Be an Announcer

Luke 1:16-17 “Many of the people of Israel will John bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
 
GOD has set the stage. Everything has been arranged in eternity past, and now God’s great love gift is about to come into the world! But there is one final thing to do. One final prophet must come on stage to prepare the way for the Savior.
    God wants to excite his people to cheer and to celebrate his Savior of the world. The Savior’s prophecies, his presence and his power await the announcer to introduce the Messiah to the Jews.
    Gabriel tells Zechariah that his son John is to be the impassioned announcer with a spirit and power as the prophet Elijah. In 1 Kings 17-19 you will read of Elijah’s passion to serve God and the miraculous signs the LORD used through him to awaken Israel to the True God. Elijah condemned Israel’s sins. He exhibited God’s salvation through life-giving miracles.
    God was about to use John in an “Elijah-like” way to awaken the Jews to his judgment and to his salvation. John’s preaching will prepare his people for the Savior. Many fathers will become men of God to lead their children to God. The chosen Jews and then the Gentiles will listen to what is right. Many from this time on will be ready to wholeheartedly receive their Savior!
    How about you? Have you met the Savior? If you haven’t, keep reading through Luke. Jesus, the Savior, has come. He is coming soon. If you have met the Savior, remember you have something wonderful to announce to the world, don’t you? You, too, can be as Elijah and John. You can tell of God’s power to forgive sins. You can proclaim to the world how you know Jesus has offered his eternal life to those who believe in him.
    Go ahead. Be a Jesus Announcer. Get people excited. Pray their hearts are prepared to meet Jesus. Tell your friends God’s Savior has come for them.
 
Prayer: Open my mouth, Lord, to announce your salvation. In Jesus’ saving power I pray, amen.