Advent Week 2
Advent Week 2
Zechariah’s Song – Luke 1:67-80
What are you waiting for?
Christmas is often associated with waiting. Do you remember how difficult it was, as a child, to fall asleep on Christmas Eve? The waiting was almost unbearable!
Often we would spend Christmas Eve with my grandparents who lived just a few minutes away. All the aunts and uncles and cousins would descend on their house, and for hours, we would laugh and play and celebrate the coming of Christmas. But that just added to the build-up of excitement.
When Christmas morning finally came, all four children would be up really early…sometimes waking in the middle of the night. We would tip-toe down the hall, being sure not to wake Mom and Dad (who, we later learned, heard us whispering the whole time). The scene was a brightly lit tree and gifts with the glow of lights cast over them. We would stand and just gaze for a moment before carefully inspecting the name tags, then sneaking back to our beds…and waiting.
Oh, the suspense!
Then, when Mom and Dad “finally” let us get up, we waited again. We waited for them to get the camera, and we waited for Dad to get his Bible. With the gifts just out of arms reach, we would sit in the living room as Dad read the Christmas story from the Bible.
What are you waiting for this Christmas? What are you expecting to receive? Are you looking forward to anything special?
In the Gospel of Luke, we come across a character named Zechariah who has been waiting for the redemption of Israel—the promised Messiah.
In Luke 1:67-80, the Holy Spirit fills Zechariah and allows him to prophesy the redemption of Israel (v68), salvation from sin (v69), deliverance from enemies (v71), and a promise that God has not forgotten His covenant with Abraham: the Messiah would save His people from their sins. Further, John the Baptist (Elizabeth and Zechariah’s son) would proclaim the Messiah to all of Israel.
Who will you proclaim the Messiah to this Christmas season? I hope you are waiting with anticipation to see how God will use you to share the gospel. What are you waiting for?
This week’s reading plan
Day 1: Luke 1:57-66
Day 2: Luke 1:67-80
Day 3: Luke 2:1-7
This week’s memory verse
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.
–Luke 1:68
Zechariah’s Song – Luke 1:67-80
What are you waiting for?
Christmas is often associated with waiting. Do you remember how difficult it was, as a child, to fall asleep on Christmas Eve? The waiting was almost unbearable!
Often we would spend Christmas Eve with my grandparents who lived just a few minutes away. All the aunts and uncles and cousins would descend on their house, and for hours, we would laugh and play and celebrate the coming of Christmas. But that just added to the build-up of excitement.
When Christmas morning finally came, all four children would be up really early…sometimes waking in the middle of the night. We would tip-toe down the hall, being sure not to wake Mom and Dad (who, we later learned, heard us whispering the whole time). The scene was a brightly lit tree and gifts with the glow of lights cast over them. We would stand and just gaze for a moment before carefully inspecting the name tags, then sneaking back to our beds…and waiting.
Oh, the suspense!
Then, when Mom and Dad “finally” let us get up, we waited again. We waited for them to get the camera, and we waited for Dad to get his Bible. With the gifts just out of arms reach, we would sit in the living room as Dad read the Christmas story from the Bible.
What are you waiting for this Christmas? What are you expecting to receive? Are you looking forward to anything special?
In the Gospel of Luke, we come across a character named Zechariah who has been waiting for the redemption of Israel—the promised Messiah.
In Luke 1:67-80, the Holy Spirit fills Zechariah and allows him to prophesy the redemption of Israel (v68), salvation from sin (v69), deliverance from enemies (v71), and a promise that God has not forgotten His covenant with Abraham: the Messiah would save His people from their sins. Further, John the Baptist (Elizabeth and Zechariah’s son) would proclaim the Messiah to all of Israel.
Who will you proclaim the Messiah to this Christmas season? I hope you are waiting with anticipation to see how God will use you to share the gospel. What are you waiting for?
This week’s reading plan
Day 1: Luke 1:57-66
Day 2: Luke 1:67-80
Day 3: Luke 2:1-7
This week’s memory verse
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.
–Luke 1:68