Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
February 28, 2010
Luke 1:57-80
To Give Knowledge of Salvation
Introduction The angel Gabriel has appeared to tell Mary of the
birth of Jesus, to the priest Zacharias to tell him of the birth
of his son John the Baptist, who was to prepare the hearts of the
people for Jesus. Elizabeth and Mary are rejoicing together, along
with John leaping for joy in the womb, but Zacharias has been silent.
He had not been able to speak since he didn’t believe Gabriel
when he told him John would be born.
But now, at the birth of John, Zacharias prophesies concerning his
son, that he would give the people the “knowledge of salvation.”
Knowledge is a powerful thing. It’s a great tragedy to not
know about a blessing. It’s a great tragedy to not know the
warning of a danger. We need to know the truth, and others do too,
especially the knowledge of salvation.
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered,
and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives
heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with
her.
59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the
child; and they would have called him by the name of his father,
Zacharias. 60 His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be
called John.” 61 But they said to her, “There is no one
among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they
made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His
name is John.” So they all marveled. 64 Immediately his mouth
was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65
Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings
were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And
all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What
kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with
him.
67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and
prophesied, saying:
68 “ Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our
life.
76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of
death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
I. What kind of child will this be? v66
John was to prepare the people’s hearts to receive their Messiah,
to give them the knowledge of salvation. What was he to be like?
66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying,
“What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the
Lord was with him.
A. Great in God’s eyes v15a
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord
B. A focused life v15b
15b and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink
Nothing to distract him nor dissipate his energies.
C. Filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb v15c
15c He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s
womb.
D. Jumping for joy in the presence of Jesus v44
44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in
my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
E. The hand of the Lord was with him v66
66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying,
“What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the
Lord was with him.
F. He grew and became strong in spirit v80
80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit
G. Lived in the deserts until the day of his manifestation v80
80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
H. Turned people’s hearts to God, to prepare them for God’s
Son v16-17, 76-77
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their
God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah,
‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and
the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord.”
76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission
of their sins
So, what kind of child will this be?
II. What is the “Knowledge of Salvation”?
A. What is Salvation?
68 “ Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our
life.
76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of
death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
1. God’s tender mercy v78
2. God’s power and determination v69
3. Jesus’ visitation v68, 78
4. Remission of sins v77
5. Redemption v68
6. Rescued from the power of our enemy who hates us v71, 74
7. To provide a new day v78-79
8. To live a good life v74b-75, 79
a. Faith not fear
b. Holiness
c. Righteousness
d. Peace
This is salvation.
B. What is the Knowledge of Salvation? v77
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
1. Previous knowledge given
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
a. Promises - since the world began, in Genesis 3, “the seed
of the woman”
b. Covenants - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses - all pointed to Jesus
c. Prophesies - every OT prophet, including John, preached salvation
through the Messiah, the Lord Jesus.
So previous knowledge of Jesus has been given for thousands of years.
One of the most powerful tools we have to convince people of the
Gospel. 360 prophecies of Christ fulfilled. Silver dollars in Texas.
2. The ministry of the Forerunner
76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of
death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
a. Knowledge - to have and share knowledge of the facts of salvation
- the illumination of who Jesus is, and what He has done for us:
God’s tender mercy
God’s power and determination
Jesus’ visitation
Remission of sins
Redemption
Rescued from the power of our enemy who hates us
To provide a new day
To live a good life - faith not fear, holiness, righteousness, peace
These are the facts of salvation - to give light to those who sit
in darkness.
b. Prophecy - John was called “the prophet of the Highest.”
Powerful, anointed communication. We need to ask God to make our
words of salvation powerful and effective.
b. Power - John went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah. Not
just words, but signs and wonders, as Elijah. We need to ask God
to give us miracles, proofs, evidence for people in their own lives.
c. Personal testimony - “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world.” Your personal testimony of what God
has done for you is one of the most powerful things we have in communicating
the knowledge of salvation to people.
This is the ministry of the forerunner. John did it for Jesus’
first coming, and we are doing it for His second coming.
Pointing to fulfilled promises, covenants and prophecies. Having
and sharing the knowledge of the facts of salvation, sharing the
truth with the power of the Holy Spirit, asking God to back up our
words with signs, using our personal testimony.
Conclusion Knowledge is a powerful thing. It’s a great tragedy
to not know about a blessing. It’s a great tragedy to not know
the warning of a danger. We need to know the truth, and others do
too, especially the knowledge of salvation.
68 “ Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our
life.
76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of
death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Pastor Steve Boggan
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Heritage Ranch by Lake Nacimiento, CA
Website - livingwaters.cc
