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Los Angeles, California. And if you're a Mormon and you want to learn about Jesus and not Joseph Smith, we're Salt Lake City, Utah as well. A lot of them is sold out, but there's some that have low tickets and we want to make sure you get your seats. So go to jesusonthestreet.org tour, get your tickets, come out to the live podcast show. Because I believe that God is preparing a word specifically for each city we visit. So go to jesusonthestreet.org tour, get your tickets, and we'll see you guys in 2026 for the live podcast tour. What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Forever Podcast. I'm Bryce, and today you already know by the title of this episode we are starting the Luke series once again. This is like one of the coolest things we get to do every year. We're going to be diving into the Luke series today in Luke Chapter one. But before we get into Luke Chapter one, we have a new segment we are adding into every episode where we are actually going to be opening up a mystery gift every day, each episode, so that by Christmas Eve we will have open 24 gifts. I have no idea what's in these gifts. They're wrapped and I have my lovely elf Dylan, come on in. Merry Christmas. All right, so Dylan is went and got all these gifts and so he's gonna give me one each episode to open and I don't know what they are. So let's see what we got. Dylan, what we getting? All right, Bryce, what did you wish for for Christmas this year? I don't know what I wish for, so. Can I open it? Go ahead, open it. Okay. Dylan got me a sign that says, warning fart zone. Enter at your own risk. Okay. All right, I guess we'll. I guess we'll put this up outside the podcast studio before we enter in. Is that. Is that cool? Here you go. Thank you. Thank you so much for grabbing that. I appreciate that. That was really intentional. Thank you. Thank you. Well, guys, we appreciate you watching. Super fun, exciting, glad to be doing fun segments. But you, as you guys know, every day for the whole month of December, we're reading a chapter of Luke so that by the time you get to Christmas Eve, you have read the whole Gospel of Luke. And we are in Luke chapter one today. I am super excited. I think this is super important for us to understand when we're reading the Gospel of Luke is that Luke was not an eyewitness. He was not a disciple. Luke was a doctor. He was very orderly. You know, doctors keep notes. They're very orderly and things like that. And so Luke's account of Jesus's life was done off of deep research, and we're going to read that here. In chapter one, he says, in as much as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the world of the Word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also having followed all things closely for some time past. He says, look, I may not be an eyewitness, but I have done some deep research into the life of Jesus and his ministry to write an orderly account for you. Most excellent, Theophilus. Who was Theophilus? Theophilus? You know, some scholars believe that he was like a. A Roman official that you may certainly have concerning the things so you. That you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. So again, he's like, look, hey, I'm not an eyewitness. I've just done a lot of deep research on this guy, Jesus's life, his ministry, etc, and I am writing an orderly account of his life and ministry now. Verse 5. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the division of Abijah, and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth, and they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Did you know that the evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life is that you walk out the statutes of the Lord, that obedience to the Lord is evidence of Holy Spirit in your life. Did you know that? Why would someone living in this world want to experience the discipline and the obedience and the chastisement of the Lord if they don't have the Holy Spirit in them? The Holy Spirit in your life can be seen through your obedience and walking out the statutes of the Lord. That's what Ezekiel 36 says, after he gives you a new heart and he removes your heart of stone and gives you a heart of flesh, that you actually walk out the statutes of the Lord. And in verse seven, it says, but they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. All right, what's the scene? Got Zachariah, who was a priest, and his wife Elizabeth. They're what, both old heads? We got two old heads. We got Unk and his wife, who are barren. They can't have kids and they're old. And it says in verse eight, while he was serving as priests before God, when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by a lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. All right, what's going down? Zechariah was a priest, so there's probably going to be like, in this time period, around 20,000 priests. Okay. And the way that they decided who was going to burn the incense was they casted a lot. So the fact that Zachariah is the one that's burning the incense here, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Something that does not, if it does, rarely happens twice in your lifetime. He gets to do it in this time period, in his old age, Elizabeth's old, and now he gets to burn the incense. El priestess waited his entire life to even have the opportunity to do this thing. He gets the opportunity to do it. And as you keep reading, it says in