Some people do not show much interest in history, but even they
should want to know more of the story of Jesus - anything to do with His
story is really worth knowing.
One of the important writers of His story is Luke who first of
all "carefully investigated everything from the beginning." 1*.
I think you will enjoy "His Story" as we go through this series
from Luke's Gospel and you discover how very important the story of Jesus
is for today!
"In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named
Zechariah." His wife Elizabeth was barren - they had no children. 2*.
Zechariah was gripped with fear one day when an angel appeared to
him.
"But the angel said to him; `Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer
has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to
give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, .. he will be
great in the sight of the Lord. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even
from birth.
"Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their
God. And he will go on before the Lord.. to turn ..the disobedient to the
wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'"3*.
Zechariah realized his wife Elizabeth was too old to ever hope for a
baby now! This news of a miracle from God was very hard to believe!
It is still the same today when people hear about the miracle God
wants to do for them - they find it hard to believe. I wonder do you?
What miracle does God want to do for us today? It is something we
could NEVER get ourselves but I hope you have wanted it! God wants to put
into your life a pure heart 4*. - He wants to forgive your sins and make you
a new and different kind of person. 5*.
God promises to do this simply "through faith in Jesus Christ to all
who believe." 6*.
Do you think it is too good to be true? Are you willing
to trust God to do this for you right now? Or are you just not interested?
Zechariah wanted the miracle he had been told about - but he wondered
was it possible! "The angel answered,`I am Gabriel. I stand in the
presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this
good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day
this happens, because you did not believe my words..'"
"After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant." 7*. The Lord was
able to give them the baby He promised even although they were already well
on in years and had found it so hard to believe.
Don't YOU doubt the goodness and power of God for you today. Put
your trust in Jesus now to give YOU a pure heart - a new life - so that you
will be a "born again" person who will be a member of God's family from now
on.8*.
Zechariah found it hard to believe what God promised him, but he did
believe.
Read about him in John's gospel chapter 1, verses 1-25.
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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In order to browse further "Good News Compage" prompts and commentary for Luke's Gospel check out the review index.
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Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 verse 3.
2 verses 5-7.
3 verses 11-17.
4 Psalm 51:10.
5 see Acts 13:38-39.
6 see Romans 3:21-26. Ephesians 2:8-10.
7 verses 18-24.
8 John 1:12-13.
