Miracles Week 2

Scripture

Luke 1:5–25 ESV

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will 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 for the Lord a people prepared.” And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Luke 1:39–45 ESV

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Breakdown

The miracle of Jesus birth couldn’t have been a lie because it involved too many people.

Think about a well-known event like the moon landing. Thousands of people worked on ensuring its success, and countless eyewitnesses reported the event, making it fail-proof as a lie. Similarly, the birth of Jesus involved a multitude of witnesses: shepherds, magi, and even angels. Their firsthand experiences spread quickly in a close-knit community, ensuring that this miraculous event could not simply be brushed aside as a fabrication.

Zachariah knew about the miracle of his wife’s pregnancy before Elizabeth knew.

The mircacle of Jesus birth couldn’t have been a lie because Elizabeth knew about Mary’s pregnancy before she saw her.

Mary couldn’t have told Elizabeth about her pregnancy because they lived 100 miles apart

In a world without cell phones or instant messaging, imagine Mary, a young girl, carrying the weight of a miraculous secret. Living a hundred miles away from her cousin Elizabeth, the distance felt even more profound. Yet, in her heart, she knew she had to share her joy. This emotional distance mirrors how sometimes we feel isolated in our struggles, but we must reach out, just as Mary did, taking the brave step of travel to connect with someone who could understand her journey.

Application

As you grow in your faith, your beliefs will be challenged.

You might feel pressure to fit in with friends who dismiss your faith as just a story or a lie. Remember, the birth of Jesus involved real people like Mary and Elizabeth who had encounters that changed their lives. When you are question about your beliefs, share how your faith has impacted your life personally. You can talk about any specific experiences where you felt God’s presence or guidance. Your testimony is powerful and shows that your faith isn't just a myth but something that is alive and active today.

Some may say Jesus was a liar, while others say he was a lunatic, but you can confidently say he is Lord.