Study 3. Luke 1:5-45

 1. What do you learn from 1:5-25 about

• John the Baptist's mission (1:15-17)

 To live before God in the spirit and power of Elijah. To turn the Jews to God, turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and bring repentance. So as to prepare the way for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• How people should respond (1:14-20)

For fathers to turn their hearts to the children, and to cause the disobedient/sinners to desire godly wisdom, so that the way for Christ would be prepared. 'Turn' is the operative word (v.16a, 17b)

 Verse 17 recalls Malachi 3:1 and 4:6 (the last verse of the OT). 

a. What do you think 'to turn the hearts of the parents to their children' means?

 He will restore unity to broken families, undoing the effects of sin across generations

Alternatively, a reference to the turning of latter day Jews to the faithfulness of their forefathers (taking the parallelism in the passage), or of Gentiles to Jews

b. Why do you think turning parents' hearts to their children is part of preparing the people for the Lord to come?

Family relationships are the cornerstone of society. No revival or disciplmaking process survives beyond one generation on its own

Children and parents model our relationship with God.

2. Gabriel said 2 things about Jesus' identity (1:32-33). Who was Jesus going to be?

• Great
• Son of the Most high
• Will get the throne of David, will reign over Israed forever and his kingdom will be forever.
  

 See how this compares with the description of John:

• He will be great
• Will be filled with the Holy Spirit

Notice the repeated word 'joy' in 1:14, 44, 58, 2:10. What is Luke's point? 

Joy is felt in the events of the present time even though we cannot understand their significance, because God is working His good will behind the scenes. Zechariah, Elizabeth and Mary may have felt joy as these events occurred, but they could not have seen the eternal significance of all God had planned at the time.

Zacharias  is likely performing a once-in-a-lifetime service in the temple. There were 24 divisions, each divison responsible for service twice a year. What is he praying for? (Lk 1:13). Likely not a son, since many years of childlessness had passed, and he did not believe the word of Gabriel. More likely he had brought the needs of the nation to God. But in His wisdom God answers both the forgotten prayer of the past and the immediate prayer of the present in one stroke. The son to be miraculously born to him will prepare the way for the ultimate Saviour of the Jewish nation, the Messiah. His name is John ("The LORD is gracious"), and he is God's word to the nation of Israel after 400 years of silence.

Just as Zechariah would have prayed at a time he was the closest ever to God, what do we desire the most of the Lord? What would we pray for if we knew our prayer would be answered?

In the 'reverse' miracle of Zechariah becoming mute and deaf, God both punishments and affirms His present work. The punishment of Zechariah will in the end be a sign for others as well (v.65)

Luke puts two annuciations side-by-side: that of Gabriel to Zechariah and to Mary. The responses parallel each other. Both respondents show fear (v 13, 29-30). Both have questions (v. 18, 34) One response indicates doubt and is punished, while one expresses wonder at how God will accomplish what He declares. The line between them is quite difficult to discern from the text!