Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?
Summary: Disagreements take many forms. Some result in physical conflict, others are a test of wills.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:11a – People Are Power”Ephesians 6:16c – Potshots
… the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Summary: Today, we look at the devil’s attempts to put a flaming arrow in our Lord’s back. Spoiler Alert: It doesn’t go well for Satan.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:16c – Potshots”John’s Mission
As we get closer to Christmas Day, we are walking through the scriptures that tell us the story of Jesus’ birth. We have seen the Annunciation or formal announcement of the coming events by the angel Gabriel to Mary. We have seen Zechariah’s voice restored after proclaiming his baby’s name to be John as the angel Gabriel instructed him. Now we hear John’s words of prophecy by the Holy Spirit regarding the coming Messiah and his own son’s mission as the herald of the coming king. John will be called a prophet of the Most High and will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him…
… to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins…
Luke 1:77
John’s mission was to proclaim salvation through the forgiveness of sins. He must have been a very effective preacher because people came from all over the Holy Land to hear his words. Many of them humbled themselves, admitting their sin and confessing their desire to repent. Those that did receive a symbolic baptism of water, a ceremonial washing as it is called in some places.
Continue reading “John’s Mission”Zechariah’s Song
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is also the story of John the Baptist. The two men would be bound together in their service of God’s will. When Zechariah is finally able to speak again, Luke records his first words.
After stating, “His name is John,” Zechariah bursts into praise for God, and the praise he speaks tells us about who the coming Christ is and also what God promises through him.
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.’”
Luke 1: 67-68
Like John the Baptist, Zechariah heralds the coming of Christ. It is interesting, too, how he phrases his prophecy.
‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,Continue reading “Zechariah’s Song”
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.’
The Hand of God
When John the Baptist was born nobody would know about the “Baptist” part for almost 30 years. What people did know was that something amazing was happening. Zechariah had seen a vision in the temple and had become mute, unable to argue with anyone let alone The Messenger from God. Then Elizabeth, a woman well past the age of childbearing became pregnant. For nine long months, Zechariah was unable to say anything until the time came to name the baby.
Luke 1: 65-66
” All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him.”
If you were God and you wanted to prepare your chosen people for a major event, what better way than to be silent for two hundred years or more? No prophets, no word from God until without warning God’s Messenger Angel, Gabriel, appears to Zechariah and then to Mary herself. Two women become pregnant within six months of each other, both by miraculous means. In a world where people love to talk about what happens to others, suddenly there was much to talk about!
Continue reading “The Hand of God”Baby John
This time of year we hear a lot about “the baby Jesus,” but no one ever seems to talk about “the baby John.” From a human perspective, John is a very important person in history holding a place of renown. He was the one who announced the arrival of Jesus, did the advanced groundwork, prepared the hearts of the people to be repentant and open to God’s will, and baptized the Savior himself. From God’s perspective, however, John is just a herald: No more than the guy in the Robin Hood story who rides out on a horse bearing a trumpet and a scroll to read from. He gets people’s attention and then relays the royal decree. Exit stage right.
Even so, this herald is very important to God’s plan. God fills John with the Holy Spirit from birth and keeps him set apart for a very special use. Today’s story is the follow up to the angel’s announcement of the coming birth.
Luke 1: 56-64
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 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 set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 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 set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
Continue reading “Baby John”