Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.679
The scripture for the sermon this evening
is coming from Luke one. It's familiar
2
00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:11.910
text. It's a little bit longer. I will not apologize. Luke one,
3
00:00:12.550 --> 00:00:16.949
starting in verse five and we're going
to read through to Verse Twenty Three.
4
00:00:17.910 --> 00:00:21.309
Then we're going to skip down a
little bit to verse fifty seven and
5
00:00:22.460 --> 00:00:27.539
read through verse sixty six. So
Luke one, starting in verse five.
6
00:00:29.059 --> 00:00:33.420
In the days of Herod King of
Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah
7
00:00:33.939 --> 00:00:37.490
of the division of a Baija,
and he had a wife from the daughters
8
00:00:37.530 --> 00:00:42.130
of Erin and her name was Elizabeth, and they were both righteous before God,
9
00:00:42.810 --> 00:00:47.770
walking blamelessly in all the commandments and
statutes of the Lord. But they
10
00:00:47.770 --> 00:00:53.439
had no child because Elizabeth was barren
and both were advanced in years. Now,
11
00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:57.240
while he was serving as priest before
God, when his division was on
12
00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.159
duty, according to the custom of
the priesthood, he was chosen by a
13
00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:04.310
lot to enter the temple the Lord
and Burn Incense, and the whole multitude
14
00:01:04.310 --> 00:01:08.510
of the people were praying outside at
the hour of incense, and there appeared
15
00:01:08.549 --> 00:01:12.269
to him an angel of the Lord
Standing on the right side of the altar
16
00:01:12.310 --> 00:01:17.590
of incense and Zechariah was troubled when
he saw him and fear fell upon him,
17
00:01:18.230 --> 00:01:21.060
but the angels said to him,
do not be afraid, Zechariah,
18
00:01:21.700 --> 00:01:26.099
for your prayer has been heard and
your wife Elizabeth will bear you as on
19
00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:30.819
and you shall call his name John
and you will have joy and gladness,
20
00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:34.090
and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the
21
00:01:34.209 --> 00:01:38.010
Lord and he must not drink wine
or strong drink, and he will be
22
00:01:38.049 --> 00:01:41.530
filled with the Holy Spirit, even
from his mother's womb, and he will
23
00:01:41.569 --> 00:01:44.409
turn many of the children of Israel
to the Lord, their God, and
24
00:01:44.569 --> 00:01:48.319
he will go before him, in
the spirit and power of Elijah, to
25
00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.640
turn the hearts of the fathers to
the children and the disobedient to the wisdom
26
00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:57.519
of the just to make ready for
the Lord a people prepared. And Zecharai
27
00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:01.150
said to the angel, how shall
I know this, for I am an
28
00:02:01.189 --> 00:02:06.790
old man and my wife is advanced
in years. And the angel answered him,
29
00:02:07.349 --> 00:02:10.189
I am Gabriel, I stand in
the presence of God and I was
30
00:02:10.349 --> 00:02:15.430
sent to speak to you and to
bring you this good news. And behold,
31
00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:19.979
you will be silent and unable to
speak until the day that these things
32
00:02:20.139 --> 00:02:23.539
take place, because you did not
believe my words, which will be fulfilled
33
00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:29.219
in their time. And the people
were waiting for Zechariah and they're wondering at
34
00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:32.009
his delay at the temple, and
when he came out, he was unable
35
00:02:32.050 --> 00:02:36.930
to speak to them, and they
realized that he had seen a vision in
36
00:02:37.009 --> 00:02:40.250
the temple. He kept making signs
to them and remain mute. And when
37
00:02:40.330 --> 00:02:45.879
his time of service was ended,
he went to his home. Then skip
38
00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:51.240
down to verse fifty seven. Will
read through verse sixty six now. The
39
00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.840
time came him for Elizabeth to give
birth, and she bore a son and
40
00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:59.629
her neighbors and relatives heard that the
Lord had shown great mercy to her and
41
00:02:59.750 --> 00:03:04.229
they rejoiced with her. And on
the eighth day they came to circumcise a
42
00:03:04.270 --> 00:03:07.870
child and they would have called him
Zechariah, after his father, but his
43
00:03:07.030 --> 00:03:13.219
mother answered no, he shall be
called John, and they said to her,
44
00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:16.740
none of your relatives is called by
this name. And they made signs
45
00:03:16.740 --> 00:03:21.300
to his father inquiring what he wanted
him to be called, and he asked
46
00:03:21.340 --> 00:03:27.530
for a writing tablet and wrote his
name is John, and they all wondered
47
00:03:28.250 --> 00:03:31.449
and immediately his mouth was opened and
his tongue loosed and he spoke blessing God,
48
00:03:31.889 --> 00:03:36.330
and fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked
49
00:03:36.370 --> 00:03:39.090
about through all the Hill Country of
Judea, and all who heard them laid
50
00:03:39.090 --> 00:03:44.280
them up in their hearts, saying
what then will this child be? For
51
00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.800
the hand of the Lord was with
him. This is the word of the
52
00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:54.120
Lord. Thanks be to God.
