A Moment of Hope

by David Chadwick The birth of Jesus changed the course of history forever. God, in flesh, came to mankind in the greatest rescue mission the world has ever seen. Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem for Jesus's purification ceremony, a cultural practice in the Jewish faith where the parents presented their child to the Lord. They brought a humble sacrifice of two turtledoves and two young pigeons. It was all they could afford, but God always honors whatever sacrifice someone is able to bring. Today, let's look at Luke 2:25-27, where a man in Jerusalem named Simeon comes on the scene. Verse 25 says, "This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him." While there is not a great deal revealed to us in this verse about Simeon, what is revealed is important. Simeon was a man of integrity who was dedicated to the Lord. As a strong man of faith, he was contending for what God had promised to Israel, and he was awaiting the day that God would come and rescue and comfort his chosen people. Aware of and alert to all of God's unfolding plans, Simeon must have been a student of Scripture, and he must have been aware of all of the times where God promised to come rescue and comfort his people (Isaiah 40:1, Isaiah 49:13, Isaiah 51:3). But there is one more unique description for Simeon in this verse that should capture all of our attention: "The Holy Spirit was upon him." Luke 2:26 goes on to explain that the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not see death before he had seen "the Lord's Christ," God's Son, the Messiah. God had made a promise to him, and God always makes good on his promises. Simeon then came "in the Spirit" to the temple where Mary and Joseph would bring Jesus as was the custom of the Law (Luke 2:27). Simeon was led by, engulfed by, and overcome by the Holy Spirit, who guided his entire life. We should learn from his example. The Holy Spirit should guide every part of our lives! When Simeon saw Jesus with his parents, he knew. He just knew, undoubtedly by the Spirit, that this child was the Messiah. The chosen one of God. The one for whom he had waited so long. At that moment, all of Simeon's patience, prayer, and waiting was finally rewarded. May all of us learn how to be patient as we wait in faith for God to fulfill all he has promised!

by David Chadwick There are so many characters whose lives purposefully and divinely intersect at the cradle with the main character we know as Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. We have looked at Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph. Last week, we saw how all of these characters' lives were leading up to, anticipating, and preparing for the birth of Jesus. From there, we looked at the angels who visited the shepherds in the field. Following one angel's instructions, the shepherds set out to find the manger and the Christ child. Today, we are going to look at Luke 2:24. Mary and Joseph went to bring their offering to the Temple for Jesus's purification. This was a historical practice of the Jewish culture. What did they bring to offer as their sacrifice? A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. This seems like a basic enough verse to understand until you realize that this kind of simple offering indicates that Mary and Joseph were poor. The turtledoves and pigeons were a sacrifice of modest means. Look at Leviticus 12:8, "And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean." This kind of offering was the Old Testament option given to people who did not have as much. Wealthier people were able to offer a lamb as the sacrifice, but turtledoves and pigeons were typically the offerings of those who couldn't afford more expensive things. Unlike Hinduism and other religions that have caste systems and look at the poor with contempt, the God of Christianity came for the least and the lost. He loves the humble sacrifice. He holds a special place in his heart for those who are poor, destitute, and lacking material wealth. The God of the Bible loves both a small sacrifice of two turtledoves and a larger sacrifice of a grand lamb. He cares more about a genuine love of God and a heart of faith than the size of a gift. Mary and Joseph's simple offering shows that great kids can come from even the poorest of homes! Two parents who love God, love one another, and are committed to raising their kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord can produce fantastic kids who are great in the sight of the Lord. A great reminder for us all.

