Conversing the Kingdom: Mature Faith...?

Luke 1:5-38

The Gospel's are packed full of fulfilled prophesy because the Bible is all about and only about Jesus. So it stands to reason that the Old Testament looked toward Jesus' coming whilst the Gospel's detail the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This passage is one particularly packed with prophesy fulfilment, and some of the most important.

Two of the main characters in beginning of Luke Mary and Zachariah are both visited by a Angel Gabriel proclaiming the fulfilment of prophesy and how each is being called to be a part of that. Now Mary and Zachariah would not have been unaware of the Old Testament Prophesy of the coming Messiah, and Zechariah more than most being a Priest. But it is somewhat surprising who in these passages shows the most mature faith.

The second visit by Gabriel is to a very small almost Gentile village of Nazareth in the north of Israel. To a teenage girl Mary, betrothed to a man named Joseph. Both of whom are descendants of King David. Royal blood hanging out in obscurity but not overlooked by the Lord who delights to use the weak things of this world to shame the wise.

Mary seemed almost un-phased by the appearance of the Angel and simply seemed to be pondering the implications of being greatly favoured by God. It was this that seemed to have her concerned but the Angel says "Do not fear!" Then Gabriel proceed to hit her with the most amazing of proclamations. She was to conceive and bear a son, within the context of a committed marriage relationship but yet not as a result of the marriage consummation. She was to call him Jesus which means The Lord Saves. He will be great, not popular or well liked but Great. He will be called the Son of the most High, where "son of" means the same nature as the Most High God the Father. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, his own people won't give it, Israel won't give it but the Lord God. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, the spiritual house of Jacob and not the fleshly house of Israel who will not receive the rule of Jesus. Of his kingdom there will be no end, an eternal kingdom beyond imagining!

Unlike Zechariah Mary barely blinked at the amazing things that the Angel was proclaiming she was about to be part of. And her only question was just one of confirmation on the practicalities of such an undertaking.

Mary's faith in this instance was remarkable. She would have immediately understood the implication of pregnancy outside of consummated marriage and how Joseph might view the whole circumstance. However despite this she has an incredible humility and responds to God offering her service and obedience. All this despite being a teenager. In contrast we have Zachariah who is mature in his Faith "walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord" v6. Yet he meets the Angel's message with doubt despite the news unlikely to cost him anything.  What a challenging difference between the faith of Mary and that of Zachariah. Such faith comes from a powerful view of who God is.

Why not take a few minutes to think about three images you have of what God is like. Are we allowing this view of God to shape our Faith and Obedience, If not why not? May we repent and return to the faith of our first love.

Conversing the Kingdom: Fear and Trembling...

Mark 16:1-8

If any moment in history should have been filled with Joy is should have been this one. Jesus was put to death on Friday but today is Sunday morning the day that Jesus repeatedly told the disciples he would rise (The most recent being 14:27-28). But they were nowhere to be seen. Peter had been at the trial of Jesus but had subsequently denied him; John was the only male disciple at the cross most were women followers. A pharisee was there at his burial along with the women. But to witness the resurrection was only the Roman Guards placed to guard the tomb in case the body was stolen.

None understood what Jesus had taught about his death, none expected the miracle of his resurrection. Here we have the women followers going to pay their final respects to a man who in the last three years had turned their life upsidedown; They went to anoint him. Not even the other disciples dared that much and were in hiding in Jerusalem.

However what they found that morning was not what they had expected. The tomb was empty, the body gone and instead a young man sat dressed in white; they were alarmed! Instead of being comforted by the lack of Jesus' body they were instead afraid. How our lack of knowledge (eternal life) can often prove our downfall.
The faithful follower of Jesus, however, has no need to be afraid. Jesus will quieten all our fears and this is the knowledge that will do just that "Jesus of Nazareth, who WAS crucified. He HAS risen; he IS not here... he is going BEFORE you to Galilee"
Jesus has gained a new title here "Jesus who WAS crucified, He has risen" Rev 1:18, Rev 5:6.

And so the women left the tomb with the mission to tell the Good News. But they had not let it sink in fully to their own hearts and so left astonished, trembling and afraid, saying nothing to anyone.

We to are called to be on mission with this Good News "That Christ WAS crucified but now IS Risen!" How often do we go out with much fear and trembling. Instead we need to go to where Jesus is, as the disciples were told that Jesus was going before them to Galilee, and meet for ourselves the Risen Jesus and then in mission with him spread the Good News with strength, in the Joy of faith, that Jesus truly is Risen.