Chapter 1
There’s a defensive driving program called the Smith System, and it teaches five key principles for safe driving. One of those keys is “Aim High in Steering.” It means that as we drive, we should look about 14 seconds ahead of where we’re going. That way, we have time to see what’s coming and adjust safely, instead of reacting suddenly in ways that might be dangerous to us or others. I fully believe in this when it comes to driving.
But this idea also applies to life.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” It’s the idea that we can get so caught up in what’s right in front of us — especially the hard stuff — that we miss the bigger picture. Imagine being deep in a forest, surrounded by nothing but trees and leaves. It’s easy to get disoriented. You might even lose hope of finding a way out, because you can’t see where the forest ends.
We’ve all had moments like that — times when life feels overwhelming and all we can see is the trouble in front of us. In those seasons, it’s easy to lose hope. When your focus is stuck on the problem, your perspective shrinks. And when that happens for long enough, it’s easy to start thinking, “Maybe this is all life has for me.” All you can see is the bark on the tree trunks — nothing more.
Then maybe you go to church, or hear a preacher on TV, and they start talking about hope and peace. But if you’re still feeling lost in the woods, that kind of promise can feel hard to believe. Naturally, your response might be doubt or disbelief.
That brings us to two characters in the Bible — both of whom were given a glimpse of what was ahead. Like “aiming high in steering,” they were given a kind of spiritual preview. But even though they asked similar questions, the hearts behind those questions were very different.
First, there’s Zechariah. He and his wife had prayed for a child their whole lives, and nothing happened. Eventually, they grew old, and by every logical measure, her womb was no longer capable of carrying life. Even though Zechariah was a priest, his hope had faded. When an angel told him they would have a son, he responded with doubt and disbelief. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. His reality — what he could see and understand — had taken over his faith. He trusted the “forest” he lived in more than the angel standing right in front of him.
Then there’s Mary. She was also visited by an angel and given a vision of what was ahead. Though her body was young and capable, she was a virgin. Her question wasn’t if this could happen, but how it would. Hers was a question of wonder and curiosity, not doubt. She wanted to understand more of God, not test Him. Zechariah asked for proof. Mary asked for insight.
There’s a powerful lesson here: It’s not wrong to question God. But we should pay attention to the posture of our hearts when we do. Are we questioning out of disbelief? Or are we questioning with faith, even if that faith is shaky?
Sometimes, like the father in Mark 9:24, we might come to God saying,
“I believe — help my unbelief.”
And that’s okay. The key is to be real with God. Be honest with yourself. Come to Him with a sincere heart. God invites you to draw close — and His promise is that He’ll draw close to you.
Introduction
1 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 beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, [Luke is the most comprehensive Gospel. His account the story of Jesus from the annunciation of John all the way to the Ascension of Jesus. Including the Book of ACTS, which could be called and considered “2 Luke”.] most excellent Theophilus, [a notable title, implying a highly placed Roman.] 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea [A specific and definite time.] there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. [A specific and definite people.] 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.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. [Over the years the number of priests multiplied greatly. They used the lot to determine which priest would serve and when. The lot to serve might only fall to the priest once in his lifetime. The lot fell at this exact time on Zechariah. God has perfect timing!] 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
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 fear. [This was not a naked baby figure. This was a mighty messenger of God.] 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 John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be 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 born. 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.” [It is doubtful, based on Zechariah’s reply to this that he and his wife have been praying for this recently. But God still hears our prayers. His timing is not our timing, and the sincere prayer, even when not answered on our time schedule, is still heard by our Father.]
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.” [This was a question of doubt and disbelief. The “reality of life” – his age, and the “delay” of his request closed his heart to believing God was still in control.] 19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. 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.” [We need to mute our disbelief or it can become infectious and spread to others like a virus.]
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 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.
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 seclusion. [not for the sake of shame, but for the physical and spiritual health of her and the baby.] 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.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, [a town remarkable for its completely unremarkable nature. In modern terms it would be that “one horse” town with a rundown rusted gas station and a blinking yellow light at the one intersection as you enter and right before leaving.] 27 to a virgin pledged [literal: betrothed – a period of about a year before the marriage. More than an engagement, as a betrothal required a divorce to break. But not as intimate as a marriage as they did not engage in physical relationship with one another yet.] to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words [a sign of humility that these grand words were applied toward her.] and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” [This was not a question of doubt, as she asked how WILL this become? It was a question of wondering curiosity and faith. It is okay to ask God “how will this be?” when faith and not doubt is behind the question. He created us to be curious about Him.] 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow [This means “to cover you with a cloud.” and hints toward the Shekinah glory of God from the Old Testament.] you So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” [A confirmation of her faith, even as she may not have understood every logistical detail.] Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary’s Song
46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. [Oddly they people around him treated Zechariah as if he were deaf, not mute. A lesson about a handicap: One limitation does not limit all of our abilities.] 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. [even though he failed before God 9 months earlier, God gave him a second chance, just like He gives us, and Zacharias found his faith and responded.] 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
Zechariah’s Song
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