by David Chadwick This week, we continue to look at the characters at the cradle. These are the people whose lives divinely intersected with the incarnation of Jesus. Even from the womb, Zechariah and Elizabeth's lives were impacted by the miraculous conception of this soon-coming King of kings. So, what is currently happening in the story? And what character is at the cradle this week? His name is Simeon. You will find his story in Luke 2:22-35 and we start by looking at verses 22 and 23. Before Simeon comes on the scene, it is important to understand the context of what is happening in the story. Today and tomorrow, we will look at what is happening before Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus meet Simeon. The birth of Jesus had just occurred. An angel, along with an angelic host, appeared to the shepherds and told them that the Savior of the world had just been born. The angel told them to go to the city of David, Bethlehem, where they would find the baby lying in a manger. Luke 2:22-23 says that the time had come for their purification. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus "up to Jerusalem." What does this mean? It implies walking up on Mount Zion, where the Temple was built. This was where they needed to take Jesus for the purification ceremony. As written in Leviticus 12:3-4, this "time" was 40 days after birth, 33 days after circumcision (which is eight days after birth). According to the Law of Moses, the firstborn male child was to be presented to the Lord and called holy to the Lord. Notice how devoted Mary and Joseph were to keeping the Law of God. Why did God choose them to be the mom and dad of his Son, the second person of the Godhead? I supposed it had a lot to do with their total devotion to God and obedience to his Law. They were not casually committed. They loved God with all their hearts. Think about what most parents want for their kids—prestige, popularity, success, position, and prosperity. Now look at what God wanted for his Son: a mom and dad who would raise him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This should make all parents pause and refocus our priorities for our kids. Just as Jesus was brought to the temple for purification, we should live our lives in a way that always asks God to give us clean hands and pure hearts. A fervent love for God and a willingness to wholeheartedly follow Jesus should be the primary aim. There should then be an intentional desire for husband and wife to love one another and extend that love to their children. From there, love should overflow into the world. That is what is most important in a family. That's the strong foundation and Christlike environment that is needed to raise great and godly kids.

by David Chadwick Philippians 2:10-11 says, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." There is power in the name of Jesus. Wonder-working power. Even at conception, his name caused John to leap in his mother's womb and Elizabeth to be filled with the Spirit. His mere presence on the earth, even in utero, began to have a profound impact on the world. After Jesus was born. What happened next? Today we will finish by looking at Luke 2:21. It says, "And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." Two important things took place. Mary and Joseph's new baby was circumcised and given the name Jesus. Mary and Joseph were committed, orthodox Jews. Remaining true to their Jewish faith, they desired to obey every requirement of the Law and Jewish tradition. Oh, that all parents would be like this! Hungry and humble. Obedient and pure. Out of all of the parents that God could have ordained for Jesus, these are the types of people who the Father wanted for his Son on earth. The one who wrote this Law is now obeying what he wrote! I pray that those of us who follow Christ would model the same with our kids, obeying all that God requires of us. A home full of grace and truth, righteousness and holiness, obedient of the Word of God, and filled with the Spirit is the kind of environment in which God wants to raise his children. For eight days Mary and Joseph waited. Loving this new baby. Can you imagine the conversations that occurred between them over these eight days? The long looks at the baby. The cuddling. The feedings. Wonder and awe! On the eighth day, in fulfillment of the Law, Jesus was presented for circumcision. His name was also given to him, just as the angel Gabriel had instructed: the name Jesus. Both John and Jesus's names were given in heaven to their parents before they were conceived in the womb to their respective moms. Again, never forget to take note of Mary and Elizabeth's hearts of obedience in every detail, big and small. God will always honor a heart desirous of obedience to him. Jesus, the main character at the cradle, the most important person in the entire story, is now alive in the story! There are more characters to come, but his presence in the world, God in human form, has marked history forever!

by David Chadwick Did you know Jesus is alive? Not just in the Christmas story, but today and forevermore! As we continue to study the birth of Jesus, the most compelling reality of the Christmas story is that the same wonder and glory that came with his birth is still available to us today. His birth unlocked an eternal promise. Jesus's birth impacted all of history and all of eternity. The first coming of Jesus was a foretaste of his second coming. As we read Luke 2:1-21, we should swell with anticipation in our hearts for our soon and coming King! Today, we are going to look at Luke 2:15-20 where the angels ascended to heaven and the shepherds set out to find the manger. Verse 16 says that the shepherds went "with haste" to find the couple and the baby. Haste. What a powerful word; meaning excessive speed, urgency, hurry. They knew they had been given a very important assignment and they acted swiftly! I love to presume all that might have happened along the way with the shepherds. Did they have to ask around to find the manger? Do you think they found the innkeeper and asked if he knew of a couple giving birth in a manger? Was this one of only a few mangers in Bethlehem, making it relatively easy to find? Maybe the only manger? Although Luke, once again, left some of these details missing, he was detail-oriented enough to show us the most important thing–that with very little information, these shepherds found Jesus. When they saw the baby, they remembered the angel's words. Everything was just as they had told him it would be. After all, angels can't lie! The shepherds went on to tell Mary and Joseph all that had just happened. The appearance of the angel. The message of how to find them. The angelic choir proclaiming the glory of God. The shepherds returned to their fields praising God. They saw and heard exactly as they had been told by the angel. Their lives would never be the same! Don't you know Mary and Joseph must have added this info to their own list of angelic appearances, to the many stories they were already collecting, and to the promises that had been made to them through the birth of their son? This was prophetic fulfillment happening before their very eyes. From that day forward, they surely had a lot to talk about in their newly married lives. After the birth of her son and subsequent events, what did Mary do? The Bible says that "she treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." Do you think she ever shared all of the intricacies with Jesus? Or directly to Dr. Luke? She clearly told someone. Otherwise, we wouldn't have this account today. Not only did Mary treasure and ponder, but she also shared it. Because when you know something is life-changing, you can't help but share it! It changed Mary personally, but it changed everyone around her. And even more, it's changed all of us today! Praise be to God for this good and Godly woman.

