What Would this Child Be? (Luke 1:57-80)
Most couples anticipate the birth of their first child with great joy. This was especially true in the case of Zechariah and Elizabeth because Elizabeth had been barren and unable to have children. It wasn’t until both she and her husband were elderly that she miraculously became pregnant.
Elizabeth’s pregnancy in itself was ample proof of God’s blessing on this couple. Yet, there was another sign that this child would have a special role in God’s plan. When the angel Gabriel informed Zechariah that he and his wife would have a child, Zechariah disbelieved him. As a result, Gabriel took away his speech until the child’s birth.
Luke tells us what happened next. In chapter 1, verses 57 through 66 of his inspired Gospel he writes, “Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” They made signs to his father, what he would have him called. He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled. His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.”
The reaction of the relatives and neighbors to the birth of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son is amusing. They gathered on the eighth day after the child’s birth to circumcise him as both God’s covenant with Abraham and the Law of Moses required. On the one hand, they shared in the couple’s joy. They were happy that after waiting so many years Zechariah and Elizabeth finally were able to have a child. On the other hand, they acted as if the child belonged to them rather than to Zechariah and Elizabeth. They took it upon themselves to name the child. Elizabeth had to intervene to prevent them from naming him after his father and, even then, they argued with her. It was only after Elizabeth objected to the name they chose that they bothered to consult the child’s father. They were astonished when Zechariah insisted that his son’s name was John – the name which the angel Gabriel instructed he be given.
Even more startling to the neighbors and relatives is what happened when Zechariah obeyed the angel’s instruction. Immediately his tongue was loosed and he was able to speak again. It is significant that the first thing Zechariah did was to praise God. Perhaps a reason we do not experience more of God’s blessings is that our obedience is lacking and we don’t acknowledge what God has done for us.
After witnessing or hearing about these astonishing events, people asked a very important question. What would this child become? Surely his miraculous birth and the miraculous healing of his father pointed toward some special purpose which God had for this child.
There was no doubt in Zechariah’s mind what John’s birth meant. In verses 67 through 80 Luke writes, “His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the 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 who have been from of old), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.” The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”
Zechariah praised God for redeeming His people. Though God’s plan to redeem mankind would not reach fulfillment until over 30 years in the future, Zechariah considered it as an accomplished fact. In the birth of his son he could see that God was keeping His promises made to him through the angel Gabriel. God was also keeping the oath which He swore to Abraham and the covenant promises He made to the Israelites. Therefore, there was no reason to doubt that God would complete what He had begun. We should learn from Zechariah’s example. All too often we doubt the character of God. We question whether He will do as He promised. However, we should realize that when God states that something will take place or that He will give us something, it is as good as done. It may take some time, as we count time, to come about but it will happen.
Zechariah also understood the purpose for which God was redeeming and rescuing His people from their enemies. Is was so they could serve God in holiness and righteousness without fear. All too often we use the peace and security God grants us for the wrong purposes – we cast off restraint and indulge our own desires instead of using the opportunity to serve God. We use our freedoms to turn away from God and the righteous life He wants us to live. It isn’t until we face trouble and difficulties that we call out to God and turn to Him again.
The angel had clearly told Zechariah that John would prepare the way for the Lord. Perhaps Zechariah used the months of silence when he could not speak to ponder what that meant. He realized that John would teach people about salvation and the forgiveness of their sins. It would be like the rising of the sun after a black night. John’s message would guide those living in the shadow of spiritual death to the paths of peace.
This raises an important question. We are living many hundreds of years after John. The message of forgiveness and peace has already been proclaimed. The Savior for whom John prepared the way has already come. Have we believed the message? Do we follow the Savior?
If you would like to learn about the birth of the Savior, please listen to our next program.
All Generations Will Call Me Blessed (Luke 1:39-56)
There are some events which turn our life upside down. One minute everything is normal. Our routine is the same as all the previous days. Then, suddenly something happens and from that moment our life will never be the same again. How we respond to such life-changing events displays our inner character. Some people become angry and begin to rail against heaven for upsetting their life. Others weep and curse their fate. Some give into despair. Still others humbly accept what God brings and seek the good in it. They praise God even though, from a human point of view, their life has just been devastated.
