The Christmas Story #3
The birth of John the Baptist
By now Elizabeth’s waiting was over, for the time had come for the baby to be born—and it was a boy. The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives of how kind the Lord had been to her, and everyone rejoiced. When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They all assumed the baby’s name would be Zacharias, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! He must be named John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they asked the baby’s father, talking to him by gestures. He motioned for a piece of paper and to everyone’s surprise wrote, “His name is John!”
Instantly Zacharias could speak again, and he began praising God. Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread through the Judean hills. And everyone who heard about it thought long thoughts and asked, “I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in some special way.”
Then his father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to visit his people and has redeemed them. He is sending us a Mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago— someone to save us from our enemies, from all who hate us. “He has been merciful to our ancestors, yes, to Abraham himself, by remembering his sacred promise to him, and by granting us the privilege of serving God fearlessly, freed from our enemies, and by making us holy and acceptable, ready to stand in his presence forever.
“And you, my little son, shall be called the prophet of the glorious God, for you will prepare the way for the Messiah. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. All this will be because the mercy of our God is very tender, and heaven’s dawn is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, and to guide us to the path of peace.” The little boy greatly loved God and when he grew up he lived out in the lonely wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. Luke TLB
I pray you are enjoying the readings this week! How wonderful is our God to sit with us and share the story of how much he loves us and keeps his promises! I love watching Christmas movies with my family during the Christmas season, but there is nothing that can compare to this story right here. It is the best ever! Hallelujah!
Affirmations; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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