Off we go into the story of Jesus as told by Luke, giving us details no one else does. For starters, let’s compare and contrast the two main characters in Chapter 1: Zechariah and Mary.

• Zechariah was an old man / Mary was a young woman.
• Zechariah was a priest / Mary was an “ordinary” layperson.
• They both were visited by the Angel Gabriel.
• Both visits had to do with upcoming miracle pregnancies.
• Zechariah did not believe / Mary did believe.
• Both gave inspired prophecy.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on 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, and holy is his name…” (Luke 1.46 – 49, ESV, from Luke 1.46 – 55)

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he 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 of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us…” Luke 1.67 – 71, ESV, from Luke 1.67 – 79)

There don’t appear to be any disqualifications: young, old, men, women, weak faith (the religious professional!), strong faith.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2.10, NIV)