John Wild

Just like Elijah in the Old Testament, John the Baptist lives in the wilderness until he begins his ministry (Luke 1:80). Why is that detail important? Because Luke is showing us that the Gospel is the continuation of Israel's story--God made promises to Abraham, and he is fulfilling them through Jesus.

Today’s Scripture:

Luke 1:57-80

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How Does the Old Testament Connect With the New?

Mary understands that the baby she bears is God's fulfilled promise to Israel. Reflecting on her pregnancy, she sings:

He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

Luke 1:54-55

How does the Old Testament connect with the New? Through Jesus. Jesus is the answer to all of God's promises to Israel, and so the New Testament is part 2 of Israel's story, in which God moves to bless the entire world, both Jew and Gentile.

Today’s Scripture:

Luke 1:39-56

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"Okay, I'll Do It"

Contrast Mary's reaction to the angel Gabriel with Zechariah's reaction:

When the angel comes to Zechariah, Zechariah is hesitant to trust God's word;

When the angel comes to Mary, Mary says--in effect--"Okay, I'll do it."

Sometimes it's just that simple.

Today’s Scripture:

Luke 1:26-38

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Luke's Gospel Begins

For the next several months, we'll be reading Luke's Gospel together. Some quick points:

1. After reading Matthew and then Mark, I've noticed how different Luke's style is. Compared with Mark's vivid immediacy, e.g., Luke seems much smoother and more elegant.
2. Luke tells us in his prologue (Luke 1:1-4) that he has studied other sources (other Gospels?) and deliberately arranged his account in a way that will help us readers have confidence that Jesus is the Lord. Note that Luke doesn't say that he was in some kind of trance when he was writing; rather, God used Luke's free will and hard work to give us this Gospel.
3. Zechariah disbelieves the angel's promise that he will have a son (John the Baptist) in his old age. Note that Zechariah's disbelief doesn't keep God's word from happening; Zechariah's disbelief keeps Zechariah from having the joy and peace the come from trusting God at his word.

Over and over, scripture tells us not to be afraid. Don't let your worries rob you today of the joy and peace that God's word brings.

Today’s Scripture:

Luke 1:1-25

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