#194. Come and See: Jesus, Mary, John & the Beginning of the New Testament | Luke 1, John 1

The New Testament is here! After walking through all 39 books of the Old Testament in our chronological Bible reading plan, we finally turn the page to the Gospels and meet Jesus in His earthly ministry.In this episode of The Dwelling Place Bible Podcast for Busy Moms, Stephanie Hickox begins the New Testament by studying Luke 1 and John 1 and reflecting on the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah.Luke introduces us to Zechariah and Elizabeth, John the Baptist, and Mary—the humble young woman who responds to God's extraordinary calling with, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord.” We see God's faithfulness to His promises, His heart for the humble, His use of families to accomplish His purposes, and His plan to send a Savior.Then John introduces us to Jesus in a completely different way: “In the beginning was the Word.” Jesus is the eternal Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and the Messiah who came to dwell among us.And throughout these chapters, one invitation keeps appearing:Come and see.Come and see who Jesus is.Come and see what God has done.Come and see the Savior who has finally come.In This Episode, You'll DiscoverWhy Luke wrote his Gospel and his desire for readers to have certainty concerning the things they have been taughtWhat Luke's Gospel reveals about Jesus' compassion for the overlooked and marginalizedHow God used Zechariah and Elizabeth's family in His redemptive planThe connection between John's birth and the prophecy at the end of MalachiWhat Mary's response teaches us about humility, surrender, and obedienceWhy Mary's Magnificat reveals her knowledge of Scripture and God's covenant promisesHow God used Mary and Elizabeth to encourage one anotherWhy being filled with the Holy Spirit repeatedly leads to worship throughout LukeThe theological emphasis of John's GospelWhy John calls Jesus “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”Seven names or descriptions of Jesus found in John 1Why John the Baptist points away from himself and toward JesusThe repeated invitation to “Come and see”What these chapters teach Christian moms about worship, humility, motherhood, family, and faithfulness Luke 1: God Uses Humble PeopleLuke begins his Gospel by telling us why he wrote it: so that Theophilus—and everyone who reads it—might have certainty about the truth of what they have been taught.Then Luke brings us into the story through two families.Zechariah and Elizabeth are described as righteous and faithful, yet they have experienced years of disappointment and barrenness.Mary is a young woman from Nazareth who receives an announcement that will completely change her life.Neither story unfolds according to human expectations.But God is faithful.The angel Gabriel tells Zechariah that John will prepare the way for the Lord, fulfilling the prophecy we just encountered in Malachi:“And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children…”Then Gabriel comes to Mary with an even greater announcement: she will give birth to the Son of God, the promised King whose kingdom will never end.Mary's response is remarkable:“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”Mary doesn't respond by demanding control over the situation. She surrenders herself to God's purposes.What Mary Teaches Christian Moms About SurrenderMary's calling came with a cost.She was willing to surrender her reputation, her plans, her expectations, and her future to God's purposes.That makes her response especially meaningful for Christian mothers.Motherhood requires surrender in countless ways. Our children, our homes, our schedules, our plans, and even our hopes for the future can tempt us to believe that we need to control the outcome.But biblical motherhood begins with recognizing that we belong to the Lord before we belong to anything else.Mary didn't know every detail of what God would do.She simply trusted the One who had spoken.And she declared herself His servant.What would change in our homes if we approached our own lives with that same posture?“I am the servant of the Lord.”Elizabeth: The Gift of a Woman Who Believes YouOne of the most beautiful moments in Luke 1 happens when Mary visits Elizabeth.Mary has received an extraordinary message that would have been difficult for others to understand. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, responds with joy and affirmation.She doesn't compete with Mary.She doesn't question God's plan.She rejoices.For Christian women and mothers, this is a beautiful picture of how we can encourage one another.We need women who will point us back to God's Word, remind us of His faithfulness, and rejoice when we see Him working.Who are you encouraging in her walk with Christ?And who has God placed in your life to encourage you?John the Baptist: Preparing the Way for JesusJohn's birth fulfills the promise made through Malachi.His calling is not to draw attention to himself but to prepare people for the Lord.That becomes a powerful picture for Christian parenting.Our children are not ultimately ours to shape according to our own image or ambitions.They have been entrusted to us so that we can point them toward Christ.John's life reminds us that our calling is not to make ourselves the center of the story.Jesus is the center.Our parenting, our marriages, our homes, and our daily lives can all become places where we say:Come and see.Come