October 1

Luke 1; John 1:1-14 (biblegateway.com)

The Silence Breaks and the Word Became Flesh

After Malachi’s closing promise of a coming messenger and the day of the Lord, four centuries of silence followed. That silence is broken in the New Testament, where God announces the birth of John the Baptist and the coming of His Son, the eternal Word made flesh.

The opening chapters of Luke and John mark the breathtaking beginning of God’s fulfilled promises. Luke 1 tells of angelic announcements, miraculous conceptions, and the faith of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary, as God prepares the way for the Messiah through John the Baptist. John’s Gospel steps back even further, declaring that the Word, who existed with God and is God, has now entered human history. Together, these passages remind us that the coming of Christ is both the fulfillment of ancient prophecies and the eternal plan of God, breaking through darkness with the light of salvation.

The Gospel of Luke - Context

Luke is the first New Testament book in our reading plan because it presents a detailed and historical account of Jesus’ life and ministry, which provides essential context for the subsequent events and teachings of the early church and the Apostles. While not the earliest written, Luke’s comprehensive narrative of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection sets the stage for the entire New Testament story. 

The Gospel of Luke was written by Luke, the beloved physician (Colossians 4:14), a Gentile companion of the apostle Paul, making him the only non-Jewish author in the New Testament. Luke carefully investigated the events of Jesus’ life and ministry (Luke 1:1–4), drawing from eyewitness testimony to provide an orderly and reliable account. His Gospel is the first volume of a two-part work, continued in the book of Acts, and is addressed to “Theophilus,” likely a real individual of high status or a symbolic name meaning “lover of God.”

Historically, Luke writes during the Roman Empire’s expansion, when Hellenistic culture and language shaped much of the Mediterranean world. Culturally, his Gospel shows deep concern for the marginalized, including women, children, the poor, Samaritans, and Gentiles, emphasizing that salvation through Christ is for all people. Luke presents Jesus as the Son of Man who fulfills Old Testament promises, bringing God’s kingdom not through political power but through compassion, sacrifice, and the redemption of sinners.

Luke 1: God Breaks the Silence

When Luke opens his Gospel, he introduces us to ordinary people through whom God begins to break the silence: Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary. Their stories mark the turning of an age.

Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God, walking faithfully, yet they lived under the shadow of barrenness (v. 5-7). Their barrenness recalls earlier biblical stories, like Abraham and Sarah or Hannah, where God used delayed childbirth to showcase His power and purpose. Even in their faithfulness, Elizabeth and Zechariah endured sorrow and shame, teaching us that godly living does not exempt believers from trials. Yet, as with past generations, God often turns barrenness into a stage for His glory.

While Zechariah was serving in the temple, chosen by lot to burn incense before the Lord (v. 8–10), an angel of the Lord appeared (v. 11). This divine interruption in the temple highlights that God was breaking centuries of silence since the last prophets. The angel Gabriel assured Zechariah that his prayer had been heard and that Elizabeth would bear a son, John, who would bring joy and gladness (v. 12–14).

This child was set apart, forbidden from wine or strong drink, and filled with the Holy Spirit even from the womb (v. 15). His mission was prophetic, turning many of the children of Israel back to the Lord and preparing the way for the Messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah (v. 16–17).

Zechariah struggled to believe because of his and Elizabeth’s age (v. 18). His doubt stands in contrast to Mary’s later faith, though both receive supernatural announcements. Gabriel’s rebuke and the sign of muteness (v. 19–20) demonstrate that unbelief does not thwart God’s promises, but it can limit a believer’s participation in the joy of them. When Zechariah emerged speechless, the people recognized he had seen a vision (v. 21–22). Elizabeth later conceived, rejoicing that God had removed her reproach among the people (v. 23–25).

Mary’s story follows, and with it the miracle beyond all miracles. Six months later, Gabriel was sent to a virgin named Mary in Nazareth (v. 26–27). Gabriel announced that she had found favor with God and would conceive and bear a son, Jesus, who would be called the Son of the Most High and reign over the house of Jacob forever (v. 28–33). Mary questioned how this could be, since she was a virgin (v. 34), and Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her so that the child would be called holy—the Son of God (v. 35).

To strengthen her faith, Gabriel pointed to Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy (v. 36–37). Mary’s humble reply, “Let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38), shows the posture of faith God honors—submissive, trusting, and willing even when understanding is incomplete.

Mary then visited Elizabeth, and at her greeting, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy, and Elizabeth, filled with the Spirit, blessed Mary (v. 39–45). This scene underscores the Spirit’s active role in revealing Christ and shows that true recognition of Jesus begins with joy in the Spirit.

Luke fills this chapter with songs of praise that declare God’s covenant faithfulness. Mary’s Magnificat exalts in the Lord who scatters the proud and exalts the humble, who remembers His promises to Abraham and Israel (v. 46–55). Zechariah’s Benedictus blesses the God who visits His people with redemption, raising up a horn of salvation in the house of David (v. 68–79). Both songs remind us that God’s promises never fail. What He spoke long ago through the prophets, He was now fulfilling.

The chapter closes with John’s birth, Zechariah’s tongue loosed after naming him, and his prophecy (1:57–79). He recognized John’s role as the forerunner who would prepare the way for the Lord by giving knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins. The imagery of God’s tender mercy shining as light to those in darkness anticipates Christ as the dawning Sun. The final verse notes John’s growth and preparation in the wilderness, setting the stage for his prophetic ministry (v. 80).

