We’ve nearly finished Ecclesiastes. We’ve got one sermon left. But that’s not happening today. We’ll spend the next four Sundays on the birth and childhood of Jesus as told in the Gospel according to Luke. This will be our Advent series. Today, I’ll attempt a flyover of the opening chapter in Luke’s account. So, turn with me there to Luke 1. Page 855 in the pew Bible. We won’t be going verse by verse but looking at some larger themes that help us understand God’s saving activity in Jesus and how that ought to affect us. Let’s start by reading verses 1-80…

¹ Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, ² just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴ that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. ⁵ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. ⁸ Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” ¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” ²¹ And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. ²³ And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. ²⁴ After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.^" 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. ³⁹ In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰ and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴² and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” ⁴⁶ And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, ⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; ⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. ⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; ⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; ⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. ⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, ⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” ⁵⁶ And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home. ⁵⁷ Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸ And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹ And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, ⁶⁰ but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹ And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴ And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵ And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶ and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. ⁶⁷ And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, ⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people ⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, ⁷⁰ as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, ⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; ⁷² to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us ⁷⁴ that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. ⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, ⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, ⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high ⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” ⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

When Luke wrote this Gospel, Christianity was a newer movement in the Greco-Roman world. Followers of Jesus were making some radical claims: Jesus was born of a virgin; he rose from the dead; Jesus is Lord, not Ceasar. You can imagine some people just getting bits and pieces of the story. Questions begin forming. Influential people—like Theophilus—start asking, “What is this new movement? Is there any historical legitimacy? Okay, Jesus was real, but why’d he come?”

Well, in steps a man named Luke. He has some grasp of the whole. He’s got access to eyewitness testimony. From his second volume, Acts, we learn that he travelled with some apostles. He’s got a knack for history. And he’s skilled at pulling the story together, so that others can understand. That’s where we pick up in verse 1.

An Account of History Inviting Our Trust

The birth narrative of Jesus is an account of history inviting our trust. Imagine telling a story where angels appear, a man goes mute, and a virgin conceives. Many would quickly say, “You’re dreaming!” But Luke is clear—he’s telling the truth.

It’s written first to “most excellent Theophilus,” likely a Roman political official. But given the “us” of verse 1, Luke writes for anyone who, like Theophilus, is genuinely trying to make sense of things. Luke calls his Gospel an “orderly account.” It’s like the narratives already compiled by others. Whether by oral or written tradition, people couldn’t help but keep talking about Jesus. We also learn his sources: “those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses.” They had firsthand knowledge of Jesus; and they interacted with people like Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary. We also learn his purpose: to give “certainty concerning the things [Theophilus had] been taught.”

In short, Luke is a careful historian. Everybody knew that the most trustworthy historiography was based on the testimony of eyewitnesses. And the best historians wrote their accounts within living memory of those other witnesses. That way others could go ask the people you name (or the people who knew the people you name) whether you were telling the truth. That’s the kind of history we find here.[i]

Luke’s words are not the result of legend or myth, where stories surrounding Jesus take on a life of their own, where people embellish the true nature of things. No, he has followed everything closely; and he wrote in such a way (and within a timeframe) that his original readers would be able to cry “Foul!” if his story didn’t line up.

In other words, Luke invites your trust. He wants a favorable hearing. That’s why he includes things like, “In the days of Herod.” Or later, “In those days a decree went out by Caesar Agustus.” You can look these things up outside the Bible and they match. These are real people, real events. Thus, we ought to hear Luke’s testimony about the virgin birth with the same trust you’d show a Holocaust survivor who was telling their story, or a news reporter telling you what they witnessed on 9-11. It’s that real.

