WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 18, 2016
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THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST FORETOLD
(The forerunner of the SAVIOR)
(Luke 1:5-25)
Luke’s writings in his
Gospel account are the most literary of all New Testament books. His distinctive
fluid style in the original Greek text is simply a thing of beauty. Unlike the
other three Gospels, whose contents can be traced back to eyewitness accounts
of JESUS’ life here on earth, Luke’s Gospel is a detailed account that is a
result of careful and thorough investigative research into the events
surrounding and involving CHRIST’s birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and
ascension back into Heaven. And just like in the case of the other Gospel
writers, GOD assigns his writings to attract a particular audience by stressing
special and unique interest themes.
Most
scholars agree that Luke’s Gospel account is written to attract the attention
of the “Hellenist”, or, “the person who is rooted in the Greek culture
(Gentiles)”. And despite being ever mindful of CHRIST’s deity, Luke is also
brilliantly able to present JESUS’ as the ideal 100% human being (the
Hypostatic Union), WHO, quite simply, redefines excellence to even the most
righteous of men here on earth. In fact, HE shows quite literally that all men’s
righteousness is derived through their obedience to GOD.
Luke
also shows, more clearly than the other Gospels, just how greatly JESUS values
those who are often dismissed by society, such as women, the impoverished, the
downtrodden, and, the powerless. In his Gospel account he shows us that, in
JESUS, excellence is not looked upon as a “personal superiority”, that, in
itself, “devalues others”, but rather, in JESUS, we see a “divine standard”
that is bent on “raising others up”, resurrecting them into a life that is more
pleasing to GOD. And so, in the aforementioned ways, perhaps Luke’s Gospel
provides us with the most accurate, and most attractive portrait of our LORD
and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, that can found anywhere else in Scripture, arguably
perhaps, even more so the book of Hebrews.
In
the New Testament Greek, the word used for “messenger” is “aggelos” (pronounced
ang-el-os), and it describes “one who brings news or tidings by divine order
from GOD”. Here in Luke chapter 1, after a brief introduction in verses 1-4,
Luke writes of an angelic announcement of the coming birth of the “forerunner
to CHRIST JESUS”, John “the Baptist”.
Taking
up at verse 5, Luke begins his Gospel account by introducing to us, a Jewish Levite
Priest named Zechariah, who, lived during the time when “Herod the Great” was
king of Judea (37 B.C. – 4 B.C.). He was a member of the priestly line of
Abijah, who was a descendant of Aaron, and, who was a priest during the reign
of King David. Zechariah was married to a woman named Elizabeth, who was also a
descendant of Aaron. They were both considered “righteous” in the sight of GOD
because of their obedience, and they had no children because Elizabeth was
barren. This aging couple had long prayed to GOD for a child, and little did
they know that their prayers were about to be answered.
Zechariah
had recently been chosen by “sacred lot” (“Urim and Thummin”) to serve for a
week in the Temple, an opportunity that came only once in a lifetime for most
priests. One day, as he was serving his term of duty burning incense in the
LORD’s presence, in the sanctuary of the temple at Jerusalem, he received a
visit from the Archangel of the LORD, Gabriel (Vs.8-9). Gabriel is one the
famed archangels that stands in the very presence of the LORD in Heaven.
Here
Gabriel gives Zechariah the good news of GOD’s answer to his and Elizabeth’s
longtime prayer for a son. The child would be named “John”, and would be great
in the eyes of the LORD. He would be a man blessed with the spirit (courage) and
power (authority) of “Elijah the Prophet” of old, and would be “the forerunner”
for, or “prepare the minds of the people, particularly the Jews, for” the
coming of JESUS, the CHRIST (HIS first advent) (Vs.13-17). However, Zechariah,
despite his direct word of good news from GOD, and because he was applying “human
logic” to the things of GOD, had great doubt in his heart, and was hesitant to
believe that he and Elizabeth could conceive a child in their old age (v.18).
This
particular passage serves to remind us that GOD expects more faith from those
who are called to be HIS leaders, and, who are supposed to know and understand
the ways of the LORD more thoroughly. And HE also expects more from a professed
Christian than HE does from an unbeliever. Here Zechariah shows the doubt of an
untrained layperson, instead of the faith and trust of an experienced spiritual
leader and man after GOD’s OWN heart. This unbelief miffs the LORD, WHO sent
Gabriel, and as a result, Zechariah’s ability to speak is taken away from him
until the birth of his son, John, several months later (Vs.19-20).
GOD had to silence Zechariah because of his words of unbelief that were,
unfortunately, contrary to the fulfillment of the covenant promise. He was a
man who was versed in Scripture, and was very familiar with the example of
Abraham and Sarah giving birth to Isaac at ages that, even far exceeded he and
Elizabeth’s. And yet, he found it hard to believe that such a thing could
happen to them under similar circumstances.
Christians
are called to believe, and when we pray and ask in faith, in JESUS’ name, for
the things that are within GOD’s Will, we are called by GOD to believe that HE
will deliver. In other words, when we pray to GOD for rain, we ought not to
leave home without, at least, an umbrella. We need to, at all times, show at
least, a minimum amount of faith (faith, the size of a mustard seed) in the GOD
we say we serve.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
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