Reading Plan:
Luke 1:26-35

Our Thoughts:
My wife Lauren loves getting baby announcements in the mail. We always put them up on our refrigerator so that we can join in celebrating with our friends and family whenever there is another little one on the way. Those baby announcements are always fashionably designed, sometimes have quirky sayings on them, and usually include a picture of the ultrasound on the card. Even when Lauren was pregnant with our daughter, Henley Grace, we were just as excited to send out baby announcements to our friends and family so that they could celebrate with us.
Our culture loves to celebrate the good news of a baby on the way. There’s something special about new life, and although it’s not always the case, many people love to share the news in increasingly ornate ways. But even with all of the confetti cannons and piñatas available to us today, nothing can compare to the annunciation of Jesus in Luke 1. I mean, the story starts with an angel. It doesn’t get much cooler than that!
I love how Gabriel tells Mary she is about to have a baby, even though she is still a virgin. The announcement and the following conversation, tell us so much about the nature and character of Jesus.
First, look at the focus of Gabriel’s announcement; it wasn’t on Mary, it was all about Jesus. Take a look at the end of verse 31: “and you shall call his name Jesus.” Now, the name “Jesus” was one of the most common names of the day in first-century Palestine. That’s why I love this so much. Immediately after saying the Son was to be called Jesus, Gabriel says, “He will be great and be called the Son of theMost High.” Talk about a juxtaposition.
It would be like saying today, “You’re going to have a baby that’s born for greatness. Call him John Doe.”
But Jesus was anything but ordinary. He was, as Gabriel went on to say, the “Son of the Most High.” He isn’t just great. He’s the greatest.
Jesus is great in His perfection.
Jesus is great in His achievements.
Jesus is great in the number of those He rescues.
Jesus is great.
No one has influenced history more than Jesus. No one has loved greater than Jesus. Even from the moment, he was announced to Mary, Jesus was changing the world. And even more so, He was born so that He could change you.

More Questions:

• What is the greatest news you’ve ever received?
  
• What do you think Mary must have been feeling when she heard from Gabriel that she was to have a Son, and that Son would be the Savior of the world?
  
• What does it mean to you that Jesus was born of a virgin? How does the Son of God becoming a human make Him the greatest?
  

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you that when you came to Earth, even the news of your arrival showed your greatness. There is nothing in this world that compares with how great You are. You are the Son of theMost High, the bright Morning Star. Thank you that you humbled yourself to the point of becoming human so that you could live a perfect life and die for my sins. I choose to follow you each and every day. I love you, Jesus.


Author: Blake Houston