John Knew

One of the most incredible and impactful passages in the Bible is often omitted or looked over during the Christmas season. It is a story of family, faith and familiarity. Luke 1:39-45 allows us to journey with Jesus' mother after she was visited by an angel and told she, as a virgin, would give birth to the Savior of the world.  Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Can you imagine the emotions Mary was experiencing? A young, unwed woman who was promised to be married to Joseph had just been visited by an angel and told her Son would be conceived by the Holy Spirit and enter into the world as the long-anticipated Savior. Not only did Mary honor God by thanking Him and acknowledging that His will be done, she also ran (not walk) to share the news with her cousin Elizabeth. What an incredible testimony to the power of faith and family.

The meeting between Mary and Elizabeth grows even more powerful when John, still being formed in his mother's womb, leaped with joy when Mary came in and started to speak. And when Elizabeth felt her unborn child, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and knew what Mary was there to share with her. There are so many biblical truths we can find in the writings of Luke, who was an educated man (physician). Any argument that babies being formed in the womb have no feelings or senses becomes a fallacy. Or that the bond between mother and child is unique or could be duplicated by any other relationship is simply incorrect.

Perhaps even more is the fact that an unborn baby heard the voice of Mary and knew that meant her son Jesus was in the room with him. John knew Jesus! If you do not have a personal relationship with the Savior that makes you leap for joy, I encourage you to give yourself the greatest gift ever offered: Jesus.

Pastor Aaron