Such an approach differs from, say, the talk-show host Bill Maher. Referring to the respected scientist Francis Collins, Bill Maher asks, “How can you be a scientist and believe in the virgin birth?”[ii] But here’s the thing: Christianity accepts the science that virgins don’t get pregnant naturally. In the words of Amy Hall, Luke’s claim isn’t “that Mary became pregnant naturally, but that God caused her to conceive supernaturally.” “A miracle is a unique, historical event, where God acts supernaturally to accomplish something. And as a unique, historical event—not a naturally repeating one—the way to evaluate it is not through scientific investigation but through historical investigation, requiring the methods of a courtroom not a laboratory.”[iii]

“Ah but that’s just it,” someone might object. “Any account that claims miracles can’t be historically true.” To which we must ask, “Why not? From the outset, you’ve defined history in such a way that excludes the possibility of miracles. That’s not a scientific claim or a historical one; that’s a philosophical commitment. You’ve started with the assumption that our universe is a closed system, where someone like God cannot intervene. The proper approach is to examine Luke’s testimony to see if a miracle did in fact happen. Given his commitment to the best historiography, we have every reason to take Luke seriously in the account of Jesus’ birth.

But know this: if you take him seriously, you won’t stay the same. You won’t be able to stay the same, because the message about Jesus is that good; and its demands on your life are that imposing.

A Fulfillment of Promise Stirring Our Praise

Which leads us to consider another theme: Luke’s birth narrative is also a fulfillment of promise stirring our praise. Luke doesn’t simply repeat facts. He also helps us grasp their meaning. He does this in part by forging links with the Old Testament.

For instance, in the opening account with Zechariah, we learn that Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Immediately, we’re reminded of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis. God advanced his covenant promise by using a miraculous birth in an older, barren woman. Other parallels with Abraham include angelic messengers, a promised offspring, initial skepticism, and an emphasis on God’s power to accomplish what man could not. Luke wants God’s promise to Abraham in view as you keep reading. God is acting once again to advance his saving story for the nations.

Also, when the angel describes John’s role in verse 17, he does so in terms that recall promises from Malachi and Isaiah. Malachi 4:5-6. “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers.” Isaiah 40:3, “A voice cries, ‘In the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord.’” Zechariah’s son will fulfill the role of God’s end-time prophet, who prepares Israel to meet their Savior.

Speaking of that Savior, the same angel then comes to Mary. Mary is a virgin, but she will conceive, bear a son, and call his name Jesus. Verse 32, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” This recalls God’s promises in 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 9.

In 2 Samuel 7, God reveals that his promise to bless all nations will come by giving David a dynasty, a forever kingdom, and a forever throne. But the question that remains open-ended in 2 Samuel 7 is, “How will this play out?” Either God will perpetuate David’s throne by raising up an offspring who rules and then dies, and another offspring who rules and then dies, and another offspring who rules and then dies. Or God eventually raises up an offspring in David’s line who lives forever.

Isaiah 9:6-7 then clarifies that promise further: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”

A future offspring in David’s line will shoulder the entire burden of government. As history shows, that’s normally a bad thing. The more power a sinful man has, he is sure to abuse it. But this is a different man. The rule of this future David will create peace. The idea isn’t just a cessation of conflict, but the whole moral order put right beneath God’s reign. His kingdom is also without end both in terms of space (“it has no end” in the sense of border) and in terms of time (it lasts forever). Luke wants us to interpret Mary’s conception as a fulfillment of God’s promise to David.

Her conception is also the answer to our problem in Adam. We inherit sin from Adam; and the whole Old Testament is longing for a new Adam—someone from outside our cursed state, someone without sinful nature, a new man who’s like us but without sin in the entire structure of his being.[iv] And what does the angel tell Mary? “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy.” (Luke 1:35). The virgin conception makes Christ unique from all others born in Adam. In the womb of Mary, God created a new man, who, by his perfect obedience, would redeem a new humanity.

Adam, Abraham, David; Malachi’s prophecy, Isaiah’s prophecy—I’m touching on only a few. But even for the characters within Luke’s story, the messages to Zechariah and Mary find an immediate fulfillment. Elizabeth gets pregnant. Mary gets pregnant. God’s promises through Gabriel happen—which also means God’s promises throughout all Scripture were coming to fruition in the birth of these boys…and it leads to praise.

In verses 46-55, Mary raises her voice with a song of praise: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Notice especially verses 54-55: “He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Zechariah follows with his song as well. Verse 68, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets.”