Such a life-changing event came to Mary. One moment she was going about the normal routine of her day. Perhaps she was mending clothes. Perhaps she was cleaning the house. Perhaps she was getting ready to go to the market to buy food for the next meal. Perhaps she was thinking about and making preparations for her coming marriage to Joseph. But then, an angel interrupted her and informed her that even though she was a virgin she would bear a son through the power of the Holy Spirit. Never again would Mary’s life be the same. In that moment she lost her reputation in the village as a pure and holy woman, for who would believe her when she said that she had not slept with a man? That moment put her entire future at risk, for why would Joseph still wish to marry her? What could she do? Who could she even talk to without them thinking that she was lying or demented?
Mary had only one hint about what to to. The angel told her that her aged relative, Elizabeth, who had been barren all her life was also going to have a child. In chapter 1, verses 39 through 56 of his inspired Gospel, Luke tells us what Mary did. “Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!” Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed. For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name. His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty. He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.” Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.”
Mary may have wondered what kind of reception she would face at Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home. Would they receive her kindly or would they view her with suspicion and refuse to believe her account of what happened? If Mary was apprehensive about how she would be received, Elizabeth immediately put her fears to rest. Filled with the Holy Spirit Elizabeth joyously greeted Mary and called her blessed. It is important to note that Elizabeth not only called Mary blessed because she would give birth to the Lord, but also because Mary believed.
Elizabeth’s words express an important principle. There is a link between blessing and belief. Many times we cut ourselves off from the blessings God wants to give us because we neither believe what He has said to us nor have we obeyed what He has asked us to do. Scripture says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV) Mary not only believed God’s message to her, she also accepted it – therefore she was blessed.
No doubt Elizabeth’s greeting was a great comfort and encouragement to Mary. Upon hearing it she lifted her voice in praise. What Mary said is worth studying in detail but we will take the time to briefly mention only a few things.
She said, “…the Mighty One has done great things for me…” (Luke 1:49). Many people in Mary’s circumstances would have blamed God and said that He had ruined their life. But Mary could look beyond the cruel gossip and the sneers of her neighbors. She could look beyond shame and abuse the village would heap on her. She could even look beyond the hurt and disappointment of those who loved her yet couldn’t believe the truth about how she came to be with child. She knew that God had chosen her out of all women to be the mother of the Messiah. She knew that in spite of whatever the people of Nazareth accused her of, future generations would call her blessed. Today we do not even know the names of any of the other residents of Nazareth, but people all over the world hold Mary in the highest honor and respect. Can we, like Mary, look beyond our current circumstances to see how God is blessing us?
Mary also said, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.” (Luke 1:52) Many people have the idea that God only works through the rich and powerful. They think they are too insignificant to have a place in God’s plan. But Mary knew that God can use anyone who is humble and is willing to obey. Many years later the Apostle Paul wrote, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NIV) Like Mary are we willing to let God use us regardless of our earthy status?
Another thing Mary said is, “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.” (Luke 1:54-55) From this we see that Mary was fully aware that through her God was fulfilling the covenant promises He had made to Abraham. Are we aware of how God is working in us to fulfill His promises?
Mary stayed with Elizabeth until close to the time for Elizabeth’s child to be born. If you would like to know more about John the Baptist’s birth, be sure to listen to our next program.
I Am The Lord’s Servant (Luke 1:26-38)
When we want to do something which we think is important and will have a major impact on the world, we try to enlist the help and support of the wealthy, the powerful and the influential. But God works differently. The prophet Isaiah wrote, ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV) And so, when it came time to bring the Savior into the world, God did it in a way which no one expected. He did not cause the Savior to be born in the palace of the Roman Emperor. He did not have the Savior raised in the house of a famous philosopher. He did not enlist the help of a wealthy banker or merchant. Instead, God selected a poor, young peasant girl from an obscure village to play a crucial role in His plan to redeem mankind from sin.
In chapter 1, verses 26 through 38 of his inspired Gospel, Luke tells us what God did, “Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing spoken by God is impossible.” Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.”
