7. John the Baptist is born
– Luke 1:57-80
Luke 1:58 “Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.”
When those around you are being blessed and doing God’s work, share their joy. Don’t let Satin convince you that you should be jealous. More so, don’t think that you could do the task better than they can. God is in control. He gives blessings to those who he know will steward them well. He also appoints those in leadership. Be thankful and humble when God blesses you but also be thankful and humble when he blesses others.
Luke 1:63-64 “He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John.’ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.”
Why did God chose to make Zechariah silent? The angel Gabriel said earlier in the chapter that it was because he did not believe his words. The time of silence helped him become disciplined by God. Perhaps, Zechariah would have been hesitant to name the child John if he didn’t have the time of silence. It also served as a testimony to help those around him believe that the child was from God. It wasn’t until after he named the boy that he was able to speak again. The first words that came out of his mouth was praise to God. He now understood how blessed he was to have John as his son. Zechariah didn’t curse God for the time of silence but praised God. When times are tough, praise God. Take heart in knowing that he is in control and knows what is best.
Luke 1:76-77 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,”
Zechariah understood the significance and blessing of having John. His prophecy recognized that Jesus would come to redeem the world of its sins and John would serve as his prophet to prepare the people. Zechariah realized that God was fulfilling all of his promises in the Old Testament through the birth of his child. Allow for this prophecy to strengthen your faith. Recognize that the message came to Zechariah from God because it perfectly predicted future events.
Luke 1:79 “to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
God wants to bring light to your darkness. He wants to bring hope and joy to you. He wants to turn you from the way of destruction and onto the way of life. He wants to guide you onto his righteous path and provide you with peace. God loves you more than you can ever imagine. He holds you in his hands and places you onto his perfect path. Trust in him. Trust that he will bring you life abundantly. Do not worry about the future because he is in control. How great is it that the creator of the universe who orchestrates all things cares deeply for you and only wants the best for you?
Luke 1:80 “And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.”
John was isolated in the desert to strengthen his faith. It allowed God to work within him without being tainted by society. John had an honest perspective on God that would be necessary for the work he would do. Embrace isolation. You are never truly alone because you have God. In these times, press into him. Allow him to shape your perspective like he did for John.
