Speaker: Jesse Terasaki

Zechariah, in the final portion of his Benedictus, prophesies as to what his son, John, will do and what the Christ will do. Their identities are wrapped up in their mission. For us, we need to consider our identities and how Jesus Christ should be our lives.

Luke is concerned with not just telling us the events of the birth of the Christ, but what they mean. This section of Scripture points to Mary's worshipful response (called Mary's Magnificat) to the grace of God in her life. She does not grow prideful because of the honor given to her to be the mother of the Messiah, but she instead humbly praises her God. We see three aspects of true worship in Mary's Magnificat that help us to give glory to God as we also contemplate the birth of Jesus.

Zechariah was given amazing news from an angel sent by God, yet he still had his doubts. Though Zechariah doubted, God used him and his wife Elizabeth anyway to bring the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist, into the world. God's plans are not contingent upon anything, even belief--his grace is sovereign and more powerful than doubt.