October 1: Luke 1, John 1:1-14

October 1, Luke 1, John 1:1-14

Onto the New Testament we go! This should be interesting as we are going to read it together and I, through the help of the Holy Spirit, hope to write for you a brief commentary and application guide like I have been doing throughout the Old Testament. That being said, we could spend the next year alone on any one of these New Testament books with all the application. I will do my best!

Luke is one of the 3 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, & Luke and they are telling the story of Jesus Christ. Luke wrote this around 60AD. Historically, it was written to the Greeks. To give you an idea of what that looked like, “Greek civilization represented Culture, Philosophy, Wisdom, Reason, Beauty, Education. Therefore, to appeal to the Thoughtful, Cultured, Philosophic Greek Mind, Luke, in a complete, orderly and classical story, which has been called the “Most beautiful books ever written,” depicts the Glorious Beauty and Perfection of Jesus, the Ideal, Universal Man.” Halley’s Bible Handbook. 

We also start today John and he was about explaining and articulating the deity of Jesus Christ.

Luke 1 We are told from the beginning of Luke that he has compiled this narrative from eye witnesses from Jesus time. He wrote this book for Theophilus and he also wrote the book of Acts for him too. Historically, we are taught that Theophilus would have been a man of prominence and influence. At the time, there were many narratives about the life of Jesus, so Luke interviewed all the witnesses to literally compile the book that we have before us. The intent for Theophilus, and us, is that we “have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” It is like when there is an accident on the road and the cops interview witnesses to get a clearer picture about what happened - that is what Luke did. He interviewed people who witnessed Jesus, so we can be sure that their stories are true, as they had nothing to gain by lying about it. These stories are true and inspired by God for us today. Truth. 

During the reign of Herod, king of Judea, we are introduced to a priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. Both of them are true Jews, righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments of God - oh yeah, and they were old… Bummer is, they couldn't have kids because Elizabeth was sterile (watch how God works everything out and is Sovereign…). 

Zechariah was doing his priestly duties at the temple. He was chosen to be the one to go burn incense before God in the Holy of Holies, when he is visited by an angel. He was troubled and afraid. Historians tell us that the the Jews believed that the Holy Spirit had been ‘silent’ for some 400 years - so this would be incredible that after generations of not having the Lords presence, it was finally revealed. The angel tells Zechariah to not be afraid because God had heard his request for a child. She will have a child and they are to call him John - and many will rejoice at his birth. The angel then tells Zechariah some stipulations for John about abstinence from alcohol. John will be filled with the Holy Spirit in his life, even in the womb, and he will turn many hearts to the Lord. His job will be to “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” He is the messenger that has been prophesied about that we just read yesterday in Malachi (the spirit of Elijah). Zechariah questioned the angel about how he was to be sure of all this and because of that he will be unable to speak for a while! 

Sure enough, Elizabeth became pregnant and laid low for about 5 months so that people would stop talking about her and her sterility. Sad.  

Now we turn our attention to Mary. The angel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth to go talk to Mary. She was engaged to a guy named Joseph who was from the house of David (he can be traced back in his lineage to King David). We also learn that she never had sex, thus she was a virgin. God favored her and Gabriel greeted her as such. She was afraid and the angel comforted her and assured her that she had found favor with God. She was blessed among the women by God, how awesome is that and how awesome is our God?! What did Gabriel tell her? “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” How could she have a baby if she had never had sex was her question. Gabriel said “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” So the Holy Spirit was going to literally come upon her - this is no way sexual but spiritual. God speaks and life appears. There is no need to pervert Truth. Gabriel added that Elizabeth her relative was also pregnant in her old barren age - proof that nothing is impossible with God! Mary gave a submissive and obedient hearts response: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Mary then went to go visit her pregnant old relative! When she arrived, the baby inside of Elizabeth leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was then filled with the Holy Spirit and she gets discernment about the situation that Mary is currently in and she blessed Mary as they were both watching prophecy being fulfilled before their very eyes and lives. Not only was she blessed, she was referred to as the Mother of the Lord - crazy but awesome.  

Mary then sang a song to the Lord of praise and remembrance of what Yahweh had done. She hung out with Elizabeth for about 3 months and then went home.

As promised, God have Elizabeth a son. All the neighbors and relatives were excited for her. Being obedient and God-fearing Jews, they circumcise him on the 8th day (Genesis 17:12 says, “He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.”… They would have normally called him Zechariah after his dad, but they had picked the name John (actually they were told by the angel to name him that!), and Zechariah confirmed it by writing that on a tablet (he still couldn't speak!). Side note - back the you didn't pick ‘cool’ or trendy names, you were named after your father or relatives… Then the priest, Zechariah, was able to speak again and he prophesied with thanks that the Lord had again visited His people.  Zechariah says that God has remembered His people and that his son John will go before and prepare the way for God’s redemption - all of this is prophecy being fulfilled. John grew up and became strong in God and lived in the wilderness until he went to Israel to fulfill his calling. 

John 1 In the very beginning Jesus was there (literally with God and the Spirit) - He always has been and He always will be. Jesus is God’s Word. All things were created through Jesus. Darkness has not nor will not overcome him. God sent John the Baptist to go before Jesus to proclaim what Jesus was about to do and validate God’s redemption. John was not the light - Jesus was - John was just pointing people to the light. Jesus’ own people did not receive Him when He was among them - but a promise was made “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Believe. 

To sum it all up: 

• Oh man - where do I start? 
• This Jesus that I've been talking to you about through God's word for months was born, He was alive and real. This is not some fictitious or mystologial stereotype. He was the real deal. God himself. We have heard many promises about him and we are about to read how they have or will all come true. 
• Just look at the sovereignty of God and how He worked all these things out - impossible unless you're God.
• Receive Jesus today. Believe in Jesus name. And you too will be born of God. 
• Repent and run to Jesus - He has got you covered, I promise because the Bible promised. 
• The power that came upon Mary is from God Almighty and that same miraculous power is available for us today.
• Take some time and remember what God has done in your life. Through the good times, the hard times, and everything in between… He has always been there and He works everything out.