by David Chadwick Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to be registered for taxes. While there, Jesus was born in a smelly manger instead of a nice inn. The God of all creation chose to enter the world in the most humble of states. Jesus is the main character at the cradle. His birth was the catalyst to draw every other character to the cradle. So what happens next in the story? Let's look at Luke 2:8-14 to see who were the first characters at the cradle following Jesus's birth. Verse 8 says that the shepherds were "out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Suddenly, an angel appeared to them. Like we see in many biblical accounts, when an angel would show up, the shepherds were filled with great fear as God's glory shone around them. Do you remember how Zechariah and Mary responded? They were afraid. But this fear is different from sinful fears. Think more of an awe and reverence as sinful humans stand before holy angels. The angel said to the shepherds, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." The angel's message, one of enormous joy, would both change their lives forever and touch all of humanity for all of time. The angel went on to tell the shepherds where they would find this baby, "wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." This is all the detail Luke included. Somehow, some way, the simplicity of that statement would take the shepherds straight to the Christ child. Could it be that God chose the most radically humble of locations to be the very way that people would find the King of kings? Following the angel's message, astoundingly, a mass heavenly angelic choir appeared, saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" While the Bible clearly says that the angels were "saying" this, I can't help but hear it put to music every time I read these words! Whenever I hear Christmas songs that say, "Glory to God," I immediately think of this verse. I picture a multitude of angels singing, almost like a military choir singing in perfect harmony because, after all, angels are God's armies! The shepherds heard the news! God had finally come! Immanuel. The 400 years of silence had been deafeningly broken. Per the angel's instructions, it was time for some to begin to visit him! Can you believe it? The first human guests to come visit God in human flesh were the shepherds. Not the rich and powerful, but lowly shepherds. Another theme of humility invading the Christmas story. God made a statement by inviting the lowly, seemingly insignificant ones to be the first to come to his birth party. How great is our God!

by David Chadwick When Caesar Augustus gave a decree mandating everyone to be registered for taxes, Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem began. Remember as you read the Christmas story that there was not one aspect that was outside of God's control or plan. In fact, every moment was a part of his plan. The twists and turns, the ups and downs – all of them point to our great need for redemption through Jesus. While in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to give birth. Let's look at Luke 2:5-7, where God, through Jesus, entered the world. The main character of the entire story! For being such a detail-oriented author, Luke does leave some mystery in these verses surrounding Jesus's actual birth. So many questions and so few answers! I can't help but wonder if Luke intentionally left some mystery around the birth of Jesus. Sometimes humans become fixated on understanding all of the details and lose sight of the wonder of the Savior. As we follow Jesus, we must embrace mystery, realizing that some things will only make sense in heaven. While we don't know for sure what the exact context was of Joseph and Mary's wedding celebration, we know from Luke's account that Joseph was with Mary, caring for her during the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Determined to obey God to be her caring husband. In verse 7, God in human flesh entered the world. Baby Jesus was born. In a stable. With straw.  Surrounded by animals who were probably quite smelly. They were the first invited guests for the actual birth. Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes, which, as a side note, was the same material used to wrap him up and lay him in the empty tomb following his crucifixion. The King of kings and Lord of lords was born in a smelly stable, as there was no place in the inn. He came in humility, not splendor. Surroundings that were so meager and so humbling. The God of the universe led the way in a life that was opposed to the proud. Humility is the heart of God and the beginning point for eternal salvation. As his followers, we, too, should choose humility. The Bible says that if we do, he will lift us up to a place of honor.