and see who Jesus is.Come and see His goodness.Come and see His faithfulness.Come and see the One who saves.John 1: The Word Became FleshAfter Luke's detailed introduction to the birth of Christ, John takes us all the way back to eternity:“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”John wants us to understand something essential:Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem.He existed before creation.He is God.He is the Creator.He is the Light.And “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”This is the heart of The Dwelling Place.The God who has always desired to dwell with His people came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ.He didn't remain distant.He came near.He came to save.And He invites us to know Him.Seven Names of Jesus in John 1John's Gospel gives us a rich theological introduction to Jesus. In this chapter, we see Him identified as:The Lamb of GodThe Son of GodRabbiThe Son of ManThe MessiahThe King of IsraelJesus of Nazareth Each name gives us another glimpse of who Jesus is.He is not merely a teacher whose example we admire.He is the Savior of the world.“Come and See”One phrase stands out throughout John 1:“Come and see.”Andrew hears John the Baptist identify Jesus and begins following Him.Then Andrew tells his brother.Jesus calls Philip.Philip finds Nathanael.And the invitation continues:Come and see.That is the invitation of the Gospel.And it can become the banner over our lives as Christian women.Instead of trying to convince everyone through our own strength, what if our homes became places where people could encounter the reality of Jesus?What if our children could look at our lives and hear:Come and see.Come and see the God who forgives.Come and see the God who is faithful.Come and see the God who meets us in weakness.Come and see the Savior who gave Himself for us.What This Means for Christian MomsThese opening chapters of the New Testament remind us that God loves to work through families.He worked through Zechariah and Elizabeth.He worked through Mary.He worked through Joseph.He used John the Baptist to prepare people for Jesus.And He continues to work through ordinary families today.Biblical parenting isn't ultimately about creating perfect children or perfect homes.It's about creating a home where Christ is known, worshiped, followed, and proclaimed.That means our children don't need mothers who pretend to have everything together.They need mothers who know where to go when they don't.They need to see us humble ourselves.They need to see us repent.They need to see us worship.They need to see us trust God's Word.And they need to hear us continually point them toward Jesus.Come and see.Bible Study for Busy Christian MomsIf you're following a chronological Bible reading plan, these chapters are a beautiful reminder that the Bible is one unified story.The Old Testament wasn't a collection of disconnected stories.The promises God made to Abraham, David, and Israel were moving toward their fulfillment.The prophecy in Malachi prepares us for John.The promises concerning David's throne point toward Jesus.The covenants and promises of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in Christ.And now, as we begin the New Testament, we get to watch those promises unfold through the life of Jesus.So don't simply read these familiar passages as stories you've heard before.Come and see.Ask God to show you something about Himself.Ask Him to deepen your understanding of Jesus.Ask Him to transform the way you worship.And then let that transformation spill over into your home.Key ScripturesLuke 1:37 — “For nothing will be impossible with God.”Luke 1:38 — “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”Luke 1:46–47 — Mary's worship: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”Luke 1:68–69 — Zechariah praises God for visiting and redeeming His people.Luke 1:76–79 — John will prepare the way of the Lord.John 1:1 — “In the beginning was the Word…”John 1:14 — “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”John 1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”John 1:46 — “Come and see.”A Prayer for Christian MomsHeavenly Father,We are filled with gratitude that You are exactly who You say You are and that You do what You promise to do.Thank You for revealing Yourself to us through Your Word.As we begin the New Testament, give us eyes to see Jesus, ears to hear Your Word, and hearts that are willing to surrender to You.Make us women who recognize our weakness so that the strength of Christ can be displayed through us.Make our homes places where our children can see Your goodness, Your mercy, Your holiness, and Your faithfulness.May the banner “Come and see” wave over our motherhood, our marriages, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and everything we do.Draw our children to Yourself.Convince them of Your goodness.Strengthen them to walk faithfully with You.And may our lives continually point away from ourselves and toward Jesus—the Lamb of God, the Savior of the world, and the One who came to dwell among us.In Jesus' name, amen.📖 Keep Reading With UsThe New Testament has begun!If you've been following The Dwelling Place chronological Bible reading plan, keep going. The next chapters may be familiar—but pray that God will give you fresh eyes to see Jesus.Come and see.He's here.Resources Mentioned:Entrusted With a Child's HeartFull-Circle Discipline Resources Commentaries Most Referenced: Moody Commentary, MacArthur Commentary