Zechariah's Prophecy: Episode 3 (Luke 1:67-79)

Hello All,

The part of the poem that we will be emphasising on today is highlighted in blue. The black colour text in the poem is a recap of what we have already done last week.

Let us now continue with the third and final episode of this poem…

Zechariah's Prophecy: Episode 3 (Luke 1:67-79)

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (27th Nov 2014)

There once was a Jewish priest named Zechariah

Who was from the priestly order of Abijah

His dear wife was from the priestly line of Aaron

Her name was Elizabeth and she was barren

They were righteous and upright before the Lord's eyes

His commandments and decrees they did not defy

They lost hope of having a child for they were old

Until the birth of John the Baptist was foretold

By Angel Gabriel and fulfilled quite soon after

His miraculous birth brought much joy and laughter

Zechariah, filled with the Spirit, joyfully

Broke into songs of praise and gave this prophecy:

'Praise the Lord, the magnificent God of Israel,

His eternal love and faithfulness never fail

For he has visited and redeemed His people

He has sent us a Saviour who's strong and able

He is the prophesied and promised Descendant

From the royal line of King David, His servant

Now we will be saved from our ruthless enemies

To our ancestors, He has shown grace and mercy

By remembering His sacred covenant

Made with our ancestor, Abraham, His servant

We have been rescued from our cruel enemies

So that we can serve God without timidity

With no trace of fear, for He has made us holy

And righteous through our Saviour in His great mercy

We can serve the God of Israel for all our days

For as long as we live on earth, in every way

You, my son, will be called the prophet of the Most High

Because you will prepare the way for the Lord by

Telling people how to find salvation in Him

Through the pardoning and forgiveness of their sins

Because of God's tender mercy, the morning Light

From heaven will dawn upon us and bestow sight

To those in darkness, from death they will find release

This Light will guide and keep us in the path of peace'

THE END.

Points for Reflection:

[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.

(Luke 1:76-77 ESV)

·         I am not sure if you would have felt that it was strange for Zechariah to begin his prophecy with the Messiah instead of his own son right after the birth of the long awaited child.

·         8 verses from the Bible were allocated for Jesus Christ whereas only 4 verses for Zechariah’s son, John the Baptist.

·         It is a very natural thing for all attention to be focused on a newborn baby.

·         But through Zechariah’s prophecy, we learn that no matter how much we may love and care for a newborn baby, God should always be our first priority.

·         Zechariah’s words to his son were not for self-glorification but they clarified the way that John the Baptist was meant to point people to Christ.

·         God’s plan for John the Baptist was to devote his life in telling others to repent of their sin and find salvation in Jesus Christ.

·         Later in his life, John the Baptist said the following words:

“He [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease.”

(John 3:30 ESV)

·         Have you been telling others about the gospel? In your pride, have you been tempted to take the glory for yourself instead of pointing others to Christ? How can you, like John, say, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’?

·         As this year is drawing swiftly to an end, make it your resolution for the New Year to devote your life in service to Christ for His glory.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Hello All,

I hope you are having a wonderful time during this Christmas season.

The Christmas tree can be considered an essential, and even indispensable, decorative item for the Yuletide season.

But have you ever thought about its significance in the midst of Christmas parties and celebrations?

Oh Christmas Tree!

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (2^nd December 2014)

'Father, isn't this a beautiful Christmas tree?'

Little Tom asked his father, Thomas, gleefully

'Yes, it is,' Thomas said as he turned on the lights

Which shone so brightly on the cold December night

'Father, since Christmas is about Christ, the Baby

What is the significance of a Christmas tree?'

Thomas thought a while before he answered his son

'There are a few stories on this, not only one

But I will try to put those stories together

Amalgamate them to give you the best answer:

In Europe during the eleventh century

'Paradise plays' were performed with a Christmas tree

Adorned with apples of the Paradise tree

From which the first man and woman rebelliously

Ate of the forbidden fruit for they sought to be

God's equal; but nakedness was all they could see

God pardoned Adam and Eve in His great mercy

But their sin brought God’s wrath upon humanity

The Christmas tree represents the iniquity

Of mankind who shook their fists at the Almighty'

Tom looked alarmed at this juncture of the story

'You mean that is all there is to the Christmas tree?'

