Read Luke 1:39 – 45

 

MARY VISITS ELIZABETH
Apparently the Holy Spirit told Elizabeth that Mary’s child was the Messiah because Elizabeth called her young relative “the mother of my Lord,” as she greeted her. As Mary rushed off to visit her relative, she must have been wondering if the events of the last few days were real. Elizabeth’s greeting must have strengthened her faith. Mary’s pregnancy may have seemed impossible, but her wise relative believed in the Lord’s faithfulness and rejoiced in Mary’s blessed condition.
Even though she herself was pregnant with a long awaited son, Elizabeth could have envied Mary, whose son would be even greater than her own. Instead, she was filled with joy that the mother of her Lord would visit her. Have you ever envied people whom God has singled out for a special blessing? A cure for jealousy is to rejoice with those people, realizing that God uses His people in ways best suited to His purpose.

Day 3: Read Luke 1:26-38

AN ANGEL PROMISES THE BIRTH OF JESUS TO MARY
Each time Gabriel appears in the Bible, he brings important messages from God.
Nazareth, Joseph and Mary’s hometown, was a long way from Jerusalem, the center of Jewish life and worship. Located on a major trading route, Nazareth was frequently visited by gentile merchants and Roman soldiers. It was known for its independent and aloof attitude. Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth. Nevertheless, the people of Nazareth would reject Him as the Messiah.
Mary was a young, poor, female, – all characteristics that, to the people of her day, would make her seem unusable by God for any major task. But God chose Mary for one of the most important acts of obedience He has ever demanded of anyone. You may feel that your inability, inexperience, or lack of education makes you an unlikely candidate for God’s service. Don’t limit God’s choices. He can use you if you trust Him.
God’s favor doesn’t automatically bring instant success or fame. His blessing on Mary, the honor of being the mother of the Messiah, would lead to much pain: her peers would ridicule her; her fiance’ would come close to leaving her; her son would be rejected and murdered. But through her son would come the world’s only hope, and this is why Mary has been praised by countless generations. Her submission was part of God’s plan to bring about our salvation. If sorrow weighs you down and dims your hope, think of Mary and wait patiently for God to finish working out his plan.
Jesus, is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning “the Lord saves.” Jesus would lead his people from the enslavement of sin to eternal life. In Jesus’ name, people were healed, demons were banished, and sins were forgiven.
The birth of Jesus to a virgin is a miracle that many people find hard to believe. But, 1) Luke was a medical doctor, and he knew perfectly well how babies were made. It would have been just as hard for him to believe in a virgin birth as it is for us, and yet he reports it as fact. 2) Luke was a painstaking researcher who based his Gospel on eyewitness accounts. He could have talked to Mary herself about the events he recorded in chapters one and two. This is Mary’s story, not a fictional invention. 3) Christians and Jews, who worship God as the creator of the universe, should have no doubts that God has the power to create a child in a virgin’s womb.
Jesus was born without the sin that entered the world through Adam. He was born holy, sinless. Jesus was obedient to God and was, thus able to face sin’s consequences in your place and make you acceptable to God.
A young unmarried girl who became pregnant risked disaster. Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for the rest of her life. If her won father rejected her, she could be forced into begging or prostitution in order to earn a living. And Mary, with her story about becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit, risked being considered crazy as well. Still Mary said, “May everything you have said come true.” When Mary said that, she didn’t know about the tremendous opportunity she would have. She only knew God was asking her to serve Him, and she willingly obeyed. Don’t wait to see the bottom line before offering your life to God. Offer yourself willingly, even when the outcome seems disastrous.
God’s announcement of the birth of a special child was met with gracious obedience. Mary believed the angel’s words and agreed to bear the child, even under humanly impossible circumstances. God is able to do the impossible. Our response to His demands should not be doubt, but willing acceptance.

