Luke 1:26-56

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Mary will be the Mother of the Messiah

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The virgin birth of Jesus is a fact of history.

  2. The virgin birth of Jesus is a truth of theology.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let’s magnify the Lord for His blessings, as Mary did.

QUESTIONS

  1. Why did Gabriel respond differently to Zacharias’ question (verse 18) than Mary’s question (verse 34)?

  2. Does Scripture ever refer to Mary as “the Mother of God”?

  3. Why is the virgin birth of Christ theologically important?

  4. When will Jesus reign over “the throne of His father David” (verse 32)?

  5. Why did Mary refer to the Lord as “God my Savior” (verse 47)?

ANSWERS

  1. Zacharias was asking for a sign because he doubted the Word of the Lord. Mary did not doubt the Word from the Lord. She was just asking how God would do it

  2. No, God does not have a mother. Mary was the mother of Jesus. Jesus is God, but He is Man as well. Jesus was and is the eternal Son of God who became incarnate and was born to the virgin Mary.

  3. Being born of a woman ensured His humanity, but being virgin born ensured the sinless nature of His deity. By bring conceived of the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus was fully human, but did not have a sinful nature. He was holy and sinless, and therefore able to die for our sins.

  4. This promise to Israel will be fulfilled when the Lord returns to this earth with His Church and sets up His Millennial Kingdom.

  5. Mary needed to be saved from her sins just as every other descendant of Adam.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Review Gabriel’s response to Zacharias and Mary. It is not wrong to go to the Lord in an attitude of faith and ask Him about things we don’t understand. Discuss why it is different to demand a sign because of doubt and unbelief.

  2. The virgin birth of Jesus was not developed by the early church to transform the human Jesus of history into the divine Christ of faith. Why do you think so much effort on the part of the skeptics goes into trying to undermine the virgin birth?

CHALLENGE

  1. Mary magnified the Lord for His blessings on herself and His people. She also praised the Lord for keeping His promises to His people. Let’s magnify the Lord for His blessings, as Mary did.

KEY VERSES

  • “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.” Luke 1:31

  • “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb.” Luke 1:41

  • “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46-47