Luke 1:1-45 ~ your prayer has been heard +

Luke 1:1-45

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,   just as those who from the beginning
were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word
have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.


5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah.

And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13 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, and you shall call his name John.

14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

19 And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 "Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

26 In the sixth month
the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.

And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

35 And the angel answered her, "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 called holy--the Son of God. 36

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God."

38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

39 In those days
Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country,
to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."





We know the work of the Angel Gabriel. We know the Plan of God beginning in Genesis. Thank God we are the Easter People. Blessed to be Covered in the Name of Jesus.


People tend to be private. Especially when something not clearly understood is happening. This is reasonable and wise.

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them,
and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

Being private was not really an option for Zechariah.

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John." 61 And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name." 62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their neighbors.
And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea



And because we know what Gabriel's message from the Lord God is and was - we see Gabriel clearly. Jesus sent out His 12 Disciples and His 72 Side by Side. Like Noah. Like Jesus and John the Baptist. Like Adam and Eve. Like Peter and Mark. Like Paul and Timothy. Like Priscilla and Aquila.

Father God purposefully linked these people together. Father God has linked John the Baptist to Jesus and the Angelic visitations. For purposes of - telling His Good News. The News is connected to tell the Story. His Story. Knowing the Visitation of Gabriel is widely discussed - probably - helps Mary.

Father God does not do things in dust, ancient robes and put His Plan in dusty Tupperwear, so we travel down the smooth highways of our lives. Even the Visitation of Gabriel is Alive and Active in our lives.

We would all say to one another and Father God, "I'd like to have an Angel come and just explain this to me." And we have forgotten what we have learned about the Father of All Things, Ancient of Days. My Father in Jesus Christ and your Father. Adam and Eve met Father God and wanted to 'be' Father God. They wanted HIS Wisdom. Just like we do when we want an Angel to Visit. The Children of Israel wanted God to Speak. And He did. They begged Him to stop and said God was the Loudest Noise they had ever experienced and were afraid. Zechariah has to explain to a few people about a visitation of God. And I'm sure he probably did with pen and papyrus.

Mary does not (probably knowing cousin priest Zechariah's fate) say, "Oh Good the Lord's Messenger to me!" The Archangels is not a teenage boy, or wafty thin gauze floating being, but a Power, A Force of God, A Life and Death Being. So close to the Power of God. They all have to hear, "Fear Not."

A lot of times after an Messenger of the Lord visits, the people sit and ponder if they met God.

Mary is truly Blessed of God. She really is. Mary had the Blessing of God to go second. She had the profound joy of knowing what is not to be said to an Archangel.



God has told us there are 14 Generations between God Works. God had the Profound Plan to send Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth and Joseph out to be together in something no human could sort out. God has sent two teams of two.

Matthew 1

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel"(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Joseph has been given some information about these things himself. We learn Joseph is from the Family of David and news is going to be sent to him. In a beginning, Joseph is encouraged of the Lord to know of the Works of God because the people of God discuss His Plan and His Wonders.

The Words of Life have been encouraged and the Ways of God have been considered with Hope God is Redeeming them. These 4 people are shared Godly news and their small beginning is to say, internally, "Let me be good and Please God."

Where did this small beginning of willingness occurring to please Father God take them? It was surely a small willingness to consider God first. Mary saved the Life of Jesus to allow the Most High to be born in adverse circumstances in her life. 1. She accepted God's Will. 2. She left with haste to see Elizabeth. 3. She gave birth to Jesus. 4. She fled to Egypt. 5. She went to get Jesus in the beginning of His Ministry. How many people can say they have endeavored to save God Himself? I'd guess, Mary sits at the left hand of God Himself for attempting, as a mere human, to save God.

And look at the strength of the concrete evidence Joseph had to work with - "a Dream." An Inner Conviction. Joseph allows Jesus to be born where Joseph will provide. 1. Joseph provides mercy before belief. 2. Joseph goes to Egypt. 3. Joseph avoids living in Jerusalem for the safety of Jesus as a child. 4. Twice in the Gospels, Joseph is declared to be a very competent parent making his family seamless between God's Holy Son and Joseph's children with Mary. I'd guess, we know holding Mary's left hand is Joseph. By being willing to be open to God's Will as Good - Joseph has endeavored to save God. And participated with Millenniums of God's Good, Good, Good Will for us in Jesus Christ.



Abba,

We ask the Blessings You've promised us in Jesus Christ - the Fulfillment of Your Will and Word.

We given thanks for the people You've sent us. Our Loved Ones. We give thanks for the people who help Uplift us to Jesus.

We give You thanks salvation's purpose is to be near You - and is Your Plan.

Cover us all with Jesus this season and in the year to come.

Blessings Upon us in Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †