David Bahn – Reflections

Today’s readings: Acts 8-10, Psalm 123

Listen to today’s devotion

Acts 9:10-19

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷ So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and taking food, he was strengthened.

There is plenty of turmoil surrounding the early growth of the Christian Church. Much of it is aimed at Jesus’ followers, who suffer in many ways as they share the Good News.

Then comes a remarkable turn. Saul, who is on his way to Damascus to persecute Jesus’ followers there, is himself stopped by Jesus.

Following that dramatic encounter on the road, Saul is blind and must be led by the hand into the city. There Ananias is called to go to him. I can imagine how Ananias must have felt. He says it out loud to God: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man…” He knows Saul is dangerous.

But Ananias is sent nonetheless. And when he arrives, he lays his hands on the man everyone fears and says, “Brother Saul.”

That may be one of the more remarkable expressions of grace in this story.

Saul is God’s chosen instrument to carry the name of Jesus before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. And then comes the ominous word: “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Notice what God does not say. Saul will not suffer in order to pay for what he has done. Jesus has already taken care of sin at the cross. Saul is being called by grace into a mission—and that mission will cost him dearly.

Some people say that if you follow Jesus your life will be peaceful and good. I heard something like that from a woman today when I visited her church. Some suggest that following Jesus means finding a smoother path.

Sometimes the path may indeed be smooth. But smooth sailing is not proof of God’s favor. The proof of God’s favor is the cross of Jesus, the empty tomb, and his promise of grace, forgiveness, and salvation.

We are not all called to take on the role of Saul of Tarsus. Few of us will stand on the front lines of the Gospel frontier where tremendous breakthroughs and difficult battles often come together. But all of us are recipients of God’s grace through the ministry of Saul and countless others who carried the Gospel to new people and new places, often at great cost to themselves.

And God still places people in front of us to whom the name of Jesus may be spoken.

We may not know whether the road ahead will be smooth or difficult. But we can know this: the Jesus who stopped Saul on the road, sent Ananias to him, forgave him, called him, and used him is the same Jesus who is present with us.

His grace is not proved by an easy road.

His grace is proved by the cross and the empty tomb. And it is still being made known as he sends people to share that good news with all people.

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Today’s readings: Luke 23-24, Acts 1, Psalm 120

Listen to today’s devotion

Luke 23:6-12

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷ And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. ⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. ⁹ So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹² And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

As I read the last chapters of Luke’s Gospel, I was struck by how Jesus was treated in Luke 23—and how he treated others in chapter 24.

Jesus was treated…

• like a pawn by Pilate and Herod—something to be sent back and forth as they decided what to do with him
• with contempt by the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers as he was accused, dismissed, mocked, and abused
• as entertainment by Herod, who had long wanted to see Jesus, apparently not to learn from him, but hoping to see him perform some sign
• like a criminal by Pilate, the soldiers, and one of the two criminals beside him on the cross
• like a fraud by the rulers, soldiers, and criminal who mocked him and challenged him to save himself
• for burial by Joseph, while the women watched and later prepared spices and ointments
• with faith by one of the criminals, and with recognition by the centurion, who praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.”

Sadly, some of these ways of treating Jesus continue today among those who mock him by name—or, in the case of some, even while claiming to call him Lord.

But after his resurrection, Jesus treats his disciples with kindness, grace, and mercy. This is remarkable. After being treated so shamefully, you might imagine a mere mortal returning with every imaginable version of “I told you so!” or “I’m back!”

But consider how Jesus treated them:

• to an empty tomb: He is risen!
• to a fuller explanation of the Old Testament for the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and then an explanation to the gathered disciples of how the Scriptures pointed to him
• to a greeting of peace
• to visible proof of his bodily resurrection as he showed them his hands and feet and ate fish in front of them
• to the promise of the Holy Spirit—“power from on high”—and a calling to be his witnesses
• to a fellowship of the redeemed as we begin to see unfold in the opening chapter of Acts

He was treated so shamefully because he bore our sins and died for our iniquities. All of them. He treated his disciples with kindness, grace, and mercy because that is his very nature as the Son of God. And he treats us with those same gifts because he is our Savior and Lord.

