Shalom,
We obtain victory and receive eternal life because of the cross of Christ. It’s only by His mercy and grace if we can understand that two thousand years ago on Calvary God brought about His magnificent work of redemption that He had planned from eternity. His grace and mercy also enable us to testify to people around us about the power of redemption we got through His cross, which gives us victory over this world, the dark power of Satan and even ourselves. However, let’s not focus too much on or take pride in the physical cross which people wear or use as accessory because the true cross that has power to save us all is only Jesus who was crucified.
When we have got the salvation through the cross of Christ, we must not forget how we firstly got it. It’s like we drink water and we don’t forget the source of that drinking water. In Jesus’ era, the penalty of the cross was used to put to death the toughest criminals.
We can trace the Gospel of Luke to get better knowledge about the beginning of the work of Christ that started with a birth process. Before that, the Gospel of Luke tells a happy story of a couple who received God’s mercy because the wife got pregnant while she was barren and very old. This story was written by doctor Luke who was very knowledgeable about the detailed process of pregnancy. Let’s see what he wrote to his friend Theophilus (and to all of us now as well) to make him believe in the news, “Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son… So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”….So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled…. Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel…” So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (Luke 1:57, 59-60, 62-63, 67, 80)
What a happy family they were for the wife Elizabeth and the baby John in her womb were filled with the Holy Spirit when they received the greeting of Mary (v. 41). Zacharias was also filled with the Holy Spirit immediately after John was born and he was no longer mute since then.
Introspection: Has the Holy Spirit filled our husband or wife or children? What a real happiness when by His mercy, the Holy Spirit fills each member of our family!
However, just because the Holy Spirit had given happiness to Zacharias and his family, it didn’t mean that all things would run well and smoothly for them. We must keep and maintain our God-given happiness.
What was the role of the Holy Spirit in Zacharias’ family? The custom and cultural tradition of the Jews was very strict that they even had the regulation for naming the baby. (Baby) John was circumcised on the eighth day and had to be named Zacharias after his father. Nevertheless, Elizabeth decisively named the baby: John (her husband must have told her about it beforehand). Naming the baby John was not common by that time because it violated the cultural practice and manner. However, to everybody’s surprise, Zacharias also gave the same answer when their neighbors and relatives confirmed to him about the name of the baby. What happened in that story showed that the fetus—the seed of Zacharias in Elizabeth’s womb, made their marriage more united.
Implication: There are times that the Holy-Spirit-filled children of God face situations when the Holy Spirit’s voice inside them is clashing with the worldly custom and even religious tradition. According to the story, the Lord didn’t want Elizabeth to became the only one who experienced the happiness but the husband as the head of the family was also given a chance to talk or testify about the happy experience that happened to him.
In the early stage of her pregnancy, Elizabeth hid herself for five months because of fear, embarrassment, and doubt about her pregnancy. Entering the sixth month, she finally dared to show herself in public after she felt the babe leaped in her womb. Because of Zacharias’ muteness, the husband and wife surely had difficulty in communicating with one another for nine months, but the Lord’s mercy was actively working in their marriage for they were willing to be restored.
Application: It’s beautiful when the fruit of marriage comes from the love of husband and wife to the Lord despite their doubt at the beginning! Men may doubt God’s promise but the Word of God will always come true. Don’t be like Jesus’ two disciples whom Jesus rebuked on their way to Emmaus as they were slow to believe in all that the prophets had spoken (Luke 24:25)! If we want to taste the happiness from the Lord, husband and wife must be more united. Don’t act like Eve who conversed alone with the snake without asking her husband’s consideration which then led to their fall!
The Gospel of Luke noted that there were four people filled with the Holy Spirit with different kinds of sign. This shows that the Holy Spirit is one but has different responses and signs for different people although the goal is the same. Who are these four people?
- Mary received the Holy Spirit after she said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” This is indeed a statement of faith. Because of her faith, she was sealed with the Holy Spirit to receive a guarantee to become God’s belonging (cf. Ephesians 1:13-14). Obviously the Holy Spirit doesn’t come only once a year on Pentecost day but He comes whenever someone believes in the gospel of salvation. In fact, on the creation day the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). With the help from God, Joseph cancelled his plan to divorce Mary who was filled with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:19-20, 24).
Application: As Mary had faith in what the angel told her, she made an outright acknowledgment. Such is the case when the word of God gets etched in our heart, we can’t help talking about salvation, unity, and the progress in becoming the perfect Bride of the Lamb.
- Having heard Mary’s greeting, the old Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and humbly respected the young Mary as the mother of the Lord (vv. 42-43).
The Holy Spirit worked further in Elizabeth that she had a congruity with her husband to make John as the name of the baby she gave birth to. This action revolted against the Jews’ tradition that time.
Application: Worldly traditions won’t prevail when a family is filled with the Holy Spirit and prioritize the unchanging truth of the word of God. Therefore, we must not rely on and take pride in our experiences, expertise and high position lest it would decrease our faith in the Lord.
- John had been filled with the Holy Spirit since he was in His mother’s womb and this was according to God’s promise (v. 15). He joyfully leaped in his mother’s womb when he heard the greeting of Mary. It’s unimaginable how he would have reacted if he had heard people mocking his mother and he could have felt her shame. It’s clear that once a sperm and an ovum meet, a living fetus is created in the womb. Therefore, we need to pray for the countries legalizing abortion because they definitely trifle with human’s
- Zacharias. Because he didn’t believe in the fulfillment of God’s promise, he became However, he must have repented. Then he informed his wife Elizabeth about his meeting with the angel who told him about her pregnancy and giving the name John to the baby.
Asked by his relatives and neighbors using sign language about the name of his baby, Zacharias wrote on a writing tablet, “His name is John”. Afterwards, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately could talk and praise God. “Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.” (Luke 1: 65-66)
As we confess to have been filled with the Holy Spirit, what comes out of our mouth? Do we praise the Lord or even spread hoaxes causing strife and divisions?
Zacharias, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, didn’t prophesy haphazardly. Important points in his prophecy (vv. 68-80) are:
- “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel…” (v. 68) → glorifying the Lord.
- The prophecy talks about God who frees His people from their enemies through a salvation from David’s seed (Jesus). We are freed from the hand of our enemies so that we can worship Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him for the rest of our lives (vv. 69-75) → salvation, holiness and perfection.
Introspection: Do we prophesy for the Lord’s glory or for our fame? Do we serve Him without fear of intimidation? Priesthood ministry keeps going until eternity (cf. 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6; 5:19; 20:4). Are we committed to serving Him all the days of our lives?
- When John was only eight days old, he was prophesied to be the prophet of the Most High to prepare the way for Jesus. Although he lived in the desert and only ate locust and wild honey, he grew and became strong in spirit because the Holy Spirit was in him. Still, he needed to wait until he was ± 30 years old to do his ministry.
Implication: It’s true that everything happens in His time including the time when He uses us to perform the gifts He gave us. However, in our waiting period, we have to put all efforts to make progress and development. Illustration: Becoming a teacher is not an instant process as we need to be a student first to gain knowledge. Does our spiritual life grow mature although we can only have online service nowadays? When the Holy Spirit dwells in us, He will lead us into the whole truth so that we won’t easily worry in facing problems then we frenziedly seek advice from our pastor.
It’s surely great happiness if, by the Lord’s mercy, our marriage and family are filled with the Holy Spirit who enables us to always believe in the fulfillment of His promise and to become a testimony for people around us to help them experience the same happiness. That way, the Lord’s name will be glorified. Amen.