Luke 1:5-57

For Reading and Meditation:     John 1:1-18

We continue meditating on the fact that the Christian faith is unique in that it is the Word not of a prophet but of the Son of God Himself. And when I refer to the Son of God I mean also God the Son. The Son is as much God as God Himself. One commentator says of the verse before us today: "If I were to put my finger on...

The Lord's people are justified freely, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. The work of Jesus is their justification before God; in this they trust; in this they plead; and in this they rejoice. Taught by the Holy Spirit, they manifest wisdom in readily believing God's faithful word, and trusting Him to make good the same to them.

They resign themselves and all they value into His hands for preservation, and to be entirely at His disposal, persuaded that His...

The omnipotence of God means that He can do anything that is not inconsistent with His other attributes. Hear the uniform testimony of Scripture! "I am the Almighty God" (Genesis 17:1). "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14). "I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted" (Job 42:2 NASB). "There is nothing...

Is there not reason to apprehend that we presume upon a great deal of mercy that is not really accorded? We know that the world takes for granted that God forgives it, and reserves all its anxiety for matters that seem to it invested with much more difficulty. But may it not be that we, who consider ourselves, on apparently good grounds, as God's real children, that we are daily presuming on God's forgiveness when that forgiveness is not really pronounced? We are not notified of forgiveness...

Luke 1:5-23

There was a wonderful preparation of the world for Christ before He came. There was a Jewish expectation of the Messiah. This hope had been diffused throughout the nations by the wide dispersion of the Jewish people, who carried their religion with them and had synagogues in every city, where also their holy books were read. It is wonderful to think what the world owes...

Luke 1:57-80

It is a stupendous moment when a great man is born. The birth of few men through the centuries has meant more to the world than John the Baptist's. Jesus said of him, that of all born of woman there was none greater (see Luke 7:28). The beloved disciple thus describes his coming into the world: "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" (

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.The promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to...

In his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept, and sought favor from Him. § [Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.  Therefore I...

God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not...