Merry Christmas! As we enter this joyful season, Pastor Greg Laurie begins a brand-new series in the Gospel of Luke “The Gospel for Everyone.” In this message, we explore the story before the story: the miraculous arrival of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Greg unpacks:

Why Luke’s Gospel is unique
How God broke 400 years of silence
What made Zacharias and Elizabeth so faithful
The role of spiritual warfare in delayed prayers
Why we must pray with expectation
How John the Baptist became the greatest of all prophets

This message encourages believers to stay faithful, pray boldly, recognize their spiritual gifts, and live with urgency, because Jesus is coming again.

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⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction: Christmas season and beginning the Gospel of Luke
00:29 – A humorous misunderstanding of the Christmas story
01:36 – The importance of hearing the real Christmas story
02:05 – Who Luke was and how he researched his Gospel
02:56 – “In the days of Herod”: The brutal context of Jesus' birth
03:43 – 400 years of silence before Jesus' arrival
04:07 – God’s perfect timing and the activation of His eternal plan
04:52 – Reading Luke 1:5–17 — the announcement of John the Baptist
07:12 – Introducing Zacharias and Elizabeth: the story before the story
07:42 – Israel’s situation under Roman rule and Messianic expectation
08:06 – Prophecies of a coming Messiah and His forerunner
08:30 – Why John the Baptist was the greatest of the prophets
09:31 – Gabriel’s rare and dramatic appearance
10:22 – Elderly parents chosen for a miraculous birth
10:46 – Why God chose Zacharias: humility and faithfulness
11:40 – The role of a priest and representing God
12:24 – You are the “fifth gospel”: the only Bible some people will read
13:23 – God calls people who are already faithful in daily life
14:36 – Discovering and using your spiritual gifts
15:36 – How failure helps reveal your true calling
16:38 – The value of serving in different ministries
17:28 – Zacharias and Elizabeth: godly, blameless lives
18:20 – Gabriel: “Your prayer has been heard”
19:27 – How God answers prayers: yes, no, or wait
20:17 – Acts 12: A humorous story of answered prayer
22:41 – Why we are shocked when God answers quickly
23:10 – Spiritual warfare behind delayed prayers (Daniel 10)
24:31 – The enemy’s rage: he knows his time is short
25:01 – Wake-up call: Jesus is coming again
26:01 – The return of Christ keeps believers spiritually alert
26:56 – Preaching and prayer: the believer’s two “secret weapons”
27:17 – Utah outreach miracle: 2,500 people come to Christ
28:26 – Pray with faith: “Where are your umbrellas?”
29:03 – Don’t stop praying — Zacharias waited 30 years
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