that's complicated, and that's not how I had planned things out for my life. Would you not Want a little bit of time to think.

About what Gabriel had said to you. Like, would you have asked for at least 24 hours? To process the ramifications of everything and maybe Even talk to your fiance about it. Would you say, Gabriel, I'm inclined to say yes, but can I suggest some changes in the timing here?

Perhaps I can conceive after my husband and I are married and under the same roof, and that way, no one would suspect that my child is the product of fornication. Would you want explanations and assurances? Would you say, Gabriel, what about my parents? What are they going to think?

They're not gonna believe this. And explain to me, Gabriel, how God is going to work this out with my fiance. He's gonna die when he hears about this. He's never gonna believe me.

And how about the townspeople and other relatives? What are they going to think? Would you say to Gabriel, you have to explain all of this to me, Gabriel. I can't just give you an answer right away.

I need time and I need answers and I need assurances from you first. How would you have responded. I've actually been baptized twice. And the first time I got baptized was at the age of 5 at Yukon Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida.

And before the curtains opened on the baptistery. I was standing in the water behind the curtain with my pastor feeling nervous about what was about to go down. So I was asking my pastor a bunch of logistical questions. The microphone was already on in the baptistery, but I didn't know that.

I thought it was just him and me and privacy behind the curtain. And I was asking him questions like, do I hold on to your arm or will you hold on to my arm? Do I hold my nose or are you going to hold my nose? How long are you going to hold me under the water?

Are you gonna pull me up or do I push myself up? I didn't realize it at the time, but my parents told me after the service that everyone in the auditorium could hear every question that I had asked. Because the microphone was on. And when the curtains finally opened, my pastor seemed all too happy to dunk me under the water.

Just to get me to stop asking questions. But that's honestly the way I imagine myself being if I were in Mary's. Situation here. But Mary doesn't do any of these things.

She has one logistical question that gets answered. She has no further questions. And she submits and she surrenders all the details to God. And says, may it be done to me according to your word.

And I can guarantee you that Mary is not in this moment now entering into surrender mode. Like I guess this is a time for me to choose to submit. No, I guarantee you she was already surrendered to the Lord before this moment came. And now her surrender merely is wrapping itself around this latest revelation from God.

And she submits. Trusting God with all the details. So Mary has heard extensive and substantive testimony from Gabriel. That's enough, honestly, we see here to bring her to a place of belief and surrender, but Gabriel has also told her about her relative, Elizabeth, which makes Mary want to go see Elizabeth right away.

This leads us to the 2nd witness whom God uses to move Mary from a place of questioning to a place of praise. And we're gonna work through this and the 3rd point much more quickly than we did the 1st 1. The second witness is her relative Elizabeth. Observe what happens in verse 39.

Now at this time, Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah. And entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. I'm gonna leave some words out of the following verses and we're gonna come back through these verses again in just a moment and capture those extra words the second time through. But for now, let's just focus on the words we see on the screen.

Look at verse 41. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, and how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord, would come to me. These words from Elizabeth. would have absolutely astounded Mary.

Mary has said nothing to Elizabeth except hello. And Elizabeth says all of this in reply. How could Elizabeth have possibly known that Mary is the mother of her Lord? But we're told that one of the reasons is that Elizabeth in this moment was filled with the Holy Spirit, so she's obviously able to discern these things about Mary through the revelation that God is giving to her through the Holy Spirit.

It's as if Elizabeth is prophesying here and delivering, as some commentators say, inspired speech. And Mary had to have found it amazing that Elizabeth would know all of this and be saying all of this. Without Mary having said anything to her except hello. That she has a baby in her womb.

Elizabeth knows that already and that the baby is Elizabeth's lord. That's amazing. That she would discern that through the Holy Spirit. As Elizabeth speaks here, she speaks another affirmation that had to have been revealed to her supernaturally.

Look at verse 45, as she continues speaking to Mary, she says in verse 45, and blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord. So she knows even that Mary believed what she was announced. You guys will recall if you were here last Sunday that Elizabeth's husband, Zacharias did not believe what the angel Gabriel had announced to him and Elizabeth now has been living for the last 6 months, 5 or 6 months with a husband who can't speak and he can't hear because of his unbelief.

of the message that Gabriel had announced to him, and now Mary shows up and Elizabeth speaks to Mary and says, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And blessed, notice how coming into verse 45 that she stopped speaking directly to Mary and in verse 45, she says, and blessed is she. That believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her. So notice how she goes from saying you To she. This means in all likelihood that in verse 45, she's not talking directly to Mary in verse 45, she's probably Casting a sideways glance at her husband here.