Luke 1 shows us that God enters human history through ordinary people who trust Him in extraordinary ways. He brings life out of barrenness, hope out of silence, and redemption out of waiting. The silence was broken; God had come near. God is always faithful to His covenant promises. His silence is not absence, and His delays are not denials. He chooses the weak, the lowly, and the humble to accomplish His greatest works, displaying His glory in the most unexpected places.

Like Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary, we are called to trust God even in seasons of waiting. His timing is perfect, even when it stretches our faith. And like Mary, we are invited to say “yes” to God’s Word, even when obedience seems costly or impossible. Where are you tempted to doubt God’s faithfulness in the silence? Will you believe that His Word never fails? Will you surrender to His plan, even when it disrupts your own? Luke 1 confronts us with this challenge: Will we stay stuck in unbelief, or will we rise in faith-filled praise?

The Gospel of John - Context

The Gospel of John, the fourth Gospel, was written by the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James, one of Jesus’ closest disciples who often referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20). Unlike the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), John’s account is more theological and interpretive than strictly chronological, focusing on the identity of Jesus as the eternal Son of God and the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14).

Written in a Greco-Roman world heavily influenced by Jewish thought, John engages both cultures: he draws on Jewish festivals, imagery, and Scripture to show Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes, while also addressing Gentile readers familiar with philosophical ideas about “the Word” (Logos). His purpose is explicitly evangelistic: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

John 1:1–14: The Word Became Flesh

While Luke introduces us to the story of Christ through the lens of history and humanity, John lifts our eyes higher, pulling back the veil to reveal the eternal reality behind the manger. His opening words echo the very first verse of Scripture: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Before Bethlehem, before Gabriel’s announcements, before Zechariah’s doubts or Mary’s song, the Word already was. Christ is not merely part of the story of God’s people; He is the eternal God who spoke creation into being (v. 3).

John declares that in Him was life, and that life was the light of men (v. 4). The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (v. 5). The silence of centuries could not extinguish it. The weight of sin could not smother it. The Word entered a darkened world as its true light, offering life to all who would believe.

Yet John also confronts us with a sobering truth: the Word came to His own, and His own did not receive Him (v. 11). Many would resist the light, preferring the shadows of unbelief. But to those who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, born not of blood or human decision but of God’s Spirit (v. 12–13).

The climax of John’s prologue comes in verse 14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory.” The eternal God put on humanity. The Creator walked among His creation. The One who spoke galaxies into being now spoke in the language of men. The invisible God became visible. The untouchable became touchable. The infinite became finite. In Christ, God pitched His tent among us, fulfilling the promise of His presence and revealing His glory full of grace and truth (v. 14).

John 1:1–14 lifts our eyes to the breathtaking truth of who Jesus Christ is. He is not merely a prophet, philosopher, or moral teacher. He is the eternal Word who was with God and who is God from the very beginning. Through Him all things were made, and apart from Him nothing exists. He is the source of life and the true light that pierces the darkness, a light the darkness cannot overcome. The incarnation is the staggering reality of this eternal God taking on flesh, entering human history, and dwelling among us. This is no distant deity but God Himself, near to His people, full of grace and truth.

But this glorious truth also demands a response. John tells us that though He came into the world He created, many did not recognize or receive Him. The same danger remains for us today. We can miss Christ by indifference, pride, or misplaced trust. Yet to all who do receive Him, who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God, not through heritage, effort, or human will, but by the new birth of God’s Spirit. Salvation is a gift, received by faith alone.

The question John presses is urgent and unavoidable: Will you receive the Word made flesh, or will you turn away into darkness? This is not a matter of abstract doctrine but of eternal destiny. The God who spoke the universe into being has drawn near in Christ, offering forgiveness, life, and light. His glory has been revealed, His truth has been spoken, His love has been poured out. His light shines even now. Will you step into it?

Conclusion

Luke 1 and John 1:1–4 together give us a sweeping vision of how God enters history and eternity to accomplish His saving plan. Luke begins with a careful historical account, showing us that God’s promises are not abstract but fulfilled in real time, through real people, in the midst of ordinary life. He tells of Zechariah and Elizabeth, of Mary and Joseph, of angelic announcements and miraculous births, all rooted in the conviction that God has stepped into the silence and is faithful to His covenant. Luke anchors us in the reality that God works through the lowly and the humble, bringing life out of barrenness and hope out of waiting.

John, by contrast, begins not with history but with eternity. He opens by lifting our eyes to the preexistent Christ, the eternal Word who was with God and who is God. Through Him all things were made, and in Him is the source of life and light for all humanity. John reminds us that before any angel spoke, before any baby was born, before time itself began, Jesus was already present as the eternal Son, the divine Word.

Taken together, Luke 1 and John 1:1–4 show us that the God who speaks creation into being and reigns from eternity is also the God who steps into our fragile world to redeem us. The eternal Word became flesh in the fullness of time, not only to reveal God’s glory but also to bring us life and light. This calls us to trust His promises as Luke’s witnesses did, to receive His light as John declares, and to live as those who know that history itself bends toward the glory of Christ. The question before us is not whether God is faithful, as Luke proves that He is, and John confirms it from eternity, but whether we will believe His Word and let His light break into our darkness.