Read Luke 1:5 – 25

AN ANGEL PROMISES THE BIRTH OF JOHN TO ZECHARIAH
A Jewish priest was a minister of God who worked at the Temple managing its upkeep, teaching the people the Scriptures, and directing the worship services. At this time there were about 20,000 priests throughout the country; far too many to minister at the same time. Therefore, the priest were divided into 24 separate groups of about 1,000 in each group.
Zechariah was a member of the Abijah division, on duty at this time. Each morning a priest was to enter the Holy place and burn incense. Lots were cast to see who would enter the sanctuary, and the lot fell on Zechariah. But it was not by chance Zechariah was on duty and that he was chosen that day to enter the holy place. God was guiding the events of history to prepare the way for Jesus to come to earth.
Zechariah and Elizabeth didn’t merely go through the motions in following God’s laws; they backed up their outward compliance with inward obedience. Unlike the religious leaders whom Jesus called “hypocrites,” Zechariah and Elizabeth did not stop with the letter of the law. Their obedience was from the heart.
Incense was burned in the Temple twice daily. When the people saw the smoke from the burning incense, they prayed. The smoke drifting heavenward symbolized their ascending prayers to God.
Angels are spirit beings who live in God’s presence and do His will. Here, Gabriel delivers a special message to Zechariah. This was not a dream or a vision. The angel appeared in visible form and spoke audible words.
While burning incense on the altar, Zechariah was also praying, perhaps for a son or for the coming of the Messiah. In either case, his prayer was answered. He would soon have a son, who would prepare the way for the Messiah. God answers prayer in His own way and in His own time. Zechariah had an impossible situation – his wife was barren – to bring about the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah. If you want to have your prayers answered, you must be open to what God can do in impossible situations. And you must wait for God to work in His way, in His time.
The name “John” means “the Lord is gracious.” The name was prescribed by God, not chosen by human parents. Throughout the Gospels, God acts graciously and saves His people. He will not withhold salvation from anyone who sincerely comes to Him.
John was to be set apart for special service to God. He was forbidden to drink wine and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
John’s role was to be almost identical to that of an Old Testament prophet: to encourage people to turn away from sin and back to God.
In preparing people for the Messiah’s arrival, John would seek to take stony hearts and exchange them for heats that were soft, pliable, trusting, and open to change. Are you open to God as you should be? Or do you need a change of heart?
When told he would have a son, Zechariah doubted the angel’s word. From Zechariah’s human perspective, his doubts were understandable. Although Zechariah and Elizabeth were past the age of childbearing, God gave them a child. It is easy to misunderstand or doubt what God wants to do in your life. Even God’s people sometimes make the mistake of trusting their intellect or experience rather than God. When you are tempted to think that one of God’s promises is impossible, remember His work throughout history. God’s power is not confined by narrow perspective or bound by human limitations. Trust Him completely.
Zechariah thought it incredible that he and his wife, in their old age, could conceive a child. But what God promises, He delivers. And God delivers on time. You can have complete confidence that God will keep His promises. Their fulfillment may not be the next day, but they will be at the proper time. If you are waiting for God to answer some request or to fill some need, remain patient. No matter how impossible God’s promises may seem, what He has said in His Word will come true at the right time.

Day 1: Read Luke 1: 1 – 4

LUKE’S PURPOSE IN WRITING
Luke tells Jesus’ story from Luke’s unique perspective as a gentile, a physician, and the first historian of the early church. Though not an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry, Luke is concerned that eyewitness accounts be preserved accurately and that the foundations of Christian belief be transmitted intact to the next generation. In Luke’s Gospel are many of Jesus’ parables. More than the other gospels, Luke gives specific instances of Jesus’ concern for women.
There was a lot of interest in Jesus, and many people had written first hand accounts about Him. Luke may have used several of those accounts and all other available resources as material for an accurate and complete account of Jesus’ life, teachings, and ministry. Because truth was important to Luke, he relied heavily on eyewitness accounts. Christianity doesn’t say, “Close your eyes and believe,” but rather, “Check it out for yourself.” The Bible encourages you to investigate its claims thoroughly, because your conclusion about Jesus is a life and death matter.
Theophilus means, “one who loves God.” This preface may be a general dedication to all Christian readers. Theophilus may have been Luke’s patron, who helped to finance the book’s writing. More likely, Theophilus was a Roman acquaintance of Luke’s with a strong interest in the Christian religion.
As a medical doctor, Luke knew the importance of being thorough. He used his skills in observation and analysis to thoroughly investigate the stories about Jesus. His diagnosis: Jesus Christ is true! You can read Luke’s account of Jesus’ life with confidence that it was written by a clear thinker and a thoughtful researcher. Because the Good News is founded on historical truth, your spiritual growth must involve careful, disciplined, and thorough investigation of God’s Word, so that you can understand how God has acted in history. If this kind of study is not part of your life, find a pastor, teacher, or even a good study Bible to help you get started and to guide you in this part of Christian growth.