And mouthing the words very clearly to Zacharias, blessed is she who believed. And she would have felt very free to do this, ladies, knowing that Zacharias can't respond because he can't talk. It's a dream situation for Elizabeth. But Elizabeth is not just trying to get in a dig at her husband.

She's truly commending Mary for her remarkable faith. Zacharias failed to believe a lesser promise. Then the promise that Mary was given. Zacharias was told that God would give him and his wife a son in their old age.

Mary was told she would conceive as a virgin, the Messiah. In her womb, and Mary believed. And Elizabeth is saying, blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her. on one level, I, I don't think Mary needed this testimony from Elizabeth.

Who's practically prophesying in this moment, but it had to have meant a lot. To her. She's received extensive testimony from Gabriel about the virgin conception of the Messiah within her, and she's already believed what he said, but I love the fact that God felt that it would be helpful for Mary to also hear some things from a woman also. God thinks of everything.

And to have a woman to process these things with. So now, Mary has heard from Elizabeth. But there's yet a third witness in our text today whose testimony God uses to minister further confirmation to Mary about the virgin conception of the Messiah in her womb, and this brings us to the third witness. The third point of our message today, and that is John the Baptist.

John the Baptist, who's right now in the womb of Elizabeth. Let's read again verses 39 through 41 and we're gonna insert the words that we had taken out earlier. Verse 39. Now at this time, Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. So John the Baptist in the womb of his mother, leaps in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. So two things happen. First, Elizabeth's baby, who's John the Baptist, leaps in her womb, and second, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit.

And the first event seems to lead to the second. Earlier in this chapter, Gabriel had told Zacharias that John the Baptist would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. This may mean that he will be filled with the spirit from his conception onward. Or it may mean that there would be a point at some point when John the Baptist is in the womb of his mother, when he will become filled with the Spirit.

Either way, it's at this point that it becomes physically obvious that John the Baptist is filled with the Spirit, and when he leaps in his mother's womb, she too becomes filled with the Spirit. And so observe how she responds to the baby leaping in her womb and being filled with the Spirit. Look at verse 42, and she cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, and how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?

Again, very quickly, this is amazing knowledge.

That Elizabeth displays without being told Mary's pregnant. And this pregnancy will make Mary the mother of the Messiah who is Elizabeth's Lord, and that's coming out of Elizabeth's mouth. She knows this. But what caused her to discern these two truths, that Mary's pregnant and that she's pregnant with the Messiah.

Look at the explanation that Elizabeth gives Mary in verse 44. Cause she knows Mary's looking at her saying, how do this? Here's her answer. Verse 44, for behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

And that's how I know. What I'm saying to you It is striking how important the leaping of John the Baptist is in the womb of his mother. How much this looms in this account. Luke tells us that John the Baptist leaped in the womb of his mother in verse 41.

He then lets Elizabeth tell us again. That he leaped in her womb in verse 44, and we learned in verse 44 that Elizabeth is actually stating this fact of him leaping in her womb as the reason that she has concluded that Mary is the mother of the Messiah, and this fact about John the Baptist leaping in her womb is also the very last thing out of her mouth. As she speaks to Mary, and it seems to cause Mary immediately to break out in an anthem of praise to the Lord. So a fair question would be why would the leaping of John the Baptist in Elizabeth's womb.

be such a big deal. There's 2 reasons. Let me give them to you quickly. In the first place, Gabriel had gone out of his way, we saw last week to let Zacharias know that John the Baptist would be filled with the spirit, even while in his mother's womb.

I'm sure that hearing this left Zacharias and Elizabeth half expecting something. To happen At some point while John the Baptist was in the womb, That would make that information from Gabriel relevant. Something will happen that will leave them saying, that makes sense. Gabriel did tell us that.

Our child would be filled with the spirit even. In the womb Well, this is that moment. Gabriel had said he would be the forerunner of the Messiah. His job would be to point to and prepare the way for the Messiah, and here is this one in the womb of Elizabeth, leaping in the womb of his mother as soon as she hears Mary's greeting, and Elizabeth immediately Knows what's up.

