Gabriel’s got the best job ever
- Order of Service: Common Service, CW p15
- Lessons: 2 Samuel 7:8-16, Romans 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38
- Hymns: 23, 29, 31, 19, 24
In the name of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.
“Hail, Mary, God’s favored one! Blessed are you among women!”
No sooner do the words come out of Gabriel’s mouth, then a confused look spreads over the girl’s face. Gabriel knows what she’s feeling, because he’s been through this before. Over the centuries he’s delivered how many messages and seen the same response: confusion, fear, terror. Usually there’s some groveling.
But this girl holds her ground. The angel’s presence and words puzzled her. But they didn’t disarm her. Gabriel smiles, knowing what comes next. He smiles, recalling when he learned what he’s about to reveal.
It seems like only yesterday that Gabriel got the note to stand before God’s throne. Gabriel knew what that meant: He had a job for Gabriel. Sure enough, Gabriel arrives and the Lord says, “I have a job for you.”
“Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
“I need you to go to Nazareth…”
“Nazareth? What good can come from Nazareth?”
“Let me finish, Gabriel.”
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“I want you to go to Nazareth, because there’s a girl there you need to speak too. Her name is Mary. She’s engaged to the town carpenter, Joseph. I want you to tell her about the baby that she’s going to have.”
“That’s not really all that shocking, Lord. Most couples have babies after they get married.”
“No, no, Gabriel. This time a virgin will give birth to a child.”
“A virgin? Does that mean…?”
“Yes. The time has fully come. Everything is as I desire it. I’ve chosen Mary to be the mother of My Son.”
“What do you want me to say to her, Lord?”
“Tell her about the child she’ll bear. But you’ll have to be specific. You know how tough these nuts are to crack. Their stubbornness knows no end. You can speak plainly and clearly, and still they’ll deny and find loopholes. People will try to deny what I’m doing and say all kinds of terrible things about this child. You will have to be absolutely clear about who the Child is and how this birth came about. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Lord. Tell me what to say.”
“Tell her she will give birth to a Son and His name will be Jesus. If you have to, tell her that this is the Seed of a woman I’ve been talking about for thousands of years.
“Tell her this Son will be the most important person ever. He will set records. Tell her that this son will earn the title, ‘Son of the Most High.’ Because He is my Son, more powerful than any prophet, because He is no mere prophet. If you have to, recall Isaiah’s words about a child called Mighty God and Everlasting Father.
“Tell her that I give to this Son the throne of His father, David. He is my Son and He is also David’s Son. If you have to, remind her about my promise to David, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13, HCSB). Then remind her about the King Jesus will be. You remember Jeremiah’s words, right? This is what He will be named: The LORD is our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6, HCSB).
“Tell her He will rule forever. That should seal the deal. Up until that point people might be able to say that this child is just really special or wonderful. But when you say that He will rule forever, that His kingdom will not end, there’s no more wiggle room. People can’t debate. And if they do, they’re hardened in their own sinfulness. They refuse to hear what I revealed to Daniel. You remember that? Of course you do, you were there. We showed Daniel One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven…. He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14, HCSB).
“Sounds good, Lord. But what if she’s confused about the whole, ‘I’m a virgin’ thing? What should I say then? I confess, I’m wondering how a virgin will give birth. I understand how people like Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah, and Elizabeth could give birth. They were married and you ended their sterility. But, a virgin?”
“You’re right, Gabriel. This is the most crucial part. You know, of course, about how sin curses and corrupts all of mankind. You know that Adam and Eve brought it into the world and passed it on to their children who passed it on to their children. That’s why things are so terrible. That’s why I wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah and sent the Flood. These people persist in rebelling against me. So this child must be like them, yet not like them. And so, Joseph can have no role in this birth. My Son will be born of a woman, as all children are. But His father will not be according to the normal order of things. He will not be conceived in sin, but rather, conceived by My Holy Spirit. You will say, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of the Most High will overshadow you.” If she needs it, tell her that her cousin Elizabeth is pregnant too. That should shock her system enough to remember how I operate. It will remind her to that no word I speak can ever fail. Make sure to tell Joseph the same, for he too will be puzzled.
“Now, there can be no doubt about Jesus. He is the holy one, the Son of God. Blameless, set apart from sinners, and yet like these sinners, like them in every way, living among them and in their midst, yet not corrupted by their sin. For only I can bring what is pure from the impure womb of sinful Mary. And these people need this purity. And He will give it to them as He takes their impurity on Himself.”
“Lord, thank you for entrusting me with this honor! I see now what we’ve been searching for for centuries! Your sacred secret will be secret no more! Finally, you crush the Devil! Finally, you hurl Him down! The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15, HCSB). I can’t wait to tell Michael and the rest of the angels…”
“First, go to Nazareth. Tell Mary.”
“I am the Lord’s slave.” And Gabriel departed and went to Nazareth.
“Hail, Mary, full of grace! Blessed are you among women!” And, Gabriel adds in his head, as that confused look spreads over Mary’s face: “Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” And then he smiles. Because he knows, he’s got the best job ever. And soon, Mary will argue that she has the best job. Amen.
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