You may be seated. In these weeks
53
00:03:54.479 --> 00:04:00.270
leading up to Christmas, it is
good for us as Christians to consider a
54
00:04:00.389 --> 00:04:06.550
new the significance of the birth of
Jesus, to celebrate again the mystery of
55
00:04:06.949 --> 00:04:13.780
the incarnation, to rehearse the story
that Christians have been recounting now for two
56
00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:17.980
thousand years. But in our familiarity
with this story or of the birth of
57
00:04:18.060 --> 00:04:24.769
Jesus, we can sometimes do one
of two things. We can either treat
58
00:04:24.850 --> 00:04:31.930
these people as characters to be almost
adored, saints, people who didn't have
59
00:04:32.050 --> 00:04:39.480
any flaws, any problems, on
a higher than average plane in reality,
60
00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:44.000
so to speak, those of that
mistake is often made by some of our
61
00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:47.920
cat Catholic friends. For US Protestants, on the other hand, we fall
62
00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:54.149
into perhaps another are error, in
that we just blow through the story again
63
00:04:54.670 --> 00:04:57.430
it's a lot. There's a lot
of text here, even just in what
64
00:04:57.509 --> 00:05:00.790
we read, and you can just
keep going into the next chapter and it
65
00:05:00.870 --> 00:05:04.949
just keeps going. Luke likes really
long chapters with lots of detail, and
66
00:05:05.189 --> 00:05:09.180
we just go from one section to
the next, to next, move on.
67
00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:12.180
Okay, that happened, yes,
that happened, yes, that happened.
68
00:05:12.259 --> 00:05:15.579
This person came into the story,
this person leaves a story, and
69
00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:20.889
we miss the fact that these are
actual, really people. We overlook the
70
00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:26.170
fact that they're not just actors in
a play or characters in a drama.
71
00:05:27.329 --> 00:05:31.370
These are real people with real stories, real lives, real hopes, real
72
00:05:31.490 --> 00:05:39.240
fears, real joys and real sorrows. They laughed and they cried and they
73
00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:44.639
even doubted, and that's what we
find here. What we just read was
74
00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:50.389
Zechariah, Jesus's uncle. Zechariah was
a faithful follower of God. You probably
75
00:05:50.430 --> 00:05:56.949
picked up from the reading that he's
a priest. But despite that, despite
76
00:05:56.990 --> 00:06:03.149
that, Zechariah has a deep seated
skepticism, not about whether God exists or
77
00:06:03.230 --> 00:06:06.060
you know, whether there is a
god or not, but whether he he
78
00:06:06.220 --> 00:06:13.180
doubts at a heart level whether God
is for him, whether God truly cares
79
00:06:13.220 --> 00:06:17.139
about him, whether God listens to
him. Because, you see, as
80
00:06:17.220 --> 00:06:24.529
we read, Zechariah was childless.
We read that in verse seven weeks of
81
00:06:24.649 --> 00:06:29.769
Marriage Turn into months, months of
marriage turned to years, years turned to
82
00:06:29.930 --> 00:06:40.000
decades and nothing happened. They were
childless. Prayer after prayer after prayer went
83
00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:47.269
seemingly unanswered. But this story is
bigger than just Zechariah and his personal family
84
00:06:47.310 --> 00:06:56.269
problems, because in a way Zechariah
represents all of God's people. Because here
85
00:06:56.310 --> 00:07:00.149
at the beginning of Luke's Gospel,
God's people have been waiting now for four
86
00:07:00.269 --> 00:07:09.019
hundred years with no prophet, no
new revelation, silence from God, as
87
00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:14.259
their nation has been conquered again and
again by this nation and that empire and
88
00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:18.250
then this empire and then the Romans
come in, attacking them, oppressing them,
89
00:07:18.449 --> 00:07:23.970
and they're wondering, God, where
are you? Are you silent?
