Eternity in our Hearts

This post is from my notes at the Bible Study lesson at our Church

The Angel Gabriel Visits Zachariah

 

It was Zachariah the old Priest’s time to execute his priestly office; to enter the Holy Place and burn the incense as the people prayed outside and waited.  The people began to worry as he was taking so long for they did not know he was being visited by the angel Gabriel.

A child of destiny was being promised to an elderly couple who were too old to bare children.  How can this be? Questioned Zachariah.  The angel replied, “Because you doubted as a sign, you will not be able to speak until the child is born.”

This child John the Baptist was to become the one to herald the coming of the Messiah.

John was to be set apart and the angel said, He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall not drink wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother’s womb.  

 

Zachariah returned home and true to the angel’s word, his wife Elizabeth conceived and she hid herself several months.  Elizabeth was educated and knew the Old Testament prophesies, concerning the Messiah and wondered at these things.

Her cousin Mary was also visited by the angel Gabriel as he declared, “Fear not for you have found favor with God, And, behold, you shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus.”  

 

Mary wondered: “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 

Gently the angel explained, “The power of the Holy Spirit shall overshadow you and this holy child that shall be born of you shall be called the son of God.  His name shall be Jesus for He shall save his people from their sins. 

 

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” 

After many days, Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth and at the sound of Mary’s voice, the babe leaped in Elizabeth’s womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.  These two special women began to worship God and Mary sang of what was to come to pass as they marveled that they had been chosen for this time.

As a grown man, John began to preach repentance, and the people asked if he was the one who was to come.  John declared, “I am not he, but I am a voice crying in the wilderness but there comes one after me who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” 

John 1:29-39 is the story of John declaring Jesus to be the Lamb of God. 

 

Some of John’s disciples began to follow Jesus, telling their close friends, come and see for we have found the Messiah. 

Today as we receive Jesus into our life, Eternal Life is placed in our hearts.  We are born again and changed. 

 

When Jesus was raised from the dead, his resurrection life was eternal and this life is available to us   Paul explains this simple truth as he writes to the Ephesian church.

 

Ephesians 2:4-7  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.