Why Mary?

Do you know which is the largest church in Israel?

It’s not in Jerusalem.

It’s not in Bethlehem.

It’s the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth! The church is built on the traditional site of the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary.

Here are some photos of the Church of the Annunciation from my 2009 Israel trip.

Today I’m sharing a couple of favorite quotes from week two of Come, Follow Me. The reading for week two is the annunciation to Mary, recorded in Luke 1:26-38.

In the Friday entry, the author poses several insightful questions about the text. My two favorites: (1) How was Mary able to find favor with God? (2) Was Mary expressing unbelief when she asked Gabriel, “How will this be?”

Here are quotes from the author’s answers:

Favor with God: “God showed her favor not because of anything she was or did, but purely by His undeserved grace and mercy alone.” (Page 16)

We might think that Mary did something to earn her selection as the mother of our Lord. God could have chosen anyone. Surely in His selection process, He must have eliminated the scandalous women of society, like prostitutes and adulteresses. Then He must have narrowed the field further by crossing out the gossipers, troublemakers, and idle women. After that, God had his list of finalists. And Mary was the best of the best, the purest of the pure.

Right??

No. That’s not how it worked. God selected Mary out of grace. She was a sinner like everyone else. For reasons known to God, He chose her. By grace alone, Mary became the most privileged woman in history, the mother of the Savior.

Possible unbelief: “Mary’s question was one of faith, asking how this conception would take place. Was there anything she would need to do to bring it about?” (Page 16)

It’s a good question. Earlier in the same chapter, Zechariah questioned Gabriel’s prophecy that Elizabeth would bear a child in her advanced age. Zechariah’s question was deemed unbelief, and he was made mute.

The difference is not necessarily in the question itself – its wording or tone. The difference between Zechariah’s and Mary’s questions can only be seen in the result. We know Mary’s was a question of faith because the angel treated it as a question of faith. The angel told her the Holy Spirit would come upon her. In faith, Mary accepted the angel’s words and declared herself to be the servant of the Lord.

If you’re in the San Antonio area, you can purchase your copy of Come, Follow Me in the church office at Shepherd of the Hills. Otherwise, it’s available online at cph.org or amazon.com.