Advent- Peace

Luke 1:67-80

Zechariah's Prophecy

67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed be 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 from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74     that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75   in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Reflection Questions

1) Zechariah had been made silent by an angel until John was born due to his lack of faith. What are the first words that came out of Zechariah's mouth? What would your first words be? 

2) What emotions does this passage evoke? Hope, Peace, Nothing? What makes this passage evoke those emotions? 
 
3) Why does God choose to use Zechariah to proclaim his plan? If God can use Zechariah in his unbelief, do you believe God can use you to announce Jesus' second coming? 
 
4) Verse 79 says, "to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,to guide our feet into the way of peace?" Do you believe this is your message to others about Jesus today?