Luke 1:76-78

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, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven ~ Luke 1:76-78

 


John the Baptist was the prophesied child which would lead the way and go before the Most High which had been promised. Salvation or remission means pardon or forgiveness. What a blessing, for this means that God treats us as though we have not committed a sin. Luke writes this is because of the tender mercy of our God, for this is the heart of God. God is infinitely gentle and considerate to his children. The Lord knew that we would need another way to come into closeness with him, for our hearts are not to be trusted, and it did not take long for this to manifest itself in mankind. Soon after the creation of the world, Adam and Eve took the fruit and ate, the fruit God had warned them away from. This broke our way into the presence of God, for sin is not tolerated by him. We, in our weakness, needed another way to come into the divine fellowship with God once more, and salvation was the answer through the Son of God. So it was, that before the world began, before man was formed by God, a plan had been put in place. Jesus would be born as a child, taking on human form, to show us how to have faith and be obedient to God the Father. Then, in God’s wondrous mercy, He would take on our sin and our punishment and be crucified for you and for me. What God would do this? Only a God who has a heart for his people, a God whose heart is full of mercy and compassion. Only the God of Jesus Christ would do such a thing for those who do not deserve this kind of treatment. Thank you, Jesus, for your great salvation!

Pastor Julia

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