Luke 1:57-80
Verse 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
All hope and anticipation continue to grow until they find their fulfillment. For Elizabeth and Zechariah, that moment came when they were naming John. The baby had been a fulfillment of sorts for the long barren couple but it was when they stood in obedience to the Lord by naming him John that the true fulfillment of his birth was made known.
Through song, Priest Zechariah declared what he had been unable to say for the nine months prior. This beloved son, born in their late years, was a gift. This gift was not just for them, it was for the whole nation. This boy was promised to prepare the way for the promised Messiah. The fulfillment of time was beginning and it was time to open their eyes and hearts to what God was doing.
The people of Israel were hoping for a messiah who would fit their liking. They hoped for a ruler to come to their rescue and to establish a strong earthly kingdom, saving them from the Romans. God, on the other hand, was setting in motion His plan for a kingdom not limited by the confines of earth.
God had placed John in this space and time to start turning the people’s minds back to the God they had replaced with the law. They didn’t realize they had started looking to the law instead of God but by being more concerned with the keeping of the law and making the needed sacrifices when they broke it, they had turned their focus from the holiness of God to trying to work for His acceptance.
That is why John’s birth and ministry was so important. The forerunner of the Messiah was there to call God’s people to repentance and help them see their need of the Savior who would soon be walking among them.
Making It Personal
Are there ways where your view of God must be corrected? Are you more focused on keeping the law or focused on God? What part does repentance play in your life?
Making It Personal Kids
Why is it important to obey God for the right reasons? What do you think it means to repent? Why is repenting important?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for always fulfilling Your promises. Help us to focus our eyes on You and Your Lordship over our lives instead of just keeping Your laws. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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