It is no wonder that Mary was greatly troubled by the angel’s greeting. In normal circumstances a Jewish woman would have been delighted by the news that she would give birth to a son. But these were not normal circumstances. Though Mary was engaged to be married, the wedding had not taken place. Bearing a child before the wedding would be a betrayal of Joseph, her betrothed. It would break the vows she had made to him. It would dishonor her family name. It would set all the tongues in the village wagging and ruin her reputation. So, how was this news an indication that she had found favor with God? How could the angel say that the Lord was with her? From a human point of view it seemed like her life was about to be ruined.
Then, there was the practical aspect of the situation. Virgins don’t bear children. It is worth noting that Mary did not doubt what the angel said – she was merely confused about how it would be fulfilled. The angel assured Mary that God, the Creator, is not bound by the normal methods of reproduction. The child would be conceived by the power of God. In a sense, every child is conceived by the power of God for it is God who gives life. Yet, Mary’s situation was different in that no man was involved. God’s Holy Spirit would place the child in her womb though she was a virgin. Since God’s Spirit is holy, the child would also be holy. Since no man fathered the child, he would be called the ‘Son of God’.
But who is this child which would be born? The angel instructed Mary to give him the name ‘Jesus’. This is the Greek pronunciation of the Hebrew name ‘Joshua’ which means, ‘Jehovah saves’. This was a clear indication that this child would be the Savior which the Jewish prophets had long promised. The angel of the Lord explained it this way to Mary’s fiancé, Joseph, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NIV)
Not only would the child become the Savior, he would be ‘great’. The angel did not elaborate what this means. However, in another place we read, “…God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV) To put it another way, there is no one who is greater than the child Mary bore.
The angel told Mary that Jesus would be called ‘the Son of the Most High’. Aside from the fact that Jesus had no physical father, there is another reason Jesus is the Son of God. He shares the same character as God. Scripture says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” (Colossians 2:9 NIV) Because of this Jesus would later say, “…Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9 NIV)
Not only is Jesus the Son of God, He is also the ‘son of David’. Scripture provides two different genealogies for Jesus. Scholars believe that one of them traces Jesus’ legal lineage while the other gives His actual line of descent. The important thing is that both genealogies trace Jesus’ ancestry back to King David. In both cases Jesus is the heir of King David.
For hundreds of years the Jewish prophets proclaimed that God would enthrone an heir of King David who would reign over Israel forever. For example the prophet Isaiah writes, “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:7 NIV) The angel told Mary that her son would be the fulfillment of these prophecies.
Mary humbly submitted herself to God’s will. She believed and accepted what the angel told her even though she would have to face gossip, the loss of her reputation and possibly the loss of her marriage. Should we be any less willing to accept who her child is?
Even though Mary submitted to God’s will, it left her in a terrible position. How could she possibly explain her pregnancy? Who would believe her? How could she face Joseph? There was only one person she could talk to – her aged relative Elizabeth who also was pregnant. Mary hurried to visit her. If you would like to know more, listen to our next program.
He Will Go Before The Lord (Luke 1:5-25)
When a tragedy occurs it is common for someone to say, “Why doesn’t God do something?” The truth is that God often is doing something – but what He is doing is not apparent to us. The greatest tragedy of all was when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Through them sin entered the world and mankind has been in bondage to sin ever since. Through the centuries many people must have wondered why God wasn’t doing something about the unrighteousness, debauchery, hatred and evil which enslave His creation. In fact, God was working to redeem mankind. As the centuries passed He was carefully laying the groundwork so that when the time was right, the Savior could come to redeem mankind. Through the descendants of Abraham, the Jewish people, God taught the concepts and principles which would prepare people’s minds and hearts so they could accept the Savior. Through the Jewish prophets God promised that the Savior, His Anointed One, was coming.
At last Christ came, just as the prophets said He would. The Holy Bible contains four accounts of Christ’s work and teaching. One of them was written down by the “beloved physician”, Luke. Luke wrote the introduction to his Gospel in the same style as the Greek historians of the time. However, as soon as he began to recount the actual events recorded in the book he switched to a style of writing similar to that of the Old Testament prophets. By doing so he emphasized that the coming of Christ and the events of His life were not isolated from what God had done previously in human history. Rather, the coming of Christ was a continuation of God’s work to bring salvation to mankind which He began through the Jewish people. In fact, Christ’s coming, His work and teaching and, especially, His sacrificial death are a fulfillment of the prophecies found in the Jewish Scriptures.