90
00:07:25.129 --> 00:07:30.839
Why are you going to be faithful
to your promises? Where's the Messiah God
91
00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:39.800
that you've promised us as your people? Do you really care about us?
92
00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:46.029
I'm friends you and I wrestle with
this same question even today. Hasn't gone
93
00:07:46.350 --> 00:07:51.350
away. What we're going to see
is we walk through this passage is that,
94
00:07:51.509 --> 00:08:00.300
despite our doubts and the seeming slowness
of God's plan, he is the
95
00:08:00.459 --> 00:08:03.899
faithful promise keeper. There's no way
we can touch on everything. There's there's
96
00:08:03.899 --> 00:08:07.100
just too much here. So we're
going to do sort of a shotgun approach,
97
00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:11.819
just let it fall where it lie. Where first thing, the first
98
00:08:11.860 --> 00:08:16.889
we're gonna look at three truths.
The first is this, despite all appearances
99
00:08:16.930 --> 00:08:22.089
to the contrary, God knows what
he's doing. So, despite all the
100
00:08:22.129 --> 00:08:26.129
appearances to the contrary, God knows
what he's doing. Look with me again
101
00:08:26.129 --> 00:08:31.399
at verses five through seven. And
the days of Harry King of Judea,
102
00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:35.320
there was a priest named Zechariah of
the division of a Baija, and he
103
00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:39.399
had a wife from the daughters of
Aaron and her name was Elizabeth, and
104
00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:43.830
they were both righteous before God,
walking blamelessly and all the commandments and statutes
105
00:08:43.870 --> 00:08:48.149
of the Lord. But they had
no child because Elizabeth was barren and both
106
00:08:48.389 --> 00:08:52.549
were advanced in years. Luke,
here he's setting the scene for us,
107
00:08:54.309 --> 00:08:56.980
he sees drawing us in, he's
setting it up and he goes to some
108
00:08:56.100 --> 00:09:01.940
length to explain, to get across
that the message that Zechariah has a highest
109
00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:05.899
credentials. He's a priest, which
means that he comes from the tribe of
110
00:09:05.940 --> 00:09:09.769
Levi, and the levites were the
ones dedicated, set apart to God.
111
00:09:11.049 --> 00:09:16.049
They were the the one out of
the twelve that was dedicated as holy unto
112
00:09:16.529 --> 00:09:20.490
the Lord. He married. Well, his wife, Elizabeth, is also
113
00:09:20.529 --> 00:09:26.600
of a priestly family. She too
is of the daughters of Erin. And
114
00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:33.519
what's more, Luke describes them both
as righteous before God, walking blamelessly in
115
00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:39.990
all his commands. And that sounds
Cliche, or that sounds just service of
116
00:09:39.070 --> 00:09:45.590
maybe okay, cool, awesome,
but that's actually a really rare designation and
117
00:09:45.669 --> 00:09:52.419
the Old Testament it only happens twice. first time is with Noah in Genesis
118
00:09:52.500 --> 00:09:58.779
six, and Abraham, then Abraham
in genesis seventeen, as being called righteous
119
00:09:58.379 --> 00:10:03.220
for the Lord and blameless walking blameless
sleep before him. So this is an
120
00:10:03.340 --> 00:10:11.610
elite group that Zechariah is a part
of and scripture. And yet what overshadows
121
00:10:11.769 --> 00:10:18.970
all his credentials, everything that stands
out on his resume, is the fact
122
00:10:18.049 --> 00:10:24.960
that he lacks a child. He's
childless, his wife is barren and to
123
00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:31.080
the ancient Israelite hearing this, that
doesn't make sense, because barrenness was supposed
124
00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:37.230
to happen if you rejected God and
you've disobeyed God. Fruitfulness and blessing is
125
00:10:37.309 --> 00:10:41.990
what you get if you obey.
It's God's blessing on your obedience. Listen
126
00:10:43.070 --> 00:10:48.590
to what Deuteronomy Twenty eight has to
say, and all these blessings shall come
127
00:10:48.629 --> 00:10:52.139
upon you and overtake you if you
obey the voice of the Lord your God.
128
00:10:52.580 --> 00:10:54.220
Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in
129
00:10:54.259 --> 00:10:58.500
the field. Blessed shall be the
fruit of your womb and the fruit of
130
00:10:58.539 --> 00:11:01.740
your ground and the fruit of your
cattle, the increase of your herds,
131
00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:05.330
the young of your flock. The
Lord will establish you as a people holy
132
00:11:05.450 --> 00:11:11.409
to himself, as he has sworn
to you, if you keep the commandments
133
00:11:11.450 --> 00:11:18.009
of the Lord your God and walk
in his ways. From Deuteronomy Twenty eight.
