Anchor My Faith

Title: Preparing the Way of the Lord (Luke 1:76-77)

As one reads through Zachariah’s prophecy, a shift of focus is noticed at verse 76: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways” (Luke 1:76 ESV). Prior to this point the prophecy was about what God has done; He has seen our miserable condition and provided a means to redeem us; He has raised up a strong provider of salvation for us from the house of David; He has saved us from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us; He has provided all of this because he remembered his covenant with Abraham, but this provision comes with the expectation that we would serve him without fear, living in holiness and righteousness.

Looking at verse 76 we learn that when John grows up he will become a prophet, chosen by God to declare his will, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, who has not been born yet. By an act of God, John was conceived and born and prepared for a special assignment. At a chosen time by God, he appeared as “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”” (Isaiah 40:3 NKJV). John is like one who goes ahead of an important person or event and makes necessary preparations. Examples are the preparations before a conference, or a concert, or the arrival of a dignitary. John will come upon the public scene, preaching the message of repentance and baptizing those who are convicted and repent of their sins. John is causing people to become aware of their sinful lives and their need for one to deliver them. This One will soon appear on the scene and will provide the salvation promised by God in the first part of Zachariah’s prophecy.

Zachariah continues to predict what John would do: “to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:77 ESV). This knowledge that John brings is the heart of his message and prepares his followers to hear Jesus who will provide salvation. This knowledge that John brings is not simply information to be stored in one’s mind, but it is to result in fundamental changes of the heart and one’s behavior. The idea being developed is the need of deliverance from the power of sin. The heart of this is the sacrifice of Jesus, who through his death on the cross becomes the ransom paid to cover the wage of sin, which is death. Once this payment has been made, God is them free to forgive us, who believe, of our sin and then see us as if we had not committed sin. Sin in not overlooked by God; it is forgiven because we have been purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus; we have been redeemed.

Prayer

Father, the critical point in this lesson is about the knowledge of salvation. I personally know people who have knowledge of salvation, but it is only head knowledge. It is not knowledge that has become wisdom and changed the heart, producing a changed lifestyle. An example of this are those who believe they have eternal life and give evidence by what they are doing in serving you, but as we learn in Matthew 7:21 – 23, they did not have a personal relationship with the Lord and he declares to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23 ESV). Father, thank you for the gift of salvation we have in Jesus Christ.