by David Chadwick This week, we are going to look specifically at the birth of Jesus and the important role that the shepherds and angels played as characters at the cradle. However, before we look at some more of these secondary characters, we must first STOP and look at the main character. Jesus is the main event. He IS the ultimate character at the cradle, around whom God's entire story is written. He is the pinnacle of all creation, the peak of all prophecies, and the climax of the story! Join me today as we look at Luke 2:1-4. Did you know that everything in human history is under God's control? There is not one atom outside of his creation. Even the disappointing, confusing, and discouraging parts of life are used for the glory of God and for his purposes to be accomplished both in us as individuals and in the world. Luke 2 starts with a decree from Caesar Augustus to conduct a census. In his decree, everyone had to return to their hometowns to register for the taxation. What began as a tax request paved the way for the birth of Jesus to take place in Bethlehem! Before we continue, notice Dr. Luke's detail-oriented insights. His medically trained mind, once again, gives us details that others may have overlooked. He shares the name of the emperor and the governor of Syria. Because of that, we now know that the history of Jesus's birth took place during the same time as Quirinius was governor of Syria, which confirms that history aligns with God's Word! While Caesar Augustus was the emperor of Rome and Quirinius was over Syria, God remains the eternal "emperor" of the world! He is the King of kings. The Emperor of emperors. God is in control and every intricate detail exists to fulfill Old Testament prophecy. From Nazareth to Bethlehem, everything took place the way it did in order to carry out God's plan! Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem to fulfill prophecy in Micah 5:2, specifically in the city of David, called Bethlehem, where David, too, was born. Did you know Joseph was from Bethlehem as well? Jesus was in the lineage of King David, another fulfillment of prophecy. Always remember this truth: man proposes, God disposes. Daniel 2:21 says that God "changes times and seasons; removes kings and sets up kings…" Augustus, so mighty and powerful, was nothing but a mere puppet in God's hands, used strategically for God's glory. This is true of every ruler and authority throughout human history, and it's true of rulers today. Take heart. God is always in control. The Father is the master author, Jesus is the main character and, through his Spirit, he continues to be the conductor of the world!

by David Chadwick Zechariah concluded his prophecy in verse 79 by proclaiming that John the Baptist would "give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." John the Baptist would proclaim a message that would give light to the shadow of death, which is often people's greatest fear. But this light would also guide our feet to the way of peace. So we don't misstep, trip, or fall! As we discussed yesterday, God gives us the sunrise every morning, simply because of his grace. The sun gives us light for the day. In the same way, the SON of God shines light on the darkness of our sin. What a wonderful insight for Jesus's advent, his coming to us! Jesus aimed to give us light in the midst of our darkness. In fact, in John 8:12, Jesus called himself the light of the world. Why is this significant? Because when sin cursed the world, darkness overtook the light. We became a world without hope. A story without promise. A life with no future. But God! Jesus saved us from all darkness and all sin. Peter said that we were delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into Jesus's marvelous kingdom of light (1 Peter 2:9). If we follow Jesus and his light, we, too, are called to be lights in this dark world! Once Jesus invades our hearts and his light dwells in us, we are salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). We bring light to the darkness of the world and salt to that which has no flavor. Sometimes that light will cause unbelievers to squint in pain as our light exposes their sin. But it's needed to reveal the purity of the Gospel! The light of Christ helps us see each step clearly that ultimately guides us home to our Father in heaven. Luke 1 concludes in verse 80 by saying, "And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel." Every day that John got older in body, he became older in the Lord. We see in Scripture that God's greatest saints often spent long hours in solitude and contemplation before their ministries became public. This was certainly true of Jesus! Think about him between the ages of 12 and 30. He spent that time in tremendous preparation for his public ministry. As for John the Baptist, God eventually called him into the wilderness until he was to go public. How long was that? We don't know. But by the time God finally made John public, he was preaching a message of repentance that drew thousands to baptism. He spent his life continually preparing the way of the Lord, Jesus, the Savior of the world!

