The Birth of the Forerunner

God shattered the silence of 400 years when Gabriel appeared to the old priest Zacharias as he interceded for the people of Israel in the Holy Place of the temple. Gabriel announcesd that Zacharias and Elizabeth would have a son, and that he would be the prophet who would "prepare the way of the Lord." The desire of all nations was about to arrive! And how did Zacharias respond to this momentous news? He responded with unbelief. "How shall I know this, for I am an old man..." Gabriel was aghast at this response, and he pulled out his universal remote, pointed it toward Zacharias and pressed the mute button. The old priest returned to his home, and you might say: "It's been a quiet week in old Hebron, Zacharias' home town." Elizabeth eventually drags the story out of him, and just as Gabriel said, she conceives a child in her old age. This message looks at the wondrous events surrounding the birth of John, including what we call the "Benedictus," Zacharias' prophetic words on the occasion of John's birth. This is the Christmas series from Luke.