The fulfillment of promise leads to praise. Praise is the proper response to God’s redeeming work in Christ. When you think about the birth of Jesus, does it lead you to praise? Do you see that in him the longings of ages past find their satisfaction? Do you see that in him the groanings of our broken world find their answer? The culmination of God’s plan to bless all nations arrived in the womb of a virgin named Mary.

Only, we’re now on this side of Jesus’ birth. We know the rest of his story—his perfect life, his sacrificial death, his victorious resurrection, his heavenly ascension, his present reign, his ongoing mission through the church, and the assurance of his final return. We have even more reasons to rejoice!

Some of you may not feel that right now. Your soul is troubled, depressed, weary. But see this in the story: God came to people in a state like that. He came to people whose hearts were burdened by oppression from outside and by sin from inside. He came to a man like Zechariah, who doubted God’s promise. He came to a woman like Elizabeth, who, according to verse 25, felt some level of shame among her people.

But in verse 41, it’s the Spirit who fills Elizabeth when she rejoices. In verse 67, it’s the Spirit who fills Zechariah. In 2:27, it will be the Spirit who gives Simeon a song as well. So, if you feel dull to what you know are amazing things in God’s plan, ask the Spirit to help you see the goodness of God’s promises being fulfilled in Christ.

A Revelation of Christ Centering Our Hopes

Luke’s birth narrative is also a revelation of Christ centering our hopes. Luke’s account alternates between two birth narratives—John and Jesus. But the central focus remains Jesus. For example, Mary visits Elizabeth when Elizabeth is six months pregnant. But Elizabeth (and the baby in Elizabeth) make the occasion all about Jesus. Also, John will prepare a people for the Lord, but Jesus is the Lord—as indicated by Elizabeth calling Mary “the mother of my Lord” in verse 43. Also, John is a “prophet of the Most High” (verse 76) while Jesus is “Son of the Most High” (verse 32).

Luke is preparing us for how the rest of his Gospel will unfold: John plays a special role in God’s story of salvation. He introduces the long-awaited Messiah. But John’s prominence will fade centering all attention on Jesus. So, when we then hear various hopes expressed in the birth narrative, Luke is already centering our hopes in the person of Jesus. I mentioned the hope of Abraham and David already.

But we could also include other hopes. In verse 71, Zechariah reflects on the hope “that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” The “we” of verse 71 points back to the “Israel” of verse 68—not the modern nation-state of Israel, but Israel as “God’s people,” those who truly belong to the Lord. Part of salvation in Jesus is that one day he will deliver us from all our oppressors.

But external enemies aren’t the only problem; our biggest problem is an internal one. So, Zechariah also mentions the hope of forgiveness. Notice verse 77, “to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins.” Forgiveness includes both a freedom from punishment and the complete removal of sin. In the person of Jesus, God would do both. He was born to take away our sins and our punishment.

Then verse 79 mentions the hope of light: “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” The imagery comes largely from Isaiah. In Isaiah, darkness represents people acting in moral depravity; people rejecting God’s word, stumbling toward death; their feet don’t walk in peace, they run to injustice. But John would announce a Sunrise on this darkness. Jesus is that Sunrise. His light leads people out of moral depravity and into the way of peace.

Our hopes cannot shift from this center. We must not shift our hope for deliverance to a political leader or party. Our own abilities to fix things can’t become our hope. Our hope can’t be centered on a church (even a healthy one), or a pastor of that church. It can’t be our own righteousness. Nor can we center our hope on financial security, good health, muscling our way to the top, and so on. Luke’s revelation keeps us centered on Jesus, because the gospel is about God acting in him to save.

Reversal of Values Requiring Our Humility

Let’s do one more. Luke’s birth narrative is a reversal of values requiring our humility. By “values” I mean the standards by which we judge what’s important. Our culture often assigns a great deal of importance to social status—whether that’s based on popularity, attractiveness, success. Others elevate the pursuit of political power or riches—they take advantage of others to keep themselves on top.

One of those people gets mentioned at the start of verse 5: “In the days of Herod, King of Judea.” Herod extracted money from the Jewish people for “extravagant building programs.” He controlled the temple and “used the high priesthood for his own political purposes.” Later in 3:20, Herod locks up John the Baptist and eventually has him beheaded to save face. He’s an example of the proud, the rich, the powerful who don’t fear God, and who find their identity in being first.

