Luke sets out right at the start of the Gospel a number of claims about Jesus (vv.31–35):

• Saviour

The angel says to Mary, ‘You are to call him Jesus’ (v.31). The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘saviour’.

• Messiah

He is the long-awaited Messiah in the line of David. The angel says, ‘The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end’ (vv.32–33).

• Son of God

The angel goes on, ‘He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High’ (v.32). Jesus’ birth was unique. Mary was a virgin, and so a ‘normal’ conception was clearly impossible (v.34). Instead she was told, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you’ (v.35a). The angel explains the significance: ‘the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God’ (v.35b). We see here how Jesus is both fully human (born in the normal way), and yet also fully God (conceived by the Holy Spirit).

Question: How would you respond if you were in Mary’s shoes?

Prayer: Lord, I want to say, like Mary, ‘I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever He wants’.