God's Word for Me Today
Thursday, December 6, 2001
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, in Your Son, Jesus, the “light of heaven” HAS broken in upon us. Fill me with that light this day, that I may be a light to shine in the darkness, which is so prevalent in our time. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may live in boldness and confidence, knowing that as I proclaim Your Good News of salvation in word and action that You will work in me and in the lives of those around me to fulfill Your wondrous purposes. God, I pray that Your glory may be seen in me and that, because of it others we become children of glory—Your glory—as well. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: Luke 1:67-79
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: 68 "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people and redeemed them. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant with them, 73 the covenant he gave to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness forever. 76 "And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God's tender mercy, the light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace."
Questions for Reflection
Who is the most famous person in your family tree? What difference does it make to you that you are part of that lineage?
What does it mean to you that the light of heaven has broken in among us through Jesus?
What is the most important contract (covenant) you’ve ever been involved in?
Questions for Exploration
What is the content of Zechariah’s prophecy? (1:67-79)
What is the role of the “light from heaven”? (1:78-79)
Questions for Understanding
To whom does this prophecy refer?
What is the impact in our lives of this prophecy made by Zechariah?
What was John’s role going to be in this whole process?
Questions for Application
Read through the prophecy of Zechariah again, and find one specific promise that he made concerning the coming of Jesus and the ministry of John that addresses your needs today. Ask God to fulfill that promise in your life.
Commit to God once again to live as a light for the world. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to do so faithfully.
The Light from Heaven!
Often when a day is overcast and light beams break through the cloud cover, I am reminded of God’s love and light, which breaks through the “cloud cover” of our lives and shines with life-giving hope and power. In today’s reading, John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, prophesies concerning both John’s and Jesus’ ministries. Zechariah says that in Jesus’ life, the “light from heaven” will break upon us. What a wonderful and powerful image! As we’ve been seeing all this week, Jesus called Himself the light of the world, and calls us to be the light of the world, but decades before Jesus’ earthly ministry began, God used Zechariah to let people know of the in-breaking light of heaven that would be revealed through Jesus. Throughout Jesus’ life and ministry, He fulfilled this prophecy. Jesus’ teachings shattered the darkness of our lives by revealing God’s truth, and by shedding new light on many teachings in the Old Testament that had become nothing more than rigid rules and regulations by Jesus’ day. Jesus cast out demons, lifting the dark cloud of evil in many peoples’ lives and reminding us that evil is a dark reality, and not just the content of scary books and videos. Jesus’ death on the cross was accompanied by the sky turning as dark as night in the middle of the day. Indeed, this was the blackest moment in history, as Jesus the only perfect man who ever lived was nailed to the cross, shedding his blood to take away our sins, and nailing sin and death itself to the cross with Him, that we might have the hope of new and eternal life through Him.
While we’re in the midst of the Christmas season, we can’t help but see in Zechariah’s words the Easter promise, that just as Jesus’ death was the blackest moment of history, so was His resurrection the brightest. On Friday, Satan thought he had won, that at last the light of the world had been snuffed out. But much to His amazement and to our eternal relief, Jesus’ death conquered death, and He rose to new life bringing light and life to all who will receive it. What amazing news we find in Jesus Christ—the light of the world can NEVER be overcome by darkness, and through Him neither can we!
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