chevron-leftchevron-right-+crossclosefacebook-bwGroup 15instagram-bwmenuNew Tabtwitter-bwyoutube-bw
facebook-bw twitter-bw instagram-bw youtube-bw menu close - +

Jesus, God of Gracious Condescension

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

Luke 1:28

Watch session one: Jesus responds to our need

As stories go, everything about Mary’s seemed impossible. It seemed impossible that, after four hundred years of silence, God would send a messenger to a young girl probably no more than fifteen years old. It seemed impossible that a girl would find fa – vor with God. And it seemed impossible that through a virgin would come “the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32).

It certainly seemed impossible to Mary.

an ordinary girl

It’s hard to picture it—an ordinary Mary. A Mary without a glowing halo. A Mary without that expression of demure solemnity we’ve come to associate with her virginity. But the truth is, Mary was just that: ordinary—a noname girl from a no-name town, living in an insignificant corner of the Roman Empire. Still, we struggle to accept her ordinariness.

“But Mary was humble,” we object. Or, “She was holy,” we tell ourselves.

No matter how we put it, we all do it. We buy into the idea that God chose Mary because there was something about her that made her extraordinary. Something that made her worthy of God’s notice. Something that made her special. But that’s not the picture of Mary we get from the Gospel of Luke. Far from it. When Gabriel appeared to Mary and called her “favored,” when he exclaimed, “the Lord is with you,” Mary didn’t know what to do with it. Surely Gabriel had made a mistake. Surely he’d gotten the wrong girl. Mary, the gospel writer tells us, “was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:29). Mary’s story seemed impossible. It seemed impossible to her, and it should seem impossible to us—but that, of course, is precisely the point.

but for grace

Mary’s story is impossible. But for grace. It’s easy to come to Mary’s story and be so overcome by the miracle of the Virgin Birth that we forget about the miracle of grace. We forget that it was grace that sent Gabriel with a message of good news to a no-name town under Roman subjugation. We forget that it was grace that looked on Mary, an unimpressive, ordinary girl, with favor. And we forget that it was grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that made it possible for a virgin girl to bear the very Son of God—Jesus, the rescuer of humankind. Grace is the outpour – ing of God’s condescension, the bridge that connects the ordinary and the impossible. It did in Mary’s life, and it does in our own.

We live within the limitations of our ordinariness. Maybe we have ordinary skills. Maybe we have ordinary jobs. Or maybe we have ordinary relationships. But we can find comfort in knowing that the same grace that moved in Mary’s life is the grace that moves in ours. It is the grace of a God who bends to look on us with favor. It has nothing to do with us and who we are, but everything to do with Jesus and who he is.

It is because of grace that Gabriel could say to Mary, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). And it is because of grace that God says the same to us.

Share

Leader Guide

Download

Learn More

About IF:Equip

Go Back

Miracles of Jesus

Daily Question

Do you really believe God graces the ordinary? Or are there places you strive to be better than ordinary in order to earn God’s grace?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments (12)

I believe that God graces us every day we wake up. In some ways, I feel very ordinary, but in others, I’m like "what did I do to be so lucky in this life, while so many are not". I have been through hard times, like we all have, but I have always felt Gods grace to get me through it. He will never leave me.

Grace is not something that we have to earn. It’s is a GIFT that we only need to accept. When we realize the gravity of this gift that is given from someone as incredible as God to just someone as ordinary as we are, at least for myself, I desire to strive for better than average. We are undeserving of this gift that God has given us because of our sinful nature, yet he still gives, and forgives.

I do believe he graces the ordinary, although sometimes I doubt it in myself. I see the blessings and picture perfect lives of others on social media and then I start to question my own life and how I see myself lacking when I should see the graces and blessings he’s given me. I have a husband who sticks by me through thick and thin, three amazing children, the best role models in my parents and other friends, etc. I feel like I strive to be better than ordinary when it comes to being a good person, but I should use my ordinary life to show just how blessed I am.

I believe that God gives grace to the ordinary. I am praying daily that he will show grace to me right now in my marriage. I am struggling daily, and have to rely on the grace of Jesus just to get through my day.

I believe that God graces those who have a heart that trusts Him- no matter how ordinary or extraordinarily.

I do really believe God graces the ordinary. I am about as ordinary as they come, and He has given His grace to me on countless occasions throughout my life, both to benefit others and to benefit me. I do still struggle with earning grace because I love Him so much and want to do something for Him in return. I have noticed that the more time that I spend with God, the more I am able to be a conduit of His grace rather than striving to be an earner of it.

I believe sometimes my prayer life should be more, that I should surrender to Him more; that I should stop allowing myself to be distracted.

For those who followed the law in that day and for those who believe that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior today, we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord.

I believe that God graces all believers. In God’s eyes we are all equal. We should all strive to be a better Christian and more like Jesus . Grace is a gift and not something you earn.

God graces the ordinary only for only the ordinary can know God. If we believe we are greater than we can’t have a good relationship with the God of the universe. We must come bearing all our sin and shame and come humbly before His feet and ask His love and forgiveness for our sins. Everyday we are to come bowing to the thrown for grace to live each day for Him.

Have questions?

We've got answers.

View Our FAQs

Thank you to our study partner