134
00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:26.159
And that's exactly what Zechariah was doing. He was walking blamelessly before the
135
00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:31.519
Lord, righteous before him. But
instead of being blessed, it says if
136
00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:39.909
he's being cursed. He's receiving the
curses for covenant unfaithfulness. It doesn't make
137
00:11:39.990 --> 00:11:46.029
sense, it doesn't line up,
it doesn't seem fair, and some of
138
00:11:46.110 --> 00:11:50.379
you this evening know what that feels
like. I'm sure you have tried to
139
00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:58.139
follow after God, being obedient to
his commands, but still this has happened,
140
00:11:58.299 --> 00:12:01.929
and then that happened, and then
that happened, and it leaves you
141
00:12:01.929 --> 00:12:07.809
wondering why, why am I still
going through this if I'm just trying to
142
00:12:07.850 --> 00:12:13.409
follow you? God? Where are
you? Do you hear me? What's
143
00:12:13.450 --> 00:12:18.519
going on? Is God paying attention? As he distant? Is He distracted?
144
00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:24.840
Where is he? But Luke wants
us to understand something about the way
145
00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:31.909
that God works, that God often
works behind the scenes, now just out
146
00:12:31.950 --> 00:12:35.230
of the outside, that your peripheral
vision, sort of see things in the
147
00:12:35.309 --> 00:12:39.830
corner of your eye. This is
how God works. Because again, note
148
00:12:39.870 --> 00:12:48.820
how Luke Describes Zechariah and Elizabeth.
Says that they're barren, that their childless,
149
00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:52.139
she's bearn he's trying to call back
to your mind, and maybe you
150
00:12:52.259 --> 00:12:58.129
thought of this when we read it, Abraham and Sarah in genesis eighteen,
151
00:12:58.929 --> 00:13:05.330
because they too, they too were
barren, they too were advanced in age
152
00:13:05.409 --> 00:13:09.570
and after twenty five years of waiting, God finally gave them a child.
153
00:13:11.289 --> 00:13:15.440
Maybe God's at work here, and
it's here, then, that we also
154
00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:20.159
start to notice all sorts of clues. Zechariah is randomly chosen by lot to
155
00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:24.240
go into offer incense on the altar
in the temple, and there are so
156
00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:30.230
many priests that this is a once
in a lifetime opportunity. This is the
157
00:13:30.549 --> 00:13:35.149
pinnacle of Zechariah's career here to go
into the Temple and put incense on the
158
00:13:35.230 --> 00:13:41.940
altar. This is no random lottery. And what's more, there's a crowd
159
00:13:43.059 --> 00:13:46.220
outside while he's offering this incense.
Fact that there's a crowd probably means it's
160
00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:50.179
the end of the work day,
which means it's a time. This incense
161
00:13:50.259 --> 00:13:54.340
is being offered at the time of
the evening sacrifice. And Luke here is
162
00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:58.250
that that means that he's setting up
a parallel. was something in Daniel Nine.
163
00:13:58.889 --> 00:14:05.409
Daniel nine versus twenty and twenty one, because they're Daniel just finishes up
164
00:14:05.490 --> 00:14:11.120
a prayer at the time of the
evening sacrifice, he's praying on behalf of
165
00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:16.120
the people. And when he finishes
his prayer, do you know who shows
166
00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:24.120
up? Gabriel with a message of
salvation. It's again another parallel. What's
167
00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.429
this message that Gabriel brings. Well, and look at verse thirteen with me.
168
00:14:28.629 --> 00:14:31.990
But the angel said to him,
do not be afraid, Zechariah,
169
00:14:31.309 --> 00:14:35.710
for your prayer has been heard and
your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son
170
00:14:35.029 --> 00:14:39.340
and you shall call his name John. Well, what's so special about John?
171
00:14:41.659 --> 00:14:45.500
Plain ordinary name? We get the
answer in verses fifteen through seventeen.