And makes an inference as to what that means about Mary and the child within her, thinking the child in Mary's womb must be the one that my own son is to be the forerunner for. And she begins to speak inspired words to Mary to that effect. There's a second reason that this leaping of John the Baptist in his mother's womb looms so important. And in this story, and this is why 2 weeks ago, we spent some time studying Malachi chapter 4.

As a part of our Advent series. Back in Malachi chapter 4, verse 2, God is speaking of the coming day of the Lord, and he makes this promise to his people in Malachi 4:2, he says, but for you who fear my name, The Son of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings, that could be its or his, and we understood that as speaking of Christ, the Son of righteousness. And in response, God says you will go forth and skip about. Like calves from the stall.

So notice the wording there, when the Son of righteousness appears, his appearing will cause God-fears to go forth and to skip about. Like calves from the stall, the words translated calves speaks of baby cows or bulls. In the ancient Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament that was in existence during the time of these events. It was probably a couple 100 years old at this time, and many people use this translation among the Jews.

In this ancient Greek Septuagint translation of Malachi 4:2. The text reads this way that when the sun of righteousness appears with healing in its wings, You will go forth and skirtao. Like little calves. And the Greek word skurtao means to leap with playfulness and with joy.

So coming now back into our passage for today in Luke chapter 1 verse 41, the Greek text reads this way, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby skertaode. In her womb And Luke uses the exact same word that is used. In the Greek Septuagint translation of Malachi 4:2, and Elizabeth is using the same word also in verse 44, when she says to Mary, for behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby skertao in my womb for joy. This is why Elizabeth reacts the way that she does.

God says in Malachi 4:2, when the son of righteousness appears, God fears will skurtao like lambs. Or calves from the stall, Elizabeth's baby does exactly that. In her womb as Mary is approaching and delivers her greeting, causing Elizabeth to conclude that the son of righteousness must be in the womb of Mary. Then filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth begins to speak things that she could have only discerned supernaturally.

And Mary would be able forever thereafter to testify and say, I simply greeted my relative Elizabeth. And before I could tell her anything, she started blessing me and blessing the child in my womb. Knowing that I was pregnant when I had not told her that. And she told me that I am the mother of her Lord, the mother of the Messiah, and part of how she told me that she discerned that was from the baby in her womb.

Leaping In a way that calls to mind the prophecy of Malachi 42. Guys, this means that even before John the Baptist was born, he was pointing to Jesus. And all about Jesus. All in all, Mary has now received the testimony of three witnesses, Gabriel, Elizabeth, John the Baptist, and hearing now about the leaping of the baby in Elizabeth's womb serves as the last straw.

She's now a million miles away from her question back in verse 34 when she said, how can this be? And she now explodes in an anthem of praise which we find And verses 46. Through 55. I won't read all of this, for the sake of time, but just look how she begins.

And Mary said, my soul exalts the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my savior, for he has had regard for the humble state of his bond slave. And she's rejoicing, clearly believing in a place of confidence and humbly giving praise to God. After this, we're told the following in verse 56, and Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about 3 months and then returned. To her home.

So, what that means is she stayed with Elizabeth until John the Baptist was born and then she returned home waiting for the day about 6 months later when she herself will give birth to the Messiah. So that's our true story for today. Mary starts off this story being perplexed and questioning, but in the end, she's full of praise and God uses the testimony of Gabriel, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist to get her to this amazing place of confidence and worship of the true God. And the only question left for us this morning as we close is how will we respond?

To the account that we have studied this morning. Let me give you a few quick ways that we should respond. First of all, one way to respond to what we've studied this morning is to keep reading. And consider the rest of the story.

Tomorrow you should read for Christmas Eve, Luke 1:56-80 about the birth of John the Baptist, and then on Christmas morning, read Luke 2, verses 1 through 20 that tell us about the birth of Christ and then keep reading beyond through the rest of Luke. At the very least, consider the way that Jesus went on to be born. And to grow up and to enter into public ministry and to teach with an irresistible authority, the likes of which no one had ever seen or heard before. On top of that, he healed the sick, he gave sight to the blind and the broken and hearing to the deaf, and he cleansed the lepers and made the lame able to walk again.

He cast out demons and even raised the dead, and he gave forgiveness to sinners. He even gave commands to the wind and the waves, and they obeyed him instantly. And then he started telling his disciples that he was going to suffer. And to die and 3 days later, he was gonna rise again from the dead.

