A message based on Luke 1:57-80: When the time came for Elizabeth to deliver, she gave birth to a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard that God had been merciful to her, they shared her joy. When all had assembled for the circumcision on the eighth day, they intended to name the baby after his father Zechariah. But Elizabeth spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”

They pointed out to her, “But no one in your family has this name.” Then they made signs to the father to find out what he wanted the child to be named. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” They were all astonished.

Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Their neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea, people were talking about these events. All who heard the news stored it in their hearts and said, “What will this child turn out to be?” For God’s hand is with him.

Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Blessed are you, the Most High God of Israel— for you have visited and redeemed your people. You have raised up a mighty savior for us of the house of David, as you promised through the mouths of your holy ones, the prophets of ancient times: salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all our foes. You have shown mercy to our ancestors by remembering the holy Covenant you made with them, the oath you swore to Sarah and Abraham, granting that we, delivered from the hands of our enemies, might serve you without fear, in holiness and justice, in your presence all our days. And you, my child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you’ll go before our God to prepare the way for the Promised One, giving the people the knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Such is the tender mercy of our God, who from on high will bring the Rising Sun to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

In the meantime, the child, John, grew up and became strong in spirit. He lived out in the desert until the day he appeared openly in Israel.

A message based on Luke 1:39-55: Within a few days Mary set out and hurried to the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why am I so favored, that the mother of the Messiah should come to me. The moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that what our God said to her would be accomplished!”

Mary said: “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. For you have looked with favor upon your lowly servant, and from this day forward all generations will call me blessed. For you, the Almighty, have done great things for me, and holy is your Name. Your mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear you. You have shown strength with your arm; you have scattered the proud in their conceit; you have deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. You have filled the hungry with good things, while you have sent the rich away empty. You have come to the aid of Israel your servant, mindful of your mercy— the promise you made to our ancestors— to Sarah and Abraham and their descendants forever.”

A message based on Matthew 3:1-12: At this time John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea, proclaiming, “Change your hearts and minds, for the reign of heaven is about to break upon you!”

It was John that the prophet Isaiah described when he said, “A herald’s voice cries in the desert: Prepare the way of our God, make straight the paths of God!’”

John was clothed in a garment of camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. Grasshoppers and wild honey were his food. At that time, Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him. John baptized them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

When John saw that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to be baptized, he said to them, “You pack of snakes! Who told you to flee from the coming wrath? Give some evidence that you mean to reform! And don’t pride yourselves on the claim, ‘Sarah and Abraham are our parents.’ I tell you, God can raise children for Sarah and Abraham from these very stones!

Even now the ax is laid to the root of the tree. Every tree that is not fruitful will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I will baptize you in water for repentance, but the One who will follow me is more powerful than I. I’m not fit even to untie the sandals of the Coming One! The One who is Coming will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire, his winnowing-fan will clear the threshing floor. The grain will be gathered into the barn, but the chaff will be burned in unquenchable fire.”