The Birth of John Promised

Our Love for God

God Commands Our Love, Respect, and Obedience:
Jesus: God's Loving Promise

Luke 1:11-17 The Message

8-12 It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment, it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense. The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering. Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense. Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.
13-15 But the angel reassured him, “Don’t fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John. You’re going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you—many will delight in his birth. He’ll achieve great stature with God.
15-17 “He’ll drink neither wine nor beer. He’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment he leaves his mother’s womb. He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God. He will herald God’s arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics—he’ll get the people ready for God.”

For Reflection

God made preparations for the arrival of God's son.  Through John, God prepared the spiritual climate and created the expectation that a messiah unlike the others, superior in all ways, would lead all peoples to freedom and salvation from the consequences of sin.

God prepares the path to your salvation.  All you have to do is recognize it and follow it.

Pray

Pray so that you will be able and willing to follow the path to salvation that the Lord has prepared for you.

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