This document follows the life and ministry of an unnamed preacher from 1994 in Park Rapids, Minnesota to 2005 in Omaha, Nebraska. It discusses biblical names and their meanings as related to key figures in the story of John the Baptist. It also includes quotes from John Stott, Ben Cachairas, and an unknown theologian on the significance and meaning of the cross.

3. TODAY’S MESSAGE
Our loving Father
is both the Author
and the Main Character
in the story of our lives

4. Park Rapids, MN // 1994

5. Park Rapids, MN // 1994
“Calm down Deacon…you don‟t
have to be afraid. You and Jill
are going to get back together.
You‟re going to get married,
you‟re going to have a son and
you‟re going to name him Isaac.”

6. Rochester, MN // 1 995

7. St. Paul, MN // 1996-1998

8. St. Paul, MN // 1996-1998
Peoria, IL // 1999 - 2000

9. St. Paul, MN // 1996-1998
Peoria, IL // 1999 - 2000
Council Bluffs, IA // 2000 – „01

10. St. Paul, MN // 1996-1998
Peoria, IL // 1999 - 2000
Council Bluffs, IA // 2000 – „01
Omaha, NE // 2001 – „05

11. St. Paul, MN // 1996-1998
Peoria, IL // 1999 - 2000
Council Bluffs, IA // 2000 – „01
Omaha, NE // 2001 – „05

13. NAMES & MEANINGS
Zechariah
God Remembers His Covenant

14. NAMES & MEANINGS
Zechariah
God Remembers His Covenant
Elizabeth
God Is The Absolutely Faithful One

15. NAMES & MEANINGS
Zechariah
God Remembers His Covenant
Elizabeth
God Is The Absolutely Faithful One
Gabriel
Man of God (From Him; In His Presence)

16. NAMES & MEANINGS
Zechariah
God Remembers His Covenant
Elizabeth
God Is The Absolutely Faithful One
Gabriel
Man of God (From Him; In His Presence)
John
God Is Merciful (or) Gift of God‟s Mercy

17. WHAT DOES
THAT TELL US?
GOD (& His Son JESUS*)
*God Saves
Is the main CHARACTER
& His covenant is the main THEME
of this story!

19. LUKE 1:67-79 (ESV)
And his father Zechariah was filled with
the Holy Spirit & prophesied, saying,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for He has visited & redeemed His people
& 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…

20. LUKE 1:67-79 (ESV)
…that we should be saved from our enemies
& from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy
promised to our fathers & to remember
His holy covenant, the oath that He swore to
our father Abraham, to grant us that we,
being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve
Him without fear, in holiness & righteousness before Him
all our days.

21. LUKE 1:67-79 (ESV)
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the
Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His
ways, to give knowledge of salvation
to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of
the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall
visit us from on high to give light
to those who sit in darkness & in the shadow of death, to
guide our feet into the way of peace.

23. John Stott // 1921 - 2011
“I could never myself believe in God
if it were not for the Cross.
In the real world of pain,
how could one worship a God
who was immune to it?”

24. Ben Cachairas
“Do you see what this means?
It means that even though we don‟t
know the mind of God & cannot
pretend to understand terrible
suffering like this – we confess
we don‟t know the reason God allows
such evil & suffering to continue.
But we know what the reason isn‟t…"

25. Ben Cachairas
“We know what it can‟t be. It can‟t be
that He doesn‟t love us. It can‟t be
that He doesn‟t care. And it can‟t be
that He is a weakling. The cross &
resurrection prove that, & this gives us
some strength & hope. God so loves us,
& hates our suffering, that He became
involved in it & succumbed to it before
ultimately defeating it through
His resurrection.”

26. Unknown Theologian
“On the cross, Christ was forsaken
by God, so that He could become
the God of the God-forsaken.”