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by Sandy Shaw
In Luke Chapter 1 and at verse 74, the tongue of Zechariah has been loosed when his son is born and once he names him John, and begins to prophesy, we reach that phrase when he speaks about God rescuing us to enable us to SERVE HIM WITHOUT FEAR.
Here is freedom.So many people want freedom - so many people shout about freedom and march for freedom - and demonstrate for freedom.Here is freedom - to be saved from our enemies - and from the hand of those who hate us.But it is not just being saved from but also saved FOR - Service - Holiness - and Righteousness.These are the two faces of freedom - Saved from - and Saved for.Often the second category is seldom mentioned.
Then Zechariah prophesies over his little son - his 8 day old boy - “You are a prophet of the most high - you will go before Jesus - you will walk before Jesus - you will prepare the way for Jesus - you will speak about being saved from sin.
Is this one reason why so many are quiet about Zechariah and Elizabeth and John?Somehow, it doesn't quite fit in with our thoughts and ideas surrounding the coming of Jesus Christ into the world - so just as the priests later did with Jesus - we tend to throw this away, or ignore it as though it were not there.
“John - people will come to know about Salvation as you preach to them about the forgiveness of sins.”GOD had come - offering mercy and forgiveness and peace. Where in the whole world can you get these - except through Jesus Christ?
JOHN - because of the tender mercy of GOD - GOD is going to use you.
JOHN - you are going to shine - your ministry is going to be such a light to people who are living in darkness. There had not been a new light for hundreds of years!
JOHN - you are being sent to people who are living in darkness - they are actually living in the shadow of death - they are in that valley.
JOHN, LITTLE BOY, - when you grow up - you are going to point people to the Light of the World.
JOHN - people are going to realise that they are in darkness - that they are in the valley - that they are perishing - and you are going to point them to the ONE WHO can mercifully rescue and save, and give LIGHT.
JOHN - it is as though these people are living in a darkened tunnel - and you are going to lead them to the ONE WHO can guide them out of the tunnel into the light - and place their feet upon paths of peace.
Zechariah’s prophecy concludes with a word of peace - and peace means harmony. Peace means wholeness - peace is fellowship with the Father - and with each other. Only Jesus Christ provides all this.If only more people could se that.
JOHN grew.John became spiritually strong.When he was a young man he went off into the wilderness to mature physically and spiritually.
JOHN took time to develop physically and spiritually, in the wilderness. GOD WAS IN NO HURRY.
30 years passed - and then one day he came preaching to the people - preparing the road for the coming of Jesus Christ - levelling out the bumps - filling in the potholes – and smoothing the way for the appearing of JESUS.His message really was rather simple - GET READY FOR JESUS BY GETTING RID OF YOUR SINS.
And down by The Jordan River, crowds came.They wanted to get cleaned up.They wanted to show GOD that they were sorting out their lives, and repenting in response to HIS MERCY - and as a sign, JOHN took them and did what no-one had ever done previously.He took them into the Jordan, and plunged them and brought them up out of the water, and then he pointed them to Jesus the Messiah, and stepped aside.
If you have come to faith in Jesus Christ, take time to make sure you have repented of your sins, been baptised and plunged in water, and that you have received the Holy Spirit, because that is how people came into the early church and I know of no other way of coming into the church and into the Kingdom of God!
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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