Inspire Bible for Kids Luke Sampler - Book - Page 18
1272 |
LUKE 1:56
Devotion
God’s Plan
Set in Motion
Which angel announced both
John’s and Jesus’ births?
a. Michael
b. Gideon
c. Gabriel
When God sent an angel to tell
Zechariah he’d have a son, the
Lord was setting his plan of
salvation in motion. Zechariah
and Elizabeth’s son, John, was
born for a specific purpose—to
announce the coming of the
Messiah.
The next step was for the
Savior to be born. God sent the
same angel, Gabriel, to tell a
young, unmarried woman named
Mary that she’d have a baby
named Jesus who would be the
Savior of the world.
Mary was an unlikely candidate
to be Jesus’ mother. By the
world’s standards, she didn’t
have much to offer. God could
have found someone from a rich
family, where Jesus would have
received the best food, clothing,
and education. But this wasn’t
God’s plan. Jesus was born to
a humble and obedient young
woman who had a strong faith
in God. He was born in a lowly
stable surrounded by animals.
God chose the people who
would be part of the salvation
story—Zechariah and Elizabeth,
Joseph and Mary—and he gave
them a mission and purpose.
When things got difficult, they
remembered it was God who had
called them to the task. They
were living out God’s purpose
for their lives.
Focus Verse: Luke 1:28
The Whole Story: Luke 1:26-38
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back
to her own home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.
58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very
merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.
59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision
ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”
61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that
name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to
name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise
he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and
he began praising God.
65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it
reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?”
For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this
prophecy:
68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior*
from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised
through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
and from all who hate us.
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors
by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 the covenant he swore with an oath
to our ancestor Abraham.
74 We have been rescued from our enemies
so we can serve God without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
for as long as we live.
76 “And you, my little son,
will be called the prophet of the Most High,
because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,*
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.”
80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
The Birth of Jesus
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should
be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral
2
1:69 Greek has raised up a horn of salvation for us. 1:78 Or the Morning Light from Heaven is
about to visit us.
Answer: c
