Monday 09 April 2018
- Bible Book:
- Luke
“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (vv. 32-33)
Psalm: Psalm 40
Background
This passage is entitled “The Birth of Jesus Foretold” – a popular passage at Christmas where we hear that Mary will have a baby, even though she is a virgin (verse 34). In addition, like her relative (cousin) Elizabeth, she will give birth through impossible circumstances.
The Annunciation of Jesus when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God is normally celebrated on 25 March, 9 months before Christmas Day. However as this falls within Holy Week in 2018, the feast of celebrated today.
You can find more information about the day on the BBC Religion website. There it is noted that:
“Other writers [feminist theologians] have a different interpretation. They do not see Mary as powerless before God, but instead as a woman who makes a free choice to accept God's task for her – a task she could have refused. Mary's acceptance of the role of servant is not, they teach, demeaning, and they point out that Jesus also regarded himself as a servant. And taking up the example of the disciples, they see Mary, through her act of faith, exercising her right to believe what she wants and to cooperate with God in his plan of salvation – a plan that he cannot carry out without her.”
The Annunciation not only marks for us the start of what was to come but is also a reminder that Mary was an obedient servant, like many who had gone before her. How many of us view ourselves as being servants of God? How many of us see the work that we do, for the good of the kingdom, part of our evangelism or acting out our faith?
Could it be time to rethink your actions and consider acting out your faith in creative ways maybe? Some people have a hoodie with the word ‘Jesus’ spread across it as a sign of witness. Others take part in acts of kindness as a way to live out their faith. Acting out your faith can be difficult and challenging but it can also be rewarding as it brings you and possibly others closer to God.
To Ponder
- How are you acting out your faith?
- What does it mean to you to know that Jesus is our Servant King and that you are a servant of God?
- Listen to I will celebrate sing unto the Lord by The Maranatha Singers or Graham Kendrick’s The Servant King.