Luke 1:5-7 — Beginning of the story of Jesus...?

READ THIS: Luke 1:5-7

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

Luke decided to start off the story of Jesus with a story about an old couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both descendants of Aaron, which means that they were both part of the family tree that was in charge of priestly duties. These duties were split up among 24 different divisions of Aaron's family tree so that each division took turns doing their duty throughout the year where one person would do their priestly duty for a week straight once every six months or so. This fact is important for tomorrow! 

Another important point for tomorrow is that Elizabeth and Zechariah couldn't have kids. They couldn't have any kids when they were younger, and once people get old they stop being able to have kids, so there was no shot that they would have any biological children. People back in the day would have thought that there was some kind of sin that Elizabeth and/or Zechariah and/or their parents did that led to their barrenness, but verse 6 makes it clear that they weren't barren because of their sin. They just...were barren. 

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Why would Luke start off with a story about someone who isn't Jesus? (We'll ask this question again some time, so it might be cool to write your answer down somewhere or type it in the comments so you can compare your thoughts!)

2. So people thought that some people were unable to have kids because of sin...it sounds a little bit like karma. When bad things happen to other people, do you think it's karma sometimes? Do you think that's Biblical or not Biblical? Why/why not?

TRY THIS:

The next time you hear someone say something was karma, ask yourself and God what He could possibly be doing and if it's karma!

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 6, 2023 at 6:31 AM

    I do not think it is karma! Karma is a term that is from India where they believe there are levels of life that you have to WORK through to reach nirvana-their heaven. We believe we get to heaven by God’s GRACE and what Jesus did on the cross for us!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Esther 8:9-14 — Double order, please

R EAD THIS: Esther 8:9-14 9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.  11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the tw...
Read more

Esther 8:15-17 — Fit check!

R EAD THIS: Esther 8:15-17 15 When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?   Anyone notice how the Bible notes what Mordecai wears? Back in Esther 4, we were talking about him wearing sackcloth in mourning over the first edict. Now that the second edict is sent out, Mordecai has a whole new outfit. Sackcloth represents mourning whereas his outfit we read about today represents royalty. Throughout the Bible we see several times people wear sackcloth as a way to call out to God and show what's on the i...
Read more

Luke 2:36-40 — Worth the Wait!

R EAD THIS:  Luke 2:36-40 36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.  39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY? Prophets are unbelievably important people throughout the Bible. Their job, beginning long before Jesus’s birth, was to speak on behalf of God to His people (and even to His enemies). Sometimes, prophets would deliver messages of hope and rescue, but oft...
Read more