The Good News according to Luke, chapter, 1
To: 36,376 subscribers we pray ‘God is making Temples of His Spirit’, 6/11/22, God’s 3rd month, Sivan 12, 5,782, (Sabbath until sunset.)
A Christian is one immersed in, clothed with and believes in Jesus’ teaching. The same who said He was ‘Lord of the Sabbath’ also gave Israel the ten commandments through Moses. At the end of Jesus parable about a rich man in Hades; saying, ‘send Abraham to tell my brothers’ (Luke 16:31; Jesus replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’) The difference in Moses’ and Jesus’ teaching is Jesus’ spiritual magnification: ‘circumcision being of the heart and the spiritual intent of the matter. (See Rom 2:29 & Jer 9:26 for starters.) (His view assemblies.com)
Holy God: please draw each seeker of truth to Yourself and give each persevering minds, so they may overcome to the end. We thank You for the privilege of asking in the faith of Jesus. AMEN.
Dr. Luke was also a journalist who witnessed what Jesus and particular apostles did, a traveling companion with primary ones mentioned. Luke wrote or dictated the gospel accounts titled, “Luke” and “Acts of the Apostles” describing both books as, “orderly accounts to, “most excellent, Theophilus.” Luke believed in Jesus and particularly recorded His parables.
(Luke 1:1-4; “Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word from the beginning. (Also see John 1:1-5) So it seemed good to me as well, “because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning” to write an orderly account for you, ‘most excellent Theophilus,’ so that you may know for certain the things you were taught.”) We each need to know “the certainty of things we’re taught.” We need to take the apostle Paul’s advice and examine things seriously, he wrote, “Examine all things; hold fast to what is good. Stay away from every form of evil.” 1Thess 5:21-22)
(Luke 1:5-7; “During the reign of Herod, “king of Judea” there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and he had a wife named Elizabeth, who was a descendant of Aaron. (Aaron and Moses was of the tribe of Levy.) They were righteous in the sight of God, following the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. Zachariah did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.”) Remember a characteristic of our Creator is to, “call and choose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.” Paul understood this and quoted Jeremiah 9:24 for our learning.
(1Cor 1:27-31; “But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in His presence. He (God the Father) is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”) Remember God had made Abraham and Sarah able to procreate when naturally to old, giving them Isaac. God the father does the calling and places the called in the care of God the Son. (In prayer to His Father, Jesus said, “I have revealed Your name (characteristics -nature- Your Way) to the men You gave Me out of the world. They belonged to you, and You gave them to Me, and they have obeyed Your Word.” John 17:6) Study the whole chapter. (No one can boast of spiritual understanding, because it’s revealed to His chosen.)
(Luke 1:8-17; “Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, “he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood” to enter the holy place of the Lord and burn incense. Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. An angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared to him. And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, was seized with fear. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. Joy and gladness will come to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for Him.”) (Jesus’ coming in the flesh, “born of a virgin” was preplanned before the foundation of the world as was this John’s purpose, who was filled with the Holy Spirit and power to go as a forerunner in the power of Elijah!)
(Luke 1:18-20; “Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place.”) (All things are fulfilled in God’s timing. Zachariah and we should believe IN, without questioning, is the lesson for you and I also.)
(Luke 1:21-23; “Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place. When he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the holy place, because he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak. When his time of service was over, he went to his home.”) (Remember, years before ten tribes were dispersed and later the tribe of Judah also because of disobedience. King Hezekiah allowed a smattering’s return, restore the temple and Priesthood. Jesus demonstrated respect for this priesthood when He sent healed people to the priest according to the law.)
(Luke 1:24-25; “After some time Zachariah’s wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. She said, “This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when He has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.” (In that day it was traditional and considered disgraceful to be barren.)
(Luke 1:26-35; “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. Gabriel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!” But Mary was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. So, the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God! Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most-High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will never end.” Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most-High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be holy; He will be called the Son of God.”)
If we had no other prophecy than this one by Gabriel, Believers IN would know. (a) Gabriel spoke God’s Words. (b) Mary was chosen. (c) Jesus was miraculously fathered by God the Father, (spiritually Begotten, filled with the Holy Spirit at conception.) (d) Jesus’ linage is from David as was prophesied. (e) Jesus is heir to the throne of David. (f) Jesus is to reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever. (Spiritual Israelites? See Galatians 3:29.) (g) After the millennia, even after New Jerusalem comes down, Jesus’ kingdom continues. It’s gifted knowledge to Believers IN, that the kingdom of God revealed. It’s God adding to His family.
Gabriel continues.
(Luke 1:36-38; “And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! For nothing will be impossible with God.” So, Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.”) (John was about 6 months older than Jesus.)
(Luke 1:39-45; “In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”) (Seemingly Elizabeth is speaking of herself and Mary, when she spoke, “blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”)
Now, Mary prophesies about things revealed to her.
(Luke 1:46 -56; And Mary said, “My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, because He has looked upon the humble state of His servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name, from generation to generation. He is merciful to those who fear Him. He has demonstrated power with His arm; He has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up those of lowly position; He has filled the (spiritually) hungry with good things and has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering His mercy, as He promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”) So, Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home. John may have been born before Mary left. Consider the gifted understanding and wisdom revealed to Mary. Likely Mary witnessed Zachariah’s miraculous blessing of having his speech restored.
(Luke 1:57-66; “Now the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. But Elizabeth replied, “No! He must be named John.” They said to her, “But none of your relatives bears this name.” So, they made signs to the baby’s father, inquiring what he wanted to name his son. Zachariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened, his tongue released, and he spoke, blessing God. All their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about. All who heard these things kept them in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the Lord’s hand was indeed with him.”) (Blessed indeed are we, whose minds and being, have these truths imputed; so that our believing IN reflects God in us. Thus, we are spiritually compelled not to practice the ways God calls sin.