God shows favour to the humble

Posted by Yong Joo Park on 28 August 2016 in Luke | ∞

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. ³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

(The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

(Message)

The angel went to Mary and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” (28)

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be (29).

See v30.

³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. ” (The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

The angel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid”. As shown in Genesis 3:10, fear is from Sin. Due to Sin we became to have fear when we stand before God’s presence. Therefore “Do not be afraid” means God’s forgiveness. See 30_b. “You have found favour with God.” This favour with God has to do with humility. See following verses to learn about humility written in the Bible.

Proverbs 3:34 He mocks proud mockers but shows favour to the humble and oppressed.

(The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

This verse in Proverbs was quoted in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, too.

After quoting this verse, Peter said in 1 Peter 5:6.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Mary sang in Luke 1,

for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant (48^a).

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts (51_b).

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble (52).

(The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30.

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ (The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

We can know humility is the important before God. This is an important attribute that pertains to the wise whom God’s favour may reside on.

What does make men proud? See 1 Corinthians 8:1_b.

But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

Knowledge could make a person the man of pride.

But God originally created us to be men of humility. God cannot use the proud man even if he may have a lot of knowledge and human wisdom but God can use the humble man for His great purpose even if he may not have much knowledge and human wisdom.

See v31 – 33

³¹You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

What a good news it is? We will continue to study about this next week.

In summary, Mary was greeted by the angel of God and received the message that she was highly favoured and God was with her. And we learned that the favour of God has to do with humility. God shows favour to the humble and oppressed (Proverbs 3:34). Also many verses in Proverbs teach that humility is wisdom and pride is folly. And Jesus is humble and gentle (Matthew 11:29).

Let us read today’s key verses 28 and 30.

²⁸The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”

³⁰But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. (The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition), 2011)

Prayer

Lord, Almighty God. Under your mighty hand, we put down all our prides, and humble ourselves. Please help us. And we pray that God’s favour may be shown to us. We pray that we all may be men and women of humility, who may be highly favoured.