BBCC Bible Study Notes – December 22, 2024
BBCC Bible Study Notes
How Love Brings Courage — Luke 1:27–38
December 22, 2024 · Pastor Samuel Sutter
Introduction
The first Christmas was disorienting and shocking — not the quiet, sentimental scene we often imagine. At the center of it was a young woman asked to surrender everything she had planned for her life.
I. Mary's Story (Luke 1:27–38)
When the angel appeared, Mary's first reaction was not wonder but trouble. She was disturbed by the greeting and tried to make sense of what it could mean. Her question was honest and direct:
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34, NIV)
And yet, after hearing the angel's answer, she responded not with resistance but with faith:
"I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled." (Luke 1:38, NIV)
Think about everything Mary was being asked to accept. In a traditional, paternalistic society, in a small town, she would always be seen as the bearer of an illegitimate child. She knew Jesus would be seen as a bastard. She may have dreamed of what her life with Joseph would look like — their home, their children, their future together. God's call threw all of that into doubt. Who knows what kind of life now awaited her? It didn't matter. When she said "I am your servant," she went out not knowing where she went — just like Abraham before her. (Keller)
II. The God Who Notices the Lowly
Mary sees clearly something remarkable about God: he is about to change the course of all human history, and he is doing it through two obscure, humble women — one old and barren, one young and virginal. Mary is so moved by this vision of God as the lover of the lowly that she breaks into song in what has come to be known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55).
Elizabeth says, "Why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?" (Luke 1:43). And Mary says, "He has looked on the humble estate of his servant" (Luke 1:48). The only people whose soul can truly magnify the Lord are people who acknowledge their lowly estate and are overwhelmed by the condescension of the magnificent God. (Piper)
III. Relating to Mary's Experience
We all face troubling news and circumstances we did not choose and cannot control. Mary's journey shows us that doubt and questioning are not the opposite of faith — they are part of it. The stages of her response — troubled, questioning, and finally surrendering — are stages many of us know well.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV)
IV. Responding to Uncertainty with Love
What made Mary's surrender possible was not certainty about outcomes — she had none. What made it possible was trust in the character of the God who was asking. We love because God first loved us.
"We love because God first loved us." (1 John 4:19, NIV)
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2:14, NIV)
V. Summary and Application
Mary's story teaches us that faith is a journey involving doubts, questions, and ultimately trust in God's love. Becoming a Christian is not like signing up for a gym or engaging a vendor for spiritual services. It is not a negotiation but a surrender — taking your hands off your life. Anybody who wants to become a Christian must basically do what Mary and Abraham did: go out not knowing where they went, trusting the one who called them. (Keller)
This Christmas, when faced with uncertainty and troubling circumstances, we can find peace and strength by drawing closer to the God who loves us unconditionally. Let us embrace the wonder of that love and allow it to transform our lives from the inside out.
BBCC Verse of the Week — 1 Peter 5:6–7 (NIV)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Discussion Questions
- Mary's response moved from being troubled, to questioning, to surrendering in faith. Which of those stages do you most identify with right now, and why?
- Keller compares Mary's call to Abraham's — both were asked to go out "not knowing where they went." What in your own life has required that kind of open-handed trust?
- Piper notes that the only people who can truly magnify the Lord are those who acknowledge their lowly estate. Why is humility so essential to worship?
- Keller says Christian faith is not a negotiation but a surrender. What does surrender look like practically — and what makes it so difficult?