We confess that Jesus did all this “for us men and for our salvation”—being born of a virgin, suffering, dying, and rising again. And he will come again, as the angels remind the disciples in Acts 1:11.

These chapters deserve a month of blog posts, and perhaps that month will come sometime next year. But it is enough today to rejoice that Jesus was willing to be ill-treated so that he could treat us to the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Thanks be to God!

P.S. I won’t develop this here, but today I came again to my favorite question in the whole Bible. As the apostles stare up into the sky while Jesus ascends into heaven, the angels ask, “Why do you stand looking into heaven?”

They go on to explain why the disciples need not remain transfixed by the sight. That’s for another blog post.

But I can answer their question easily. That’s why this is my favorite question:

“Because we’ve never seen anything like this before in our lives!”

There is a lot more here, but I have to chuckle whenever I read it. I think I might have said something like that if I had been there!

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Today’s readings: Luke 20-22, Psalm 119:145-176

Listen to today’s devotion

Luke 22:39-46

And [Jesus] came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹ And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” ⁴³ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ⁴⁵ And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

How long, O Lord? How long must I wait for your salvation? This is a paraphrase of the opening words of Psalm 13, a psalm of lament in which David asks four times, “How long, O Lord…?” It’s a legitimate prayer from the standpoint of our human existence. If we are suffering or anxious, fretting or afraid, and we don’t see any help on the horizon, we may wonder how long it will be before God comes to our aid.

That’s what I think of when I read of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to God—not how long, but whether there is a way other than drinking the cup of God’s wrath that was only hours away.

The image of the cup of God’s wrath runs throughout the Old Testament. Psalm 75 speaks of a cup in the LORD’s hand that the wicked must drink “to the dregs.” Isaiah 51 calls it “the cup of his wrath,” and Jeremiah 25 pictures God handing the nations “the cup of the wine of wrath” which they must drink. That background gives added weight to Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.” The cup is more than suffering and death; it is the judgment against sin. And Jesus, who had no sin of his own, will take the cup sinners deserve and drink it for us.

When we watched The Chosen episode that included this event in Jesus’ ministry, we all agreed that it went on so long—maybe too long??? Yet Luke’s account is only eight verses. Matthew gives us ten and adds that Jesus prayed three times. Mark gives us eleven.

Yet these few verses do not express the full extent of Jesus’ prayer. The disciples couldn’t even stay awake the whole time he was praying. I can only imagine how their failure must have added to his loneliness.

Then I think of my failure to pray as I should. On the one hand, I’m not sure I could ever compare to Jesus when it comes to prayer. On the other hand, that may not be the point. You see, Jesus isn’t really finished praying for us. He is even now interceding for us and all believers (cf. Romans 8:34). This should never be an excuse for us to neglect prayer. But it certainly is a reminder of Jesus’ willingness not only to pray for us, but to drink the cup of God’s wrath so that we may take up the cup of salvation, as a foretaste of the feast to come.

P.S. I won’t develop this here, but I noted in my paper Bible that in Luke 20 Jesus’ authority is questioned (vv. 1–8); his loyalty is questioned (vv. 20–26, paying taxes to Caesar); and his theology is questioned (vv. 27–40, questions about marriage and the resurrection). Written notes: one of the benefits of being a member of the Paper Bible Club!

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Today’s readings: Luke 17-19, Psalm 119:121-144

Listen to today’s devotion

Luke 17:1-6

And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! ² It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. ³ Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, ⁴ and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” ⁶ And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

When I think of asking God to increase my faith, I think of times of doubt or severe struggle. I’m ill and need God’s healing touch, and I read his promise to answer prayer. I pray, and the answer comes all too slowly from my perspective. Increase my faith! I’m facing a major financial challenge. I know God will provide—just as he has in the past—but I don’t see a pathway forward. Increase my faith! A relationship is strained to the point of breaking. There is no hint of the possibility of reconciliation. Increase my faith!

