"The Good News of Christmas

Text: Luke 1:68-69

Every Christmas, I focus on certain verses that speak of the Christmas story. This year, I spent my time on “Zachariah’s Prophecy,” found in Luke chapter 1. This passage is known as the Benedictus – which comes from the first word in verse 68 in the Latin translation.

Today I want to focus on what Gabriel called the “good news” as he spoke to the old man Zachariah the priest (Luke 1:19). By the time we read down to verse 68 of Luke chapter 1, Zachariah is “filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,” telling us exactly what this good news is. How appropriate that the first words out of Zachariah’s mouth due to his unbelief of what Gabriel had told him concerning the birth of his son John the Baptist who would be the forerunner of the Messiah, were mostly quotations from the Old Testament telling us of the Good News that was about to take place.

I wish that I had the time to preach through verses 68-79 – 11 verses filled with blessings of what this Child would mean to a discouraged Israel and to us as a secondary audience.

So, what was the Good News? This is a great question for us to focus on today and the days leading up to Christmas. According to verse 68, Zachariah opens these sections with praise for the “Lord God of Israel.” The verse goes on in detail to explain to us what the Lord God of Israel did for Israel and for us:

“for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us.”

Wow! Let’s break this down into a 3 easy to follow outline.

#1) “He visited His people”

This was unheard of, something that never had been done before. God, the Holy God of Israel, the Creator of the world, the God of Mount Sinai, the God who split the sea – He was to become flesh as John wrote in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

The Triune God humbled Himself and became man. Just the thought of this confuses us. Why? Why would the Holy Righteous Sovereign God come to earth to visit His people? This brings us to number 2.

#2) “He redeemed His people”

This was His purpose for visiting His people. Israel needed to be redeemed. Pastor Doc needed to be redeemed. The Sovereign had to offer up Himself on a sinner’s cross in order to carry my sins on the cross – to redeem me! The Roman soldiers didn’t nail Jesus to that horrible ugly cross. Love sent Jesus there. Love for Israel, and love for us. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 1, “according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Later in chapter 3 of Ephesians, the Apostle referred to this principle again when he said (speaking of God’s plan for His Son), “This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus or Lord.”

Calvary’s cross wasn’t a surprise for the Lord; this was His plan from eternity past. God knew you and me and was willing to pay the ultimate price in order to redeem us. This is really what Christmas is about – the Savior who came to redeem!

#3) “He has raised up a horn of salvation for us.”

Luke defines for us this salvation that was coming, when he said, “and has raised up a horn of salvation for us.” A “horn,” when used in the Old Testament, was not referring to a trumpet, but rather the horn of an animal – commonly called an antler. The Psalmist in Psalm 18:2 speaks of the power and strength of God when he wrote,

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Luke, through the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, describes our salvation as a “horn of salvation,” which speaks of the strength and power of our salvation that Jesus brought to us. This is so practical for us! When we came to Christ in repentance, we received a powerful salvation – with no limits! We now have power over the enemy, power over the world, and power over sinful behavior. Nothing can remove our “horn of salvation” – for its power comes from Jesus Christ Himself.

Zachariah and John the Baptist was not who was being spoken of in this passage. It was the One who the Angel spoke of in 2:10 when he said,

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting excited about Christmas and the Good News that is attached to this birth in Bethlehem many years ago. God loved us so much that He would send His only Son to rescue us from the consequences of sin and give us an abundant life to live until His soon return.

Merry Christmas Church!

In Love’s Grip,

Pastor Doc