Do You Believe, Theophilus? Series

I’ve entitled our message this morning, “Do You Believe, Theophilus?” When we take the time to read Luke chapter 1, verses 1-4, we learn how the gospel of Luke was written to instill a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in a person by the name of Theophilus, who was actually a student of Luke (v. 4); and Luke tells us that he sought to teach Theophilus what had been delivered unto him by eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word concerning the certainty of what had been seen and heard about Jesus (vv. 2, 4). This teaching included not only the life of Jesus, but it included Old Testament prophecy and theological and spiritual lessons too.

Luke chapter one contains the accounts of the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus; but there is a spiritual lesson contained in this chapter as well. The lesson we will see deals with “belief” and “unbelief” in the virgin birth, and shares the consequences of unbelief. There is a similar account in the Old Testament, which portrays the same spiritual lesson; and, therefore, it will be used along with Luke chapter one to expound on something important that God wanted to reveal to Theophilus and to each of us. I’m going to begin our message this morning by reading verses 5-25.

Part One: The Conception of John the Baptist (vv. 5-25)

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. 23 And so it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

One Who Prepares the Way (v. 17)

From these verses we learn how the angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias to announce that God would give he and Elizabeth a son; one who would prepare the way for the Lord (v. 17). Zacharias, being a Jewish priest, should have been familiar with Old Testament prophecy concerning the coming of the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah. For example, Malachi 3:1 declares, “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple.” Knowing that Zacharias should have been familiar with this prophecy, we must wonder why he responded the way he did.