As I look at Luke and read Mary’s story. And look at Matthew and read Joseph’s side of the story. Some interesting things strike me.
Both Mary and Joseph believed what the angel said to them. I guess, if I actually saw an angel, I wouldn’t doubt what he said either. But what he said to each of them was so big—and they were not. They weren’t royal. They weren’t rich. They weren’t even the top tier in their own village. They were ordinary people.
Jesus—on the outside—seemed just as ordinary. He didn’t seem any different from any other child. (Except, maybe that it says he was obedient!) He had a family tree—a line that could be traced. He learned and carried on the family business.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.(Luke 2:51)
Isn’t this the carpenter? (Mark 6:3a)
He seemed so ordinary, that when he began his ministry, his mother forgot the bigness of the promise:
“When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:21)
So many times I’m stopped. I try to correct/argue things and end up in a totally different place—with what I wanted to do undone. He didn’t get distracted. He didn’t leave those he was talking to and try to convince his family. He just said:
“Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)
His brother ended up as the head of the church in Jerusalem. Is there a lesson here?