神所差来的人
路加福音一章5至14节，57至64节
5当犹太王希律的时候，亚比雅班里有一个祭司，名叫撒迦利亚。他妻子是亚伦的后人，名叫伊利沙伯。
6他们二人在神面前都是义人，遵行主的一切诫命礼仪，没有可指摘的；
7只是没有孩子，因为伊利沙伯不生育，两个人又年纪老迈了。
8撒迦利亚按班次在神面前供祭司的职分，
9照祭司的规矩掣签，得进主殿烧香。
10烧香的时候，众百姓在外面祷告。
11有主的使者站在香坛的右边向他显现。
12撒迦利亚看见，就惊慌害怕。
13天使对他说：“撒迦利亚，不要害怕，因为你的祈祷已经被听见了。你的妻子伊利沙伯要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫约翰。
14你必欢喜快乐；有许多人因他出世，也必喜乐。
57伊利沙伯的产期到了，就生了一个儿子。
58邻里亲族听见主向她大施怜悯，就和她一同欢乐。
59到了第八日，他们来要给孩子行割礼，并要照他父亲的名字叫他撒迦利亚。
60他母亲说：“不可！要叫他约翰。”
61他们说：“你亲族中没有叫这名字的。”
62他们就向他父亲打手式，问他要叫这孩子甚么名字。
63他要了一块写字的板，就写上说：“他的名字是约翰。”他们便都希奇。
64撒迦利亚的口立时开了，舌头也舒展了，就说出话来，称颂神。
信息分享
旧约最后一位先知玛拉基，曾向神的百姓传达神的应许说：「我要差遣我的使者在你前面预备道路。」四百多年之后，神的应许终于应验。
约翰出生在基督降生前几个月。为甚么给他取名约翰呢？因为神的天使说那就是他的名字（一13）。神拣选「约翰」，因为「约翰」的名意就是「神满有恩慈」，或「神的厚恩赐予」。
对约翰的父母来说，约翰的出生确是神的奇妙赐予，因他俩已年纪老迈，仍膝下犹虚。你注意到天使对撒迦利亚说甚么吗？天使说：「你的祈祷已经被听见了。」这句话可以有两个解释。第一，它可能表示撒迦利亚和妻子以利沙伯一直为生育孩子一事向神祈求。第二，它可能表示撒迦利亚一直祈求神成就祂的应许，记念祂的百姓，差派一位拯救者来救赎他们。
按照人的看法，长大后的约翰理应接替父亲成为祭司，因为他的家族属于利未支派，他的祖父以至世世代代的祖宗也都作祭司。然而，神却另有计划。撒迦利亚知道神的心意，请看76节。这是多么奇妙的预言！
有很多情形我们已无从知悉，但在这里，我们看到一对夫妇，他们不单愿意遵从神的旨意，他们更愿意让儿子遵从神的旨意，即使那条道路是他们从未走过的。
牢记经文：「惟独遵行神旨意的，是永远常存。」（约壹二17）
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)