After 9 months of silent contemplation, Zechariah’s mouth is opened at the birth of his son, John. Before he doubted, now he is full of hope at the faithfulness of God. In love, God redeems his people from darkness into light that we “might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” (v. 74-5).

Read this passage through a few times to yourself. Which of these promises or attributes of God do you need to remember today?

[Luke 1.67-79]

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people

69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David,

70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

71 that we should be saved from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us;

72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant,

73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

might serve him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people

in the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,

whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Zechariah blesses God for doing what? [v. 73]

+ What response does that cause in his people? [vv. 73-75]

+ What does Zechariah prophesy will be true of his son, John? [vv. 76-7]

+ What characteristic of God does Zechariah highlight that he associates with the light? [vv. 78-9]

+ What is the point of the light? [v. 79]

+ What characteristic or promise of God do you need to pause and meditate on?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ How can I cultivate a life of holiness, righteousness, and peace rooted in the freedom won for me by Christ?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?