Lessons from the life of Jesus!
What I want to do is study the life of Jesus and see what I can learn from His life besides the obvious we have already learned in Sunday school. What I am looking for are the things we have not discovered yet. I have a hunger for God, and I want to know more than I know right now. We will look at the book of Luke and what he says about the things he saw as a disciple of Jesus, so I will be deliberate and intentional to listen to His voice as I read through the Book of Luke. I am sure we will be challenged this next few weeks or however long it takes to do this.
Luke starts off by saying that he wants to give an account of all the things he saw and experienced. In the first chapter he gives us insight into the things that happened before Jesus was born. We read the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth. They were to be the parents to John the Baptist. At first Elizabeth was barren and could not have any children. Zacharias was part of the priesthood and he had his turn in the temple to serve. As he was doing his duties an Angel appeared unto him. This Angel had good news. He proclaimed to Zacharias that God heard his prayer and that they would have a son and that he should name him John. He must have asked for a son if that was the prayer that was being answered. John would prepare the way for Jesus and turn the hearts of the people back to God. He would be a way maker and a voice for God and be filled with the Holy Ghost from childhood. Zacharias was dumbfounded by the news and asked the Angel how this could be possible because they were old and over the age of having children – I wondered why he asked? Maybe he had faith? The Angel answered and said that Zacharias would be unable to speak until the day John was born because he doubted his message. The people outside the temple were wondering why Zacharias took so long and then when he came out he was unable to speak. They perceived that he had a visitation from God. They didn’t understand what happened and he couldn’t tell them what happened.
There is so much in this story. You might wonder what this story has to do with the life of Jesus? The point or lesson I want us all to see is that before Jesus was born God prepared the way and prepared the people that would usher in His time on earth. Jesus didn’t come to an unprepared people or place. The whole truth about this is that before you were born God prepared the way for you to come. You didn’t come to be an orphan in a place that was not ready to have you. God had you planned. Just as God changed the circumstances for Elizabeth and Zacharias, God changed and intervened in the lives of your parents so that they could have you. Whether they understood it or not, God caused them to fulfill the plans and purposes of God for you. That alone makes you special.
I love the fact that Zacharias’ unbelief could not change what God was about to do. The unbelief of your parents didn’t stop the plans that God had for you. Zacharias was mute for a season because he questioned God’s plan. I believe God silenced him so that he could not speak against the plans that God had for John. Just like he was mute after his encounter with the Angel, I believe there is a season we need to be quiet about what God is doing so that we can come to a better understanding about His dealings with us and in us. Once John was born, Zacharias could no longer live in unbelief. God will bring forth what He promised so that He can silence the critics that want to speak against you. Once John was born, everybody expected that Zacharias would call him after his own name. I declare that in this day God is bringing forth a new generation that will not carry the name and character of the previous generation. We will not be known by their mistakes and the places where they missed God. This new thing that God is doing might look like his daddy but he carries a new mandate and that mandate is to be different and to do a new thing. This new generation does not go to the temple to be trained in religion but is on its way to the desert to be prepared by God for God and to reveal God in the flesh. This new generation will turn the hearts of the people of God back to Him and not to rules and regulations. People will be drawn to this ministry that will not look like “law” but will look like “repentance.” John was to be a voice in the wilderness and he was to challenge the religious order of the day by calling them out. This new movement would become a part of a new voice in the earth that will challenge the status quo and cry out for freedom. They will boldly challenge the order of the day and live radically because of the Spirit on them.
The promise was that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. I see this generation and they look too young to be Spirit filled but they are. People think they are too immature to present God but they are growing up and they will stand and represent Him well. Lastly, I see this generation spending time with God and having an encounter like Zacharias did. God visited His people and provided a way maker for the deliverer to come. This generation will be like a John. “He must increase but I must decrease.” They are here to reveal Him. They don’t do it to be recognized, they do it because they are anointed and they understand their call.
You are special and you are called to prepare a way for the kingdom. I don’t believe it stopped with John. As we go into the world and preach and love people we are making a way for Christ to be manifested. Are you ready? GO AND DO IT!
