King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Tuesday, October 01, 2024
Chapters: Luke Chapter 1, John 1:1-14
Message: Preparing The Way
Hello My Friend,
Can you believe that it is October 01? In the blink of an eye we will be shouting Happy New Year 2025. This seems to have been a faster year than years gone by and yet at the same time does not seem to be moving. Have you ever noticed that the trying years tend to go by like a blur, while it feels like you are just standing in a whirlwind waiting for something to change? Well, the years, months, days, hours, minutes, and even seconds are all the same amount of time, but I am getting a better understanding of why God sees a thousand years as one.
[2 Peter 3:8-10 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.]
Today, we begin the reading of the four Gospels which give the testimony of the virgin birth, sinless death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, they are read in chronological order so there may be some repetition. The Book of Luke, written by Luke, between 63 and 68 AD, the events took place approximately between 4BC and 33 AD, and it was addressed to the Greeks, of whom Jesus is presented as the perfect man. The purpose of the book was to give an orderly account of Jesus from birth to show that He is the promised Messiah, descending through the lineage of David and also to give an account to the Scriptures regarding John the Baptist, the forerunner for Jesus. What we are to learn from the book is that Jesus came to seek and save those who know they are lost, [Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.]
Luke, who also wrote the Book of Acts, was a doctor, he was not one of the twelve disciples nor a Jew, and yet he treasured the words that Jesus spoke as well as everything else that concerned the Saviour’s life. Luke, walked with Jesus during His entire ministry, paid attention to every word He said, and it was probable that he had gotten acquainted with Mary, he actually begins His testimony with a declaration.
[Luke 1:1-4 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.]
[That thou mightest know the certainty of those things,] [Theophilus; friend of God; a Christian] Luke, is not dedicating this to one person, rather, to every saved, born again believer, and receiver of Christ. Why? Those who are certain of the Gospel of Christ are the ones who accept Christ and believe every word, [Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.]
The prophecies concerning the coming of their long awaited Messiah were about to unfold, the first sign would be the messenger that God was going to send to tell everyone that He was coming. Luke, records how this all began with an elderly couple, a priest name Zacharias and his wife, Elisabeth.
[Luke 1:5-8,11 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.]
[there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord] Of course, nothing of this sort had been heard of for quite a long time, so Zacharias was a little scared. Nevertheless, the angel assures Zacharias that he means no harm, but actually has a message for him. The angel tells Zacharias that not only will his prayer to have a child be answered, he will have a son and name his name John.
[Luke 1:13-17 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.]
[for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son,] So, this couple had been praying for a child for probably as long as they had been married, Elisabeth, was well past her childbearing years, so, the thought of her having a child was doubtful. Also, keep in mind that it had been four hundred years since any prophet spoke about God, so, anyone who followed Him lived by the same faith that we live by today, [Hebrews 10:1,14 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.]
[him in the spirit and power of Elias,] Remember, we read about this yesterday? So, the prophecy spoken by Malachi about a messenger coming to prepare the world for Jesus, was now coming to pass. Zacharias, actually had a hard to believing the angel and it got him into a bit of trouble.
[Luke 1:20-21,23-25 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.]
[Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me,] Since having children was one of the promises of God to His people and were considered a blessing from heaven, barrenness among the Jews was considered as a punishment from God. The aged wife had evidence that her prayers at last seemed to be heard, but hid herself from the public the first five months, just to make sure she was. Well, Zacharias, was not the only one to get a visit from Gabriel, six months later, a young lady by the name of Mary received a visit from him also.
[Luke 1:26-30 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.]
[a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph,] Mary, was actually engaged to be married to Joseph, who was a carpenter, also a descendant of David, being engaged was just as binding as marriage, and took place about a year before the wedding. They lived in the poorest neighborhood in Galilee. [for thou hast found favour with God.] The word favor means any act of grace or good will, in other words, favor is something that God has given to believers as an evidence of His goodwill toward our believing in Him. Gabriel, was about to reveal something to her that would be truly mind boggling, she was going to have a baby and not by her betrothed.