What are the places in your life that cry out, Increase my faith?

I visited with a woman years ago whose sister had offended her and wounded her deeply. She told me that she just couldn’t find a way to forgive her. And she worried about this because she knew she must do so. She just didn’t have it in her, and she wondered whether she should refrain from receiving the Lord’s Supper until she had forgiven her sister.

I told her it seemed like she needed to get up the hill to get gas for her car, but she didn’t have any gas to get up the hill. That may not make sense to you, but to her it did. The Lord’s Supper was the fuel she needed to be able to forgive her sister. She needed to be forgiven so she could forgive.

I think that’s the same thing as saying, Increase my faith!

That real-life example is very closely related to what prompted the apostles to ask Jesus, “Increase our faith!” He had just talked about forgiving an offending brother—even if that brother sins against you seven times in a day and seven times comes back saying, “I repent.” “You must forgive him,” Jesus says.

No wonder the apostles respond, “Increase our faith!”

Jesus answers by telling them that faith as small as a mustard seed could command a mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea. His point is not that they need some heroic quantity of faith. God draws near to the poor in spirit—to those who know they need what only he can give. He shows mercy to those who come to him.

Such faith doesn’t earn God’s favor or get us to God. Faith receives what God is already giving—the mercy and grace that are ours in Christ.

But God calls us not only to receive his grace, but also to extend that grace to others—to love our neighbors and even our enemies. He sends us into the world to testify to his grace and pass on what we have received. Sometimes that involves forgiving someone again and again. Sometimes it involves waiting, trusting, and hoping for God’s answer to our prayers. Sometimes it means facing something that seems utterly impossible. And sometimes it may simply mean finding our way back to God when we have wandered.

A call to God asking him to increase our faith is itself an act of faith. We ask because we believe he hears us, that he is able to help us, and that his will toward us in Christ is good.

The point isn’t to look inside ourselves and wonder whether we have enough faith. It is to look to Jesus. Faith as small as a mustard seed is enough when it rests in a Savior as great as Jesus.

So when forgiveness seems impossible, when the answer to prayer seems painfully slow, when there seems to be no pathway forward, we can pray with the apostles:

“Increase our faith!”

And then look to the One in whom our faith rests.

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Today’s readings: Luke 14-16, Psalm 119:97-120

Listen to today’s devotion

Luke 15:1-2, 7

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

⁷[Jesus says,] I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

I recall a conversation between a dedicated Christian woman and a former missionary, seminary professor, and then-current District President. It went something like this. She would ask, “What do you think about…?” His answer: “Well, you have to put that into a different context if we’re going to benefit from asking this question….” It was a very edifying conversation for her, as well as for me as I listened.

Context, you see, is everything.

So while many of us know the Lost and Found parables of Luke 15, we might want to look carefully at the context if we are fully to benefit from their teaching. We certainly can draw various conclusions from them about the value of those things that were lost or the effort taken to find them. We can even find meaning in the progression from 1 out of 100, to 1 out of 10, to 1 out of 2.

But let’s look at the context and occasion for Jesus’ teaching these parables. The Pharisees and scribes were grumbling about the company Jesus was keeping. He was hanging out with sinners and even eating with them. This was scandalous to them. Jesus was sullying himself by these associations to begin with, but dining with the likes of these people was beyond the pale.

So when Jesus tells these three parables, he is making a point about God’s values and the manner in which he deals with sinners. I suppose a shepherd carrying a sheep on his shoulders would not be that unusual. And a woman holding her found coin for all to see would make sense. But the image of a father running to meet his once-lost son is beyond imagination. The rest of the story Jesus tells—the party, the fattened calf, the robe and ring—just adds to the scandal.

So when Jesus says that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, he is seeking to reorient the minds and hearts of these Pharisees and scribes. That reorientation would require deep humility and a new way of looking at the tax collectors and sinners all around them.

