The Angel and Mary

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

by Dr. Paul Chappell

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luke 1:28-31

God did not randomly pick the young woman who would be the mother of Jesus. He selected a pure and devoted girl named Mary for that high privilege and responsibility. Mary had great faith. When she received impossible news that would completely upend (and even threaten) her life, she responded without hesitation, accepting God's assignment. “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38). Though we are not given the details of what happened, there is no doubt that she was the target of gossip and rumors regarding her pregnancy. We know that Joseph considered ending their betrothal until he was visited by the angel of the Lord in a dream. Yet throughout this process, Mary trusted in God.

However, although Mary was a special woman of faith, she was just as much in need of salvation as anyone else. She was not perfect or born without sin. In fact, she declared that need before her cousin Elisabeth in her beautiful song of praise to God. “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-47). None of us are perfectly holy, and all of us need what Jesus came to provide. The Christmas story is a powerful antidote to the pride that so often invades our hearts. We need Jesus. There is nothing we can do except trust Him fully if we want to receive His free gift of salvation.

Today's Growth Principle
Jesus Christ provides salvation for every person who accepts His gift by grace through faith.

Old Testament Reading

Hosea 12-14

CHAPTER 12

¹ Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. ² The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. ³ He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: ⁴ Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; ⁵ Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. ⁶ Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

⁷ He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. ⁸ And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin. ⁹ And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast. ¹⁰ I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. ¹¹ Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields. ¹² And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. ¹³ And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. ¹⁴ Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

CHAPTER 13

¹ When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. ² And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. ³ Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. ⁴ Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

⁵ I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. ⁶ According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. ⁷ Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: ⁸ I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

⁹ O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. ¹⁰ I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? ¹¹ I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. ¹² The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. ¹³ The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. ¹⁴ I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. ¹⁵ Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. ¹⁶ Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

CHAPTER 14

¹ O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. ² Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. ³ Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

⁴ I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. ⁵ I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. ⁶ His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. ⁷ They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

⁸ Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. ⁹ Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

New Testament Reading

Revelation 4

CHAPTER 4

¹ After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. ² And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. ³ And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. ⁴ And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. ⁵ And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. ⁶ And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. ⁷ And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

⁸ And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. ⁹ And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, ¹⁰ The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ¹¹ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 13

¹ A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke. ² A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. ³ He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. ⁴ The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. ⁵ A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. ⁶ Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner. ⁷ There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. ⁸ The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke. ⁹ The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out. ¹⁰ Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. ¹¹ Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. ¹² Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. ¹³ Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. ¹⁴ The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. ¹⁵ Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard. ¹⁶ Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly. ¹⁷ A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. ¹⁸ Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured. ¹⁹ The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. ²⁰ He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. ²¹ Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed. ²² A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. ²³ Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment. ²⁴ He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. ²⁵ The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.