Christmas: The Perspective Of Elizabeth: Trusting The God's Heart

Christmas God’s perspective Elizabeth: Trusting the Master’s heart through disappointment

• Over the next four weeks, we’re going to take a fresh look at Christmas through the eyes of some of the people who were involved. Last year we looked at

• Zechariah an elderly priest who becomes the father of john the Baptist

• Mary - Mother of Jesus

• No room in Bethlehem

• Shepherds

This year we are looking at Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist

Joseph, king Herod, and the wisemen.

Today we are looking at Elizabeth in : Trusting the Master’s hand through disappointment. And all we need to know about Elizabeth is found in chapter one. It starts in verse 5

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there

was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.

7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

A little history it needed here. We will study King Herod in 2 weeks, but spiritually the people were walking through a fog. The people have gone 400 years without a prophet. The last book of the old testament was written 430 years before the events in Luke-- When God starts moving and it starts with an elderly priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. What does scripture say?

6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.

This is in an age where no one is standing for God. I mean 400 years without a word from God. The people were bound to think…God had forgotten them. But it is untrue.

The parent of Zechariah’s parents named him….”God remembers”

Elizabeth was named…. The oath of God, The promise of God.

So both sets of parents were priests who trusted God. Elizabeth came from the family line of Aaron, the brother of Moses. And the bible says.

They both were righteous before God.

They walked in faith.

They knew his laws and they also new the ceremonies.

Husband and wife They were on the same page.

Elizabeth did not walk in the shadow of her husband. BUT she had her own relationship with God.

BUT they had disappointments. They had unfulfilled longings.. they had no children. She was baren. She could not get pregnant. Year after year. And their situation had not changed. Elizabeth took the brunt of it. Society did not look fondly at women who could not produce children.

Teaching Moment: And how about you? Would God say that you are walking in faith with Him? Whether you are in school, college, at work…are you walking with God?

2nd teaching Moment: What disappointment are you bearing today? It could be a job,

no children,

a divorce,

a circumstance in your past,

a relationship with your kids or friends

…it could be your health is not permitting you to do what you want to do. Today I would like you to name your disappointment. .

QUESTION Have you allowed disappointment/depression drive you to God or away from Him? (pause)

Now let’s look at the next scene. Although Elizabeth doesn’t appear in it…it definitely affected her.

Luke 1

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9 he was chosen by lot… to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense… (while there)

11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar...

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.

Now my brain would be saying… what ones are you answering? I’ve prayed on lots of issues and for lots of people… but the angel goes on.

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

(hey what! My wife? Elizabeth? But she’s old!) And the angel keeps talking so Zacharia is trying to keep up with the detail about his son….

--14 He will be a joy and delight to you,

-- and many will rejoice because of his birth,

--15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

--He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,

--and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

17 And he (John the Baptist) will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”