Luke 1

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

September 8, 2011


 *FEB 28 - LUKE 1 - JESUS: PREPARATION THROUGH JOHN*


 *1. 1:3-4 (1:1-4) JESUS: PREPARATION BY LUKE. “It seemed good to me also,
having traced the course of all things accurately from above, to write to
you in order, excellent Theophilus; 4 that you might know the certainty
concerning the words in which you were instructed” (NNT). *Foundations are
important; thank You Father for ensuring that we are well grounded. *Hallowed
be your :name.*


 *2. 1:17 (1:5-25) JESUS: PREPARATION BY JOHN. “And HE shall go before his
face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the fathers' hearts to
thechildren, and
the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for
theLord a people prepared for
him.” *Thank You Father, for the Elijah spirit of John. Thank You for the
Elijah band being raised up to herald the second coming of Your Son. *Your
:kingdom come.*


 *3. 1:37-38 (1:26-38) JESUS: PREPARATION BY GABRIEL. “Because no word from
:God shall be void of power. 38 And Mariam said, Lo, the bondmaid of
theLord; be it unto me according to your :word. And the angel departed
from
her.” *O we bless You Father, for this wonderful response of Mary. May it
always be our response too! *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 1:42b-43 (1:39-56) JESUS: PREPARATION BY MARY. “Blessed you among
women, and blessed the fruit of your :womb. 43 And whence is this to me,
that the mother of my :Lord should come unto me?” *Blessed are You Father,
for the gift of perception Your Spirit granted unto Elisabeth.
*She*recognized the day of her visitation: may we also be alive to
such insights!
*Our :daily :bread Give us this day!*


 *5. 1:63-64 (1:57-66) JOHN: PREPARATION BY ELISABETH AND ZACHARIAS. “And he
asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And all
marveled. 64 And his :mouth was opened immediately, and his :tongue, and he
spoke, blessing :God.” *You were confirming Your Word Father, with signs
following; and it did not fail to impress Your people. *And forgive us our
:debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 1:76-77 (1:67-79) JOHN: PREPARATION BY PROPHECY. “Yes and you, child,
shall be called prophet of the Most High: For you shall go before the Lord
to make ready his ways; 77 To :give knowledge of salvation to his :people In
remission of their sins.” *How Zacharias profited from Your nine-month
rebuke, Father. Now faith and prophecy flow forth! *And bring us not into
temptation.*


 *7. 1:80 JOHN: PREPARATION BY SOLITUDE. “And the child grew, and became
strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto
:Israel.” *How wise Your dealings with us as individuals, Father! How wise
with John, him of the Elijah spirit! *But deliver us from the evil one!*


 *NOTE: 1:35 (1:26-38) JESUS: PREPARATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. “And the angel
answered and said to her [Mary], The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and
the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; therefore also what is born
shall be called holy, Son of God.” *May Your Son Father, be born anew in
many more of us before He returns again.* *


 Motherhood is a painful privilege. Young Mary of Nazareth had the unique
privilege of being mother to the very Son of God. Yet the pains and
pleasures of her motherhood can be understood by mothers everywhere. Mary
was the only human present of Jesus' birth who also witnessed his death. She
saw him arrive as her baby son, and she watched him die as her Savior.


 Until Gabriel's unexpected visit, Mary's life was quite satisfactory. She
had recently become engaged to a carpenter, Joseph, and was anticipating
married life. But her life was about to change forever.


 Angels don't usually make appointments before visiting. Feeling as if she
were being congratulated for winning the grand prize in a contest she had
never entered, Mary found the angel's greeting puzzling and his presence
frightening. What she heard next was the news almost every woman in Israel
hoped to hear - that her child would be the Messiah, God's promised Savior.
Mary did not doubt the message but rather asked how pregnancy would be
possible. Gabriel told her the baby would be God's Son. Her answer was the
one God wants in vain to hear from so many other people: “I am the Lord's
servant ... May everything you have said come true” (Luke 1:38). Later her
song of joy shows us how well she knew God, for her thoughts were filled
with his words from the Old Testament.


 Within a few weeks of his birth, Jesus was taken to the Temple to be
dedicated to God. There Joseph and Mary were met by two devout people.
Simeon and Anna, who recognized the child as the Messiah and praised God.
Simeon directed some words to Mary that must have come to her mind many
times in the years that followed: “A sword will pierce your very soul” (Luke
2:35). A big part of her painful privilege of motherhood would be to see her
son rejected and crucified by the people he came to save.


 We can imagine that even if she had known all she would suffer as Jesus'
mother, Mary would still have given the same response. Are you, like Mary,
available to be used by God? (Taken from “Life Application Study Bible”,
“New Living Translation”, 1996, p. 1941).


 Our Psalm for the day - *58:3 (58:1-11) GOD WHO JUDGES THE EARTH. “The
wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking
lies” (ESV). *Here we see Father, an understanding of the tares and the
wheat. We thank You that as the Potter You have formed us to love the Tree
of Life. You have made us to be conformed to the image of Jesus! J.A.Watt



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