THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST

Mary was a very good woman, who tried to live her life in service to God and others.

Appearing in the house where Mary lived Gabriel said, "Greetings, you greatly favored and honored one! The Lord is with you, and will bless you above all other women."

Mary had never seen an angel before. She didn't know what to say or what to do. She was fearful, and didn't understand what Gabriel's message meant.

"Don't be afraid," the angel told Mary. "God knows your heart and knows you are a virtuous woman. He has chosen you for a very special job. Listen to my message. It comes from God. You are going to have a baby, who you are to call Jesus. He will grow up to be a great King whose rule will never end. He will be called the Son of the Highest; and God will give Him the throne of David to sit upon."

"How is that possible?" Mary asked. "Who will be the Father of my child, seeing I have never known a man?" At the time Gabriel appeared to Mary she was engaged to Joseph, who was a descendant of David, who had been king of Israel years before. But Mary and Joseph were not yet married, and had never been alone. Mary knew Joseph was not the father of her child.

The angel explained that GOD would be the Father of her baby. "The power of God will come upon you," Gabriel told her, "and God will plant a seed inside you which will grow into a baby. Because you are the mother, the child will be human, because God is the Father, the baby will also be the Son of God.

"Your relative, Elizabeth, is going to have a baby too, in spite of her old age. A child has been growing for six months inside of Elizabeth, who is past the age most women can have babies. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am God's servant," Mary said, "Let it happen to me as you say."

Then Gabriel left Mary and returned to heaven.