Taking Away Reproach

Luke 1:24-25
 
Have you ever been accused of something? It Feels horrible doesn’t it? If you did something wrong that is bad enough but if you are innocent it is so much worse.
 
Luke 1:24-25 tells us after a child was conceived in Elizabeth she went off by herself for five months to relish her pregnancy. That is a little different, why would she do this? Because she had lived her life under so much reproach (an expression of disapproval or disappointment). She even says in vs. 25 “The Lord has dealt kindly with me, He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace from among people”
 
In Elizabeth’s culture, when a woman was unable to have a child, it was seen to be a sign of judgment from God. A person must be living in such a way that God was displeased, so people than looked on you with disappointment. Elizabeth had lived her life under the judgment of others. In her case, accused of something she didn’t do. So not only was she overjoyed that she would be having a son, but she had to be amazingly relieved that God was clearing her name, freeing her from the undeserved judgment and shame of others.
 
Did you get that? Freedom from judgment, freedom from guilt or shame, this is what Elizabeth felt and this would be the purpose of her son John– prepare hearts to meet the Messiah. The purpose of Messiah is to set us free from reproach, our deserved judgment and guilt, and to set us free from sins power. Elizabeth is part of the Christmas story to help us understand what the Christmas story is all about freedom from judgment. Thank God we no longer have to live in reproach!
 
In His Service,
Eric Barnes