Awake Us Now

Luke 1:57-80; “John’s Story”  Pastor Dodge explores Luke’s account of John the Baptist in today’s study.  It’s a story that starts with the miraculous pregnancy of Elizabeth who was well past her child-bearing years, yet God was faithful to His promise to her husband Zechariah. In today’s text John is born and it is the 8th day after his birth, the day that the baby boy would be circumcised and named.  Their family and friends are sure the baby boy will be named a family name after Zechariah. However Elizabeth follows through with what the angel Gabriel had told her husband when the angel had announced they would have a son. And Elizabeth states the child would be named John just as the angel told them to name him. Since the angel’s visit to Zechariah he had become unable to speak because he doubted the word of God through the angel. As family is saying how can you name him John, Zechariah writes on his tablet that the child’s name is John and he is instantly healed and able to speak.  He praises the Lord and