Scripture

Luke 1:74-75

“…to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

Muse

The verses above conclude the first paragraph of Zechariah’s song of praise. Zechariah is seen going from muteness to celebration. The birth of his son, John, had just confirmed that what the angel said was true; God had come.

Zechariah opens verse 74 with a reminder that God has provided a way out of a fear-driven life. The Jewish people had a long history of suffering persecution due to serving God. Daniel 3 tells us about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego having to choose between bowing down to a golden statue in disobedience to God or being thrown into a burning furnace. Exodus 1:13 says that “they worked the Israelites ruthlessly…” referring to the cruel reign of the Egyptians over the Jewish people. The Jewish people, Zechariah’s ancestors, were well acquainted with fear. Zechariah is drawing the reader’s attention to a coming day when fear no longer trails behind devotion to God. Zechariah is praising God that our eternal inheritance is fear-proof. One day, when every tear is wiped away, those who follow the Lord will no longer fear enemies or persecution. And yet, this promise is not reserved for Heaven only. 1 Timothy 1:7 declares that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” Not only can we look forward to a day when there is nothing to fear, but God, through the Holy Spirit, enables us to serve him without fear even in a world where there are threats to our well-being.

In the same breath, Zechariah declares that the same God who gives us freedom from fear enables us to live a holy and righteous life before Him. We know from the Word that we are righteous in the eyes of God when we submit our lives to Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:30 calls Jesus “our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.” Romans 5:19 says that man brought sin, but the Son of Man brought righteousness for many. You don’t have to look long in the scriptures to realize Jesus Himself has bestowed righteousness on His followers. And yet, you can get the sense that Zechariah isn’t solely talking about our inherited righteousness. I believe this verse draws our attention to our inheritance as children of God and our responsibility as children of God.

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Our World

This verse reminds us that when we are redeemed in Christ, we not only have a new identity but also a new calling. Our calling, out of God’s grace, is to live holy and pleasing to the Lord. We are familiar with this framework because we see it played out often. When you are given the position of husband or wife, you are called to love your spouse and serve them. When you are given the position of employee, you are called to show up to work and complete your tasks. When you are given the position of child of God, you are given the beautiful responsibility of living in holiness and righteousness. 2 Corinthians 7:1 explains that because we have the promise of being sons and daughters of God, we should purify ourselves and “perfect holiness out of reverence for God.” 1 Peter 1:13 tells us to “be holy in all you do.” So, what is evident from the Scriptures? We are fully righteous in the eyes of God, and we are commanded to live holy lives. Here’s the good news: we are not left to our own devices. Ezekiel 36: 26-27 is great hope for us:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws…you will be my people, and I will be your God.”

I think the most challenging part about Luke 1:74-75 is not grasping the idea of holy living as righteous children but matching the excitement Zechariah has in the passage. He praises God and sings worship because he gets to serve God in holiness and righteousness for all of his days. Holy living is not a “have to” or a big downfall of Christianity; it is actually one of the most incredible gifts—we can live lives that reflect our holy God. Hallelujah!

• In what ways are you living in fear? How have you seen the Holy Spirit override your fear?
  
• What hinders your excitement to obey Christ? How can you encourage those around you to get excited about this calling on our lives?
  
• Why is Ezekiel 36:26-27 good news for the believer? How do you need to further submit to the Spirit inside you to live a life pleasing to the Lord?
  

Prayer

Father God, thank you that you enable us to serve you without fear. Though you are a sovereign God with all dominion, you are also a gentle Father who calls us to come close. Father, help us to further submit to your Holy Spirit and find supernatural joy in living a holy and blameless life before you. Let the conduct of our lives be our worship to you. In Jesus' name,

Amen.