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Thursday, December 16, 2004
There was a popular movie out a few years back called "Contact." The basic premise is that Jodie Foster played a scientist who spent her entire career trying to contact alien life-forms. Naturally, she was made fun of by her peers and all the odds were against her.
Until...
...the aliens made contact. She was on the hood of her car, listening to the satellite feeds from deep space somewhere out in the desert when she heard a response. She immediately jumped into action, driving like crazy and sending walkie-talkie information to her crew at the home base to make sure they were recording this historical event to "prove" to others what they heard.
Remember, God hasn't spoken prophetically to Israel in 400 years or so...until about six months beforehand, and He spoke to Zachariah. God made contact.
Now, it's going to happen again. In verse 27 we are introduced to some new characters: A virgin, named Mary, and her fiance, Joseph, who happened to be a descendant of King David. They also were from the wrong side of the tracks, Nazareth.
The angel Gabriel speaks to the teenage Mary, addressing her by saying, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."
Mary is confused. Probably startled. The Bible says she was "greatly troubled" and curious as to what this means. I'd suggest we would be, too, if an angel addressed us in this way. Again, very real people in very real history with very real reactions.
As angels are wont to do, he reminder her not to be afraid, and, like before with Zacharias, tells her she'll be a mother, and her baby, too, will have special characteristics:
He'll be named Jesus.
He will be called Son of the Most High.
He will be given the throne of David by God Himself.
He will reign over the house of Jacob.
His Kingdom will have no end.
Now, Mary is no dummy. She's young, but she knows enough about biology to know that she hasn't participated in behavior that would lead to pregnancy, so she asks the angel how this is going to happen. He responds by telling her that it won't be the conventional manner, but rather through an act of God.
He also tells her (Brent McKinney translation upcoming) "And, oh, by the way, your relative Elizabeth is pregnant, too. Remember her, the elderly lady who was barren her entire life? Yeah. She's six months along as we speak. See? God can do anything."
Mary is no dummy. She knows that this pregnancy will cause a scandal in her small town. She knows that no one will believe her story. C'mon. "Hi Mom and Dad! Had a visit from an angel today. I'm preganant. And with the long awaited Redeemer of Israel! Isn't that exciting!" She knew anyone hearing the story would call her a lunatic. And what about Joseph? The big picture: Joseph could have had his fiance killed by religious leaders of the day for her act of adultery if he doesn't believe her story. That's a bit of pressure, don't you think?
Yet, in verse 38, she says, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done according to your word."
Wow.
A teenage peasant girl, just informed that God's will for mankind will involve her, risking life and reputation, tells God's messenger that she's on board with the plan. That God can indeed do anything, and she fully believes it and trusts that all the "side issues" will be taken care of in due time.
Wow.
God has made contact. History is now rolling, just like His Word said it would, toward the redemption of mankind.
We'll pick up here tomorrow, but something to think about: What is going on in our lives that right now, we need to simply tell God that we are His servant, and just do, trusting Him with the consequences and details?
Brent 4:47 AM
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