Luke 1:26-33 (ESV) 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.”

Luke 1:34-38 (ESV) 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 And 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.

Luke 1:46-50 (ESV) 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.”

Luke 1:51-55 (ESV) 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.”

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self- importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. -- Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot

But Zion said, “The L ORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” -- Isaiah 49:14

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law… -- Galatians 4:4

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 (graced) one, the Lord is with you!” -- Luke 1:26-28

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the L ORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. -- Isaiah 55:8-9

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1: For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) “Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” -John Lennon “Jesus was alright, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” -John Lennon

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) …You & Me! (1 Peter 2:9-11)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-11

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) …You & Me! (1 Peter 2:9-11) …Jesus of Nazareth (Philippians 2:5-11)

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) 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 (grace) 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.” Luke 1: 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 (grace) 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.” Luke 1:29-33

The Choosing & Using Of… …Mary compared to Zechariah (Luke 1) …Moses (Exodus 3:11; 4:10-17) …Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6-11) …King David (1 Samuel 16:6-13) …The Disciples (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) 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.” Luke 1:29-33 Check out Isaiah 9: “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.” Luke 1:29-33 Check out Isaiah 9:6-7

Luke 1:34-35, (ESV) 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… 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And 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.

Luke 1:34-35, (ESV) 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… 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And 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. “For no word from God will ever fail.” vs. 37 in NIV “For no word from God will ever fail.” vs. 37 in NIV

Luke 1:34-35, (ESV) 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… 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And 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. Check out Isaiah 55:10-11

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.” -- Luke 1:46-50

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.” -- Luke 1:51-55