Monday Luke 1:57-80

Prayer: O God, guide our hearts and mediations on your Word this day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John the Baptist

(Adapted from Christ in Our Home – daily devotions)

⁶⁶ All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

There are many “Johns” in the New Testament. Some were disciples of Jesus. One is attributed to writing three epistles, a fourth gospel, and the writer of The Revelation to John. John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus and was born to Elizabeth and Zechariah. The story here in Luke is about the struggle of Zechariah who did not want to name his first-born John as God had required. Because of his stubbornness, Zechariah’s voice was taken away until John’s birth and he then relented and chose the name John, and his voice was restored. Thus came Zechariah’s prophecy in today’s text and the roles that Jesus and John would play in the coming of the Messiah.

When children are baptized many wonder what the child will become. John the Baptist was the one chosen to pave the way for Jesus, the Savior of the world. What will children baptized today become? Will they be prophets, preachers, fathers, mothers, doctors, lawyers, leaders, followers? John the Baptists disciples asked Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” (Matthew 11:3).

What are you to become? What about your children? We can trust God to provide the way to speak to us in His time and way.

Prayer: “Holy God, you are the potter; we are the clay. Mold us and make us what you have us be. Amen.”

Luke 1:57-80

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. ⁶⁰ But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” ⁶¹ They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” ⁶² Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶ All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty savior for us
    in the house of his child David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹     that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
⁷² Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
    and has remembered his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us ⁷⁴     that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness
    in his presence all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give his people knowledge of salvation
    by the forgiveness of their sins.
⁷⁸ Because of the tender mercy of our God,
    the dawn from on high will break upon us,
⁷⁹ to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

⁸⁰ The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.