Luke begins his account with the events leading to the birth of the person who would prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah whom the Jewish people had been waiting for hundreds of years. In chapter 1, verses 5 through 25 he writes, “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.” Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.””
The events Luke writes about are not only a fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, they are grounded in history. They are not a myth or the product of someone’s imagination. They are actual events which took place during the reign of King Herod. They were things which the people of that day could investigate for themselves. Since no one of that time could discredit them we also should take them as fact.
The priests who served in the Temple in Jerusalem could be chosen to burn the incense only once in their lifetime. Thus, to be chosen to do so was the height of aged Zechariah’s career. The honor conferred on Zechariah was compounded when the angel Gabriel appeared to him while he was performing this duty. Though Zechariah was an upright man in the sight of God, his immediate response was one of fear. Gabriel had to reassure him that he did not need to fear because he brought a message of joy – Zechariah’s prayer for a son had been answered.
This teaches us an important lesson about prayer. We often become discouraged and think that God is not listening to our requests. The truth may be that God has indeed heard our prayer, but the time is not right to grant what we have asked. Zechariah and his wife were both righteous. Their desire for a child was both good and right. But God wished to accomplish more than just bringing joy to this couple. He waited until it was humanly impossible for them to have a child before granting their request. As a result, there could be no doubt that the child’s birth was from God. There could be no question that God intended this child to fulfill a special purpose.
What was the role Zechariah’s son would play in God’s plan? Gabriel quoted the prophet Malachi to establish that this child would be the one who would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. He, himself, would not be the Messiah but would be the one who announced the Messiah to the world.
Unfortunately, Zechariah did not believe Gabriel’s message. Because of his unbelief, Gabriel struck him dumb until the child was born. Any further doubt was erased when Elizabeth became pregnant just as Gabriel said she would.
Six months after Elizabeth became pregnant, the angel Gabriel visited another person with a divine message. To learn what it was listen to our next program.
How Can We Know? (Luke 1:1-4)
Every day we are bombarded with a huge amount of information. Wherever we turn another message clamors for our attention. Newspapers, the radio, TV and the Internet demand we give our time and attention to what they have to say. Advertisers try to convince us that we need what they have to sell. Politicians and celebrities try to persuade us to join their causes. Rumor and gossip try to frighten, scandalize or tantalize us.
However, this leaves us with a problem. Many of the messages we hear contradict one another. If what this person says is true, then what someone else is telling us cannot be true. We need wisdom to discern whether one of them is correct or whether both are equally wrong. We need wisdom to know when someone is trying to mislead us. We need to learn to recognize truth when we hear it. Further, we need to learn what importance to assign to the truths we encounter – not everything which is true is worth our attention.
We face the same dilemma in regard to spiritual things. There are many different philosophies and beliefs, each claiming to be the truth. Some people say that as long as a person is sincere, it doesn’t matter what he believes – the various religions and philosophies are merely different paths which all lead to God. But this concept cannot be correct. Roads which go in opposite directions do not arrive at the same destination. Different religions contradict each other. What one affirms as truth another denies. Since this is so, how can they direct a person to the same reality? Some religions even deny the existence of God altogether. How can following such a religion lead one to God? No, either God exists or He does not. The truth about Him does not change no matter what some religious teacher may claim. We need discernment to recognize the truth and to separate it from falsehood.
This being the case, how can we know when a spiritual teacher is telling us the truth? How do we know that he is not mistaken? Something which gives us confidence in the message is the personal experience of the person who is proclaiming it. Did he personally witness the events he is telling us about? Did he personally hear the teaching? One of the things which gives us great confidence in the teaching about Jesus Christ is that it comes directly from people who spent time with Him – they personally saw what He did; they heard for themselves what He said. The Apostle John writes concerning this, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1 NIV)
The Holy Bible contains four books which tell us of the life, work and teaching of Jesus Christ. All four of them are based on eye-witness testimony. Two of them were written by Apostles whom Jesus chose to live and work with Him throughout His ministry. The other two were written by men who were closely associated with the Apostles and were careful to investigate the facts.
Luke begins his inspired account of the life and teaching of Jesus in this way, “Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.”
