Category Archives: Inspired Message

When a life-upsetting event occurs, many of us like to go away to a different place so that we can think about the situation. Perhaps a change of environment will help to see our situation more clearly. When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to a son through the power of the Holy Spirit, she went to stay for about three months with her relative Elizabeth, who was also expecting a child. However, when the time came for Elizabeth’s child, John, to be born it was also time for Mary to return to her own home.

Though Mary received great comfort and encouragement from her stay with Elizabeth, she returned to an uncertain future. Though Luke does not record this in his inspired Gospel, we know from other Scriptures that Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, decided to divorce her. He thought Mary had broken her vows and been unfaithful to him. It was only after an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and explained the true situation that Joseph was willing to accept Mary into his house. No doubt the village gossips had plenty to say about both Mary and Joseph when he did so.

The unbelief of their friends and the slander of the village gossips was not the only problem the couple had to face. The Roman government also gave them trouble. In chapter 2, verses 1 through 7 of his inspired Gospel, Luke explains, “Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

The birth of Jesus totally violates our sense of what is appropriate. Remember that the angel told Mary that the son she would bear would be a king and that His kingdom would never end. It is true that both Mary and Joseph were descendants of King David, but it is also true that they were poor, unknown and from an obscure village. On the surface, there was nothing royal about them. Royal couples travel with a huge entourage of servants to take care of their every need. Their vehicles are the best and most comfortable that money can buy. But this couple did not travel in comfort. Joseph and Mary had no one to attend them. Though popular tradition pictures Mary riding a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the Bible does not say she did. It is possible that she had to walk the whole way even though she was pregnant. On the roads she and Joseph probably traveled this was a distance of about 145 kilometers. Royal couples are given the best rooms in the fanciest accommodations. But for this couple there was no room at all. They had to content themselves with staying with the animals. The birth of a royal child is attended by the finest physicians and given the best care. This child was born attended by animals and had to make do with a feeding trough for a bed.

There are some who take offense at the circumstances of Jesus’ birth and say that God would never subject His holy Prophet to such lowly and humiliating circumstances. But they forget the reason Jesus came into the world. Though He was born a King, He came to serve and eventually give His life for all mankind. He taught that greatness is achieved by serving others. Therefore it is entirely appropriate that the One through whom the universe was created would be born into obscure poverty. Starting with His birth His life was a practical illustration of His teaching.

God gave another sign that the Savior was for everyone, not just the rich and powerful. In verses 8 through 20 Luke writes, “There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.”

The shepherds were terrified when the angel appeared to them and the Lord’s glory shone around them. Almost anyone would be frightened if their normal routine was interrupted by a divine visitation. However, unlike many, the shepherds did not allow their fright to paralyze them. They not only listened to the angel’s message, they believed it. Then, the shepherds acted on their belief. They left their flocks in the fields and hurried to Bethlehem to see the new-born Savior as He lay in the manger. The shepherd’s behavior is in stark contrast to that of the religious leaders in Jerusalem. The Apostle Matthew records that when the leaders were told that the Messiah the Jewish people had been anticipating for hundreds of years had finally been born, they could not be bothered to travel the short distance to Bethlehem to welcome Him. Throughout His time on the earth it was the religious leaders who opposed Christ while the common people heard Him gladly.

The rough and primitive conditions in which they found the Savior did not matter to the shepherds. Instead, they praised and glorified God. Since the shepherds found the new-born baby and His parents just as the angel described them, they knew the angel also spoke the truth about this child being the promised Savior. After seeing Jesus they spread the news about His birth.

What about us? Are we are offended by the circumstances of Jesus birth? Like the innkeeper do we refuse Jesus room? Are we indifferent like the religious leaders, or like the humble shepherds do we rejoice at the coming of our Savior? If you would like to know more about this child born in such lowly conditions, listen to our next program.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.