Scriptures for Today
Luke 1:1-25
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the 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. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
Introduction — When God Breaks 400 Years of Silence
Before angels filled the night sky, before shepherds heard “good tidings,” before Mary was visited with the promise of the Messiah: God chose to break 400 years of silence with an elderly couple who felt forgotten.
Luke does not begin with Bethlehem. He begins with barrenness. He begins with a priest lighting incense, a woman who cannot conceive, and a prayer that seems unanswered. They prayed and prayed and prayed just like Isaac and Rebekah prayed for 20 years for a child.
And the first words God speaks after four centuries are: “Thy prayer is heard.”
This passage is written for believers who:
— Have prayed for years
— Have waited in tears
— Feel barren in hope
— Wonder if God still hears
— Wonder if God still cares
Luke 1 opens with a miracle for the barren so God can show you: 1) Delay is not denial. 2) Silence is not absence. 3) Barrenness is not abandonment.
Let’s walk verse-by-verse through this powerful chapter.
Verses 1–4 — Luke Writes So You Can Be Certain
Luke 1:1–4
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
Luke opens his Gospel like a historian and a preacher at the same time. He tells us plainly:
He is writing so we can KNOW — with certainty — what we believe. The world offers opinions. Religion offers traditions. Philosophy offers questions.
But God offers certainty. Luke says:
— Eyewitnesses saw these things.
— Ministers preached these things.
— God recorded these things.
— And Luke compiled them “in order.”
When life feels uncertain, when your prayers seem unanswered, when you can’t see what God is doing — go back to Scripture. The certainty of God’s Word anchors the uncertainty of your heart. Before God tells you what He’s going to do in your life, He reminds you who you can trust.
Verses 5–7 — A Righteous Couple With a Real Heartache
Luke 1:5–7
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
The Bible makes something crystal clear:
Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteous. Blameless. Faithful. Obedient. Servants of God. Noe please make sure you hear this. Again, Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteous, blameless, faithful, obedient, servants of God!
And still… barren. Elisabeth was barren. They are now old. And it wasn’t a punishment for sin.
Some believers think righteousness guarantees comfort. But here stands a couple who obeyed God fully yet suffered deeply. They had no child. You have to take a step back and look at these things.
Why did they have no child? Because God was preparing a miracle that would point directly to Jesus Christ. So, listen, be patient in your life.
Their barrenness was not punishment — it was preparation. Hannah had the prophet Samuel after being barren. And now we are going to see Elisabeth give birth to the greatest man to ever live, only second to the God-man Christ Jesus.
Sometimes God lets the burden grow heavy so the blessing is even greater.
Verses 8–12 — Faithfulness Meets Divine Intervention
Luke 1:8–12
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
Zacharias is simply fulfilling his ministry. Doing his job. Showing up faithfully. And while he serves, an angel appears.
God often moves in the lives of those who remain steady, humble, and consistent. You might not think God sees you and nobody notices anything you’re doing. Zacharias was just working and staying faithful and consistent in that work.
Zacharias wasn’t seeking a sign. He wasn’t demanding a miracle. He wasn’t asking for proof. He wasn’t crying out to God demanding He do something.
He was just serving and serving and serving — and then God comes and interrupts Zacharias.
Listen, sometimes God is already standing at the altar while you are still wondering if your prayers reached heaven. Don’t wonder if God is hearing or working. He is always. Have faith in God. He’s working it all out. His promises are always good.
Verses 13–17 — “Thy Prayer Is Heard”
Luke 1:13–17
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the 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.
Notice the angel’s first message: “Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard.” Not “was heard.” Not “might be heard someday.” Not “we’re reviewing your request.” IS heard. The angel calls him by name. God knows your name.
This is present-tense assurance: God heard the prayers Zacharias prayed in his youth. The prayers he prayed with Elisabeth while they still hoped for a child. Even the prayers he may have stopped praying. GOD HEARD THOSE TOO.
God doesn’t forget prayers just because you grew weary praying them. And God’s answer is not just a baby — but John the Baptist, a man with:
— supernatural filling
— prophetic power
— national impact
— a divine assignment
— a role in preparing Israel for Christ
God does not just answer prayers — He answers them with purpose. When God answers the prayers of the righteous who have been faithfully waiting on the Lord, you’ll always see that it’s far better than you could ever imagine. Think about the child they are going to have.
