Hope Has Come

Text: Luke 1:67-75, Title: Hope Has Come, Date/Place: NRBC, 12/2/12, AM

A Opening illustration: Read Ex 1:8-14 & 2:23-25 & 3:7-9, play the Deliver Us clip from Prince of Egypt

(YouTube) 0:40-2:01, Anticipation on Christmas Eve for children;

B Background to passage: one of Luke’s threads that passes through the first couple of chapters is spontaneous

praise from Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon. This one is the called the Benedictus from

the first word in the Latin version, and is focused, as the others in Luke, on the coming of Messiah. The

coming of Christ is an exciting and longed for event. The messianic hope was one that had been prophesied

and taught to God’s people for centuries. That hope had only intensified since the captivity. But for the last

400 years, they had endured silence. No word from God, but still the remnant awaiting a Savior to rescue

them (BTW, the faithful still wait). This is the first glimmer of hope that has come in generations. And

Zechariah is excited, and gives us a Spirit-inspired commentary on the significance of the birth of his son and

the soon to be birth of God’s Son who would bear the sins of the world and set His weary, oppressed people

free!

C Main thought: to engender excitement and passion for the visitation of Christ

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (v. 67-69)

1 God visited, redeemed, and raised up a horn of salvation for His people. This word for God “visiting”

his people either has the connotation of judgment or blessing. As in other passages, and related to the

other praises expressed in the first couple of chapters, this one is about blessing. This adds to the depth

of expectation that the Jews had for their Messiah. The coming of Messiah means that God is coming

down-the Word in flesh now appearing. It means redemption, which is a word that means paying a

great sum to deliver or liberate them from an oppressive situation. The ideas were primarily focused

on political deliverance, but not exclusively. In the Hebrew mindset political and spiritual oppression

are closely linked. Zechariah spoke of Him as God’s raised up victorious warrior. This word also has

regal overtones, and was used of God himself. So you see the anticipation of one that would come and

accomplish mighty works on behalf of the people of God.

2 Argumentation

3 Illustration: “Messiah is a picture of power and strength. The reference to the “horn of salvation” (κέρας

σωτηρίας, keras sōtērias) is drawn from the OT, where it pictures an ox with horns that is able to defeat

enemies with the powerful thrust of its protected head (Deut. 33:17). The image was transferred to the

warrior who had a horned helmet to symbolize the presence of power” compare to American slavery

coming to an end in 1865

4 Very few examples get even close to the sense of anticipation, hope, joy that was tied to the remnant’s

expectation of Jesus’ coming. Each of us needs the visitation of God into our lives. We need God very

badly. The world needs God very badly. Note that tragedy and suffering promote a realization of the

need for God in our lives. It also increases the desire for a deliverer. Some of us feel a sense of need for

a Savior, but all of us should. We are in desperate need of One who would do for us what we cannot do

for ourselves. We are not self-sufficient, we are not independent, we are not OK! The price to purchase

us was high, and here at Christmas, we should have a sense of expectation of One who would become/is

our Deliverer! He will be your mighty warrior that God has raised up! There are some of you who need a

Deliverer!!!!

A

B Born to Set Thy People Free (v. 70-72)

1 Three penultimate purposes are mentioned in the text: salvation from enemies, demonstrate mercy, and

fulfill the covenant made to Abraham, David, and the nation. We could completely spiritualize the first

part, but the Jews didn’t. They desired a total and complete salvation from the enemies who oppressed

them. The Romans were on the top of the list, but over the years it had been the Assyrians, Babylonians,

Greeks, Syrians, etc. Zechariah also says that God wanted to save to demonstrate His mercy toward

totally undeserving people. The holiness of God consumes all sin, and rules out any possibility of our

gaining salvation by any means other than grace. And God is a promise keeping God. Not one promise

will ever fail. The Abrahamic and Davidic covenants related to the salvation of men, and were made years

back, but have lasting influence today because of Abraham’s seed and our part in the covenant. Jesus