LUKE CHAPTER 1

LUKE CHAPTER 1

Scripture:

Today I will summarize Luke chapter 1 where Luke described why he was writing this book, where he described John the Baptist’s birth, and where he described the situation with Mary and the angel.  Luke wrote to a man named Theophilus.  He said he wanted to compile all the eyewitness accounts of the things about Jesus.  Luke said,” It is fitting for me to have investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught”.  Luke began, and wrote,” In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a man named Zacharias.  His wife’s name was Elizabeth.  She was old and barren.  While Zacharias was performing his priestly service, he was chosen by Lot to burn incense in the temple.  While he did so, an angel of God named Gabriel spoke with him and said,” Don’t be afraid.  Your prayers have been answered. 

Your wife will give birth to a son and you will name him John.  He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even while he is in the womb.  He will have the Spirit and power of the prophet Elijah.  He will be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy.  Zacharias didn’t believe the angel and questioned him.  The angel said,” I stand in the presence of God, and you doubt my words? Because you don’t believe me you will be mute until all these things take place.  So, Zacharias couldn’t speak any words at all.  He had to communicate by writings down. 

After a while, he went back home after his priestly duties were finished, and Elizabeth became pregnant soon after.” Luke continued,” the angel Gabriel was sent from God to Nazareth, to a virgin named Mary who was engaged to a man named Joseph.  The angel said, Greetings, favored one.  The Lord is with you.  You have found favor with the Lord. You will conceive a child, and you will call his name Jesus.  He will be called the Son of the Highest, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever.  His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said, “How is this possible since I am a virgin?  The angel said, “the Holy Spirit will overshadow you and you will become pregnant. 

Your child will be called the son of God.  Nothing is impossible with God.  Your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant in her old age.  She is also no longer barren.”  Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant.  Let it be done to me according to your word.  “Then the angel left.  A few months later, Mary went to see Elizabeth to congratulate her.  Mary got to the house and gave her a greeting.  As soon as she did, the baby John, still in his mother’s womb, jumped around for joy. 

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and said,” Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  How has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord has come to see me?  Blessed are you, Mary.  You believed that God would do what he said he was going to do in your life”. Mary then said, “my soul exalts the lord. My spirit rejoices in God my savior.  He has regard for me, his humble servant.  He has done great things with his mighty arm.  He fills the hungry with food.  He throws down rulers from their thrones. 

He sent the rich away empty-handed but gave Israel his servant’s help.  He remembered his mercy when he spoke to Abraham.  All generations from now on will call me blessed.”  About 3 months later, the time finally arrived when Elizabeth was going to give birth.  All her neighbors and relatives have gathered around.  They wanted to pick out the boy’s name.  They thought Zacharias was a good name, after his father.  Elizabeth said,” his name is going to be John”.

They questioned her and said, “We’ll ask Zacharias what he wants the name to be’.  Since he was still mute, they gave him a piece of paper and said,’ write down the boy’s name’.  Zacharias wrote the name, “JOHN” to everyone’s amazement.  As soon as he did that, his tongue was loosed and he began to praise God.  Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and he prophesied, and said, “Blessed is the Lord God.  He raised up a horn of salvation from us from King David’s family line.  He gave us salvation from our enemies and from everyone who hates us.  He showed his mercy towards our fathers, and now to us.  You, my son John will be called a prophet of the Highest. 

You will prepare the way for the Messiah.  You will give people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of God.’  And from there John continued to grow and become strong.  He left home and lived in a desert until the day of his public appearance before the Messiah arrived.

Observation:

The thing I think the lord wants to understand after reading this chapter is that he instructed the angel Gabriel to tell Zacharias and Mary some unbelievable things.  Zacharias was actually praying for his wife to become pregnant in her old age, but when Gabriel told him that his prayer was heard and the Lord said yes, he did not believe it was possible. 

Mary was not praying to become pregnant, but when the angel Gabriel told her she was going to have a baby as a virgin, she believed that God can do anything he wants any time he wants and she was willing to do his will whatever that looked like.  She was greatly rewarded for her faith.  Why is it so hard for some people to believe that God can do anything he wants at any time?  Do you believe that? If not, you don’t know the true God.  You can know him today. 

Why don’t you consider repenting for your sin and turning to the Lord for salvation today?  Jesus humbled himself and died on the cross as our substitute. The father who raised Jesus from the dead. God said if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe in your heart that the father raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. Come let us do that right now.   We all want God to answer our prayers.  We believe in the power of prayers, but when it comes down to our own individual lives and our problems, we often don’t have the faith to believe God will answer. 

The times we are living are very difficult.  We are often rapped by our unbelief and fear, but God is preparing us for the end-time harvest.  He wants to enlarge our territory.  He wants to bless us with an increase because his nature is to care and bestow divine favors on us.   We are the ones who limit him because of our lack of trust and our fear of stepping out in faith.  The truth is that the things we do for God should be outside of our ability.  When we back away from dependence and trust in God, we are not living by faith.  He wants us to trust and obey his word.  He wants us to be strong and courageous.   We need to be willing to attempt things big enough that unless God steps in, we are sure to fail.  This is the kind of trust and dependence he is looking for in our life.  We need not be shaken.  He can break through every obstacle.  He is the God of the Impossible!

Prayer:

Lord, I thank you that you are the God of the Impossible.  You can do anything.  I want to trust in your ability and not my own.  Teach me to see difficulties in my life from your perspective.  Help me to focus on you and your power.  I want to be like Joshua and Caleb who believed in a good report and focused on you even in hard circumstances. (Numbers 14: 7-9) My responsibility is to carefully read, trust and obey your word. 

I have nothing to fear with you on my side.  I will be strong and courageous even in hard times.  I will not be terrified or discouraged, for the lord my God will be with me wherever I go.  You will never leave me or forsake me.  You already know the best plan for my life.  I will try any man-made method to do only what you can do.  Teach me how to walk by faith and pray breakthrough prayers.  Show me father your supernatural powers.  I choose to have faith in your ability to break through every obstacle in my life.  Through you we push back our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame.  I will praise the Lord who counsels me.  I have set the Lord always before me.   Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.  Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices.  My body will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one sees decay.  You have made known to me the path of life.  You will fill me with your joy and presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  I make this prayer In Jesus’s name Amen.