Luke 1: 67-80
Zechariah’s Prophecy
Vs 76-78 “And you my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from Heaven is about to break upon us.”
John’s father prophesied his son would go before the Lord to prepare the way for him to give his people the knowledge of a salvation through forgiveness of sins by the tender mercy of God. John 1:23 – When John was asked who he was, he quoted Isaiah the prophet that he was “the voice in the wilderness to make straight the way of the Lord.” Interesting – in John 15:6, Jesus said that he is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father but through him. In John 1:29, when John saw Jesus coming towards him he said, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
What caught my attention was Luke 1:76 –“He (John) will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him.” I reflected on my life born with Adam’s DNA of sin, separated from God – then by what Jesus did for me by dying a horrible death on the cross, shedding his blood to pay my debt. After 30 years I was convicted of my separation from a loving God and believed and received Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, forgiven and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and as it says in John 3:3,”I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God”, born again into God’s family, the kingdom of a loving gracious heavenly Father, who would send his only Son to pay the sin debt of mankind, his Son willing to suffer so that I could be free. A love too deep for me to comprehend. In light of that, how am I living my life – like John? – preparing the way for others to see Jesus?
Matthew 5:13-16 vs 13 “You are the salt of the earth.” Vs 14 “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.” Am I salt and light? Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Glorify the Father, not me. I had to ask myself, do my interactions with others reflect the character of Jesus. Do my interactions reflect the purpose of John? - To prepare the way for others to see Jesus?
Philippians 2: 1-5 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition and vane conceit. But in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only on your own interests but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” I don’t think I always reflect or represent Jesus that well but in John 15:5, Jesus says that He is the vine – I am only a branch. “If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” I know this to be true. I need to make the effort to remain connected. I put my trust in what Paul said in Philippians 1:6 “”Being confident in this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion till the day of Christ”. I trust his working in my life, even in my weakness.
Father in heaven, you are my God who sent your Son to pay my debt and set me free. I want to live my life to give you the glory due your great Name. I ask by your Holy Spirit – empower me to make your glory and redemption known to all I interact with by the way I live my life.
In Jesus name, Amen
Shared by Aden Weber