Luke 1 (NIV) Luke is writing to both a Jewish and Gentile

audience . . . possibly a secular Jew Luke gives special consideration to both the

resurrection of Jesus and the Sadducees, who denied the Old Testament teaching of the resurrection after death

Luke uses prior accounts (60%+ of Mark’s gospel material is repeated in Luke), but Luke’s investigate is more thorough than the eyewitness gospels, and is the longest Gospel

Luke writes about how Jesus fulfills the OT prophesy to deliver/rescue the poor, need, and downcast

Luke is the only Gentile writer of the New Testament, but with Acts he wrote more of the NT than any other

Luke’s gospel emphasizes joy, gentile, women, and the Holy Spirit more than the other gospels do

Introduction1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning1, I too decided to write an orderly account2 for you, most excellent Theophilus3, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.4

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold5 In the time of Herod king of Judea5 there was a priest named Zechariah6, who belonged to

1 Luke has unique material of the early life of Jesus, which he gained through investigation. 2 Luke is, um . . .easier to read than Mark. 3 Theophilus was an honorary title in Greek, meaning “Friend of God”. It was probably not a first name. “Most Excellent” probably signifies a official, possibly within the Roman government. 4 Luke, a doctor and disciple of the apostle Paul, wrote his letter to a 5 Luke dates his book very well6 Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers”. It is special for him because God did remember his people.

the priestly division of Abijah7; his wife Elizabeth8 was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.9

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot10, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying11 outside.12

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear13. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John14. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be

7 Abijah means “Yahweh is Father”, and is one of the 24 divisions of priests that David divided the Levites into. With only 1 temple, there were hundreds and hundreds of priests in each of the 24 classes, so it was the change of a lifetime for Zachariah to go before the Lord to burn incense. He probably only got to do this once. We estimate that there were 20,000 priests alive at the time of Jesus.8 Like Aaron, the first priest’s wife, Elizabeth means “God’s oath/abundance”9 DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OTHER OLD COUPLE WHO COULD NOT CONCIEVE? 10 Prov. 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.11 Like in other places, incense is a symbol (and timepiece) for prayer12 What do you think that Zechariah prayed for? I can think of two things . . .13 Being afraid is the normal reaction to seeing an angel who is not disguised. 14 John means “Yahweh has been gracious”

great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born15. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”161718

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel19. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

15 We can see clearly here that the operation of the Holy Spirit is independent of the will of man. We may join the Spirit’s work, but we do not initiate. 16 GOD GAVE A SPECIAL MERCY TO ISRAEL IN JOHN. MANY IN ISRAEL REPENTED AND BELIVED IN JESUS, AND THOSE THAT DID NOT HAD A WARNING!! SEE: NOAH, JONAH, AND OTHER OT PROPHETS WHO GAVE WARNINGS.17 Mal 4:5-6 KJV - 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.18 The last words in our Old Testament are about the return of Elijah, and Zechariah hears it first . . . John will come before the great day of the Lord!!! Elijah was a prophet who called Israel to radial repentance: the core of John’s ministry. 19 The name Gabriel sets up the authority of the prophet Daniel, who was visited by both the angels Gabriel and Michael. Daniel clearly teaches the resurrection after death, which was in dispute among Jews at the time of Jesus.

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple20. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.21

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion22. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”23

20 According to Numbers chapter 6, the Levite praise band would play at this time, after the prayers were complete. The people would shout, “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.”21 The crowd had a lot more faith than Zechariah!!!22 This was not during the last months of pregnancy, to hide it, but the first months, so devote herself to God. 23 Unlike Sarah in the Old Testament, who laughed at the prophesy of a child and sent her servant to bear Abraham a child, Elizabeth shows faithfulness in responding to God, while her husband was unfaithful.