Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this Friday,
On our journey to Christmas 2024 we’re asking one Christmas related question each day. Yesterday, we asked the question WHO were Zechariah and Elizabeth and what was their role in the Christmas story? We learned the Christmas story actually opens with them and the miraculous visit from Gabriel the angel who announced their prayer had been heard by God and even in their very old age God was going to give them the miraculous ability to bear a son! Today let’s see WHY as we look at that miracle boy and seek to understand his unique, important role in the Christmas story. WHO was John the son of Zechariah & Elizabeth, WHAT was his role in the Christmas story and WHY is he known as John the Baptist?
I wonder how your parents responded when they discovered they were pregnant with you? And I wonder how they announced to family and friends their excitement that YOU were God’s miracle for them? When Gabriel announced to Zechariah that he and his wife would have a son in their old age, these are the words Zechariah used: “Do not be afraid Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the LORD….” (Luke 1:13-15a) Oh my, what an announcement and directly from God via the angel Gabriel!!
As we saw yesterday while Zechariah and Elizabeth had been married a long time, they had been unable to have children due to Elizabeth’s barrenness. But they had not waived in their faith in God nor their desire to honor God with every aspect of their lives. Now, even though very old and well beyond normal childbearing age, God was about to do with THEM the same miracle God had done with Abraham & Sarah as Sarah bore Isaac at age 90! (Gen. 21:1-7)
For Jewish families naming their newborn son was very important and names were carefully chosen. In this case Zechariah and Elizabeth did not have a choice. Gabriel told them God had selected the name for their miracle son! The name “John” means “the LORD is gracious” and certainly Elizabeth’s pregnancy was a huge outpouring of God’s Grace to her and her old husband Zechariah. But more than that, John would be a huge avalanche of God’s grace to the people of Israel and his life would bring great encouragement and hope to many Jews of his generation! WHY?
As we look closer at what the angel Gabriel told Zechariah we see that God would elevate this boy to a position of greatness in Israel and as we know now, even for the whole world! What greatness? John became the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy from 650 years before: “A voice of one calling: ‘in the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God…” (Is. 40:3) While the angels in the sky announced the birth of Jesus to a few shepherds, it was this John who introduced the Messiah to the world!
On one occasion John was asked if HE was the long-awaited Messiah, but John responded, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘make straight the way for the LORD…” (John 1:19-23) In fact as John was baptizing in the Jordan river one day Jesus approached and John pointed at Jesus and said: “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”(John 1:29) For Jews who heard and saw John that day, the meaning of what he declared was undeniable. The Messiah had come…in the person of Jesus, and that’s why they called Him Jesus the Christ (Messiah). (Matt. 1:18; Matt. 16:16; John 4:25,26; Acts 2:36,38;9:22)
But let’s go back to Gabriels’s explanation to Zechariah in the temple: “He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before he is born…” (Luke 1:15) Zechariah, of course, would understand this to be a proclamation from God that John would live a “Nazarite” life of full consecration to God, from his boyhood all through his life. (Numbers 6:1-21)
Among other things John would never have any fermented beverage touch his lips in an effort to remain fully in self-control and purity at all times. And did you notice John would have an anointing of the Holy Spirit of God upon him even while still in the womb, and all through his life?! Undoubtedly this man John would be a great man of God!
But Gabriel was not yet finished with his description of the uniqueness of John and his role in our world: “He will bring many of the people of Israel to the LORD their God. And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of righteousness – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:16,17) For the people of Israel there were few more esteemed Old Testament prophets than Elijah. If John was going to be a modern-day version of Elijah, that would be something every Jewish person would want to see!
The reason John is often called “John the Baptist”, or “John the Baptizer” is that he is most known for his passionate call to the people of Israel to repent of their sin and prepare for the coming of their God promised Messiah. (John 1:19-36) And then, of course, John would baptize them in response to their repentance! The apostle Paul described John’s life mission this way: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is in Jesus…” (Acts 19:4) John’s life purpose was to prepare the Jewish people for their God sent Messiah and Savior Jesus! As John’s story was recorded by John the disciple and others, John’s message about Jesus became a global announcement as Jesus is introduced to the whole world!
But did you know that not everyone in Israel in those days was a John the Baptist fan? King Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, was ruler over the Galilee region as John became popular. While intrigued with John’s lifestyle, preaching and baptizing, Herod was angry because John was publicly denouncing the affair he was having with his brother’s wife Herodias, and so Herod had John arrested, thinking prison would silence him. It didn’t and so in a gruesome display of cowardice and pride, Herod ordered the execution of John and had his head brought into a dinner party on a platter! (Matt. 14:1-12)
As horrific as that murder of John was, the death of John the Baptist turned public attention fully on Jesus. Thus in every aspect of John’s life purpose he pointed people to Jesus, God incarnate, the Messiah and Savior of the world: It happened as Gabriel announced and explained John’s miraculous birth to Zechariah; (Luke 1:11-17) it happened as young Mary came to live with Elizabeth to understand how both their miraculous pregnancies were united in God’s Messiah plan; (Luke 1:39-56) it happened in John’s birth and Zechariah’s prophetic message over his newborn son; (Luke 1:57-80) it happened in John’s preaching, baptizing and introduction of Jesus; (Matt.3) and it happened in John’s martyrdom. (Matt. 14:1-12)
John’s life calls us to ask ourselves three basic questions:
1. Do I know the Jesus who John introduced as “The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”? (John 1:29) And has this Jesus taken away MY sins?
2. Do I understand the purpose God has for my life and am I living it intentionally and with passion as John lived his?
3. Is God honored by my birth, my life, and will He be honored in my death and my life legacy?
I wonder if this song “In Christ Alone” is a reflection of the heart of John the Baptist, son of Zechariah, as he lived his life preparing the way for Jesus, convinced it was important that Jesus would become more famous than John? (John 3:22-30)
Today’s Scripture: Luke 1:13-17; John 1:19-28.
Choose below to read or listen.
Luke 1:13-17
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John 1:19-28
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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