Who was the man who penned these words? Though his name does not appear in his account, the tradition of the church has always ascribed the book to Luke. Luke was an associate and friend of the Apostle Paul. Luke accompanied Paul on some of Paul’s evangelistic journeys and helped him in his work. Paul called Luke “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14). From this we learn that Luke was a highly trained professional. As a physician he, no doubt, was taught to carefully observe and investigate a patient’s symptoms before making a diagnosis. This skill in observation is evident in his writing. Both in his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, which he also wrote, we find a wealth of details which are lacking in other accounts.
It appears that Luke was also a highly educated man. Like the other writers of the New Testament Scriptures he composed his account in the Greek language. However, his accounts use the most literary and polished Greek in the entire New Testament. In contrast to Mark who wrote in the language of the laboring class, Luke’s language is that of an educated scholar.
What was Luke’s purpose in writing this account of Christ’s work and teaching? He says that it is so the reader may “know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:4) Jesus claimed not only to be a teacher sent from God, but the Savior whom God sent into the world to redeem mankind. Therefore, it is important that we know the truth about Him with certainty. If we can be certain that Jesus really is the Savior then it will be easier for us to follow Him and live for Him. On the other hand, if we are not certain who Jesus is nor certain about what He did, then our faith will remain weak and ineffective.
In view of this, how can we be confident of the things Luke wrote in his account? We can be confident because he did not merely write down random rumors about Jesus. On the contrary, he diligently researched and investigated his subject. He sought out the written accounts of eyewitnesses of those events he did not personally witness. In addition, it is likely that he interviewed people who were present. For example, he gives details of Jesus’ birth that do not appear in the other accounts – details that only Jesus’ mother, Mary would have known. Toward the end of Paul’s life, Luke accompanied Paul to Palestine. While there Paul was arrested and imprisoned for two years. It is likely that during those two years Luke sought out and interviewed those most acquainted with Jesus’ life and teaching.
Luke wrote his Gospel for a man called Theophilus. The name Theophilus means ‘lover of God’. Therefore, we can also say that Luke wrote this book for everyone who loves God and wants to know the truth about Jesus. If you love God then this book is for you.
In our next program we will look at what Luke writes about the events leading up to Jesus’ birth.
Is It Worth Bleeding For?
One way to evaluate how important something is to us is to ask how much we are willing to pay for it. For example, we might really like a particular piece of furniture. It would look very nice in our home. But however nice it may look and however much we want it, we will not purchase it because it is too expensive. In other words, it is not important enough to us for us to pay the cost. We would consider purchasing it only if the seller reduced the price to the point where it became more important to us to have the furniture than the money it costs to obtain it.
Money is not the only way to measure how important something is to us. Another way to determine how important something is, is how much we are willing to suffer for it. For example children are important to their parents. We know this because most parents are willing to suffer a great deal for their children. They sacrifice much to protect their children or to give them a better life.
This is also a good way to evaluate how strong our convictions and beliefs are. How much are we willing to suffer for them? Paul wrote, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 NIV) We know that these truths really were important to Paul because he repeatedly put his life on the line to testify about them. Are they important enough to us that we are willing to die for them rather than deny them?
There is another aspect to this. The book of Hebrews says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:2-4 NIV)
How important is holiness and righteousness to us? How important to us is our relationship to God? Are we willing to go as far as to shed our own blood if that is what it takes to resist temptation and sin, or is the pleasure we get from sin more important to us? We have God’s promise that no temptation will ever become too strong for us (1 Corinthians 10:13) but how important is avoiding sin to us?
We are important enough to Jesus that He bled to redeem us from sin and restore our relationship to God. Is our relationship with Him important enough that we are willing to bleed for it? Are we willing to bleed if that is what it takes to avoid sin?
Words
Words are wonderful. They can enlighten, encourage, instruct, inform, comfort and heal. However, words are also dangerous. They can obscure, deceive, discourage, misinform and hurt. Even when it is not our intention to damage or to wrong, our words can lead to misunderstandings. Our own words can ensnare us or make us look foolish. No wonder King Solomon wrote, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19 NIV) It is true that the more we say, the more words we utter or write, the greater the chance is that we will say something which is wrong or inappropriate; the greater opportunity we have to cause harm, to give grief or hurt someone.