the whole multitude of people were praying outside at the hour of incense, and there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Can you imagine? Can you imagine how Zechariah felt? You know, he gets this once in a lifetime opportunity to do something that every priest longs for and desires. He's probably nervous, you know, walking around, asking the other priests that have done it, hey, what was it like? What was it like? Did you see anything? And they're just like, oh, you know, you just do the ritual and this and that. And then he goes in there and an angel of the Lord appears. In front of him, verse 12 and Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. And but the angel said to him, do not be afraid, Zachariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John, and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord, and he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, who so the John the Baptist ministry will look similar to 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 of people and prepare. Now notice that when this angel appears, this angel doesn't say, hey, this might happen. No, he says, look, God has heard your prayers and he is answering your prayers. I don't care that you guys are both old heads. I don't care that Elizabeth can't have kids. You're going to have a son, and his name's going to be John, and he ain't just going to be some Joe Schmo. He's going to actually be the guy that prepares the way for the Lord in the wilderness. And you know how Zechariah responds? He said to the angel, how shall I know this? For I'm an old man and my wife is advanced in years. Does that sound familiar? Right there. Two old people who are married promised a son where the wife is not only old but can't have kids. Does that sound familiar? Look at Genesis 17 at Abraham and Sarah, where Abraham and Sarah are both a bunch of old heads and Sarah is barren and can't have kids. And God promises Abraham, you will have a son, Isaac, who and you will be the father of many nations through Isaac. And Abraham doubts God, but I'm old and Sarah's old and we can't have kids. History is repeating itself. Zachariah's like, well, I'm old and Elizabeth's old and she can't have kids. And the angel answered him, I am Gabriel. He's like, you even know who I am. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time. Zechariah asked a question out of doubt and fear. He didn't trust the promise. And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, so he was mute. He could not speak because he doubted the Lord. And that was the punishment. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. They knew. They were like, oh, shoot. Something went down in there because he was able to talk when he went in. He was all chatty and nervous when he went inside. And now he can't even talk. Something. Something went down. And when this time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived. And for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me to take away my reproach among people. So in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. So Gabriel visits Elizabeth six months before he visits Mary to say, hey, John the Baptist is going to be Elizabeth's son, going to go before you. And Elizabeth is, is related to Mary. And. And so now Gabriel's visiting Mary. And he came to her in verse 28, says, Greetings, oh favored one, the Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb. Notice that when God brings promises, it's not an if, it is a definite. When God brings a promise in, you don't have to doubt the trials and the tribulations and the circumstances that come your way. If God has spoken something over your life, it will come to pass. He is a promise keeper. He does not go back on his word. Why is it that oftentimes when God brings peace, comfort and truth into our life, we still doubt it? Why do you and I forget the miraculous ways that God has pulled through in our life so that when the tiniest, tiniest trial comes in our way, we go, oh, God's not here. If God has pulled through in your life, I don't know what you're going through. I don't know what walk of life you're at listening or Watching this, I don't know where you're at. I don't know if you're struggling with suicidal thoughts, I don't know if you're struggling with depression, anxiety, sin, struggle. But if God has moved in your life before, I am believing and confident that God will move in your life again, if not with more power. And we have to trust that God is a promise keeper and he's going to pull through. He says, you, Mary, will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there will be no end. This is going to go down. Bam. And what is verse 34? Mary said to the angel, how will this be since I'm a virgin now? Some people might say, well, Mary questioned the angel the same way Zechariah did. No, Zechariah, out of fear, questioned the angel Gabriel. Mary is logically, with faith filled wonder, questioning the angel Gabriel. Why? Some scholars believe she's around, you know, 15 years old at this time period. She's not married, she's a virgin and she's gonna be pregnant. How can you get pregnant if you're a virgin? Science would say it's impossible, but with God all things are possible. The Holy Spirit comes upon her and it says, and the angel answered, the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. This word overshadow you is like seen in scripture, referencing the Shekinah glory like a physical