Within that context, God chooses to advance his plan through an old priest, his barren wife, and a young peasant girl from the small city of Nazareth. Who is Zechariah, Elizabeth, or Mary when compared to a Herod? When you value status, wealth, and power, they’re nobodies. They’re the lowliest of people. But that’s part of Luke’s point: God chooses what’s weak in the world to shame the strong.

This comes out especially in Mary’s song. In verse 46, God looks with favor “on the humble estate of his servant [Mary].” God exalts the humble. “His mercy is for those who fear him,” verse 50. But in verse 51, we hear also this: “[God] has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”

By “the rich,” he’s not referring to wealthy people in general. These “rich” belong to the same group who are “the proud” and “the mighty.” He’s painting a picture of those who, in their pride, vie for power and disregard those of lower status. Later in the Gospel, it’s those who put themselves first, those who view themselves as strong and without need for God, those who see themselves as righteous. God sets himself against them like a divine Warrior. In fact, the way its worded guarantees their downfall.

Mary says, “he has scattered…he has brought down…he has sent away empty.” Her use of the past tense is like that of the prophets of old. Because she’s pregnant with Jesus, it’s as good as done. The downfall of the proud is inevitable. But the humble, the hungry, for those who see themselves as needing God’s mercy—God exalted them; God filled them. That, too, is as good as done.

God didn’t choose the mighty Herod; he chose the humble Mary. He didn’t choose the king who finds his identity in the power-structures of society. He used the girl who found her identity in serving God and humbly submitting to his saving purpose.[v] Aren’t her words beautiful in verse 38? “Behold, I am the servant [i.e., the slave] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Now, being good Protestants, we rightly reject teachings like the Immaculate Conception or the Assumption of Mary or Praying to Mary—all because these teachings find no basis in a careful treatment of Scripture. But a careful treatment of Scripture will also honor those things about Mary that are worthy of honor—like her faith in the Lord and her example of humble obedience. God’s reversal commends humility.

Of course, as the Gospel goes on, we find the ultimate reversal of values in the person of Jesus. Jesus is Son of the Most High, but he becomes the lowest. He rules the world, but he becomes a child. He comes not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. He humbles himself to the point of death on a cross—he gives himself for the sins of the world. And because of that humility, God exalts him. The pattern is clear: God judges the proud; he exalts the humble.

Earlier in chapter 1, the angel said that John the Baptist was sent “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” But by including that testimony, Luke turns that question toward us: are you prepared to meet the Lord? Do you find your identity in what society deems powerful and popular? Do you want to be first? Or do you find your identity in serving God and humbly submitting to his saving purpose?

The great reversal has already begun in the coming of Jesus. Not the rich and confident, but the “poor in spirit” get into his kingdom. Not the movers and shakers, but the meek inherit the earth. Not the righteous, but sinners are called. To save your life, you must lose it. Greatness means becoming a servant. First means becoming a slave. This reversal of values requires our humility.

Like I said, if you take Luke’s Gospel seriously, you won’t stay the same. You won’t be able to stay the same, because the message about Jesus is that good; and its demands on your life are that imposing. This Advent season, may the Lord help us to trust his testimony about Jesus, to praise him for filling his promises, to center our hopes on Christ, and to humbly submit to his saving purpose.

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[i] For an extensive defense of the Gospels as trustworthy eyewitness testimony, see Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006).

[ii] Quote taken from a clip by Bill Maher on Club Random (October 26, 2024), accessed at https://www.facebook.com/clubrandompodcast/videos/bill-maher-on-intelligent-people-having-faith/840426161600065/.

[iii] Amy Hall, “Why Science Does Not Disprove Miracles,” Stand to Reason (June 28, 2018), accessed at https://www.str.org/w/why-science-does-not-disprove-miracles.

[iv] Donald Macleod, The Person of Christ (Downers Grove: IVP, 1998), 221-22.

[v] Joel Green, The Gospel of Luke, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 105, 107.