How can we avoid the sin into which our words so often lead us? Solomon pointed to the solution when he said that the wise hold their tongues. It really isn’t necessary to always say everything which comes to mind? James writes, “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.” (James 3:2 NIV) So, one way we can reduce the number of our faults is simply to speak and say less: To exercise control over our tongues instead of allowing our tongues to control us.
In the rest of his letter, James gives several practical examples of how we should control our words. One of them is this: “Above all, my brothers, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.” (James 5:12 NIV) One lesson is that if we never take an oath or make a vow, then we cannot be held liable for breaking our oath or vow if, in spite of our intentions and best efforts, we are unable to fulfill what we said we would do.
What do our words say about us? Do we allow our tongues to lead us into sin? Do we use our words to hurt and wound others or, do our words comfort, encourage and help others to live for God? Would the world be a better place if we said less? Would we be better people if we said less?
Preach the Good News! (Mark 16:9-20)
There are some things which are so far outside of our experience or our expectations that we find them extremely difficult to believe. Even though Jesus clearly told His disciples that He would rise from the dead, they did not expect Him to do so. When Jesus’ tomb was found empty they still could not bring themselves to understand or believe the truth. After all, who ever heard of someone raising himself from the dead? One of the strongest proofs of Jesus’ resurrection is the disciples’ transformation from unbelief to a burning faith which changed the world. Let’s read about in Mark’s account starting in chapter 16, verses 9 through 14.
“Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. They went away and told it to the rest. They didn’t believe them, either. Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn’t believe those who had seen him after he had risen..”
Mark writes that Jesus’ companions were still mourning and weeping on the Sunday morning following His crucifixion. Their beloved friend, teacher and master was dead. Not only had they lost someone very dear to them, their own personal hopes and aspirations died with Jesus. In light of this, Mary’s news that Jesus had risen from the dead should have been welcome. They should have been filled with joy that their decision to follow Jesus was not in vain. Instead, they refused to believe. In spite of seeing Jesus raise the dead, they could not imagine Him overcoming His own death.
The disciples still would not believe when two men confirmed Mary’s report by relating how they had met the resurrected Jesus. It wasn’t until Jesus, Himself, appeared to them and rebuked them for their refusal to believe the other eyewitnesses that they accepted the truth.
The cross proved that the disciples’ ideas about the Kingdom of God and what it meant to follow Jesus were wrong. Christ’s resurrection reversed the verdict handed down by the religious authorities who had Him executed. The resurrection undid the shame and condemnation of the cross. But how would Jesus’ resurrection change the day-to-day lives of the disciples? Clearly, it was unreasonable to think that Jesus would continue His ministry as if the crucifixion never happened. For one thing, Jesus no longer was with them in the same sense as He had been before. He would suddenly appear among them then, after a short while, would disappear from their sight. We know from another account that some of the disciples thought about going back to their former occupations. However, Jesus had other ideas. In verses 15 through 18 Mark tells us what instructions Jesus gave the disciples.
“He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”
What is this ‘good news’ Jesus told His disciples to preach? By the means of Jesus’ death on the cross and the resurrection, God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Because we have sinned against God we are worthy of death. By His death Jesus took the burden of our sin upon Himself and paid our penalty. By means of Jesus’ resurrection we also can be raised up into new life from the death we have incurred by our sin. Truly this is good news. But how will people learn about it? Jesus instructed His disciples to go into all the world and proclaim this good news to everyone. This is why even today the followers of Christ go everywhere, to all lands and tell people from all walks of life that through Jesus’ death and resurrection they, too, can have life.
What must someone do in order to receive this life? How can they be saved? Jesus said that those who believe and are baptized will be saved. Believe what? We must believe in the resurrection of Jesus. We already saw how the disciples refused to believe and how Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith. It was only after they believed that Jesus had risen from the dead that He could use them to proclaim the good news. Similarly, we also must believe.
However, belief is far more than acknowledging certain facts. True belief will always result in action. Belief which results in salvation will cause us to submit to baptism. Baptism is being fully immersed in water in the name of the Father (that is, God), the Son (that is Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. Elsewhere Scripture explains, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:3-4 NIV) Have you believed been baptized so that you may be saved? If you do not believe, as Jesus said, you will be condemned.