Thomas chuckled as he held his little son's hand

'That would have been the end if God didn't have a plan

To save the sinful human race from damnation

Through His promise of the Saviour's Incarnation

Jesus Christ came, as a little baby, to earth

Delivered in Bethlehem town through virgin birth

The evergreen trait of the fir tree signifies

Life in the midst of death, rebirth in place of demise

Jesus stood in our place and bore the penalty

Of our sin through suffering, pain and death on the Tree

Thus, the Christmas tree symbolises both a tree

Of sin and a tree of life for humanity

Those who reject Jesus as their Saviour will face

Death for their sin; with no Saviour to take their place

But those who repent will find grace and Salvation

In Jesus Christ who promises us redemption

From the curse of sin; the tree of iniquity

Has become a tree of life; from sin we are free'

Tom reflected on the story he had just heard

He pondered deeply over his dear father's words

'Now I know that there is more to the Christmas tree

It's a Tree of life for sinners like you and me'

Points for Reflection:

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

(1 Corinthians 15:22 ESV)

·         Do you believe you are a sinner?

·         Have you put your trust in Jesus Christ?

·         Although you may consider yourself a Christian, are you treating Jesus as the Master of your life who determines what is right and wrong? Or are you still holding on tightly to the reins of your life?

·         Are there areas in your life that you need to repent from? God is more than willing to forgive and help sinners who sincerely repent and seek to overcome temptations and sin. Although we may fall in our combat against sin from time to time, let us continue the good fight of faith in prayer and with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

·         In the midst of Christmas festivities, what does this season really mean to you? 

Zechariah's Prophecy: Episode 2 (Luke 1:67-79)

Hello All,

The part of the poem that we will be emphasising on today is highlighted in blue. The black colour text in the poem is a recap of what we have already done last week.

Let us now continue with the second episode of this poem…

Zechariah's Prophecy: Episode 2 (Luke 1:67-79)

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (27th Nov 2014)

There once was a Jewish priest named Zechariah

Who was from the priestly order of Abijah

His dear wife was from the priestly line of Aaron

Her name was Elizabeth and she was barren

They were righteous and upright before the Lord's eyes

His commandments and decrees they did not defy

They lost hope of having a child for they were old

Until the birth of John the Baptist was foretold

By Angel Gabriel and fulfilled quite soon after

His miraculous birth brought much joy and laughter

Zechariah, filled with the Spirit, joyfully

Broke into songs of praise and gave this prophecy:

'Praise the Lord, the magnificent God of Israel,

His eternal love and faithfulness never fail

For he has visited and redeemed His people

He has sent us a Saviour who's strong and able

He is the prophesied and promised Descendant

From the royal line of King David, His servant

Now we will be saved from our ruthless enemies

To our ancestors, He has shown grace and mercy

By remembering His sacred covenant

Made with our ancestor, Abraham, His servant

We have been rescued from our cruel enemies

So that we can serve God without timidity

With no trace of fear, for He has made us holy

And righteous through our Saviour in His great mercy

We can serve the God of Israel for all our days

For as long as we live on earth, in every way

TO BE CONTINUED...

Points for Reflection:

[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.

(Luke 1:68-70 ESV)

·         Zechariah began his prophecy in praise and anticipation of the coming of the Messiah, the promised Saviour and King, Jesus Christ.

·         The coming of the Messiah from the line of King David was long foretold by prophets of old.

·         In a world which suffers the effects of humanity’s rebellion and sin against a holy God, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is the Saviour it needs to reverse the curse of sin.

·         All the good works that we may try to do to atone for our sin are futile.

·         It is only through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we can be saved from God’s judgment for our iniquity.

·         Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? Are you trusting in good works instead of Jesus Christ for salvation?

[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.

(Luke 1:74-75 ESV)

·         When we put our trust in Jesus Christ, God adopted us as His beloved children and delivered us from the hand of our Enemy – Satan.

·         It is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are made holy and righteous before God.

·         Although good works is not a prerequisite for salvation, they are the products and fruits of those who have been saved by grace.

·         If we have been adopted as God’s children, it would be unfitting for us to live as if we are still under the dominion of our Enemy.

·         Instead, we should be using every opportunity we have in life to serve God.

·         Have you been persisting in secret sins with no true repentance? While we are on earth, we will still sin for we are far from perfect. But we should be praying for God’s help in our combat against sin.

·         Have you been using your life to serve God for His glory or for yours? Have you been living as the king of your own life who determines what is right and wrong? Or have you been living under the lordship of Jesus Christ in obedience to His Word?