by David Chadwick Zechariah's prophecy gives strong gospel implications to the importance and need for repentance. Luke 1:77-78 says that John, in preparing the way for the Lord, would "give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high…" Zechariah knew that John's life's mission would be to point to Jesus. John the Baptist would bring a message of repentance before people even heard Jesus's message. His words would prime the hearts of people to receive the Word (John 1:1). Jesus's message would then bring people the knowledge of salvation and offer the forgiveness of sins. Through him, all of mankind would be offered the perfect union that had once existed between God and his creation. Jesus would restore everything that had been broken. He would repair, reunite, redeem, and rebuild! My dear friends, our greatest need as humans is not more "stuff" that we don't actually need. Rather, it is to know that we are forever forgiven, that our eternity is secure through Jesus, and that our lives are meant to bear fruit for his Kingdom while living on this broken earth. If we truly understood these realities, we would never need to worry about anything again! God made this salvation message known first through John and then through Jesus. Because of the "tender mercy of our God," he does not want any of us to receive what we deserve. If karma is true, then all of us deserve an eternity in hell for our sins, disobedience, unrighteousness, and godlessness. None of us are blameless and without fault. Any sin, even the slightest one, scars us. God knew this! Instead of leaving us to wallow in our brokenness, God, rich in grace and mercy, came to us. He came to us from "on high," heaven, and visited us like the sunrise visits us every morning of every day. What do we do to cause the sun to rise each day? Absolutely nothing! It's only because God loves us SO much that he gives us this daily reminder of his mercy and grace. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." What a great God we serve!

by David Chadwick The Godhead - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are present throughout the biblical narrative. Much like in Genesis 1, where the Trinity is present during creation, the same holds true with these characters at the cradle. The Bible tells us that many of these characters at the cradle were specifically marked with the Holy Spirit during their encounters with the Christ child. The Spirit "came upon" Mary (Luke 1:35). Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit as she first met Jesus in the womb of her cousin, Mary (Luke 1:41). And then in verse 67, Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit. Zechariah continued his Spirit-filled prophecy in verse 76 by specifically addressing his child, John, given to Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age. He would be called "the prophet of the Most High." John's divine purpose would be to go before the Lord and prepare his ways. What a powerful calling! John's life would be marked as a human mouthpiece for the Most High God. Did you know that Malachi prophesied about John's arrival as the forerunner of Jesus in Malachi 4:5? Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, prophesying right around 420 BC before the 400 years of silence. Take note of the wonder of this situation! The last Old Testament prophet prophesied the coming of the final prophet, who would prepare the way for Jesus's arrival. God chose, ordained, and sent John to prepare the way for his son, Jesus. Both John's and Jesus's miraculous births were a sovereign part of God's plan to redeem the world. Through their providential lives, the grace and mercy of Jesus were displayed, restoring the ability to have restoration between creation and the Creator. John would carry the same spirit of the great Old Testament prophet Elijah, who constantly preached repentance, which paved the way for Jesus to share God's message of rich forgiveness, grace, and mercy. But remember, without the message of repentance, God's grace and mercy are just sloppy sentimentality. True life change should always propel you into a new life of holiness and righteousness that can only be found in Jesus.

by David Chadwick We are looking at the characters at the cradle, the people who found their lives intersecting with the life of Jesus, with divine precision. Each person carried a unique role and responsibility and stewarded his or her place in history with great purpose. Zechariah was one of those characters. In spite of his initial unbelief, which left him deaf and mute for a season, he allowed his time in silence to shape him and refine him for what was to come with the birth of John. Once Zechariah's speech was restored, he was filled with the Spirit and began to prophesy. About what, you might ask? So many things! Let's take a look over the next few days. In verse 70, Zechariah spoke of Jesus being the fulfillment of all the prophecies in the Old Testament. There were 300 plus prophecies in total, all of which were perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus is the connection between the Old and New Testaments. He is the one who ushered in the new covenant of grace to his people. The birth of Jesus ushered in the long-awaited Messiah to save Israel from its enemies. His birth sounded the alarm that Rome's oppression would not last forever. Through his birth, all the enemies of Israel for all of time would now be judged by God for their anger and fury against God's chosen people. My dear friends, you may not like Israel, but they are still God's chosen people with whom he made an everlasting covenant for the salvation of the world. Every nation, for all of time, will have good and evil. We must live in this ongoing tension until Jesus's return. But this does not change the fact that Israel has always been and will always be an instrument of God's plans for the earth. Jesus extended mercy to Israel, not giving them what they deserved. Fulfilling the holy covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, Zechariah gave a reminder that through Jesus, God would make them a great people and a great land (Luke 1:72-73). Through Abraham, the nation of Israel would be formed. From his "seed," through his lineage, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Delivered from their enemies time and time again, these people were set apart to serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness for all their days (Luke 1:74-75). Through them, the Israelites, the nations of the earth, would be drawn to God as they witnessed how blessed these holy people were by their holy God.

