Day 6: Luke 1:11-17
Zechariah and Elizabeth
Luke 1:11-17 continues the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was at this time serving in the temple, he was selected by throwing lots to burn incense for God, and it is here that an angel appears to him. He is afraid, but the angel tells him not to be afraid that God has heard his prayer. God has heard Zechariah's prayer and He is going to give them a son. The angel tells Zechariah that he will name his son John. John will bring his parents joy and make many people happy. He will be a great man for the Lord. John will never drink alcohol and even from birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will help many people return to the Lord and he will go forward in the spirit of the Lord to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.
John was not just the answer to his parents' prayers, but the person a God had chosen to prepare His people for His coming. Before John was born God had a plan for him. He knew his personality, he knew his faithfulness to abstain from alcohol, and he knew what John's life would mean to other people. John would bring happiness and restoration. God knew all of this before John was even born and He revealed this plan to his parents. God had heard their prayers and was going to bless them beyond their dreams. In this passage of Luke, God has revealed to Zechariah that He had a plan that far surpassed Zechariah's.
The life of John stood out from others because he was filled with the spirit of the Lord and he abstained from activities that would dilute the spirit in him. Since John stood out from others, he was able to guide people back to the Lord and make people happy. The story of John the Baptist is helpful for modern day Christians because we too have been set apart. Like John we have the potential to guide people to the Lord and to prepare them for the coming of the Lord. That is going to look different for each of us, but God has set us apart. An angel might not have told our parents that their prayers were going to be answered, but God still knew His purpose for our lives and the personality we would have. This December, remember we are each called like John to prepare the way for Jesus. In just a few weeks we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus. What better gift could we give to Him than to bring Him another lost person?
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