December 16, 2019
Way-Maker
Luke 1:67-80
Kellie Long
Central Truth
John the Baptist was a way-maker. Way-makers point people to Jesus and offer the hope found in Him. Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
Key Verse | Luke 1:76-77
"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins."
Luke 1:67-80
Zechariah's Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us
1
1:78
Or when the sunrise shall dawn upon us; some manuscripts since the sunrise has visited us
from on high
79
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Footnotes
[1] 1:78 Or when the sunrise shall dawn upon us; some manuscripts since the sunrise has visited usDive Deeper | Luke 1:67-80
What was the role of John the Baptist? To prepare the way for the Lord (Luke 1:76, NIV).
In this passage, Zechariah makes a prophecy about his son, John the Baptist. Luke 1:78-79 tells us that this sunrise who visits us from on high will "guide our feet into the way of peace." John the Baptist spent his life and ministry declaring that Jesus offers salvation through the forgiveness of people's sin (Luke 1:77, NIV). Zechariah foretold this event even before Jesus was born!
Last summer, I set out to complete a 20-mile day hike in Washington with two friends. The first four hours went seamlessly, and we made it to the most pristine glacier lake. We followed the trail to the other side of the lake and started to climb up. Once our ascension began, the trail markings, called cairns, became less clear and visible. After a while, the cairns disappeared altogether. We tried to go back down the trail to the last cairn, but could never find the trail again. After a canoe rescue and almost 13 hours later, we made it out. Although this was a terrifying experience, I learned the importance of trail markers and how they can literally point to life or death. God has given us His Word and other believers to serve as trail markers in our lives.
John the Baptist was a way-maker. Way-makers point people to Jesus and offer the hope found in Him. Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) The Word is clear that the only way to life is found through Jesus. Psalm 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Studying the Word of God reveals God's character and allows us to experience true joy and pleasure. Thank you, Lord, that You are the ultimate way-maker who rescues us from our place of despair.
Discussion Questions
1. Who has been a way-maker in your life?
2. Are you someone who clearly points people to the way in which God has told us to walk? How so?
3. What does it look like to be a way-maker?