172
00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:48.539
He will be great before the Lord. He must not drink wine or strong
173
00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:52.009
drink. He'll be filled up the
Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb,
174
00:14:52.490 --> 00:14:56.809
and he will turn many of the
children of Israel to the Lord,
175
00:14:56.850 --> 00:15:00.610
their God, and he will go
before him in the spirit and power of
176
00:15:00.690 --> 00:15:05.250
Elijah to turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children and the disobedient to
177
00:15:05.289 --> 00:15:09.320
the wisdom of the just, to
make ready for the Lord of people prepared.
178
00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:15.039
So John will be set apart by
the spirit from his mother's womb,
179
00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:20.120
just like Jeremiah. He will be
set apart to God, like like Hannah
180
00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:26.509
offering up Samuel to God, another
baron woman. He'll be clothed with the
181
00:15:26.549 --> 00:15:31.269
spirit and power of Elijah. He
comes and, using the language that we
182
00:15:31.389 --> 00:15:35.860
just read from Malachi three and four, he comes as a messenger of the
183
00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:41.940
Messiah, and think about that.
Zechariah hearing these words spoken to him.
184
00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:46.220
He's a priest, he knew his
Old Testament. He he knew what this
185
00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:50.370
angel, what Gabriel, was saying. Friends, he would have realized that
186
00:15:50.490 --> 00:15:58.210
this is not an accident. The
last words of the last Old Testament Prophet,
187
00:15:58.090 --> 00:16:03.799
spoken four hundred years ago, are
being spoken to him about his son.
188
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.960
It's not an accident. God knew
what he was doing, planning that
189
00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:23.429
moment. Centuries beforehand, God was
at work behind the scenes, setting up
190
00:16:23.549 --> 00:16:29.070
all these pictures, all these images, all these scriptures that then come to
191
00:16:29.190 --> 00:16:37.259
a culmination right in front of Zechariah
hearing this message from the Angel Gabriel.
192
00:16:38.019 --> 00:16:44.899
Friends, this same God who is
in control and all these events leading up
193
00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:48.129
to Zechariah's life. He's the same
God who's in control of your life too,
194
00:16:49.490 --> 00:16:56.929
down to the tiniest detail, everything
that happens to you. I should
195
00:16:56.929 --> 00:17:02.559
put this way. Perhaps nothing that
happens to you is an accident. God
196
00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:07.240
is sovereign, he is at work
bringing all things to pass that he is
197
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:14.680
ordained, and that means that,
though it may not make sense to us,
198
00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:18.990
we may wonder, why is this
still happening to me? We can
199
00:17:18.230 --> 00:17:26.309
trust him that he knows what he's
doing. That's the first truth. God
200
00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:30.140
knows what he's doing, even if
it seems like he doesn't. And Secondly,
201
00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:36.420
God confronts our unbelief. Look with
me at verses eighteen through twenty,
202
00:17:37.619 --> 00:17:41.099
and Zechariah said to the angel,
how shall I know this, for I'm
203
00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:45.609
an old man and my wife is
advanced in years. and Angel answered him.
204
00:17:45.609 --> 00:17:49.089
I am Gabriel, I stand in
the presence of God and I was
205
00:17:49.210 --> 00:17:52.650
sent to speak to you and to
bring you this good news. And behold,
206
00:17:52.690 --> 00:17:57.089
you will be silent and unable to
speak until the day that these things
207
00:17:57.170 --> 00:18:02.799
take place, because you did not
believe my words, which will be fulfilled
208
00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:10.640
in their time. Zechariah wants proof. He only has to look at his
209
00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:12.670
reflection, which I guess he didn't
have a mirror so but he if he
210
00:18:12.750 --> 00:18:17.549
could. He only had to look
at his reflection in the mirror to realize
211
00:18:17.670 --> 00:18:22.549
that he's old and his wife is
old. How is this possible? This
212
00:18:22.710 --> 00:18:26.660
isn't going to work. You cannot
turn back the clock. So he asked
213
00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:33.259
what would be a reasonable question.
I don't think we should necessarily get down
214
00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:37.059
and hard on Zechariah for asking the
question how is this going to happen?
215
00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:44.009
I don't understand. It doesn't make
sense. But notice what he says next,
216
00:18:44.130 --> 00:18:49.329
in verse eighteen. He says literally, I am old. Doesn't necessarily
217
00:18:49.329 --> 00:18:52.089
say I'm an old man, but
he says I am old. nors this
218
00:18:52.289 --> 00:18:57.119
he's saying. This is me,
this is who I am, this is
219
00:18:57.400 --> 00:19:08.960
my defining characteristic. I am old, this is my identity. It's like
220
00:19:10.069 --> 00:19:14.829
he's saying to Gabriel. You know, Mr Angel, and God through Mr
221
00:19:14.910 --> 00:19:17.309
Angel. I don't know if you've
realized. I know, maybe maybe you
222
00:19:17.390 --> 00:19:22.589
just have, maybe you just forgotten, but I'm old. Men, why?