by David Chadwick This week, we cover Zechariah's prophecy found in Luke 1:67-79. This passage is powerful and full of revelation and insight. If you remember where we have been, Zechariah's words come on the heels of Elizabeth's prophetic exclamation in verse 42, Mary's song of praise in verses 46-56, and the birth of John in verses 57-66. Zechariah is coming off his nine months of silence. Because he expressed words of doubt and unbelief when the angel Gabriel had told him that he would finally have a son named John, Zechariah was rendered mute and deaf. By the time John arrived, everyone thought the name of the boy would be "Zechariah," after his father. You can imagine everyone's surprise when he wrote "John" on the tablet. At that very moment, his speech and hearing were restored. Immediately. Miraculously. These verses lay out Zechariah's words after nine long months of listening, observing, thinking, and praying. Not to mention all he had just seen through the miraculous birth of his son. Imagine what you would say after such a long time of silence! When his speech and hearing were restored, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel." His silence was broken with praise to God. Pent up praise exploded from his mouth.  Zechariah was a front-row witness to an answered prayer and to God's will being accomplished and knew the only proper response was to give him all the glory. Why praise? Because God was visiting his people after 400 years of silence! The Lord had redeemed his people. What started through the angel Gabriel's appearance to Zechariah in the temple continued through the birth of John, who would be a forerunner to the Messiah, and then finally to the birth of Jesus, placed in Mary's womb as the Savior of the world. In verse 69, Zechariah talks about how God has raised up "the horn," which is always a symbol of strength and power. Picture a horn on a rhinoceros, full of brute force. This is what salvation through Jesus would mean for God's people. As prophesied in the Old Testament, Jesus would come through the house of David and bring salvation to the world. How great is our God!

by David Chadwick "And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, 'What then will this child be?' For the hand of the Lord was with him." Luke 1:65-66. When Zechariah's voice returned, he started blessing God for all that had happened to him and Elizabeth. He was incredibly grateful for the birth of his child. The text goes on to tell us that all the neighbors were filled with fear. The "fear" talked about here is not dread or being afraid. On the contrary. It's the awesome respect that one has for another. It's a holy awe. This is what I felt toward my dad growing up. This large, godly man caused me to revere him in every way. Proverbs 1:6 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Our society and nation have forgotten the fear of the Lord. The reverence of God has become non-existent. To some, he is often treated as a best pal or buddy. For others, he is treated as a genie in a bottle to whom people only go to get their needs met. When God does a mighty work like miraculously bringing John the Baptist into the world, people are forced to come face to face with his divine grace and mercy. And the fear that this produces is good! It should make us want to love, serve, and worship our Daddy in heaven even more! When people thought about John and his arrival, they began to wonder about his future. "What would this child be?" They knew the hand of the Lord was upon John, and they could already sense it was for something great. They were right! This special child went on to be the forerunner for the life and ministry of Jesus, as prophesied in Malachi 4:5. John the Baptist was the beginning of the inauguration of God's kingdom through Jesus. He would go on to baptize Jesus and point people to his earthly ministry. Find Jesus and you will find his kingdom. Find his kingdom and you will hunger to find your place in his story. You will hunger to see the kingdom of heaven come on earth as it is in heaven. His will is to give us glimpses of glory here on earth until the King named Jesus comes again! Awe and wonder filled the hearts of all who heard the news of John the Baptist's birth. I pray that awe and wonder will swell in each of your hearts this Christmas season!

by David Chadwick When Zechariah wrote down, "His name is John," for all to see and read, he obeyed in specificity all the angel of the Lord had commanded him to do. At that moment, something significant happened. Let's take a look. "And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God" (Luke 1:64). Immediately. What a powerful word! Not gradual, not slowly… immediately! Zechariah's act of obedience led to his immediate breakthrough. At that moment, he was able to speak again. And the words that poured forth blessed the one true God. This might be one of my favorite stories in the Bible. The salvation of the Lord is so evident in the life of Zechariah. Did you notice how the last words spoken by Zechariah before becoming mute were words of unbelief and doubt, but the first words that he spoke after his tongue was loosened were words of faith that blessed God? Over the nine months of silence, Zechariah learned his lesson! His fear turned to faith. Words of doubt into words of praise. Words of unbelief became words of worship. His hesitation became dedication. What a profound transformation Zechariah had. He learned the power of words, praise, and worship. Because of Zechariah's willingness to yield to the transformative work of God in his life, his words and his actions would never be the same. He would be forever marked by an experience with the awesome power of an awesome God. Zechariah had a deep appreciation for his prison of silence because it taught him to praise in ALL things. He understood like never before the power of his words. He learned to worship God no matter what the situation may be. From prison to praise. From silence to worship. This story shows the greatness of our God! This Christmas season, I would encourage you to practice praise. Learn to find words of worship. No matter what circumstance you find yourself in, choose to thank God.