But Jesus is offering them something more than a correction. He is giving them a different view of the heart of God. And if they will look honestly into their own hearts, they may discover that they too are among the lost whom God is seeking. Self-righteousness can leave us standing outside the celebration, convinced that others need a grace we ourselves do not.

That’s the context of these parables. Jesus isn’t merely telling us how valuable lost people are. He is showing us what God is like. He searches for the lost. He rejoices when they are found. And in the final parable, the father goes out to meet both of his lost sons—the one who wandered far from home and the one who was lost while standing in his own backyard.

And that’s very good news. Because whichever kind of lost we may be, the Father is still coming out to bring us home.

PS: For those who are interested, Pastor Michael Zeigler, Lutheran Hour speaker recorded a modern-day version of the Prodigal Son parable. It is totally worth watching.

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Click the image below to watch the Bible Project video for the second half of Luke’s gospel. Or click this link: https://bibleproject.com/videos/luke-10-24/

Please Note: The Bible Project video suggests that the institution of the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. Jesus, however, never uses the word symbol. And throughout the ages Christians have celebrated this meal as a life-giving meal of salvation, receiving as Jesus says, his body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins.

Today’s readings: Luke 11-13, Psalm 119:73-96

Listen to today’s devotion

Luke 13:31-35

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” ³² And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. ³³ Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ ³⁴ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! ³⁵ Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

It becomes clear very quickly that the Pharisees, chief priests, and other Jewish leaders see Jesus as a real threat. The devil has had his turn, taking his best shot in Jesus’ temptation. Then come his minions, as demons confront Jesus again and again.

By chapter 13, Jesus can summarize what he has been doing: “I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.” Interestingly, Luke records no further actual exorcisms after this.

But the opposition to Jesus continues. This isn’t the first time religious leaders have questioned or challenged his ministry, and it won’t be the last. What’s interesting here is that the Pharisees invoke Herod: “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

That’s remarkable, because Herod Antipas is the one who imprisoned John the Baptizer and eventually had him put to death. Are these Pharisees really trying to protect Jesus? Luke doesn’t tell us. But whether their warning is sincere or intended simply to get Jesus to leave, Jesus will not be diverted.

“Go and tell that fox,” he says.

Jesus knows the score. Herod’s power extends only as far as God allows. Jesus has a mission to complete, and it is God’s mission. Neither Herod nor any other human being will stand in the way. Jesus will continue his work until he reaches his goal.

He speaks of “today and tomorrow, and the third day.” Those words certainly resonate for those of us who know what awaits him. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, and he knows where that road leads.

And it saddens him deeply.

But notice the source of his sadness. Jesus longs to gather Jerusalem’s people “as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.” “And you were not willing!”

That’s the tragedy. The one they reject is the very one who longs to gather them to himself. They will have their way—but what a terrible loss that will be.

Yet rejection will not have the final word.

One day Jesus will ride into Jerusalem hailed as the one who comes in the name of the Lord. And one day every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Every knee. Every tongue.

Under duress or in praise?

We who call him Lord today will bend our knees in joyful praise, celebrating God’s faithful goodness and the eternal salvation that is ours in Jesus Christ.

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Click the image below to watch the Bible Project video for the second half of Luke’s gospel. Or click this link: https://bibleproject.com/videos/luke-10-24/

Please Note: The Bible Project video suggests that the institution of the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic meal. Jesus, however, never uses the word symbol. And throughout the ages Christians have celebrated this meal as a life-giving meal of salvation, receiving as Jesus says, his body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins.

Today’s readings: Luke 2-4, Psalm 119:1-24

Listen to today’s devotion

Luke 4:31-37

And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

The beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry is marked with beauty and wonder. Angels rejoice at his birth. Shepherds worship him. Anna and Simeon greet him and his parents in the temple, honoring the child and giving witness to the momentous event of his birth. Later, Jesus and his family visit the temple, where Jesus remains behind when his parents leave because he “must be in [his] Father’s house.” At his baptism it is made clear: The Holy Spirit descends on him, and his Father expresses his clear endorsement. He is God’s Son, with whom the Father is well pleased.