223
00:19:22.750 --> 00:19:26.140
My wife is ancient. How is
this going to happen? This is
224
00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:33.380
not going to this. You.
You obviously have the wrong person. How
225
00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:37.859
does the Angel Respond? Who?
He sort of just gives it right back.
226
00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:41.529
He says again, literally, I
am Gabriel. It's like we you
227
00:19:41.569 --> 00:19:44.130
already told you know. Why.
Why do you doay? Well, he's
228
00:19:44.170 --> 00:19:48.130
just saying back to he's just saying
back to Zechariah. Was Zechariah said to
229
00:19:48.170 --> 00:19:51.450
him I am old. Well,
I am Gabriel. Nor is he saying
230
00:19:51.490 --> 00:19:56.839
it doesn't matter who you are.
That's beside the point. What matters is
231
00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:02.400
who I am, that I am
a messenger come from God himself with good
232
00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:11.829
news for you. It totally says
I'm announcing the Gospel to you and it
233
00:20:11.990 --> 00:20:19.990
was too good for Zechariah to believe. It didn't make sense, it's impossible.
234
00:20:22.019 --> 00:20:26.619
But Gabriel is saying this news from
God is what should define you,
235
00:20:27.819 --> 00:20:33.779
what God is going to do in
you, through you, despite your weaknesses,
236
00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:40.049
despite your failures, despite who you
think you are. This is what's
237
00:20:40.170 --> 00:20:45.009
really real about you. And Friends, I would ask you, how do
238
00:20:45.089 --> 00:20:53.440
you define yourself? What's your chief
characteristic? Maybe it is your age,
239
00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:59.240
maybe it is your athletic ability,
maybe it's the glory days of the past
240
00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:02.480
that you can call it to your
memory. Maybe it's your grades, maybe
241
00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:06.509
maybe it's a fact that you're in
a relationship or that you're married or that
242
00:21:06.589 --> 00:21:11.470
you have a child, or that
you have none of those things, and
243
00:21:11.589 --> 00:21:15.549
you're anxiously wondering, what is this
going to happen to me? But what
244
00:21:15.630 --> 00:21:18.819
Zechariah is learning here, and what
we need to learn here as well,
245
00:21:19.859 --> 00:21:25.619
is that God is a one who
defines who we are. It's not us,
246
00:21:25.660 --> 00:21:30.700
it's nothing about us. It doesn't
matter whether you're weak or in papeable,
247
00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:34.849
powerless, sinful or strong for that
matter. None of that matters in
248
00:21:36.089 --> 00:21:44.490
God's way of reckoning. What matters
is that, as Gabriel here is announcing,
249
00:21:44.569 --> 00:21:52.680
and as Gabriel will announce later,
the king has come. The Messiah
250
00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:57.440
of God's people has come to redeem
us from our sin, to rescue as,
251
00:21:57.480 --> 00:22:03.269
coming into our world, coming into
a time and space bit taking on
252
00:22:03.349 --> 00:22:07.309
himself our human nature and living the
perfect life that we should have lived,
253
00:22:07.349 --> 00:22:11.029
dying the death that we deserve on
the cross, taking the penalty and punishment
254
00:22:11.109 --> 00:22:15.670
for our sin and our shame,
and then rising from the dead three days
255
00:22:15.710 --> 00:22:22.180
later to give us new life.
That's our identity in Christ. If you're
256
00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:27.299
trusting in Christ tonight, that everything
that Jesus has done is accomplished for you
257
00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:37.849
and for me, and we receive
that by faith. God has not forgotten
258
00:22:37.930 --> 00:22:44.359
us, God has not abandoned us. Friends, God is g in Jesus,
259
00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:49.240
returning one day, so we don't
need to doubt God's plan. But
260
00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:55.200
that's exactly then, what Zechariah does. It's kind of funny actually again this
261
00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:59.269
good news is so good it doesn't
make sense. It doesn't line up.
