LUKE LESSON 3
We will begin this lesson with Luke 1:57 "Now Elisabeth's full
time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son."
Luke 1:58 "And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had
shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her."
We see, here, a woman far beyond her child bearing years who has
brought forth a son. Perhaps none believed when she had told them.
Now they rejoiced with her. These very same people, so close to her,
knew how Zacharias had a vision in the temple and was left unable to
speak. All sorts of things were probably going through their minds.
Luke 1:59 "And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came
to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name
of his father."
On the eighth day the circumcision was done to seal the Abrahamic
covenant with God. As is many times done at baptism, the name of the
child is given, as well. Even today many parents name their first son
after its father. This was about to occur here until Elisabeth and
Zacharias stop them.
Luke 1:60 "And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he
shall be called John."
Somehow the father had gotten word to Elisabeth what his name was
to be even though he had lost his voice. Elisabeth speaks up and says
his name is John. Now there is a stir. Why is this baby named John?
Luke 1:61 "And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred
that is called by this name." Luke 1:62 "And they made signs to his
father, how he would have him called." Luke 1:63 "And he asked for a
writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled
all."
"John" means the grace of Jehovah. Here is a name none of their
relatives have used. What is going on here? They are really
questioning now. The father agrees his name is John. He can't speak so
he writes this name, His doubt is gone.
Luke 1:64 "And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue
[loosed], and he spake, and praised God."
The instant he put his doubt behind him, Zacharias' tongue was
loosed and he spoke. What wonderful things he had to tell them about
what happened in the temple and about this miracle birth.
Luke 1:65 "And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and
all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country
of Judaea."
Now these neighbors nd cousins know that there has been something
super-natural about this birth. Word spread fast that something
miraculous has happened here.
Luke 1:66 "And all they that heard [them] laid [them] up in their
hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of
the Lord was with him."
We see that the Lord is with John. The people even from the first
know that John is anointed of God from birth to do some great job.
Luke 1:67 "And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy
Ghost, and prophesied, saying,"
We see the minute Zacharias recognizes publicly the miracle of
God, that God fills him with the Holy Ghost. The easiest way to
receive the Holy Ghost is to totally submit your will to God. When he
did this he began to prophesy. Verses 68 through 79 is what he
prophesies.
Luke 1:68 "Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath
visited and redeemed his people,"
We see, here, that his very first statement blesses God and
prophesies redemption of his people. Every word of this prophecy will
come about because these words coming from Zacharias' mouth are not
his words, but the word of the Lord through him."
Luke 1:69 "And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the
house of his servant David;"
We remember here that "horn" signifies strength. We realize that
our strength is in our salvation. In the direct lineage of David. the
Lord Jesus will be born.
Luke 1:70 "As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which
have been since the world began:" Luke 1:71 "That we should be saved
from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;" Luke 1:72
"To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his
holy covenant;"
In Genesis chapter 3:15, we see the first prophecy of this
Saviour. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou
shalt bruise his heel."
One of the sweetest promises in the Bible for the believer is that
God will cause even our enemies to live at peace with us. God
remembers His covenant that He has made with man and Jesus Christ the
God of all mercy will save us even from our own selves.
Luke 1:73 "The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,"
We know from an earlier teaching here that all who believe in
Jesus Christ are children of Abraham and heirs to the same promises
God made to him.
Luke 1:74 "That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered
out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear," Luke
1:75 "In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our
life."
This prophecy is stating that we will be free from the bondage of
this earth. We will be free from the guilt of sin and can go on in
newness of life with Him. We can be holy and righteous, because we
have taken on His righteousness and holiness. We will no longer be
servant to sin, but have the righteousness of Christ to walk in all
the days of our life.
Luke 1:76 "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the
Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his
ways;" Luke 1:77 "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by
the remission of their sins,"
Here Zacharias is saying prophetically that John will proclaim the
coming of Christ. John will go ahead and prepare the way. His message
will be their need for repentance of their sins.
Luke 1:78 "Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the
dayspring from on high hath visited us,"
We see, here, and awakening that comes from God on mankind that
will receive it. God had mercy on mankind and sent His Son to bring us
out of darkness into His marvellous Light.
Luke 1:79 "To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the
shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. Those who sit in darkness
here are probably speaking of the Gentiles and even most of physical
Israel, as well. No hope of eternal life could they see, They did not
know of God. They were in spiritual darkness until the Light of Jesus
Christ shines in their heart and brings His glorious Light to them.
Jesus is King of Peace. His is the only true peace.
Luke 1:80 "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was
in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel."
We see that John the Baptist (child) grew physically and
spiritually. You can tell from the statement about him being in the
desert that he was not of this world. He was in the world for a
purpose, but not of this world. His thoughts were not of this world.
He was a separated man (separated by God to carry out a mission).
Nothing else mattered to John. Everything was focused on his mission.
Luke 3 Questions
1. Who rejoiced with Elisabeth at the birth of her son?
2. Who did they believe shewed mercy on her?
3. What about Zacharias was probably going through their mind?
4. How old was the baby when they came to circumcise him?
5. When was the baby's name given?
6. Who stopped them from naming the baby Zacharias?
7. What did the mother name him?
8. What reason did the onlookers give Elisabeth why she should not
name the baby by this name?
9. How did Zacharias get word to them that he agreed with the baby
being named John?
10. What does John mean?
11. When did Zacharias receive his voice back?
12. What did he do immediately when he could speak?
13. What effect did this have on the onlookers?
14. What part of the country did this quickly spread to?
15. What did they quickly realize?
16. What happened to Zacharias that caused him to prophesy?
17. What is the easiest way to receive the Holy Ghost?
18. What is the "horn" symbolic of?
19. Our strength is in our ____________.
20. Whose lineage will Jesus be in?
21. Who does God speak through to minister?
22. Where is the first promise of a Saviour in the Bible?
23. What is one of the sweetest promises in the Bible?
24. Who are the children of Abraham?
25. What are two ways we must serve Him?
26. How can we be holy and righteous?
27. Who shall John be called?
28. What is meant by the "dayspring" visiting us?
29. Where shall the Light guide us to?
30. Who is the Light of the world?
31. Who is the child in V-80?
32. What lets us know he is not a worldly man?
33. What was important to John?
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