The angel Gabriel visited a young woman named Mary, whom God had chosen to be the mother of his Son. As you read the passage keep in mind the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” A virgin is a woman who has never been married and has not had relations with a man.
Luke 1:26-38
Birth of Jesus Foretold
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.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
How did Gabriel greet Mary? (28)
How did Mary respond? (29)
What did Gabriel say would happen to Mary? (30-31)
What did he say this Son would be like? (32-33)
Why did Mary doubt what the angel said? (34)
How did Gabriel say Mary would conceive? (35-37)
What did Mary say then? (38)
What did that show about Mary?
THOUGHT QUESTIONS:
How would you describe Mary’s character?
Mary would suffer great shame for having a child without being married. Why didn’t that seem to matter to her?
What can you learn from Mary?
PRAYER:
Pray that you would keep your eyes set on God and what he wants. Pray that you would not let the thinking of the world influence your thoughts and actions, but that you would be devoted to serving God and doing his will like Mary was.
FOCUS VERSE: Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.