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Elder Bryce Lowrance

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Gabriel Visits Mary

28 January 2014

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. - Luke 1:26-27

It is a simple scene. Mary, a virgin who has never known a man in an intimate way, is in her farm house in Nazareth when an angel comes to visit.

We do not know exactly how her days were spent. I guess, much like any other poor, farm girl, she had lots of chores and other duties around the house and land. However, we learn, Mary is also engaged to be married to a man named Joseph. The anticipation of the upcoming wedding surely filled her thoughts as she went about her daily chores. She probably had a joy in her step and smile on her face in everything she did. She was, no doubt, truly anticipating that exciting and life changing event of marriage that was coming soon. Little did she know how greatly her life, and the lives of all men, were about to be changed!

We just met Gabriel a few months before in the temple in Jerusalem. The grandeur of the beauty of the temple building and fixtures certainly set a beautiful scene for his visit to Zacharias. Now, Gabriel comes to a small agricultural town in the region of Galilee of which the Jewish leaders of the day held great contempt. But it isn't that the way of God? He brings the beauty to any place the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed!

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. - Luke 1:28-30

According to Jewish customs, men were not supposed to talk or even acknowledge women they did not know. Often, husbands did not even greet their wives in any manner of exuberance. Yet, Gabriel pronounces a joyful greeting and offers high compliments right from the start! We can see why Mary was so astonished at his introduction.

The content of the angel's greeting and reassurance drip with the grace and mercy of God. He tells her that the Lord is with her. These same words were spoken to Gideon when he was called a mighty man of valor even before he fought his first battle (Judges 6:12). His valor was pronounced before his actions because God was going to bless him. Mary is pronounced as highly favored, not for what she has done or for who she is, but for what God plans to do!

It is comforting to know that our identity is not based upon our family heritage or our works. Our identity is in Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He counts the righteousness of His perfect Son to us. He sees us as holy. It is an added blessing when God moves in our lives and brings His blessings into fruitfulness. We must be like Mary and "cast these things in our mind" for we are not worthy of the least of the blessings of God. We need to not become prideful in our blessing but remain humble servants of our Lord!

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Tags: gabriel, gospel_of_luke, harmony_of_the_gospels, mary

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.