Advent: 19 December: Year A

1^st Reading: Judges 13:2-7. 24-25: The birth of Samson is announced by an angel.

Gospel: Luke 1:5-25: The birth of John the Baptist is announced by Gabriel.

Zachariah and Elizabeth, the Parents of John the Baptist: Godly Parents:

Every generation needs the example of godly parents. They were human, godly and dynamic striking examples for all today.

1.    The parents of John the Baptist:

a.    They lived in the time of Herod.

b.    The father was a priest and the mother was of a priestly family.

2.    They were parents who were righteous:

3.    They were parents with human problems:

a.    They had no child.

b.    They were elderly.

4.    They were parents who worshipped God faithfully as priest:

5.    They were parents who prayed and led others to pray:

6.    They were parents greatly favoured by God:

a.    Their worship and prayers were favoured by a visit from an angel.

b.    Their prayers were answered. They received the promise of a son.

c.     Their son was to be great.

d.    Their son was to be a prophet.

e.     Their son was to be the forerunner of the Messiah.

7.    They were  parents who found it difficult to believe the humanly impossible:

8.    They were parents who had to be disciplined by God:

9.    They were parents who saw God fulfilled His promise:

Thought: God will not allow all man to disbelieve and distrust forever. The day is coming when he will stop all disbelief and distrust just as He did with Zachariah.

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