Blessed vs. Muted--Faith vs. Law (a part of the Christmas story)

Do you ever wonder why Mary was highly favored? Why was she chosen to carry Jesus? Yes, just carrying Jesus would make you blessed, for sure. But, as we read through Luke chapters 1 and 2 yesterday, I think it's more than that.  I think there was something in Mary before the child Jesus was there physically, and it made her different. I believe that something, was faith.

As part of the "Christmas story" in Luke, we see two people greeted by the angel Gabriel. One person was Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist; the other was Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Here is what we are told about Zechariah, a Levite priest (and his wife):

"Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. -Luke 1:6

Here is what we are told about Mary:

“... you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” -Luke 1:28

We have Zechariah; a priest, blameless in observing the Lord's commands.  Obviously this can't mean he was sinless.  What does blameless mean?  Maybe something to look into another time.  Suffice it to say, he and his wife both did a pretty good job keeping the letter of God's commands.  They were picked to bring John the Baptist into the world, afterall.

Then, we have Mary; a "common" woman, who was highly favored.  She, a virgin, would bring Jesus into the world!  When both of these two individuals are greeted by the angel Gabriel, we have two very different reactions and consequences.

Zechariah was told that his wife of old age would conceive and have a son--his name would be John (John the Baptist). Zechariah's reaction was initially one of doubt and disbelief. Mary, on the other hand, was given a significantly harder thing to believe--that she would conceive and bear a child, as a virgin, Who was the Son of God! What was Mary's reaction? One of faith.

Zechariah's encounter w/ Gabriel (Luke 1:18-20):

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

Mary's encounter w/ Gabriel (Luke 1:38):

"I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Elizabeth declares to Mary (Luke 1:45): Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

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One angel, two people, two promises, two very different reactions and consequences. Not only was Mary's response one of faith, but it was in faith to a promise that was most unbelievable. If I told you an old couple conceived, you might believe me. But, who would believe me if I told you a virgin would conceive? Yet Zechariah who served God blamelessly in the duties he was assigned, responded in doubt and was muted. Even though Zechariah was a priest and followed the letter of God's commands to a "T", he lacked faith. Mary, who was otherwise common, responded in faith and was called blessed. Faith conquers works.  That said, Zechariah did eventually respond in faith, and his mouth was opened!

That is always the choice we have. Will we doubt and be made mute to proclaim a witness for the Lord, telling the things He has done and will do? Or, will we have faith and be blessed?

See the full version... HERE

The Foolishness of Pharisaical Unbelief...

John 11:45-48

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”herefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

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First, a little background on the verse above. Many people had just witnessed Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. He was dead in a tomb for four whole days. After seeing this, the Pharisees called a meeting. They began to talk about this most recent miracle, contemplating what they should do about this Jesus who was really clashing with their way of life. Jesus is raising people from the dead, and here they are contemplating ways to live contrary to Him, and even to kill Him (as would eventually be the case as Jesus goes to the cross to die).


Pharisaical disbelief knows the truth, and rejects it. It should go without saying to not be like that. Do you find that you recognize the works Jesus did and in your heart of hearts believe His works to be true, but deny Him? In fact, you even find that at times you have fought against Him and plotted to take Him down? Does Jesus crimp your style? Do you think that believing in Him would be inconvenient, cumbersome, or too contrary to your current way of life? If you know in your heart that the works He did were true, you should really only give yourself one option. If His Words stir your soul then you know what to do. The truth is also that it can't end well for you if you don't. Who can fight against God and come out ahead in the end? Nobody.

To not believe when you are faced with the truth, know the truth, yet choosing to not have the truth set you free. The audacity of the pharisaical heart. There is no heart more foolish, or dangerous.




What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? -Mark 8:36

Was / Is Jesus God?

Here is but a small glimpse, which I believe answers this question.

Consider Isaiah 42:8, where GOD said...

I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.

Consider John 14:1, where Jesus said...

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

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Now, either Jesus was being blasphemous or He is God.  He was again claiming to be God, in the flesh... to those that would hear.

In case you were wondering... yes, "trust" in John 14:1 is the same word in the Greek, both times.

Jesus says that if you trust in God... you ought to put that exact same trust in Him (Jesus).  I guess I'll let you "do the math".


... John 14:7-11

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.  Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Righteous and true are His judgments

Revelation 19:1-2a...
After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments...

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Ever struggle over the sovereignty of God?  Who can be saved?  What about the people who never hear... what about the drunk who is drowned in his sorrows and dies that way?  Where does the will of God and the will of man come together?

I have greatly.  If I'm honest (and I should be), then I have to say I still sometimes do.  When it's all said and done, how will God explain all the things He has done in our hearts... to save some, while others are damned.  Not that God needs to offer us, His clay pots, an explanation for His works as if we were entitled.  But, we seek to understand things and sometimes life is hard as the things we treasure are torn away.  We seek to understand God's will, and so we do seek an explanation from God on a many number of things in life.  The young boy who dies in a car accident... or the young girl who is raped and murdered.  Look to the future.  The book of Revelation 19 gives us a picture of what will be said of God, by those in the know, when all things are laid bear.

Righteous and true are His judgments...

Remember what we've been told they will be saying, and look forward to the time when you will be saying it too.  Not just as people who look forward in faith... but as they are saying it while looking back, in fact.  Everything is laid bear, judgment has come... and they cry out, "Righteous and true are His judgments".  That's what they will be saying then, and that's what we can believe now.

Believe NOW. Sound doctrine later.

Interesting passage... what the once-blind man said in John 9:25...

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” -John 9:25

You see that this man obviously didn't have all his doctrine together when Jesus opened his eyes.  Nobody does.  You don't need to know everything there is to know about Jesus first--Jesus first knows you.  You don't know if Jesus is a sinner or not?  We can sort that out later.  It's true, He was without sin.  Don't you know that He is God in the flesh--born without sin, lived a sinless life, and went to the grave as the spotless (sinless) lamb?  He did indeed, and there will be more time for that later.  What should you do today?

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” -John 9:35-39

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I imagine there are lots of things you may not know about Jesus.  So, unrepentant sinner... there will be time for sound doctrine later, and there is grace for you in this.  Now God calls you to repent (Acts 17:30), as all of us.  If God Who gave you eyes has opened your eyes to see Jesus--and you are drawn to seek Him--then you know what you need to do.  Believe in Jesus and worship Him truly.  He opened your eyes, and there will be time for sound doctrine.