FULFILLED PROMISES

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Luke 1:57-66, 80

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Mary had visited her relative Elizabeth for three months after hearing from the angel Gabriel that she was with child despite her old age. Having arrived at the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Mary’s stay covered the final trimester and when the chosen mother of Jesus returned home, Elizabeth was soon to deliver the boy she would name John, the name Gabriel commanded to be given when he appeared to Elizabeth’s husband in the temple.

As we continue to build to Jesus’ coming, we would be remiss to skip over John’s which preceded the Savior’s birth. We read about it in the Gospel of Luke where we’re told relatives and neighbors of the new elderly parents shared in their joy, knowing how merciful God had been in granting them a child when the prospect seemed impossible.

Well, by the law, it was customary for the newborn boy to be circumcised the eighth day after birth, the sign of the covenant between Israel and their beloved God. The tradition could be traced back to the days of Abraham where this command was given:

For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. Genesis 17:12

And so those close to the family gathered on the eighth day to celebrate the baby’s circumcision and hear the name the child would be given. As it was also customary to name the firstborn child after the father, everyone expected the boy to be given the name Zechariah but Elizabeth quickly spoke and up and proclaimed:

“No! He is to be called John.”

This prompted those attending to question her choice, saying, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” They were confused and wondered what Zechariah thought about it so they turned to him, making signs because you’ll remember Zechariah had been muted by Gabriel until this very day and time. Unable to say it out loud, Zechariah took a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John”, much to the amazement of everyone present. They were further shocked when suddenly Zechariah found his voice returned, his mouth opening and tongue set free to speak and praise God. It all was astonishing to all those attending who were “filled with awe” and spread the word about what had happened “throughout the hill country of Judea”. The news caused everyone to wonder the destiny for the newborn John because as the scriptures affirmed, the Lord’s hand was with him. We read where the boy grew up and “became strong in spirit”, living in the wilderness until the time when he would appear publicly to Israel and pronounce the arrival of their long awaited Messiah.

The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth remind us of how the Lord always fulfills His promises. God’s messenger, Gabriel, told Zechariah that Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son who would be named John.

That happened.

Because he doubted, Gabriel muted Zechariah for the duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy but assured the priest that his silence would be lifted on the day he named his son John.

That happened.

God promised that John would “bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God” and would “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 the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:16-17).

That would happen.

Friends, the Lord has given you many promises as well, promises he never fails to keep. You only need to read His holy Word to learn of all the blessed assurances He has given every person alive on earth this very moment. Anchor yourself in those promises and as we approach Christmas day, let us all give thanks for the greatest promise ever made and kept by God, the promise of a Savior who would come to take away the sins of the world, removing the only thing that kept creation separated from their Creator and Master.

I pray this Christmas that you have accepted Jesus as your personal Savior and Redeemer. It’s the greatest gift you will ever receive from a God who is a perfect Giver of every good and perfect thing.

Blessings to you and yours always, and Merry Christmas from The Christian Walk!

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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