262
00:22:59.349 --> 00:23:06.470
It's like it's like parents, like
let's say your it's your child's birthday and
263
00:23:06.789 --> 00:23:11.589
you plan a trip to Disneyland for
them, and so you go into there,
264
00:23:11.670 --> 00:23:14.900
but you do it secretly. So
you go into their room in the
265
00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:18.460
morning on their birthday, flip on
the lights, shake them awake and say
266
00:23:18.819 --> 00:23:22.660
get up, we're going to Disneyland
today, and that you know. The
267
00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:26.099
bags are packed, the car is
loaded. All we're waiting for is you.
268
00:23:29.490 --> 00:23:33.809
And the child, you know,
sleepily rolls over and says, Nice
269
00:23:33.930 --> 00:23:37.130
Try, Dad, I'm going to
go back to sleep. It doesn't make
270
00:23:37.210 --> 00:23:41.480
sense, it doesn't compute. What
is going on here now? That can't
271
00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:45.519
be true. There is there's no
way, and the child is missing out.
272
00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:53.680
That's what Zechariah is doing here.
God is pulling my leg. We
273
00:23:53.799 --> 00:24:00.150
don't believe it. It seems too
good to be true. And here's the
274
00:24:00.230 --> 00:24:07.190
thing too, is that we we
have learned through painful experience often that when
275
00:24:07.309 --> 00:24:12.700
something is too good to be true, it usually is. So it's hard
276
00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:18.420
for us to give ourselves to such
good news. We think there must be
277
00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:23.569
a catch. There's no free lunch. When is you know? What do
278
00:24:23.650 --> 00:24:26.210
I have to do? How am
I? How do I have to pay
279
00:24:26.289 --> 00:24:32.170
this back. But, friends,
the Gospel is the real true story of
280
00:24:32.289 --> 00:24:36.849
the world. God isn't pulling our
leg. But that must have been with
281
00:24:36.930 --> 00:24:41.559
Zechariah had been telling himself for years
and years, because why else? Think
282
00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:45.119
about this, just just think about
this for a moment. Why else?
283
00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:52.759
When an archangel shows up in front
of you in blinding glory, Thunder's voice
284
00:24:52.589 --> 00:24:56.869
saying, Zechariah, I have a
message for you from God. You will
285
00:24:57.150 --> 00:25:06.630
have a son. How else can
zechariah say? HAH, that's impossible,
286
00:25:06.670 --> 00:25:14.140
I'm old. How else could he
say that to an angel unless that had
287
00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:18.619
been what he had been telling himself
again and again and again and again.
288
00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:25.529
It just comes back right back.
It's what he was used to, it's
289
00:25:25.529 --> 00:25:32.329
what he's been telling himself. Because
in the Old Testament, whenever someone,
290
00:25:32.490 --> 00:25:34.450
whenever someone encounters an angel, what
do they do? They fall on their
291
00:25:34.490 --> 00:25:44.119
face in fear. WHAT DOES ZECHARIAH
DO? I'm old. It's a stark
292
00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:52.390
contrast. His heart had given itself
over to the lie that because he was
293
00:25:52.509 --> 00:26:00.509
old, he was useless and had
no more part in God's plan. That
294
00:26:02.670 --> 00:26:06.980
is something that we can do to
playing these messages over and over in our
295
00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:11.700
minds. What messages you play over
in your minds. My tendency is to
296
00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:18.220
replay my shame, my failures,
my weakest moments, believing that they are
297
00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:22.049
what defined me, and we think
to ourselves, with the cospel, can't
298
00:26:22.089 --> 00:26:29.369
really overcome that, can it?
Well, the answer to that is found
299
00:26:29.410 --> 00:26:33.599
in our third point, which is
will be brief. Our individual stories have
300
00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:40.240
a place within God's bigger story.
Their individual stories have a place within God's
301
00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:44.240
bigger story. Look with me at
verse fifty nine. And on the eighth
302
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:48.029
day they came to circumcise the child
and they would have called him Zechariah,
303
00:26:48.190 --> 00:26:52.670
after his father, but his mother
answered no, he shall be called John.
304
00:26:53.549 --> 00:26:56.509
And they said to her, none
of your relatives is called by that
305
00:26:56.670 --> 00:27:00.069
name. And they made signs to
his father inquiring what he wanted him to
306
00:27:00.109 --> 00:27:04.220
be called, and he asked for
a writing tablet and wrote his name is
307
00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:11.500
John, and they all wondered.
