#1408. Luke 1:26–33 - Greetings, you who are highly favoured (15/12/25)
- Matt Beaney
- 24 hours ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue our Christmas series.
From Luke 1:26–33, we see that God shows grace to Mary and gives her astonishing promises—promises which overflow to all who belong to Christ.
To watch this devotional, please select the link below:
Gabriel tells Mary she will bear Jesus. God chooses the humble and brings hope into ordinary lives.
1. Gabriel visits the virgin Mary
‘In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.’ (Luke 1:26-27)
Luke carefully sets Mary’s story alongside that of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Another angelic visitation, another promise of a miraculous birth - but now something infinitely greater.
Gabriel is sent to Nazareth - a small, insignificant village - and to a young, unknown woman. Yet God chooses her. Luke emphasises twice that Mary is a virgin, making it unmistakably clear that Jesus’ conception is a divine act. Some would doubt her purity; others would doubt the miracle. But Luke wants Theophilus - and us - to have certainty:
Jesus is truly the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit.
2. She was highly favoured
‘The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God.’ (Luke 1:28-30)
Gabriel’s first words are meant to calm her fear and lift her heart:“Greetings” - literally, “Rejoice!”
He calls her “highly favoured” (charitóō), meaning “graced by God—one who has received His kindness.”
David Garland writes:
‘The way that the greek is constructed means that this is a statement not about Mary’s merit, but about God’s generosity - ‘God’s relationship to her as a recipient of grace.’ (David Garland Exegetical Commentary)
The angel then repeats this ideas with: “You have found favour (cháris) with God.”Everything that follows flows from grace.
Mary is not powerful, influential, or famous. She is simply loved by God.And this is the heartbeat of Christmas:God shows unearned kindness to the humble and lifts up the lowly.
3. You will call Him Jesus
'"You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 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.”’ (Luke 1:31-33)
Gabriel reveals staggering truths:
i. He is Mary’s son - He is fully human - “You will conceive and give birth to a son…”
ii. His name will be Jesus - Meaning “Yahweh saves.” His mission is written into His name. Matthew, summarises this when he writes of the angels words to Joseph:
‘“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”’ (Matthew 1:21)
iii. He will be great - Not just influential—intrinsically great. Titus describes Jesus: ‘Our great God and Saviour…’
iv. He is the Son of the Most High - Fully divine, yet born of Mary - fully human.
v. He is the promised Son of David - Gabriel connects Jesus directly to the covenant of 2 Samuel 7, the promise of an everlasting king.
vi. His kingdom will never end - Isaiah foresaw this moment:
‘Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end…’ (Isaiah 9:7)
What a breathtaking promise, delivered to a humble virgin in a forgotten village. The eternal King enters the world through the weak, the poor, and the lowly and gives them astounding dignity and promise.
Response
Firstly, let’s marvel at the great grace and astonishing promises announced by Gabriel. Christmas is the story of God’s kindness breaking into human weakness.
Secondly, let’s rest in the truth that Jesus - the promised King - is reigning now and will reign forever. His kingdom will never fail or fade.
Finally, like Mary, let’s hear God’s grace spoken over our lives. In Christ, we too are “highly favoured.” God has shown us unearned kindness and welcomed us into His eternal kingdom.
May this message echo in our hearts today:
“Greetings, you who are highly favoured. The Lord is with you.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.
This week, we continue in our Christmas Series - Holy Night.
Our message on Sunday from Luke 1:76–80, was Prepare the Way.
In Zechariah’s prophecy regarding his unborn son, we see that John was born to prepare the way for Jesus, and the church continues to prepare the way for Jesus.
Please read Luke 1:76-80 and discuss:
Personal Reflection – What struck you, or what did God speak to you about through Sunday’s message?
From this text, what do we learn about John’s ministry? And how does this inform the church's mission?
What do we learn about our message?
How was John prepared by God, and how is God preparing you right now?
SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)
How do these verses inspire and help us when we think about reaching others with the gospel?
Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.
Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?
Let’s pray together:
Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.
Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.
Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.
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