New York UBF UBF Bible Study: ZECHARIAH’S SONG OF PRAISE

Luke 1:57-80

NIV

57. When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.

58. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,

60. but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."

61. They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."

62. Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.

63. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."

64. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

65. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

66. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord’s hand was with him.

67. His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68. "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

69. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

70. (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),

71. salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us -

72. to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,

73. the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

74. to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear

75. in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76. And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77. to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78. because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79. to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

80. And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Dec 24, 2023 QUESTION

M. Jangwon Suh Luke 1:57-80

2023 Christmas - III

ZECHARIAH’S SONG OF PRAISE

Luke 1:57-80

Open it:

What are the most important things parents ought to tell their children while they are growing up?

Explore it:

Read verses 57-61. At the time of John's birth, her relatives and neighbors shared her joy. What did everyone assume about the name of the baby? What did Elizabeth want to name the baby? Why?
Read verses 62-66. What does Zechariah’s naming of his son show about his conviction of God’s will? As soon as his mouth was opened, what did Zechariah do? (64, 67) What was the response of the neighbors? (65,66)
Read verses 67-68. For what did Zechariah praise God in verse 68? What does it mean that “he has come”? “Redeemed”?
Read verses 69-71. To what does the “horn of salvation” refer? (69; Psalm 132:17, 148:14; Jer. 23:5; Ez. 29:21) Who is our archenemy? (Rev 17:3)
Read verses 72-75. How has God's promise to Abraham become a great blessing to us? (Gen 22:16-18; Gal 3:16) What does the horn of salvation do for us? (74, 75) What does it mean to serve God “without fear in holiness and righteousness”?
To whom are verses 76-79 addressed? What will be the unique mission of Zechariah’s son? What does Zechariah’s son tell us about the nature of the salvation God is giving us through Jesus? (76,77)
Read verses 78-80. How does the rising sun dispel the darkness of the shadow of death from our hearts? (Jn. 8:12, 9:5) Think about the meaning of the phrase “the tender mercy of our God.”

Apply it:

What idea from Zecharia’s song would you most like to communicate to others this Christmas?

2023 Christmas message question - III.docx

docx file