Zacharias

The Christmas story, as found in the gospel, does not begin with the birth of Jesus, but rather with a man named Zacharias. Before the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary, God sent an angel (possibly Gabriel) to Zacharias the father of John the Baptist, to proclaim to him the birth of his son John. John was born to precede Christ in life, and was sent to Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 1) John was sent by God on a Mission. His mission was to prepare Israel for Salvation. For 400 years God had not sent a prophet with a new message, but rather Israel was left with an old prophecy that Elijah would precede Christ at his coming. The Bible says that John came as a prophet in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” John’s mission was to preach repentance and to baptize Israel as an outward sign of that repentance, for men could not be saved until Christ died on the cross. 2) John was sent to preach God’s Message. His message was to repent and be prepared for God’s coming salvation. John’s baptism did not save, but it was a preparation, as repentance is today before salvation. 3) John was sent to teach us God’s Method. “Preaching.” “God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost.” John preached Christ’s coming, but we preach that Jesus saves. John was the first Christian preacher, baptizer, and disciple maker. God sent a man, and He is still sending men today. Oh, that we would be as faithful to God’s mission as John was.