Jesus told His disciples that they would have the ability to perform miracles. What was the reason for this? The miracles were signs that the good news the disciples preached was genuine. In Scripture we have many examples of the miracles the disciples did while they proclaimed the good news. Now, however, when we have the written testimony of who Jesus is and what He did we no longer need miracles to confirm the message.
In spite of this, many people still claim to perform miracles. Yet, if the miracles do not point to Christ or confirm the good news of the resurrection of Jesus, then the one who performs them is bearing a false message.
Mark ends his account with these words, “They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.” The question we should ask ourselves is whether we, too, are obedient to Christ.
An Empty Tomb (Mark 15:42-16:8)
Jesus’ cry from the cross, “It is finished!” also expressed the understanding of His disciples. When Jesus died, all their hopes died with Him. Though Jesus plainly told them ahead of time what would happen, they did not understand or believe. Afterwards, however, something occurred which changed everything. In the Gospel account which bears his name, Mark tells us what happened after Jesus died. In chapter 15, verse 42 through chapter 16, verse 8 he writes:
“When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long. When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid. When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He said to them, “Don’t be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.’” They went out, and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid.”
Like Pilate, the Roman governor, many people question whether Jesus really died on the cross. They speculate that perhaps He merely fainted and Joseph of Arimathea placed Him in the tomb without realizing that He still lived. The reason people insist that Jesus didn’t die is that the alternative is terrifying. If Jesus truly did die then the fact that the women found His tomb empty points to a reality people do not wish to accept – Jesus rose from the dead. And, if Jesus rose from the dead it means that He is who He always claimed to be. He is not merely a good man, or even just a prophet. He is more than that. He is divine. If Jesus really did have the authority He claimed, to take up His life again, then we must acknowledge that He also possesses the authority He claimes to have over us. People do not want to accept Jesus as their Master so they deny His death or that He rose from the dead.
Unfortunately for people who wish to deny Jesus’ death, Pilate investigated the facts. When told that Jesus had died, he summoned and questioned the officer who commanded the soldiers who crucified Jesus. There was no doubt in the officer’s mind. The Roman soldiers knew their business. They were well acquainted with death. It is highly likely that Jesus and the two thieves put to death with Him were not the first men the soldiers had killed. Though Mark does not mention it, another account of Jesus’ crucifixion says that to make absolutely sure there was no mistake, one of the soldiers thrust a spear into Jesus’ side. Blood and water flowed from the wound (John 19:34). This indicates that before the spear pierced His lungs and heart Jesus had already been dead long enough for His blood to separate. There could be no question that Jesus was dead. It was only after receiving satisfaction on this point that Pilate allowed Joseph to bury Jesus’ body.
Not enough time remained in the day to fully comply with Jewish burial customs. However, Joseph, with the help of a man by the name of Nicodemus, wrapped Jesus’ body in cloth and placed it in a room carved out of the rock. Then they rolled a very large, flat stone across the entrance to seal it. The stone was large enough that the women who came to anoint Jesus’ body with spices doubted that they would be able to roll the stone away from the tomb’s entrance.
The stone was not the only impediment which prevented someone from interfering with Jesus’ body. Another account relates that at the request of the chief priests and Pharisees, Pilate officially sealed the tomb and posted a guard on it (Matthew 27:62-66).
In light of this it is no wonder that the women were amazed when they found the tomb open. Their amazement turned to alarm when a young man spoke to them inside the empty tomb. Other accounts call this man an angel and say that his clothes shown brightly, like lightning (Matthew 28:2-3, Luke 24:4).
The angel’s message was as unexpected as his appearance. He said that Jesus had risen from the dead. When someone dies, we expect him to stay dead. This is our universal experience. It is true that the Scriptures record that some of the Jewish prophets such as Elisha had the ability to raise the dead. It is probable that the women had even witnessed Jesus raise a few people from the dead, such as one of their friends, Lazarus. No doubt this was proof that Jesus had divine authority. Yet in all of human history, there had never been a case where a dead person raised himself. It was one thing to hear Jesus say, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18 NIV) It was a very different thing to actually witness Jesus do it. Perhaps for the first time the women began to understand who Jesus really was.
