Faith in God’s Word or Doubts?

 Luke 1:1-25

Dedication to Theophilus

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

John's Birth Announced to Zacharias

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is 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 in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also 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 He will also 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 a people prepared for the Lord."

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

19 And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

The gospel account by Luke the physician (Colossians 4:14) is dedicated to all lovers of God in truth that we might know the certainty of what took place as a matter of historical and spiritual facts by an eyewitness to all Jesus had said in word and done in actions of love as well as in supernatural deeds to prove His divine nature.  This book is the good doctor’s orderly account of all these things which we use to teach one another about Jesus Christ and His gospel.  It begins with the revelation of the birth of the forerunner who will announce Christ’s coming who was in the spirit of Elijah (Mark 9:12-13, Luke 1:17) to proclaim repentance as a turn of the heart from sin towards God in righteousness that their hearts may be ready to receive the implanted word (James 1:21) of the gospel from Jesus who was (John 1:1) and would bring that word to us.  Luke gives us the background of the parents of John the Baptist as righteous and blameless in their pursuit of following God’s commandments and also of their inability to have a child along with their old age as another hindrance to that desire.  Zacharias the priest took his turn one day to minister in the temple before the Lord as usual when his turn came around, but this time was very different.  He was burning the incense in worship while the people prayed outside when he saw an angel of the Lord standing there by the altar.  In great fear and trembling Zacharias heard how God had answers his prayer for a child, a son to be called John for him and Elizabeth!  That child would be full of God’s Spirit and turn many children of God’s people in repentance back to the Lord their God.   Yes, he would go forth “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 a people prepared for the Lord.”  This child would become a herald of repentance to prepare fertile hearts for the gospel of Jesus Christ to follow shortly after John began this ministry to call God’s children from sin to Him by calling them to change the sinful direction of their lives to follow the Word of the Lord instead.  What thoughts and emotions must have been overwhelming Zacharias as he heard this message and could scarcely believe they would finally have a child, let alone a son to carry their lineage forward and to be used in such a mighty way by the Lord God!  It was too much to accept by faith for this priest as he allowed doubt about the angelic message and wanted proof.  God therefore told him through Gabriel the messenger that God sent him from His very presence to tell him these things and he should not have doubted God.  The lips of the priest therefore would remain shut as was his acceptance of God’s word to him until his son John was born.  Nine months of silence and being relegated to writing for all conversations began.  The people knew something happened in the temple because of the muted response and imagined that he had a vision of sorts while ministering to the Lord, but they had no idea of the meaning and purpose of these things yet.  When his wife Elizabeth did become pregnant, she glorified God for taking away the reproach of being childless and spent five months alone to consider all these things which God had done.  She likely did not know the full story of what had happened with her husband in the temple yet, but even if she did, it was a bit surreal and difficult to grasp until their son was born.  How we often doubt God’s words and working like them until we see the proof before our very eyes when we should take God at His word and simply trust Him instead to see His mighty works of His hands and glorify the Lord with faith over doubt!