Moment of Mediation: Conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)

Original Broadcast: December 2008

Monthly Theme: Jesus' Humiliation

And [Gabriel] said to [Mary],
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you."
(Luke 1:35)

Conceived by the Holy Spirit

A vital portion of the Christmas story tends to be set aside and reserved strictly for the Sunday before Christmas or its own holy day. But without Gabriel's proclamation to the Virgin Mary, we wouldn't have one of the greatest hymns of the Christian church--the Magnificat. Mary's joy about God's design for her life comes through very clearly. God, in all His infinite wisdom, decided to use Mary to be the mother of God.

Some have a problem with that name for Mary, but any Christian who believes that Jesus is God and man should have no problem saying that Mary is the mother of God, as long as it is clear that they are talking about God the Son. The Bible teaches that Jesus has been God from all eternity, but He only becomes man when He is conceived in Mary's womb. That's when humanity meets divinity. That's the ultimate meaning of Gabriel's words to Mary. God and man meet in the person of Jesus. Both as God and as man, He died on the Cross, bearing your sins. Your story starts with Gabriel's announcement. Amen.