Jesus himself says this about this child that Elisabeth will give birth to:
Matthew 11:11
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
When the angel says John will “go before him in the spirit and power of Elias,” this means John will operate with the same boldness, authority, and prophetic fire that characterized Elijah’s ministry.
Elijah confronted idolatry, stood against wicked rulers, called the nation to repentance, and prepared Israel for a return to God. John would do the same — not as Elijah reincarnated, but with the same anointing and mission.
Elijah shattered Israel’s apathy. John would shatter 400 years of silence. Elijah called people away from Baal. John would call people away from empty religion. Elijah prepared Israel for revival. John would prepare Israel for the arrival of the Messiah Himself.
This phrase shows that John is the God-ordained bridge between the Old Testament prophets and the coming of Jesus Christ — the final voice crying in the wilderness before the voice of the Shepherd arrives.
Verses 18–20 — Unbelief Silences What God Meant For You to Speak
Luke 1:18–20
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
Zacharias responds with doubt: “How can this be? Prove it.” Look, I want to stop there for a minute. When Zacharias says, “Whereby shall I know this?” he is basically saying, “God, prove it.” And listen — that is never faith.
When you ask God to “prove it,” you are saying His Word is not enough. You’re telling God that your eyes must be satisfied before your heart will trust Him.
The problem is not lack of evidence — it’s lack of belief. God does not perform on demand. He does not respond to unbelief. He does not negotiate with doubt. He speaks — and the right response is faith, not conditions.
Zacharias didn’t lose the promise, but he DID lose his voice. Unbelief won’t stop God. But it will silence the joy you should have walking in His promises.
Never ask God to prove it. Ask God to help you believe it. Zacharias didn’t believe. When you won’t believe what God says, this is sin.
Gabriel answers with authority: “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God.” As if to say, “Zacharias, the fact that I’m standing here IS your sign.” You want a sign? HERE I AM.
Because of unbelief, Zacharias loses his voice. Not permanently — but temporarily. Unbelief will not cancel God’s promise — but it will silence your joy.
God still performs His word. God still opens Elisabeth’s womb. God still brings John into the world. But Zacharias must wait in silence until he believes what God said. When God promised to work all things together for good to those that love Him and keep His commandments, just believe it and don’t worry about anything. Just stay faithful to Him and believe Him.
Now listen, God does say to prove Him. That’s an invitation to obey Him in faith. Asking God to give you a sign or to prove something to you is an expression of unbelief. One honors God. The other questions God. There’s a difference in “I believe you Lord now show me” versus “I don’t believe you Lord now show me.”
Verses 21–25 — God Finishes Every Promise He Begins
Luke 1:21–25
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
Zacharias finishes his ministry. He returns home. And Elisabeth conceives. Quietly. Simply. Faithfully. Supernaturally.
Elisabeth’s response: “Thus hath the Lord dealt with me…” She had carried reproach or shame, embarrassment, and disgrace for decades. Other people put women down who can’t have children. But now she carries a promise from God!
And notice she hid herself 5 months. Why? The context of what she said makes it very clear. For 5 months, and I want you to see this because you’ll see the kind that Elisabeth happens to be – a great woman that loved the Lord. A woman chosen to carry John the Baptist.
She wanted to give God the glory privately first. After she found out, she didn’t run to the people. She ran to God. A holy answer. A deeply person miracle. She didn’t want the noise of the people. She wanted the presence of God. After 5 months, no one could deny what God had done. I believe she hid five months to savor the miracle without distractions. And she gave thanks to the Lord!
God always finishes what He begins. He always fulfills what He speaks. He always remembers whom others forget.
Application — What Luke 1 Teaches You Today
1. God hears prayers long after you stop praying them. Your prayers may have faded — but God’s memory has not.
2. God delays to display His power. Barren seasons magnify miraculous answers.
3. Unbelief cannot break God’s promise — only your voice. Zacharias still got the miracle. He just lost the joy of speaking about it.
4. God moves while you stay faithful. Zacharias wasn’t chasing miracles — he was serving faithfully.
5. God’s answers come with purpose, not just provision. John was not merely a child — he was a calling.
Closing — God Has Not Forgotten Your Prayer
Luke 1 begins the Gospel with a miracle to show you this truth: God remembers. God hears. God answers. God performs His word in His season. Before today ends, write down one prayer you used to pray — one that disappointment buried — and bring it back to God.
He may be preparing to speak over your life the same words He spoke to Zacharias: “Thy prayer is heard.”
Let’s pray.
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