Light at Last, Monday

0:00Hey kids, welcome to Junior's for Jesus. Go grab your Bibles. We're gonna be digging in and learning some really exciting stories. Let's get started. This week, we're learning about how Jesus came into the world in a section we're calling light at last. Yesterday, we learned about how Jesus would come to call us to repentance. Well, today, kids, we're gonna learn about how that story began. Our memory verse for this week is Isaiah, chapter nine, verse six, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. Isaiah, chapter nine, verse six. Monday, Gabriel visits Zacharias. Luke, chapter one, verse five through 18.

1:03Several months before the messenger was to be born, God sent the angel Gabriel to the temple in Jerusalem to tell Zacharias about it. Now Zacharias was a priest who, like the other priest, was taking his regular turn to help with the temple services. He and his wife Elizabeth lived many miles away. What does the Bible tell us about them? Luke, chapter one, verses five through nine, tell us, there was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea. Remember him? A certain priest named Zacharias of the division of Abija. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth, and they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well-advanced in years. And so it was that while he was serving

2:05as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. While the lamb was being sacrificed that day on the altar in the temple court, Zacharias was standing in the holy place at the altar of incense before the curtain that separated the most holy place from the holy place. And as he burned incense on that altar, a sweet smelling cloud went up from it, just like his prayer went up to God. At the same time, the people were praying outside in the temple court, and as they waited for Zacharias to come out and bless them, they were getting worried. Why was he taking so long? You see, they didn't know that he was standing before the golden altar, and he suddenly saw a shining angel standing in the right side of the altar.

3:06Zacharias was surprised and frightened. You see, he forgot that God's messengers stood on the right side of the altar, and so there was no reason to be afraid. What did the angel tell him? Well, verse 12 through 17, tell us. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled and fearful upon him, but the angel said to him, do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you as said. You shall call his name John, and you will may have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and children neither wine or strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

4:08Zacharias and his wife had prayed many years for a baby, but God had never answered their prayers. And now, because they were old, it seemed practically impossible that it would ever happen. What did Zacharias say to the angel about all that? Verse 18 says, And Zacharias said to the angel, how shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. So now, let's apply it. That cloud of incense from the golden altar in the holy place was a symbol of Jesus' perfect life being added to the imperfect prayers of the people. And that made their prayers beautiful, so that God would accept them. You know, that's still the way that our prayers are heard today. This podcast is sponsored by MyBibleFirst.org.