I wonder if you are ever tempted to ask that question? "How can this be?" not in unbelief like Zechariah but in a genuine search for answers. I don't really blame Mary. What God asked of her was somewhat daunting. She wanted to ask God, how can this happen. We too want to know how the things God promises can become reality in our lives. Things like...
1. Receiving Jesus
The angel promised Mary that she would become pregnant and give birth to a son and call him Jesus... She says, "How can this be?" The angel's answer: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you ad the power of the most high will overshadow you." "Mary, you will have this gift of Jesus because the Holy Spirit will come upon you.
We often hear Christians talking about "asking Jesus to come into their hearts." How can this be?" The Holy Spirit comes into our hearts. It is he, the active power of the Most High, overshadowing us, who brings Jesus into our hearts.
Someone once came asking Jesus how to have eternal life. Jesus answered, "You need to be born again". The man, called Nicodemus, answered, "How can this be?" Jesus' answer was the same. "The Holy Spirit." (John 3. 6)
The Holy Spirit is at work whenever a person receives Jesus into their lives, whenever a person is "born again." Becoming a Christian, being born again, receiving Jesus (all different ways of saying the same thing) is a Holy Spirit event. That's why Paul says we all (as Christians) have the Spirit of Christ. If someone doesn't have the Holy Sprit he does not belong to Jesus. (Rom 8.9) I don't believe in what is sometimes called "second blessing theology." I don't believe we receive Jesus and then receive the Holy Spirit later. When we receive Jesus it is the Holy Spirit who comes. But there is always more of the Holy Spirit to receive.
2. Incarnation
The angel invited Mary to be part of this amazing thing we call the "incarnation." God becoming flesh. "The one born to you will be called 'Son of the Highest'". She says, "How can this be?" The angel's answer: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." "Mary, you are to play your part in God becoming flesh because the Holy Spirit will come upon you"
We have the challenge today of being incarnational, missional, as Christians and as a church. In our Mission statement we have agreed that God calls us to "Learning to show the Father's love." We are called to Discipleship, Demonstration, getting Deeper with God and Dealing with people in love. "How can this be?" It is the Holy Spirit at work within us who will make us incarnational. It is as the power of the Most High overshadows us that we will be enabled to be God's hands and feet in Rosyth, "learning to show the Father's love."
3. The Kingdom
The angel told Mary that her son would "reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there will be no end." She says, "How can this be?" The angel's answer: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you ad the power of the most high will overshadow you." "Mary, you are to play your part in the breaking in of the Kingdom of God because the Holy Spirit will come upon you."
The Kingdom is for all the world, for all people. Jesus taught the Kingdom, lived the Kingdom, demonstrated the Kingdom, and then before he died to entrusted the "Keys" of the Kingdom to his followers. And we, today, are called to continue to sow seeds of the Kingdom in the world we live in. There is plenty of injustice, plenty of pain, plenty of fear, in our world. We are to keep sowing seeds of "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit", which are the substance of The Kingdom of God. "How shall this be?" It is the Holy Spirit that will bring the kingdom to our world though our prayers, our ministry, our service in the world; it is by the power of the Spirit that the sick can be healed and the demons driven out; it is by the power of the Spirit that injustice can be toppled; it is the Holy Spirit who will bring the final, complete triumph of God's Kingdom in due course.
The Christmas season is a very Pentecostal season. Luke in particular emphasises the Holy Spirit's work. The story of Mary emphasises the connection of the work of the Spirit, with the major theological themes of the new birth, the incarnation, and the coming of the Kingdom:. And we are connected with these theological themes. They are our themes. They should be part of our lives.
That means the Holy Spirit should be part of our lives; he should be welcomed in our lives. We need to say to him "I want to be God's servant. Let it happen to me according to your word." Then let the Holy Spirit ruin you.
© Gilmour Lilly November 2011
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