The women were so frightened by what they saw and heard that they fled the tomb. They were afraid to tell anyone what happened in spite of the angel’s command to take a message to the disciples.
Like the women, we too are sometimes amazed and alarmed when we encounter God’s mighty power. We too are frightened when we learn the truth of Jesus’ rising from the dead and what it means. The question is what will we do after we find out? Will we deny the truth? Will we keep it to ourselves as the women did? Or will we allow the truth about Jesus to transform us and our lives?
Forsaken (Mark 15:21-41)
If we think about dying we picture our death as calm and peaceful while being attended by those who love and respect us. For Jesus it was very different. His death was not only agonizing, it could not have occurred in a more degrading and humiliating way.
Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, condemned Jesus to die by crucifixion – that is by having His outstretched arms nailed to a wooden beam and His feet nailed to the supporting upright. Jesus had already been severely beaten and whipped. As a result He was unable to carry His cross to the place of execution. In chapter 15 of the account which bears his name, verses 21 through 41, Mark tells us what happened.
“They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross. They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, “The place of a skull.” They offered him wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he didn’t take it. Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take. It was the third hour, and they crucified him. The superscription of his accusation was written over him, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” With him they crucified two robbers; one on his right hand, and one on his left. The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was counted with transgressors.” Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, “He saved others. He can’t save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him. When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.” Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.”
The crucifixion of Christ is both the ultimate example of mankind’s baseness and God’s redeeming love. God, in His mercy, used Jesus’ murder and degrading humiliation as the means by which our sins may be forgiven. Volumes have been written about Jesus’ death and it’s meaning for us. In this program we will only look at a few details.
At least some at the cross tried to ease Jesus’ pain. They offered Him wine mixed with myrrh. Myrrh is a narcotic. Whether they offered it in mercy or whether they did it to make the soldier’s task easier, Jesus refused to drink it. He would experience the full measure of pain and suffering with a mind not dulled by drugs. When we are faced with suffering should we not follow His example? While discussing how we should respond to persecution the Apostle Peter writes, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7 NIV) The word he uses for ‘self-controlled’ means ‘free from the influence of intoxicating substances.’
The notice the governor placed on the cross declaring Jesus the King of the Jews was Pilate’s way of taunting those who brought Jesus before him. They condemned Jesus on the basis of claiming to be a king. Jesus’ kingdom was not political and Pilate knew it. Pilate’s sign actually vindicated Jesus and condemned the Jews for killing their Messiah whose coming they had awaited for centuries. Yet the Jews condemned themselves for they also, in their mocking, acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah. He only needed to prove Himself, they said, by coming down from the cross. Since these people did not believe the signs Jesus had already performed it is unlikely that they would have believed even if Jesus had come down.
However, those around the cross also expressed a great truth in their mockery. They said that Jesus saved others but He could not save Himself. The reality is that Jesus could have saved Himself. Another Scripture says that He could have called 10,000 angels to His assistance. But if He had saved Himself, He could not have saved others. Only by His death could the sinless Jesus pay the price God requires for sin. And so, Jesus’ love compelled Him to endure the cross.
Scripture often links darkness with judgment. When the sun stopped shining on the day Christ died it indicated God’s judgment upon the world. But it also showed God’s judgment against Jesus. While on the cross Jesus took the sins of the entire world, past, present and future, upon Himself. Since God is pure, holy, and righteous He cannot abide sin. When Jesus became sin, God turned away from Him. This prompted Jesus to cry out in the words of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” That forsaking made it possible for us to come near to God. The Apostle Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV)
God’s presence dwelt in the form of a divine light in the inner room of the Temple in Jerusalem. When Christ Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” and gave up His spirit the curtain which separated this room from the rest of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This symbolized that Jesus’ sacrifice has made it possible for mankind to come into God’s presence.
The manner of Jesus’ death convinced the soldier in charge that Jesus really was the Son of God. When we consider His death and the meaning of it should we not believe also?
Jesus’ crucifixion was not only a testament to man’s cruelty, it was a fulfillment of prophecy. In Psalm 22, King David predicted Jesus’ suffering on the cross, the taunts, insults and mockery of the crowd, the gambling for Jesus’ clothes and being forsaken by God. Yet in the same Psalm David predicted Jesus’ ultimate triumph and exaltation.