For nine months. Secarai had pondered and
308
00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:18.529
thought in silent months, playing over
and over that conversation he had had with
309
00:27:18.730 --> 00:27:25.450
Gabriel in the temple, thinking about
it, seeing his wife grow pregnant and
310
00:27:25.609 --> 00:27:32.039
larger and larger and, as a
result, when his friends and neighbors come
311
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:37.200
and ask him if his wife's crazy
about calling this boy John. He immediately
312
00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:41.160
responds, asked for the writing table
and says his name is John, and
313
00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:45.390
it's emphatic in the Greek. John
is his name. Snow, if Hans
314
00:27:45.430 --> 00:27:51.349
Are Butts here, no question marks
at the end? Maybe no, his
315
00:27:51.509 --> 00:27:56.630
name is John. He submits himself, his faith, his future, his
316
00:27:56.910 --> 00:28:03.500
child to God and he's finding his
his worth, his value, his identity
317
00:28:03.619 --> 00:28:10.900
in the fact that this is true. It seemed impossible, seemed unlikely,
318
00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:19.009
but this is who I now am. By stating giving a name for his
319
00:28:19.170 --> 00:28:23.089
child, what he's really doing is
taking on a name for himself and saying
320
00:28:23.130 --> 00:28:33.440
I am trust in God by calling
this son John, and the result is
321
00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:38.559
that his tongue is loosed and he
erps and praise. This is what true
322
00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:45.150
faith is all about. It's recognizing
that all I am, all I have,
323
00:28:45.509 --> 00:28:48.710
is shame and doubt and sin.
Nothing in me can commend myself to
324
00:28:48.829 --> 00:28:53.509
God. It's recognizing that I am
far more, I am far worse than
325
00:28:53.549 --> 00:28:59.900
I ever dared imagine, but knowing
that in Christ, because of him and
326
00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:03.299
his perfect record for me, counted
is mine, that I am far more
327
00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:11.849
loved and accepted by God than I
ever dared hope. That's the reality that
328
00:29:11.930 --> 00:29:17.410
Zechariah was sinking his teeth into and
that's the reality that we have to go
329
00:29:17.569 --> 00:29:22.049
out into this world with knowing who
we are before God, because when we
330
00:29:22.089 --> 00:29:29.240
do that, the result is a
life of praise before others, which is
331
00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:37.160
what Zechariah is doing here, praising
God before his neighbors, before his friends,
332
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:40.109
saying this is what God has done
from me, this is who I
333
00:29:40.230 --> 00:29:45.869
am now, and we find Zechara's
outburst of praise and verses sixty seven through
334
00:29:45.950 --> 00:29:48.470
seventy nine. I just want you
to sit back and listen to this,
335
00:29:48.710 --> 00:29:53.019
Moll and, with this reading,
because this is how he weaves his life,
336
00:29:53.539 --> 00:30:00.779
his story, into God's Big Story
of redemption. He finds meaning and
337
00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:07.089
value for himself in that. He, and every one of us it has
338
00:30:07.130 --> 00:30:15.329
a place in what God is doing, working out his redemptive purposes. This
339
00:30:15.569 --> 00:30:18.009
is what Zechariah says, and his
father, Zachariah, was filled with the
340
00:30:18.049 --> 00:30:22.319
Holy Spirit and prophets. I'd saying
blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
341
00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:27.400
for he has visited and redeemed his
people and has raised up a Horn of
342
00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:33.480
salvation for us in the House of
his servant, David, as he spoke
343
00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:37.509
by the mouth of his holy prophets
from of old, that we should be
344
00:30:37.549 --> 00:30:41.670
saved from our enemies and from the
hand of all who hate us, to
345
00:30:41.869 --> 00:30:45.990
show the mercy promise to our fathers
and to remember his Holy Covenant, the
346
00:30:45.150 --> 00:30:49.019
oath that he swore to our father
Abraham, to grant us that we,
347
00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:53.900
being delivered from the hand of our
enemies, might serve him without fear,
348
00:30:55.140 --> 00:31:00.220
in holiness and righteousness, before him
all our days. Then he turns to
349
00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:03.930
John and says this. And you, child will be called the Prophet of
350
00:31:04.009 --> 00:31:08.690
the most high, for you will
go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
351
00:31:10.170 --> 00:31:14.490
to give knowledge of salvation to his
people in the forgiveness of their sins,
352
00:31:14.930 --> 00:31:18.279
because of the tender mercy of our
God, whereby the sunrise shall visit
353
00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:22.759
us from on high to give light
to those who sit in darkness and in
354
00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:27.039
the shadow of death, to guide
our feet into the way of peace.
355
00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.799
Amen, let's pray
