Author: Bill Hall

Luke 1:68 ““Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,”

   Notice that the focus is not on John. Zacharias is focused on the Redeemer. This is because of the Holy Spirit Who was speaking to him, giving him the words to say.
   This is always the way of the Spirit, keeping the focus upon Christ. He is the hope of every man.

Heavenly Father, thank You for hope in Christ! Thank You for keeping the message clear. We need the Second Adam every second. He keeps us alive. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:67 “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:”

   Notice the highlights of the activity of the Holy Spirit. This is little wonder for the author of the Acts of the Apostles. Were it not for Luke’s gospel and it’s sequel, we would have a much less clear picture of the role of the Spirit. This is very significant. The role of the Holy Spirit in this present age must be clearly understood. His work in our hearts is vital, and completely Christ-centered.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Spirit! It is amazing that You have chosen to use us to preach the gospel to the world. May we always bring to bear upon the world the love of Christ, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of the Father. I love You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:66 “And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.”

   The hand of the Lord was certainly with John. But what exactly did that mean? The people didn’t know the specifics, but they knew it would be something special. Before the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost, the Spirit was given to certain individuals at certain times. In the case of John, he had the Spirit from birth.

Heavenly Father, thank You for how You have blessed us with Your Spirit. We will praise You for Your plan for us. You know what is best. Your leading is such a comfort to us! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:65 “Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.”

   Though the Jewish people did expect the Messiah, their expectations were very colored by recent history. The Maccabees had accomplished much for the Jews, but by force. Thus, the Jewish mindset was to look for the Messiah to be a military leader. The circumstances of John’s birth, as a result, enjoyed only regional popularity.

Heavenly Father, help us to see with Your eyes. You see clearly. But for us, we must rely on Your vision like a good pair of glasses. We cannot see things as they really are. We praise You for Your wisdom, and Your great plan! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:64 “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.”

   Zacharias was released from the rebuke of Gabriel the moment he expressed his faith by declaring the name of John. This is very interesting because it reveals to us God’s thinking. Gabriel said Zacharias would be mute until ‘these things’ took place. But all of the things Gabriel foretold had not yet taken place. For example, John’s preaching ministry had not yet begun.
   However, all that Zacharias needed to accomplish had been done. He had named the child as the had been instructed. The rest of it was out of his hands so to speak. So he was released we he had acted in accordance with what Gabriel had told him. All that Zacharias had to do with the fulfillment of had indeed come to pass.

Heavenly Father, may we be faithful to act upon what You have told us. We want to honor Your truth with obedience. It is the best way to show that we truly believe. Faith without works is dead. You deserve more than a dead lip service. We want to be living testimonies of Your grace and mercy. We love You, and we thank You for loving us first! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

I am taking a week off from posting. I will resume next Sunday, the Lord willing. Have a blessed week!

Luke 1:63 “And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.”

   The group was rebuked by Zacharias. Elizabeth had already made it very clear what the child should be named. Zacharias took it a step further and explained in his response that the child had already been named. There was no need for discussion, it was already done. This was altogether correct because the child was already named directly by God.

Heavenly Father, help us to take a bold stand for You. We are to be kind and loving, but we need not change the facts of the message. What You have done, You have done, regardless of the world’s incredulity. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:62 “So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.”

   Of course, Zacharias would have the final say. But, it was incredibly unkind of those present to assume that Elizabeth and Zacharias wouldn’t be in agreement. Obviously, they didn’t even take the time to write out the question, quite unthoughtful.

Heavenly Father, make us kind! It is amazing how kind You are to us. You are full of goodness. You are holy, loving, and kind. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:61 “But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

   Jewish families name children after relatives for several reasons. For one, tradition, everything is about tradition. Also, it is a custom many in the ancient world observed. Finally, it was done in honor of that relative. In connection with that thought, they hoped the child would receive the same blessings as the honored relative.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing blessings. How can we ever pay You back? Though we cannot, You have given us the ability to love You. You are worthy of all the praise! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 1:60 “His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”

   This was very clear to Elizabeth, otherwise she would not have spoken this definitely. There was no discussion or disagreement between her and Zacharias. But, they would likely not have mentioned the name to anyone, or only a select few, before this.

Heavenly Father, thank You for guiding us. You show us things in Your good time. Though we think we know the best timing, we don’t. We praise You for always getting it just right. You are Lord! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.