Luke 1 (6)

Pray Psalm 105-3-7.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!
He is the LORD our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.

Sing Psalm 105.3-7.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
Glory in God, rejoice in heart, all you who seek His holy part.
Him and His strength and Presence seek; His works proclaim, His judgments speak.

You holy children of Abraham, you chosen ones of Jacob, stand!
He is our Lord, of wondrous worth; His judgments are in all the earth.

Read Luke 1.1-80; meditate on verses 57-80.

Preparation
1. How did Zacharias interpret John’s birth? What did it fulfill?

2. What did he foresee that John would do?

Meditation
Elizabeth’s time comes due and her child is born. Zacharias agrees with Elizabeth that his name must be John. And he knows what John’s birth portends: the coming of the Lord to bring the knowledge of salvation and the fulfillment of God’s ancient promise (vv. 78-79). He has not forgotten what the angel told him, and now he rejoices to proclaim it.

In John’s birth, all the great promises of the old covenant are ready to burst forth unto fulfillment (vv. 68-75). Like great horses champing at the bit to break out of the gate, the promises of God, longed for and believed by faithful generations of the people of God, are now about to erupt into human history all at once, all to be fulfilled in the birth of the Lord Jesus (2 Cor. 1.20). John’s birth signaled that the time was near for the coming of salvation to the world.

Zacharias offers some guidance in how to read the Old Testament. From Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, we need to read the Old Testament forward, realizing that the whole of it points to Jesus (Jn. 5.39). All its promises, all its commandments, all its types and symbols, all its most noble and holy examples, all point forward to Jesus. In His coming, the salvation of God arrives to deliver us from our enemies, physical and spiritual, and to make a people who will live in holiness and righteousness before Him all their days (vv. 74, 75). Zacharias preaches as though the event has already occurred (vv. 78, 79), so certain is he that, as the Dayspring from on high rises over all the earth, salvation, life, and peace will spread to all peoples everywhere (vv. 76-79). All that was left to do was wait – wait for John to grow, begin his ministry, and point the world to Jesus (v. 80).

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
When Zacharias agreed that his son’s name was indeed John, his chastening was over, and his speech returned to him. “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God” (Lk. 1.64).

He no longer questioned God in unbelief, but he wholeheartedly embraced the truth and wisdom of God. His speech was restored; but more importantly, his faith was restored, and he experienced freedom and release from the bondage of his sin.

And what a glorious feeling that is! We all participate in this same event every time we confess our sins and turn to go on another path. We are restored. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1.9). We rejoice in our forgiveness, freedom, and release. Our speech is restored so that we will praise God with our voice and with our life. There is a purpose to restoration. “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (Ps. 130.3, 4).

Zacharias himself said, “To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies [and our sin], might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life” (Lk. 1.74, 75). We are forgiven to serve God in our Personal Mission Field, to be holy, and to be righteous. All the days of our life.

Zacharias prophesied about John’s calling, and about Jesus’ redemptive work. And His redemptive work has saved us and given us light when we sat in darkness and in the shadow of death before we knew Him. And then Zacharias prophesied about what our great salvation should do in us: it should “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Lk. 1.79). We are to put off our old self which is corrupt, and we are to be renewed in the spirit of our mind and put on our new self which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4. 22-24).

God’s precious promises are fulfilled in Jesus. And because we believe that is true, we are redeemed, restored, and revived, to speak and praise His glorious Name. No longer mute.

For reflection
1. In some ways, our ministry is the same as John’s was. Explain.

2. All the promises of God are fulfilled in Jesus. What does that mean for you as you claim those promises for your daily life?

3. With whom can you share the Good News of Jesus and His deliverance today?

God promised Abraham that he would bless the entire world, that is, that through Christ a sermon would go out that would bless everyone. This promise was long delayed, as it is with all promises, but still he delivered what he promised to our father Abraham. If then such mercy was promised and sworn to the ancestors, it is clear that God is not merciful and gracious to us because of our merits but solely out of grace. Martin Luther (1483-15456), Afternoon Sermon on St. John’s Day (1525)

Pray Psalm 119.8, 9, 42-45.
Thank God for all His precious and very great promises, all of which are fulfilled in Jesus! Rejoice before Him to be called to His Kingdom and glory and sent to the world as His ambassador and witness. Offer this day to the Lord in specific detail, that He might be glorified in all you do.

Sing Psalm 105.8-11, 44, 45.
(Warrington: Give to Our God Immortal Praise)
He will His covenant faithfully guard – His oath, the promise of His Word.
That which He to our fathers swore, He will perform forevermore!

To them He granted the promised land, the portion of His gracious hand.
Though they were few, and wandered far, He kept them close within His heart.

So let us all in our Savior confide, and in His holy Law abide.
Let us observe His glorious Word, and praise our sovereign, faithful Lord!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.