He predicted all of that in advance, and that's exactly what ended up happening in front of many witnesses whose testimony is recorded in our Bibles, the New Testament. And after that he ascended to his father in front of witnesses promising to come again and return to Earth in a future day. Everything about the life and the ministry of Jesus was amazing. And it's all recorded right here in the Bible, and Luke in our passage today is simply telling us the exact truth.

About the events surrounding his conception. In Mary's womb. So yeah, consider what we've looked at. Today As you ponder Jesus, but read on through the rest of Luke and beyond.

That's what Luke would want you to do and learn more about this one whose conception was in this manner. A second appropriate response to our passage today is to realize that it's actually OK to ask questions of God, just like Mary did. How can this be? she asked.

And she actually gets an answer because she took her question to the right person. You see, asking questions is good. So long as you bring your question to the right person, you bring your question to God, essentially, as Mary does. And you're on safe footing when you get your answers from him.

When I was 19 years old, I had several questions that I had a lot of doubts and just had a list of about 8 questions that I felt I needed to have answered before I could surrender my life to Christ. And I did a lot of things wrong in those days, but I did take those questions to God and to His word. And I ended up finding answers that were very compelling and convincing to me. Several of my questions, I got answers.

I remember closing a book that was drawn from the Bible and it's teaching. I, I didn't even finish the book. I'm like, I'm convinced. About 3/4 of the way through that.

That book But I didn't get answers to all of my questions, but the ones I did get answers to ended up putting some of those other questions in perspective, and they just weren't relevant anymore. Or I was OK not having answers to them because I had the answers to the big ones. And I learned from that experience that it's good to bring our questions to God and to let Him answer. Or provide perspective for those questions that we ask.

You may be here this morning and you're like, man, I got a lot of doubts and I'm a deep thinker, and I got a lot of doubts and a lot of questions. That's great. read this book. Just like we heard about the testimony of our brother, this morning, go to this book and try to disprove it if, if you can.

And let God through His words speak to you, and he'll treat your questions seriously, and he will give you perspective on those questions. One of the things I noticed though when I was 19 is after I got my questions answered and was in a place of full conviction about the truth of Christianity. I noticed that even after that, I didn't surrender to the Lord for another 45 days. Which is why I appreciate Mary's example in our text today that points us to another response we should have.

To God based on this passage, and that is to surrender. She says to God, behold, you're bond slave, may it be done to me according to your word, and guys, we should respond the same way to God and to His revelation. God wanted Christ in Mary's womb, but God actually wants Christ to come into you and to dwell in your heart by faith. And to be positioned on the throne of your life, that's what he says to you in his word, and will you surrender to his love and say, may it be done to me according to your word.

We will all do that if we truly believe in him as Mary did. And that's another thing we should do in response to our passage today, and that is believe. Blessed is she who believed, Elizabeth says of Mary. And we should join Mary in believing the truth about Jesus.

Also, if you're here today and you've never trusted in Christ and called upon his name for salvation, Please do that today. Withdraw any trust you have in yourself or in anything or anyone else and deposit your trust in Jesus. Look to him to be your Lord and your Savior, the one whose death on the cross provides atonement for your every sin. If you cry out to him and believe in him today, he will save you.

He will be delighted to save you. And if you do that, you will have abundant reason to join Mary in doing the final thing she does in our passage today, and that is praise. Praise God, not just today, not just during this season, but throughout the coming year and beyond. And I'm gonna close in prayer right now, and when I'm done praying, we're gonna give you opportunity to actually praise.

God, just as Mary did. Let's pray together Lord, we thank you for your word. For speaking to us this morning. We are stunned by The example that Mary sets for us in our passage today, but we're even more blown away by Jesus, the gravity of his person.

That draws us into his orbit. Lord, help us to be done with ourselves and whatever things our lives revolve around. They completely lack the density that belongs to Jesus. And whatever anyone in this room is orbiting around right now, Lord, may the gravity of Jesus, the density of his person, the substance of who he is.

May That pull us away from orbiting around anything else, and may we orbit around you, dear Jesus. And we know from scripture that we will find our truest selves. When we are in orbit around you. If we orbit around ourselves, we're going to be crushed by that.

And exhausted by that. If we orbit around anyone or anything else, it will ultimately disappoint. But he who believes in you, she who believes in you, Lord, will not be disappointed. Touch hearts and bring people to faith in you today.

We thank you for this opportunity to give of our offering to you, Lord. Receive what we give in this offering and do much with every penny that is given for the glory of our precious Lord Jesus, in whose name we pray, and all God's people said,