Luk 1:56-66
And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.
But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”
And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”
And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.
And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.
Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.
All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Mary stays with Elizabeth three months…apparently until the birth of John?

Elizabeth gave birth.
Neighbors and relatives rejoiced.
Why?
Because the Lord had displayed great mercy toward her.
They rejoiced with her.

As per the Law, they circumcised the child on the eighth day.
They named him John, though the other folk doubted the name.

Zacharias verified the name.

Immediately…at once…his tongue was loosed.

What did he do?
Praised God.

We will look at his proclamation tomorrow.

For today, how did the people react?
Fear came upon al those living around them.
All these matters were talked about.
All who heard these matters kept them in mind.
They were saying “what then will this child turn out to be?”
They acknowledged that the hand of the Lord was upon them.

Zacharias/Elizabeth knew what the child was to come.
They believed.

Do you.