Again, we can’t forget that the theme of the Gospel of Luke
is joy and rejoicing as we will see throughout the book. Everything changes
when God shows up! The great need for America and the world in these fearful
days of war, chaos, violence, hatred and division, is for God to show up! Luke records
how God first showed up to Zacharias with a message that he and his barren wife
Elizabeth would have a son that they would name John. God then showed up to
Mary with a message that she miraculously would conceive and have a Son, and she
would call Him Jesus!
When Mary visits her relative Elizabeth and greets her,
John leaps for joy. Both Mary and Elizabeth are rejoicing as they share with
each other what God is doing in and through their lives for the people of
Israel. Finally, nine months after Zacharias hears the message from the angel, their
son is born (v. 57). God always keeps His promises!
Now, the joy of Zacharias and Elizabeth is expressed with
praise! Divine joy can’t be restrained! It must be expressed externally! And
that is what takes place through the end of this first long chapter of Luke!
Divine joy has a wonderful way of spreading to others! “When
her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her,
they rejoiced with her” (v. 58).
God's blessing was resting abundantly on Zacharias and
Elizabeth. He sent them a baby boy, just as He promised; and they named him
"John" just as God had instructed. The Jews looked on children as a
gift from God and a "heritage from the Lord" (Pss. 127:3-5;
128:1-3), and rightly so, for they are. Israel would not follow the practices
of their pagan neighbors by aborting or abandoning their children. When you
consider that almost a million babies are aborted each year in the United
States alone, you can see how far we have drifted from the laws of God. It is
especially sad and appalling that just this month the Democratic National Convention
celebrated abortion by promoting it with speeches and testimonies.
Traditionally, a baby boy would be named after his father
or someone else in the family; so the relatives and neighbors were shocked when
Elizabeth insisted on the name John. Zacharias was not only mute but he must
have also been deaf, so they made signs to ask what the baby should be named. And
he wrote "His name is John" on a tablet, and that settled it!
Immediately God opened the old priest's mouth, and he sang a hymn of praise.
Zacharias first words are so interesting! In verse 67, the
people asked, “What kind of child will this be?” You would have thought
that Zacharias would have talked about what the angel had told him in the temple
about his son John. But instead, he talked about Jesus. Read verses 67 through
75. Amazing!!! Divine joy and praise always glorify Jesus.
When we truly experience the divine presence of Jesus in
our lives, our joy will overflow with praise giving glory to Him! And this is what
happens when God shows up!
God bless!
