Category: Luke

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Zechariah’s song has many wonderful thoughts about God’s purpose in sending the Messiah – the horn of salvation in David’s house. There is a four-fold purpose given in verses 69-75. They are well worth spending time thinking about.

SJA Notes

Zechariah’s prophesy is a wonderful pointer to Jesus. The hope of the promise that faithful Israelites had been looking forward to.

A horn of salvation raised up! Out of the house of David! Great David’s greater son!

Jesus was redemption for God’s people then, all the years since then, and now – Jesus is redemption now!

He is the light that shines on us when we are in darkness, in the shadow of death.

He is the light that guides our feet into the way of peace.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Gracious Father,

Thank You for the horn of salvation that You raised up out of the house of David.

That this saviour, the light of the world, was and is for all those who come in repentance and belief.

Thank You for Jesus!

In His Name we pray today,

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Mary’s song is akin to Hannah’s in 1 Samuel 2. Read it after this. List some of the things Mary has to say about God. Think about verse 33 – His kingdom will never end!

SJA Notes

* Dear Lord, please teach us from Your word today.

“And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

The mother of my Lord.

Not only does the baby-in-the-womb John the Baptist leap for joy and witness to Jesus as the Christ,

But so too does his Mum, Elizabeth – Who is humbled at the thought, and testifies to Jesus being the Christ, the Messiah.

This is a word for us.

Are we humbled at the approach of Christ in our lives, that He would choose such as us?

Let us come before Him with our hearts broken and our spirits teachable.

* God Above,

Please write Your word on our hearts today, that we might not sin against You.

Please humble us, and continue to mark us as people who live in humility bearing the fruits of Your Spirit.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Luke is a Greek medical doctor. Their training was as rigorous as for the modern doctor. Luke never saw Jesus. You and I can get as close as Luke got to Jesus – through the eyes of the eyewitnesses such as Mary. What verse speaks particularly to you?

SJA Notes

* God Above, please teach us today from Your word.

“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Here Luke draws the connection between John the Baptist, the promised baby in today’s passage, and the Old Testament prophet Elijah.

Specifically Luke is drawing from Malachi chapter 4, where God says,

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, …”

What was John’s message?

Repent and believe.

This is the message preached by all the prophets, it is the message Jesus Himself brought.

In Mark chapter 1 we read from Jesus,

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Is this true for us today?

Repent and believe – Let us do so!

* Lord God,

Please mold us each day, make us more and more like Jesus – Our Good Shepherd.

Please help us to reflect Your light to those around us, please turn their hearts – That they might repent and believe, brought into the fold alongside us.

Amen.