神所差來的人
路加福音一章5至14節，57至64節
5當猶太王希律的時候，亞比雅班裡有一個祭司，名叫撒迦利亞。他妻子是亞倫的後人，名叫伊利沙伯。
6他們二人在神面前都是義人，遵行主的一切誡命禮儀，沒有可指摘的；
7只是沒有孩子，因為伊利沙伯不生育，兩個人又年紀老邁了。
8撒迦利亞按班次在神面前供祭司的職分，
9照祭司的規矩掣籤，得進主殿燒香。
10燒香的時候，眾百姓在外面禱告。
11有主的使者站在香壇的右邊向他顯現。
12撒迦利亞看見，就驚慌害怕。
13天使對他說：“撒迦利亞，不要害怕，因為你的祈禱已經被聽見了。你的妻子伊利沙伯要給你生一個兒子，你要給他起名叫約翰。
14你必歡喜快樂；有許多人因他出世，也必喜樂。
57伊利沙伯的產期到了，就生了一個兒子。
58鄰里親族聽見主向她大施憐憫，就和她一同歡樂。
59到了第八日，他們來要給孩子行割禮，並要照他父親的名字叫他撒迦利亞。
60他母親說：“不可！要叫他約翰。”
61他們說：“你親族中沒有叫這名字的。”
62他們就向他父親打手式，問他要叫這孩子甚麼名字。
63他要了一塊寫字的板，就寫上說：“他的名字是約翰。”他們便都希奇。
64撒迦利亞的口立時開了，舌頭也舒展了，就說出話來，稱頌神。
信息分享
舊約最後一位先知瑪拉基，曾向神的百姓傳達神的應許說：「我要差遣我的使者在你前面預備道路。」四百多年之後，神的應許終於應驗。
約翰出生在基督降生前幾個月。為甚麼給他取名約翰呢？因為神的天使說那就是他的名字（一13）。神揀選「約翰」，因為「約翰」的名意就是「神滿有恩慈」，或「神的厚恩賜予」。
對約翰的父母來說，約翰的出生確是神的奇妙賜予，因他倆已年紀老邁，仍膝下猶虛。你注意到天使對撒迦利亞說甚麼嗎？天使說：「你的祈禱已經被聽見了。」這句話可以有兩個解釋。第一，它可能表示撒迦利亞和妻子以利沙伯一直為生育孩子一事向神祈求。第二，它可能表示撒迦利亞一直祈求神成就祂的應許，記念祂的百姓，差派一位拯救者來救贖他們。
按照人的看法，長大後的約翰理應接替父親成為祭司，因為他的家族屬於利未支派，他的祖父以至世世代代的祖宗也都作祭司。然而，神卻另有計劃。撒迦利亞知道神的心意，請看76節。這是多麼奇妙的預言！
有很多情形我們已無從知悉，但在這裡，我們看到一對夫婦，他們不單願意遵從神的旨意，他們更願意讓兒子遵從神的旨意，即使那條道路是他們從未走過的。
牢記經文：「惟獨遵行神旨意的，是永遠常存。」（約壹二17）
A MAN SENT FROM GOD
Luke 1: 5-14 & 57-64
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
60 His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
Message
It had been 400 years since Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, had given God's promise, “I will send my messenger who will prepare the way before me.” Now God was about to fulfill His word.
John was born some months before Christ. Why was this baby named John? Because God's angel said that would be his name. (1:13). God chose “John” because it means “God has been gracious” or “God's gracious gift”.
Baby John was a remarkable gift to a very elderly couple who had never had any children. Did you notice what the angel said to Zacharias? “Your prayer has been heard.” Those words could have two meanings. They could mean Zacharias and Elizabeth had prayed for a child for years. Or they could mean Zacharias had been asking God to fulfill His promise, remember His people and send the one who would redeem them.
Baby John never became what humanly speaking, he would have been. His father was a Leviticus priest, as his grandfather had been and generations before them. John should have been a priest, too, but God had other plans. Zacharias recognised this - look at verse 76. Isn't it a remarkable prophecy?
There is much we don't know but here was a couple who were willing for God's will and for their son to follow that will, even though it meant a new pathway for them all.
A VERSE TO REMEMBER: “The man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17)