WEEKLY SUNDAY
SCHOOL LESSON
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Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday December 15, 2013
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ZACHARIAH
PROPHESIES ABOUT JOHN
(Sharing
the message of salvation)
(Luke 1:57-79)
Luke chapter 1, verses 67-80, comprises the
prophetic “psalm of Zechariah” that has come to be known in the Christian
Church, as “The Benedictus”. The term “Benedictus”, just like the term,
“Magnificat” (Mary’s song of praise), finds its origins in the “Vulgate”, the
first Latin translation of the Bible that was written by Jerome in the latter half
of the third century, and it is translated “blessed” in English. This passage
is filled with Old Testament quotations and allusions, as Zechariah expounds to
us, four great Christian ideas of theology;
1. An exaltation of praise to
GOD (v.68a)
2. The reason that
GOD should be praised (v.68b)
3. A prophetic description of the deliverance of
Israel through the coming MESSIAH
(Vs.69-75)
4. He foretells the ministry of his own son, John
the Baptist, as the one chosen to go before the MESSIAH, and indeed, prepare
the way for HIM (76-79)
This stretch of passage is clear evidence that
Zechariah had finally come to understand the message of the archangel Gabriel (Luke
1:5-25), and he was now ready to proclaim that message to the entire nation of
Israel. He understood that his son John would be a prophet of “the Most High
GOD”, and, that he would preach the same message of “human repent” and “divine
forgiveness of GOD” that would be later preached by the coming CHRIST.
As John grew, he became “very strong in human
spirit”, and, he possessed “a GOD-given vitality and fortitude” that would
certainly come in handy throughout his ministry. He would choose the lifestyle
of the prophet Elijah and dwell in the desert until it was time for his public
service to GOD and mankind to begin. And for a brief space in time, his
ministry would catapult him into the highest prominence of anyone, except
CHRIST, in the annals of New Testament literature. He “bore witness to the
SAVIOR”, and he proclaimed HIS message of “repent”, “forgiveness” and “salvation”
to the world, even before the world had heard it from the lips of CHRIST JESUS
HIMSELF.
We too, as Christians, are called to proclaim
and convey the message of CHRIST JESUS to the world. And besides, who else will
do it, if we don’t. Zechariah’s prophetic poem praises GOD for the MESSIAH,
and, for the role of his own son, John the Baptist. Our praise to GOD should be
for the same reason, and, for the realization of the benefits that we receive,
just by believing “the Good News” that they each delivered.
Luke has been successful in focusing our
attention on “the atmosphere of hope and expectation” that GOD was beginning to
create among the people of that era, and we can vividly espy, through his
writings, just how they were being prepared for the first advent of our LORD
and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.
We, on the other hand, are called to, and
must, proclaim and prepare the world for the second coming of CHRIST, and even
though the world of today is much more populated, than the world of the first
century, just as it did in that era, it will still take all of our hearts, and
all of our minds, and all of our hands to accomplish this same divine task.
However, we can rejoice in the second coming,
just as the dedicated men and women of GOD rejoiced in that day, because our
position with GOD is still being elevated by way of JESUS’ restoring power of
Salvation, through HIS vicarious sacrifices during HIS first advent.
Today, no man for whom CHRIST JESUS has died
can be called worthless. And HE died for all mankind in general, and for all
Christians in particular. HE restored our lost relationship of friendship with
GOD, and enabled us to overcome, an otherwise, saddened and doomed state of
existence. At one and the same time, HE also helped us to understand and become
what we ought to be, which is quite simply, “a servant and child of GOD”. And now,
we must go and proclaim, precisely that message.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
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