by David Chadwick The ultimate name of the Christmas story is born into a cradle. His name is Jesus. But there are many characters at the cradle who play significant roles in highlighting the Savior of the world. One, in particular, is the forerunner to the message of Jesus. His name is John. Luke 1:61-63 continues the story of John's circumcision. Even though everyone thought this special baby would be named after his father, Gabriel instructed Zechariah to name him John. Because Zechariah was still mute, Elizabeth had just spoken up to tell everyone the name. No one who gathered for this special event understood. They said, "None of your relatives is called by this name" (Luke 1:61). Thinking Elizabeth was wrong, they turned to Zechariah and started to make signs to him, asking him if this was what he really wanted. Why is this so important? Because making signs implied that Zechariah was not only mute, but also could have been deaf! We don't know for sure, but he clearly needed a sign language of sorts to understand what they were saying. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." I would imagine this is probably how Zechariah mostly had communicated with Elizabeth and others during these long nine months. After hearing from Zechariah himself, the people all wondered, "Why? How?" This suggests that they didn't know what had happened in the temple with the angel Gabriel. It was apparently a secret between Zechariah and Elizabeth. What a beautiful nod to the sacredness of marriage. Sometimes there are secrets that only a husband and wife hold dear to their hearts. Can you imagine how Zechariah and Elizabeth communicated their hearts and expressed their faith to one another during those quiet nine months together? Maybe a longing look? A squeezed hand? A silent prayer together? They were one flesh, clinging to the goodness of God and claiming his promises together. A special love language was most assuredly forged between them! A language that most assuredly was imprinted on the heart of John even while growing in the womb You'll have to join me tomorrow to see what happens next.

by David Chadwick What's in a name? There is power in a name. Meaning in a name. Purpose in a name. In Scripture, names often point to someone's God-ordained purpose. Today, you will learn why John's name was significant. After John was born, Zechariah and Elizabeth took him to be circumcised on the eighth day, as was the Jewish custom. This was also the time when the father would pronounce the name of the child. Often in biblical times, the child would be named after the father. This actually still happens a lot in today's culture as well. So for John's circumcision, everyone gathered on that day anticipating that this baby's name would be Zechariah, after his daddy. Now remember, Zechariah is still without his voice. It's been nine months since Gabriel closed Zechariah's vocal cords, and not a word has been spoken in all these months. So it was Elizabeth who responded, "No; he shall be called John." Somehow, Zechariah had clearly communicated with Elizabeth all that Gabriel had told him, including the fact that they were to name their son John. In that moment, Elizabeth communicated with precise obedience from all that Zechariah had been commanded to do. The name John means "God is gracious." This name spoke prophetically to the fact that John would pave the way for the life of Jesus to grace this earth, a life that would forever change the course of history and the trajectory of the world. Do you get a sense as to why God chose Zechariah and Elizabeth to parent this special child named John? I believe it is because God knew that they had a heart of obedience to accomplish ALL that God would command them to do. A heart of obedience often precedes God's gifts of miracles. This still holds true for us today. Do you have a heart of obedience? Do you desire to obey God in whatever he asks of you? I would encourage all of us to posture ourselves to be the kinds of people to whom he will entrust his plans.

by David Chadwick This week, we are going to look at another character at the cradle. Join me as we explore the birth of John the Baptist, found in Luke 1:57-66. We will start today by looking at verses 57 and 58. Elizabeth's time to give birth has finally arrived! After her five months of hiddenness and Zechariah's nine months of silence, the divine time for John to enter the world had arrived! Think about all that must have happened to Elizabeth over those nine months. Somehow, Zechariah figured out a way to tell her about Gabriel's visit to him in the temple. The shock, the unbelief, the awe, the acceptance. You know there must have been a wide range of emotions. Then, as alluded to earlier, for five months, Elizabeth hid herself and spent time absorbing the magnitude of this news. After so many long years of praying and waiting, they would finally have a son. And oh, how great this son would be! Because Gabriel had shut Zechariah's mouth after displaying unbelief, Elizabeth was left with a lot of time to ponder quietly during her pregnancy. She probably spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation. Then, if you remember, Elizabeth also had that special designated time with her cousin, Mary. When Mary visited Elizabeth, John leaped in her womb in the presence of Jesus. Even in the womb, John knew he was in the presence of the Son of God. It's yet another pro-life verse people should study. A child in the womb can leap for joy! When John was born, Elizabeth's neighbors came and shared in her joy. They rejoiced in the Lord's mercy toward her, giving her a child in old age, and ultimately removing the reproach of barrenness for her and Zechariah. JOY! It's what they all experienced. One of the greatest producers of joy is answered prayer. In fact, the Bible says that "hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). Think about the many answered prayers that you have seen take place in your life. As you do, let faith arise that God still may answer the deepest desires of your heart. Answered prayers always produce great joy. Have faith and continue to believe even before you have received the promise! This produces faith, which cannot be taken away. And this faith realized produces great joy!

