Well Thanksgiving has gone by meaning now we can start into the Christmas stuff. Never before because we have to remember to be thankful for the gift that is given at Christmas. If I could get away with punching people in the face that start celebrating Christmas after Halloween I would do it. But I don't want a bunch of assault charges against me.
But since we're in the Christmas season I figured we could start a little series leading up to the reason for Christmas! With this series we'll be looking at the beginning of Luke for a couple reasons. 1) I like the book of Luke. 2) It gives us the most information leading up to the birth of Jesus. And 3) Luke is currently the only gospel I've read through since I started my new reading schedule last year. I'm almost through everything else though so then I get to read the other 3. Anyways, let's get started!
So starting in Luke 1.5-25, we see a man named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. They're old, they don't have any kids, and they've accepted it. They just go about their usual lives of a Priest and his wife. They were devote Jews, worshiping God and following his statues out of love and reverence for him. One day Zechariah goes into the temple to burn some incense and Lo! there's an angel standing there. Of course he's probably all majestic and formal standing there, but I like to picture him leaning against the alter, picking his fingers waiting for Zechariah to come in. When he does he looks up and goes, "Remain calm... Good news! What you want is going to happen! You're going to have a son! Here's all his stats."
Zechariah just looks at him, probably laughs a bit, then goes, "Na. My wife and I are old. Ain't gonna happen." Well the angel goes, "I'm Gabriel. The messenger for God himself. And because you're mocking God's messenger, and therefore God himself, you're not going to speak until your son is born. Laugh now!" And Zechariah can't speak. Eventually he goes home, and his wife becomes pregnant.
This is the first major event which leads to the beginning of a new age, a new religion, a new covenant between God and his people. This major event is the beginning of a man who will pave the way for Jesus and his ministry.
Looking at verses 14-17 we see the characteristics of this person, who will be named John, or as we know him, John the Baptist.
First off he's going to bring joy to people, because he will be great before the Lord, possibly meaning Jesus himself. He is going to come before Jesus, and will be a great prophet, or messenger from God to the people. He's going to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the message he will give will bring many to God. He'll have the power and spirit of Elijah, one of the greatest prophets in all of Israel's history. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill.
But then look at what Gabriel says about John, "...turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared." From this I think what we can gather is that there are many people in Israel at the time who are unprepared to meet their God. They're neglecting their children, they have no care for justice or obedience to God. But John is coming to help restore these people to their proper position and calling. To care for widows and orphans, those less fortunate than themselves, to desire justice above all else, to love what God loves and hate what God hates. John is coming then to prepare people to hear the truth from God himself, taking these teachings and putting them into practice, preaching by action, not just words.
All of which will bring joy to the world, especially those that embody those very attributes because of their relationship with the one who holds salvation.
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