We have one of my favorite examples of faith today, Mary. I heard Rich Mullins say once in an interview, “It’s not that Catholics think too much of Mary, it’s that we Protestants don’t think enough of Mary.” Mary is a perfect example of faith. God comes and upends her world. And what does she say? Let it be unto me, according to thy word. She trusts in God, even when it is not the path she had planned. She trusted in God more than any of her plans. She had faith. She is an example.
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Good morning! It’s good to be with you today as we continue our journey through Luke’s gospel. Yesterday, we looked at the angel Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah and the foretelling of John the Baptist’s birth. Today, we come to one of my absolute favorite passages in all of Scripture—the foretelling of Jesus’ birth.
Let’s read Luke 1:26–38:
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.”
“And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
There are few responses in Scripture that are as powerful—or as courageous—as Mary’s. She models for us what real faith looks like.
1. Mary’s Faith Is Rooted in Trust, Not Certainty
When Gabriel comes to her, he turns her entire world upside down. Mary is engaged to Joseph. In her day, engagement was more than just a promise—it was legally binding. So when the angel tells her she will conceive, she knows this is going to cost her something. Her reputation. Her safety. Possibly even her future marriage.
And yet, after hearing this life-altering announcement, she says:
“Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
That’s what real faith looks like—not blind certainty, but deep trust in the goodness of God.
2. She Doesn’t Pretend to Have All the Answers
Mary asks the obvious question: “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” That isn’t unbelief—it’s honest wonder. Unlike Zechariah’s doubt from the previous passage, Mary’s question is rooted in faith. She’s saying, “I believe you, but I don’t understand.”
And Gabriel responds not with rebuke, but with reassurance: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you… for nothing will be impossible with God.”
We don’t have to pretend we’re fearless. We don’t have to have it all figured out. What matters is who we trust.
3. Mary Models Surrender
That’s why Mary is one of the most faithful characters in the entire Bible. As Rich Mullins once said, “Maybe the problem isn’t that Catholics think too much of Mary—maybe it’s that Protestants think too little of her.”
Mary is not just the mother of Jesus—she is a disciple. Her words echo the kind of surrender we are all called to live by:
“Let it be with me according to your word.”
That’s not passive resignation. That’s active obedience. That’s a heart fully surrendered to God.
I think often about something songwriter Jason Isbell once said:
“I thought God was an architect. Now I know… he’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow.”
We plan out our lives. We build what feels secure. And then God enters, not to destroy us—but to transform us. To call us into something far bigger than ourselves.
That’s what happened to Mary. She had her life planned. A quiet wedding. A life with Joseph. Maybe children someday.
And then God said: “I have something different.” And she said: “I trust you.”
4. God Interrupts Ordinary People with Extraordinary Purpose
Mary wasn’t royalty. She wasn’t a scholar. She was a young girl from an unremarkable town. And yet God chose her.
Just like he chose fishermen. Just like he chose shepherds. Just like he chooses us.
Final Thought: What Will You Say When God Interrupts Your Plans?
When the path changes…
When the plans fall apart…
When the call comes…
How will we respond?
Will we fight it?
Or will we, like Mary, say:
“Here I am… Let it be according to your word.”
That’s faith. And that’s the kind of trust that changes the world.
Thanks for being with us today. Tomorrow, we’ll see these two stories—Mary and Elizabeth—come together. It’s a beautiful moment of shared joy and confirmation. I can’t wait to dig into it with you. See you then!
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