A Story of Freedom

Zacharias’s voice returned. Not only was it restored, but now he had a new message. His words flowed in praise and prophecy. He was a living testimony of God’s redemption. He was full of hope. Zacharias knew the Messiah was coming – not at some unknown day in the future, but now, in his lifetime. His son John would be the messenger to prepare the way, and John’s soon to be born cousin Jesus would be the Savior of the world.

I love how Scripture captures that day when Zacharias’s voice returned. Even though we are reading his words many years later, you can still hear the excitement and anticipation. A new day was coming. Listen how he spoke about Jesus’ purpose, “To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” (Luke 1:74-75 NASB)

The Messiah was coming to rescue His people. We know from studying Jesus’ life that the people of His day expected a military leader. They longed for freedom from the Romans. They were tired of oppression and foreign rule. But this was not the rescue that Jesus would bring. He was coming for an even greater purpose – our spiritual freedom.

While the Jewish people saw the political powers as their enemy, the greatest enemy of God’s people was and still is the devil and his evil forces. In John 10:10 Jesus describes the devil this way, “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” The devil is always intent on death. He tears down and destroys.

The words Zacharias spoke about Jesus were a powerful prophecy to the personal rescue Jesus offers to every one of us. The enemy of our souls is seeking to hold us back, destroy, and devour us, but Jesus has already defeated him. Instead of bondage and defeat, Jesus offers us an abundant and full life.

The rescue of Jesus allows us to serve Him. Think about that, we have the privilege of serving the ruler of the entire universe. And look at how our service is described in Luke 1:74 – without fear. Those two words are incredibly powerful. Oppression and fear are interconnected. Fear holds us back, keeps us down, and leaves us stuck. Fear keeps us on the sidelines when God wants us front and center in His ministry.

Hebrews describes Jesus this way, “He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Hebrews 2:14-15) Jesus frees us from fear and turns our places of darkness into light. Jesus came to transforms us so that we can become holy and righteous.

Zacharias closes his song of praise with these words about the ministry of the coming Messiah, “To give His people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.” (Luke 1:77-79)

Think about this picture. A people who once were oppressed and downcast are known for successfully serving and shining brightly for God. Failure, pain, and brokenness are replaced with the character of God.

This is the ministry of Jesus. This is the message of Christmas. This is the story of freedom.