Luke 1:11-15 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 

Zechariah is going about his day, doing his duties, being a good priest, and BAM! An angel named Gabriel shows up - right there, next to the altar! And in the response that is as every person who meets an angel from God, Zechariah is “gripped with fear”. Others, as we’ll see, are “terrified”. Why?

          It is because they are suddenly face to face with their inadequacies, their weakness - their sin - before God’s holiness. God’s representatives come straight from the throne of Heaven. They bring heaven’s glory with them, and we sin-dirty humans are terrified. How can we ever feel safe in God’s glorious presence?

          Indeed, it is by God’s grace we can approach God’s holy presence. Yes, God’s grace comes very personally to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Gabriel tells him a wonderful gift is on its way. The gift of a son, long prayed for, no longer hoped for, is about to be unwrapped in the bosom of Elizabeth. And the gift is more than a son. The gift is John, one who will bring joy to his parents. And more magnificently, John will bring joy to God.

          John is one-of-a-kind. The Holy Spirit will fill him from the day of his conception. God has anointed him for a special task in the Jordan River about 32 years from this time.

          God’s gracious gift to Zechariah and Elizabeth is a demonstration of God’s gospel message. Feely God gives special messengers to make his name and his salvation known to us.  Thank you, God, for your grace that welcomes us into your presence. Thank you for your messengers to tell your marvelous plan of salvation for mankind. Thank you, Lord, for sending John and the Prophets to tell us of a Savior to come. Thank you for sending Jesus, who would return to Heaven with the gracious, comforting words, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) Thank you for your grace that allows us to step out of our fear, past the terror in our hearts and into your peace. 

         

Prayer: Holy Spirit, be our Comforter. Be our Help in our troubles here on earth. Be our gracious Messenger of Jesus’ love and salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Luke 1:5-7 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

LUKE mentions Herod here. In his gospel, Luke will make several references to secular rulers. As an historian, he does this to give evidence to prove the good news of Jesus come to earth is not fantasy, but Jesus Christ, God incarnate, has a true place in history. This is crucial to our defense of the gospel and our belief in Jesus as God’s son come to save us from sin’s death.

     Then Luke introduces the radical change God has planned to bring into our lives through a radical change in the lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The Bible is clear that God chooses people of all types, all ages and all circumstances to do his work. Wonderfully, Zechariah and Elizabeth seem perfect for God’s salvation pan as they are described as, “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.” Wow! Blameless before God, they are as good as people can be. But then we also know something was wrong for them as, “They had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.”

     This is how God acts, isn’t it? Go back to Genesis 11-12, and you will see this couple is very similar to Abraham and Sarah (first called Abram and Sarai). Note this from Genesis 11:30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. We know ultimately Abrham and Sarah had a son Isaac, who fathered Jacob, who fathered 12 sons to be the head of Israel’s 12 tribes.

     Now in Go’s power Zechariah and Elizabeth are to become as much a part of the miracle story of Emmanuel, God made flesh, as is Abraham and Sarah, and as Mary and Joseph. As God used the childless couple Abraham and Sarah to begin the great nation Israel, we will see that God will demonstrate this same transformational power to bring John (the Baptist) into Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s empty womb.

     We must remember how the Old Testament declares how God has used life-changing miracles through the centuries. Time and again he brought life into Israel’s barren hearts. Scripture is witness to the evidence of God’s radical life-giving miracles.

     God has his plan. Now he’s ready to break forth into the world in a new and life-giving way. See to come the surprise, wonder and awe this couple expressed to their God, who had chosen them. These are good emotions for us all who are chosen by God.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to know and trust in our barren times that you are the One to give life. In Jesus name, amen.

Luke 1:1-4 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

LUKE is a physician and ah historian. He is a man of knowledge who likes the details. He wants to get it right.

     Luke has been on a journey. First, many think, with Jesus when Jesus commissioned the 72 disciples (see Luke 10) and then with the Apostle Paul on his missionary journeys. Luke is being a good disciple. He is writing to a friend, Theophilus, to inform him and to convince him that Jesus is the promised Son of God, the Redeemer of all mankind.

     What is crucial to know is that Luke is writing as an historian. He has experienced some things of Jesus personally. And he has interviewed “eyewitnesses and servants of the Lord” to get the full story. Luke learned the details of Jesus’ life. Then he told the story to Theophilus—and to the world.

     This is where our Advent journey begins. This journey is to grow your knowledge more deeply into God’s specific plan of salvation, so you, too,  become an eyewitness to tell the truth of the Lord to your friends – and maybe to the world.

     As we approach this Christmas season, let’s see the reality of God’s Promises come true, the wonder of the virgin birth, the trials and challenges Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary and Joseph faced. Let’s see the terror of the shepherds in the fields and their joy at the manger. And let us with Mary, ponder in our hearts the meaning of the Christ-child’s birth for our lives and the lives of those we love.

Prayer: O Lord, we rejoice that you fulfilled your promise of a Savior. Urge us to tell our friends. In our Lord’s name, amen.

2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed (the Jordan River), Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." 10 And he said, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so."

IF you've been with me on our journey through the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, you have seen how God used these men to present the message of sin, salvation and service (the Bible's message) to Israel. In these writings, you may be mindful that I have been counting Elisha's miracles. I said on September 28 that if you stayed with me, you'll learn why I'm counting Elisha's miracles.

    The reason for the counting goes back to today's Scripture. As Elijah was about to ascend to Heaven, Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me." In the Hebrew culture, the "double portion" is the proportion of a father's property which was the right of an eldest son. Elisha, then, asked for twice as much of Elijah's spirit that he would be considered Elijah's' firstborn spiritual son above all the other prophets who lived at that time.

    Is that greed? No. It is a heart's desire to live a life that is completely devoted to God, regardless of the cost. In fact, Elijah's response to Elisha's request was, "You have asked me a hard thing." (2 Kings 2:10)

    Did God granted Elisha's "double portion" request? The Prophet's ministry required many years of hardship for Elisha; yet, we have seen 22 miracles God did through Elisha. These are double the recorded miracles God did through Elijah. Now, we're not counting the miracles to say one was more powerful than the other or a better prophet - or that in any way Elisha's works brought him closer to God. I point this out to acknowledge this truth: God uses people in different ways at different times for different purposes. (For example, see John 21:20-23).

    The Spirit of God formed Elisha's heart to ask for more so that he would glorify God, that he would make God known more and more into an Israel empty of faith and without God's presence. Elijah knew it would be a difficult request. God ordained it. He gave to Elisha the power to make it so.

    As we end our 7-month study of these the three Prophets Ezekiel, Elijah and Elisha, my hope is that you've seen how God used these men to display his holiness, his grace and his great love for his people. Our Father in Heaven does not exist to judge his people but to save them. He offers all of himself to display his righteous ways. But we must know and must tell the truth as the Prophets proclaimed. God's judgment does condemn the unfaithful. God's grace saves the faithful.

Prayer: My Father in Heaven, may your name always be holy on my lips. I confess that I am born a sinner, worthy only of your judgment. I believe you graciously sent Jesus to die that I may live with you. I thank you for sending the Holy Spirit upon me to breathe into me the breath of eternal life. Give to me a portion of your power that I may glorify your name into a world empty of faith and without you. In Jesus' precious name, amen.

Note: For the remainder of the Advent season we'll look at Luke's account of Jesus' birth. Then we'll resume our study of the "Five E's" with the account of Esther.