[Luke 1:31-34 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?]
[How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?] Of course, the questions come when we are told something that is quite impossible. Nevertheless, Gabriel answered her question, and at that point she questioned him no more, [Luke 1:35-38 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.]
[shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.] Gabriel, is basically saying, “And oh, by the way, that child that you will bear will be God’s very own Son.” Talk about a shocker, and how was Joseph going to handle this news. Well, she did not worry about that since she basically told Gabriel, “Let God’s will be done.” So, at this point she is trusting God and runs to visit with Elisabeth.
[Luke 1:41-45 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.]
[Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:] That instant, when Jesus was only a speck in Mary’s womb, Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she knew that Mary was pregnant. This is proof that one; life begins at conception and two; all who accept Christ receives the Holy Spirit in their soul the instant they believe, [1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.]
Mary, not only believed, she accepted God’s calling for her, and praised God for using her, [Luke 1:46-50-55, And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.]
[my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.] Mary, knew from the Scriptures that God was going to send someone to redeem Israel, little did she realize that she would be used to achieve this. Now, the time had come, Elisabeth had given birth to a beautiful baby boy, but guess what, thanks to their family members who would have a fit if the eldest boy was not given the fathers name, a debate started when the day came to dedicate the child.
[Luke 1:57-60,62-64,66 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.]
[And they marvelled all.] It was not the fact that he was speaking again with his voice that shocked them, it was what he was saying. Zacharias, began speaking prophecy, something they had never heard of at least in their lifetime.
[Luke 1:67-70,74-77 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,]
[thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:] Can you imagine being the one to tell the Jews for the birth of Christ? That was exactly what John was called to do for God, and He too did it by faith. He would be the one who would shine the light of the Gospel, even before Jesus would begin His ministry, [Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.]
The Book of John was written by John, between 85 and 90 AD, these events also took place approximately between 4BC and 33 AD, and it is addressed to both Jews and Gentiles. Of whom Jesus is presented as the Son of God. The purpose of this book was to show All that Jesus is not only the Messiah, but the Son of God, and only way to eternal life. What we are to learn from the book is Jesus is the Christ, the only way to God and everlasting life, [John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.]
The reason why the first fourteen verses are only read today is because John jumps right into when John the Baptist began his ministry. Through John, we are first reminded that Christ, who is the Word, was here from the very beginning, [John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.]
[In the beginning was the Word,] In the very beginning, even before time began, before anything was formed, even before God decided to create the heaven and earth, the second person of the Trinity of God, Jesus Christ Himself was here, in fact, He is God. And John, the Baptist, was the first person to preach this.
[John 1:6-10 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.]
[to bear witness of the Light,] John, the Baptist, was sent to the Jews for the purpose of introducing them to something called repentance through their faith in Christ himself, whom they would know as the Messiah. The true Light, the Creator of natural, spiritual, and eternal light to all who receive Him, in spite of the fact that He was in the world and created the world, the people of the world did not know Him, and did not acknowledge Him. The people did not recognize their own Creator, even the Jews, who knew of His coming in the flesh did not know Him.
[John 1:11-14 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.]
[to them gave he power to become the sons of God,] Every soul that receives Christ as their Saviour becomes a son and or daughter of God, [Romans 8:14-17 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.]
Today’s Prayer: God, It is often said that seeing is believing, well, I for one know that to be true, but not as the world would see, but as You would see. I may not have seen Your Son in person the day I believed in Him, but I have seen what Your Son has done in my life since He became my Saviour. Just like the miracle of birth, You created another miracle in my spiritual birth, and while I may not always understand Your ways, I do understand that You love me so much, that Your only option to save me was to give Your own life through Your Son. Today, I do not want to ask You for anything, I just to thank You and praise You for being my God, my Father, and my Saviour. I pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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