representative, like a physical representation of the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth, in her old age has also conceived a son. And this is the sixth month with her who was called Baron, for nothing will be impossible with God. And Mary said, behold, I am the servant of the Lord, Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. And so then after this happens, Mary's like, whoa, this is crazy. I gotta go visit Elizabeth. So in those days, Mary arose and went to haste in the hill country into a town in Judah, as she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leapt in her womb. Mary was carrying the Messiah and Elizabeth was carrying John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for this Messiah. And when they crossed paths in this house, John leapt in the womb. And even though John wasn't born yet, he had a spiritual awareness that the Messiah was there and God was about to do something miraculous when he was born. Can you and I trust the words of God in this word so that no matter the good times or the bad times, you and I can have a spiritual awareness that God is going to pull through? He's going to do something miraculous in your life? Can we read a testimony like the Messiah entering into the world and believe that whatever suffering or trials that you're dealing with that God is going to pull through in a miraculous way? Can we have a spiritual awareness like that? Verse 42. And she exclaimed with a loud cry, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leapt for joy. This is Elizabeth talking. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what the Lord was spoken to her. This is a beautiful truth. And then Mary begins to sing a song from verse 46 to 56. That's just saying, hey, look. My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. He looked at the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed, for he who is mighty has done great things for me. You guys should read that section. It is a magnificent song of praise and glory. Thank you, Jesus, that you are using. Thank you, thank you, Lord, that you are using me to bring the Messiah into the world is what Mary is saying. Verse 57. Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord has shown great mercy to her. And they rejoiced with her because they knew she was barren. They knew she couldn't have kids, and she's about to have a son. And on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah, after his father, but his mother answered, no, he shall call be, he shall be called John. And they said to her, none of your relatives is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote his name as John. And they all wondered. And because, yeah, can you believe how much of an ask of an outcast he is, not being named after his father? Can you. But can you imagine what an outcast. And immediately his mouth was opened. Like we remember the angel Gabriel shut him up. And it wasn't until he would be born that his mouth would be able to speak again. Verse 65. And fear came on all the neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea. And all who heard them laid upon their laid up in their hearts saying, what then will this be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. Now notice this, this is super important right here, what we're about to read. Zechariah was mute from the doubt of the Lord up until this moment. And you see from the Old Testament, the last prophet of the Old Testament, there has been a 400 years of silence. No mouthpiece of God, no prophecy. And Zechariah is about to release the first prophetic saying in 400 years, filled with the Holy Spirit taking over his mouth. Right now, after 400 years of silence, the people of Israel hear him say, blessed be the Lord God of Israel, free has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from old. He's not talking about his own Son. He's talking about the Son to come through Mary. He's talking about the Son to come from the root of David. He's talking about the Son that has been given from heaven graciously from our Father to pay for the debts of the world. He is prophesying this guy is here that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. To show the mercy promised to the Father and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our Father Abraham to grant us that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And your child will be called the Prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to the people in the forgiveness of their sins. Because the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew and became strong in spirit. And he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. Zechariah not only prophesies about the Messiah, Jesus Christ, but he also. He also prophesies that his Son is going to go out before him to prepare the way. Say he's here. He's finally here. What you have been looking for is here. Luke Chapter one is a long one. It's a hefty one, but it is beautiful and magnificent. I pray that it was an encouragement to you and we will see you guys tomorrow for Luke Chapter two. Hey, thank you guys so much for watching the Luke series. I pray that this thing is a blessing to you and the ultimate heart is so that you go and read this word daily. You don't rely on the podcast, you rely on the word of God and the Holy Spirit. Thank you guys so much for watching. If you like the episodes, subscribe follow us on social media and we'll see you guys in the next episode.