Jesus didn’t come to start something new, but to finish something very old. The birth of the Messiah Jesus means that God remembered his holy covenant! All the promises of God find their “Yes” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). The story of Zachariah and Elizabeth shows us how the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise. After Elizabeth gave birth to John – the forerunner of the Messiah – Zechariah prophesied and praised God in Luke 1:68-75:
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”
After centuries of waiting for the promised Messiah, the God of Israel would now visit and redeem his people. As the prophets of old had spoken, a horn of salvation would come and save God’s people from their enemies. John the Baptist would pave the way for the mercy God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Through faith in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection we are delivered from our greatest enemies of sin, death, and the devil. Verses 74-75 say that God has fulfilled his promise and delivered us so that we “might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” We are saved to serve. God’s mercy means we now live for him.
- Love him: Spend time with him. Listen to him. Read his Word. Love what he loves and hate what he hates. Let his heart become your heart. Pray, sing, give thanks, worship. Daily remind yourself of God’s love and forgiveness.
- Obey him: Confess and turn from the remaining expressions of sin in your life. Submit feelings, thoughts, words, actions to him. Walk in obedience. Let go of your dreams, your idea of success and contentment. Let God’s plan and purpose for your life be your greatest dream. Submit your decisions to him.
- Share him: Give your time, talent, and treasure for his purposes. Love and serve his bride, the Church. Live life on mission. Live openly. Speak about him. Spread his love and his Word. Love and serve others. Give them the kindness and grace you’ve received. Care about those still lost in darkness.
0 Comments