We began to look at this text together last Sunday morning. We saw some of the salient characteristics of Luke's narrative. In particular, we saw that in recounting the story of a child of promise the evangelist is alluding to the stories of Isaac, Joseph, Samson, and Samuel. We saw that Luke presents in microcosm the issue affecting Israel as the whole, and we saw that he resolves the issue in microcosm within this opening pericope of his book. Today we will look at the same story, but at its double structure of prayer receiving an answer (positive) and doubt receiving an answer too (negative). The story concludes with the hiding of the pregnancy and the son born from it, for Luke portrays the Baptist according to the model of a prophet. Just as Moses was hidden in his parents' home and Elijah was hidden in the wilderness, so John must be hidden until the day of his appearance to Israel. The point Luke is making is that the child of promise comes in answer to the prayers of God's people, and that to doubt his coming is a sin worthy of punishment. Let's dig in.
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Caleb Nelson grew up in Ft. Collins, CO. Born into a Christian home, where he eventually became the eldest of 11 children, he has been a lifelong Presbyterian. He professed faith at the age of six, and was homeschooled through high school. He then attended Patrick Henry College...