https://app.dropwave.io/episode/fd15acbc-eb53-42ed-9f2d-1b686451061d/annunciation-of-our-lord-obs-ad-2025.mp3

++ JESU JUVA ++

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And [I believe] in one Lord Jesus Christ… who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man. This is the mystery that we observe and contemplate this evening. It is at these words, especially those last four — and was made man — that we bow our heads and bodies at such a great mystery. God has become Man. The Creator has taken on the flesh of His creatures. God IS Man. He has taken on your flesh in order to redeem you from your sin.

Yet He comes not as a mighty commander and warrior, but as a Servant, as a Child — even an infant, the tiniest of persons. In order to come into the world in this way, He must have a mother. He must be kept safe within her womb. So it was that the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. The Word of God that occupies Mary’s womb is the Word through Whom all things were made. Without Him was not anything made that was made. But now, His holy and eternal divine nature is joined with the flesh of the virgin Mary.

Why did God choose Mary? Why is she favored by God? Our Papist friends will try to tell us that Mary had an over-abundance of good works, more than what God required. That meant that God was exceptionally pleased with her, and he rewarded her by granting her this great honor.

But the truth is that this word ‘favored’ is just the word ‘grace’ — as in “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Yes, Mary was a faithful Christian. She believed in the Lord’s promise that God Himself would come to trample the head of the Foe. But this faith was not of her own doing; it was the gift of God. Yes, Mary was eligible for this duty because she was betrothed to a man who was of the house of David. And she lived in the right place — an otherwise insignificant town called Nazareth. But her location and station in life were not her own doing; these, also, were gifts of God.

Now the Lord gives her more. That is what ‘grace’ means: it is a gift. This gift comes to her through the announcement of the angel. He says: “The Lord is with you.” She has done nothing to earn or deserve the Lord’s gift. But, by the angel’s word, God is with her. He favors her according to his abundant grace. He blesses her with His Word and Holy Spirit. Indeed, in this greeting, God is with us — Emmanuel. For as this word is spoken to her, God’s own dear Son now dwells within her womb. As the Angel speaks the Word of God into St. Mary’s ears, she receives into her womb the very Son of God, and He receives a Body for Himself from her flesh and blood.

How can this be?

Yes, we marvel at the mystery of God’s incarnation, but Dr. Luther instructs us that there is a greater miracle here. That greater miracle, we have already discussed: That God should be able to create faith in the heart of this woman — in spite of her sinfulness and mortal frailty. That God should open her lips and put the confession of such faith in her mouth. That she would have faith in God’s seemingly impossible promises. That she would willingly receive the sword that would pierce her own soul. That she, knowing all this, would, by the miracle of God’s grace and mercy, now say, “Let it be to me according to Your Word.” Or, Amen, Amen. Yes, yes, it shall be so.

It’s easy to find ourselves looking up to the mother of God’s Son and honoring her faith and confession. But it’s also possible to thereby find ourselves a little jealous of her, because it seems that she got to have God’s mercy in a way that no one else ever did. And it’s true. Only a woman could ever know the joy and mystery of having another human living inside her. Only this woman would ever know the joy and mystery of being pregnant with God.

Yet it is your Lord’s property to have mercy upon you. So it is that according to His mercy, the Lord also greets you as Gabriel greeted St. Mary. For He has sent an angel — a messenger — to you, who says those same words: The Lord be with you. In this way, God announced His gracious favor to you.

By His speaking, He is with you. This word, received by the glorious mystery of faith, means that Jesus now lives inside you. By the Lord’s preaching of His Gospel, by Christ and His forgiveness — the Holy Spirit comes upon you, the power of the Most High overshadows you. In this way, God creates a New Man in Christ – within you.

Yes, you are a poor sinner. But God has favored you. He is with you. This He makes known to you in the waters of Holy Baptism, whereby He has given you His own name. He has blessed you with His Holy Spirit unto repentance and faith, unto righteousness and holiness before His God and Father. By His grace, He favors and blesses you in your offices and stations in life. He speaks His Word to you, and through that Word He gives to you the same Son who was conceived and born of Mary.

Marvel at this, dear child of God: you are a recipient of His grace. Receive here your Christ and his mercy, the forgiveness of your sins, eternal life, and everlasting salvation.

Blessed are you that believe; for there shall be a fulfillment of those things which are told you from the Lord.

In the holy Name of Jesus. The peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.