Zechariah's Prophecy: Episode 1 (Luke 1:67-79)

Hello All,

I have written a poem on the prophecy that Zechariah gave after the birth of his son, John the Baptist.

The birth of John the Baptist was foretold before the birth of Jesus Christ. God’s purpose for John the Baptist was to point others to the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ.

However, today we will not be looking at Zechariah’s prophecy because I thought it would be helpful to begin with a summary of the background and context of the prophecy.

Zechariah's Prophecy: Episode 1 (Luke 1:67-79)

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (27th Nov 2014)

There once was a Jewish priest named Zechariah

Who was from the priestly order of Abijah

His dear wife was from the priestly line of Aaron

Her name was Elizabeth and she was barren

They were righteous and upright before the Lord's eyes

His commandments and decrees they did not defy

They lost hope of having a child for they were old

Until the birth of John the Baptist was foretold

By Angel Gabriel and fulfilled quite soon after

His miraculous birth brought much joy and laughter

Zechariah, filled with the Spirit, joyfully

Broke into songs of praise and gave this prophecy:

TO BE CONTINUED...

Points for Reflection:

[6] And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

[7] But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

(Luke 1:6-7 ESV)

·         Have you ever heard people attributing the reason for their misfortunes to God’s judgment due to their sin?

·         Although it is true that the folly of men can plunge them into a ravine of predicaments but that is not relevant to everyone and all situations.

·         Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God and yet they were childless.

·         Their childlessness was not due to any personal sin on their part but to God’s sovereign and wise plan.

·         God miraculously opened the womb of Elizabeth who was advanced in age and biologically speaking, had no hope of conception.

·         There may be times when we do not understand God’s delay in intervening in our situations.

·         But God teaches us patience through the long waiting periods of our lives.

·         Are you hoping and praying for something? Do you get impatient with unanswered prayers? How have you been responding to unanswered prayers?

·         We may or may not have our prayers answered. But one thing we can be certain of is God’s wisdom and sovereignty. We may think that what we want is what we need; but God knows better.

[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

[9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

(Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

·         Even though things may be out of our control, God is always in control. Not only is He in control but He loves and cares for us. And it is in that comforting knowledge that we can commit our worries, disappointments and grief into His loving hands.

Cast all your anxieties on God, because He cares for you.

(1 Peter 5:7 ESV)

Gifts (Episode 3)

Hello All,

The part of the poem that we will be emphasising on today is highlighted in blue. The black colour text in the poem is a recap of what we have already done last week.

Let us now continue with the third and final episode of this poem…

Gifts (Episode 3)

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (20^th November 2014)

As Christmas draws nigh, have you pondered about gifts?

When given, the heart of the recipient they lift

'Thank you,' are the words uttered from a grateful heart

Who is quite anxious to tear the wrappings apart

Three main questions emerge in the recipient’s mind

‘Under these beautiful wrappings, what will I find?’

‘Under this covering, what am I hoping for?’

‘Would I be happy or sad with what is in store?’

When you think of ‘gifts’ in this life, what comes to mind?

‘Beyond my unrevealed future, what will I find?’

‘Beyond my circumstances, what do I hope for?’

‘Would I be happy or sad with what is in store?’

When you think of gifts, do you think of the Giver?

Or are you distracted with what life can offer?

Do you thank God for life’s gifts - the good and the bad?

Or do unfulfilled dreams leave you bitter and sad?

In the pursuit of gifts that will not satisfy

Have you pushed away God’s greatest Gift for a lie?

Is your heart opened to receive God’s only Son?

Jesus Christ, the great Saviour, whom sinners have shunned

THE END.

Points for Reflection:

‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’  

(John 3:16 ESV)

·         Have you been pursuing the fleeting ‘gifts’ of this world? If so, what are those fleeting ‘gifts’?

·         Even if you were to attain the most exquisite ‘gift’ this world has to offer, it will never truly satisfy you. The pursuit of a ‘gift’ leads to another and it will always be a never-ending quest for life’s meaning.

·         All other ‘gifts’ are secondary to the gift of salvation that sinners like us receive by God’s grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who paid the penalty of our sin. It is in Christ that we find true joy in our salvation and hope of eternal life.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

(Ephesians 2:8 ESV)

·         Have you accepted or rejected God’s greatest Gift - Jesus Christ?

‘Whoever believes in him [Jesus Christ] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.’

(John 3:18 ESV)