College Park Church

"And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34)

Simply put, Jesus is the greatest gift the human race has ever known.  We can see this throughout the narrative of the birth of Jesus, but perhaps it is nowhere clearer than in the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary.  In this exchange, we get a clearer picture of this priceless gift.

The scene is set in verses 26-29 of Luke 1.  The angel Gabriel is sent from God to announce the good news of the coming birth of a son, not just to any woman, but to a virgin named Mary.

On one level, it is surprising that Mary would be so puzzled as to how this would take place, for she was betrothed to Joseph.  To be betrothed meant that Mary was legally pledged to be married to Joseph (similar to engagement in our culture, but it was actually legally binding).  Though Mary was a virgin, she knew that in the near future she and Joseph would be married.  The most natural thing Mary should have thought when hearing Gabriel's announcement was that she would conceive after she and Joseph were married.

So why was she so perplexed?  It's hard to say for certain, but it is quite possible that Mary heard Gabriel's announcement and, being familiar with the writings of the prophet Isaiah, immediately thought of Isaiah 7.  In that chapter, the LORD promises a sign to King Ahaz to confirm his promise that Judah would not fall to Syria.  What was the sign?  A virgin would conceive and bear a son, who would be called "Immanuel," which means "God is with us."  Notice how Gabriel greeted Mary in verse 28:  "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"

Mary was receiving the news that God was fulfilling promises of staggering proportions through her womb.  Gabriel tells her that:

• She will bear a son who is to be named "Jesus" (which means "The LORD saves")
• Jesus will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High
• The Lord will give to Jesus the Davidic throne
• Jesus will reign as king forever, i.e. eternally

These are astounding promises given to Mary, that once fulfilled in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are, without comparison, the greatest gift ever received.

Why is Jesus the greatest gift ever received?

First, in Jesus, our greatest need is met, namely, salvation.  When the angel announces that this son is to be named "Jesus," he is announcing the good news that God is acting decisively to save us from our sins (cf. Matt. 1:21).

Second, in Jesus the very presence of God is given to us.  Jesus' birth is extraordinary, not mainly because his mother was a virgin but because his Father was God himself.  While ordinary human conception gives birth to merely human babies, divine-human conception gives birth to divine-human babies.  Jesus is fully God and fully human.  In Jesus, God himself enters into his creation.  He condescends to us to save a rebellious race.

Third, this gift is eternal.  Gabriel promises that Jesus will reign on David's throne forever.  Unlike those favorite Christmas gifts that we've received over the years, Jesus will never break, wear out, or go out of style.  If we receive his kingdom, we receive an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

This very kingdom that Gabriel announced to Mary was described by Jesus himself this way:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matt. 13:44).

Do you treasure Jesus, the eternal king reigning on heaven's throne, like this man did?