But it won’t take long for Satan to interject himself into this beautiful picture. He realizes what is at stake. He desires to take down Jesus and thwart God’s good plan. First comes the temptation. Satan attacks what has just been declared about Jesus. Is he truly God’s Son? “If you are the Son of God…” Can he prove it? And then comes the lie – for Satan is the great deceiver. He offers Jesus the kingdoms of the world if only Jesus will worship him.

Jesus rebukes Satan and remains faithful to his Father and committed to his mission. But even after passing that test, the challenges continue. A man with the spirit of an unclean demon confronts him. Remarkably, the demon knows exactly who Jesus is: “I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus silences him and drives the demon out of the man.

I don’t suppose we would think that saving the world would be an easy task. It shouldn’t surprise us that the devil meets Jesus head-on in the wilderness and that demonic opposition confronts him as his ministry begins. But it does strike me that the devil must be either very angry or very desperate – or both.

They say, “You don’t tug on Superman’s cape,” but it seems the devil is doing that and more.

Jesus, however, does not take the bait or feel the need to prove himself. He meets Satan’s temptations with God’s Word and rebukes the demon, commanding it to come out of the man.

Jesus will not be deterred. In fact, that’s what we see at the end of this chapter. Jesus tells the people, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And so he did. And so he will continue to do. For he came to preach the good news of God’s reign and rule – a reign and rule of grace and truth, in which we may live by faith in him forever.

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Click the image below to watch the Bible Project video for the first half of Luke’s gospel. Or click this link: https://bibleproject.com/videos/luke-1-9/

Today’s readings: Malachi 3-4, Luke 1, Psalm 118

Listen to today’s devotion

Malachi 3:1; 4:5–6

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

^4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. ⁶ And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Luke 1:16-17, 76-79

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ 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.”

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,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

The readings above barely scratch the surface of prophetic allusions and promises that are picked up in Luke 1 and beyond in the ministries of both John the Baptizer and Jesus himself. Consider these:

Malachi 3:1a — I will send my messenger to prepare the way → John (Luke 1:17, 76)
Malachi 3:1b — The Lord is coming → Jesus
Malachi 3:2–3 — He comes with refining fire → Jesus as the coming one who purifies and judges
Malachi 3:6–7 — Return to me → John calls Israel to repentance and prepares a people for the Lord
Malachi 4:1–2 — The sun rises with healing → Luke’s identifying Jesus as the “sunrise…from on high”
Malachi 4:5–6 — Elijah will come and turn hearts → John comes “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17)

It’s almost as if Malachi’s closing words erupt with prophetic promises. But then come 400 years of silence! Why was God silent? Why don’t we have more witnesses from those years pointing to God’s faithfulness, humanity’s need for a Savior, and prophets calling Israel back again and again to God?

One answer has to do with the timing of God, as Paul says in Galatians 4:4–5: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” And that’s probably all we need to know. But we’ve already read in Daniel 10 how things are occurring behind the scenes, such that history doesn’t always unfold as neatly and fluidly as we might wish.

But it does unfold according to God’s purposes. And here we get a dramatic glimpse into the ways and means of God’s grace. These beautiful prophecies – along with their fulfillments recorded just in Luke 1 – amaze me. I can’t get over how God inspired Malachi to put forth these promises that are so clearly seen coming to fulfillment in the promised births of John and Jesus.

It’s not only that we’re finishing up with the Old Testament with its accounts of delightful and dramatic events, tragedies of sinful proportions, long lists of names, and prophetic exhortations and promises. It’s that now Luke opens with such expectant words as he begins his “narrative of the things that have been accomplished” in the days of John and Jesus. It’s as though Malachi is saying, “Just you wait!” And God is saying, “Now is the time.”

Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.

Click the image below to watch the Bible Project video for the first half of Luke’s gospel. Or click this link: https://bibleproject.com/videos/luke-1-9/