by David Chadwick Let there be praise! While Mary's Magnificat ends with verse 55, Luke 1:56 tells us what Mary did after she completed this psalm of praise. I often find that the practical action steps that follow a spiritual encounter are equally as important, if not more, than the encounter itself. It is important to put action behind our experiences. Mary did just that. The Bible says that Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home. What do you think happened in those three months? I can think of 3 things that I think happened. First, I think Mary prayed and worshiped God, soaking in his unfailing love. I think she probably reflected on the words that she cried out to God in "The Magnificat." The magnitude of the story unfolding. The faithfulness of God through generations. Secondly, I think Mary processed with Elizabeth. If you remember, Elizabeth kept herself hidden for five months after finding out John was on the way. During that time, Elizabeth probably had times of worship and quiet reflection where she contemplated God's mercy and grace. I'm sure she sat and reflected on all Gabriel had said to her husband, Zechariah. I can remember my Marilynn, after long years of waiting for a child, finally learning that our first baby was on the way. She spent hours in prayer, praise, and contemplation. As her belly grew, she would often rub her tummy and thank God. Sing praises. Quote Bible verses. Mary and Elizabeth probably also shared similar stories as they sat together in reflection. Can you imagine the conversations, prayer, and praise? The joy of sharing these two miracle stories? Possibly even writing things down to preserve the memories for generations to come. Whatever happened, I'm sure it was full of wonder. Third, I think Mary prepared her heart to return home. You can't stay on a mountaintop experience forever. When God speaks, it requires action. She probably began to prepare a room in her heart before she ever had to prepare a room in that manger bed. Here's one final thought. Do you think Mary stayed long enough to help deliver John? Her cousin was a bit older. So maybe Mary remained to ensure her cousin and baby were safe. It really is fun to think about how this story unfolded in real life. May we all praise God for his goodness, mercy, miracles, and many gifts to us. May gratitude fill our hearts! God is truly good. He has done great things, and his favor is for all of us. Walk in humility, not pride. And taste and see that the Lord is good.

by David Chadwick Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1:46-56 depicts a profound display of praise and adoration from Mary toward God. In the Latin Vulgate translation, "magnificat" means "magnifies." These verses are designed to purely magnify the Lord God. In verses 54 and 55, Mary said, "He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." These verses mark a shift in Mary from praise for what God had done for her personally to praise for what this child would do for Israel. Mary knew that this gift of a Savior would be the greatest display of salvation that Israel had ever seen. Jesus would fulfill the promise of a Messiah, as promised throughout the Old Testament. Through Jesus, the Israelites would remember God's mercy for them in spite of their rebellion. They deserved dispersion and God's punishment forever. But God, rich in mercy, not only brings the Israelites back to the land, but also shows them mercy, restoration, blessing, and hope. God spoke to Abraham with covenant promises and then to his offspring through Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Throughout history, God continued to speak. And now, through Jesus, God would speak again! Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, and God in human flesh, would invade a dark world to reclaim all that was lost because of sin. Jesus was the ultimate display that God was not finished with Israel yet and that he still had a plan for salvation for Israel. God's love for Israel is clearly seen here. It was revealed through Jesus's life, death, resurrection, ascension, and Second Coming. But this love didn't stop with Israel. This message has always been for the masses! The love of Jesus is so radical that it was always designed to spill out onto the whole world. Salvation belongs to Jews and Gentiles, male and female, young and old, rich and poor. This salvation message has transcended generations and times. The love of God for Israel was the seedbed in which the miracle message of salvation was able to grow, multiply, and touch the ends of the earth. To you and me. All praise to our God for his lovingkindness!