Observing God At Work-3

OBSERVING GOD At WORK-III—Luke 1:57-80

While the brokers were busily calling potential customers to drum up business, the president of the firm stopped to eavesdrop on a new employee. He listened as the young man talked eight consecutive contacts into moving their stock portfolios to him.

The boss approached the young man & said, "I’ve been listening in, & I must say I’m impressed with your ability.

Where did you learn so much about talking to investors?"

"Yale, sir," the young man answered.

Impressed, the boss said, "Oh, that’s fine, just fine.

And what’s your name?"

"Yackson," he replied.

Observing someone at work can reveal some interesting things...

Likewise, Observing God at work reveals the needs in our own lives.

John the Baptist’s parents knew with certainty the implications of their son’s birth.

The events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist have implications for God’s people.

What is implied from observing God at work?

Implications drawn from seeing God at work.

Previously we have seen that Observing God at work implies a need for Expanded...

1. SATISFACTIONs(:57-59)

2. BOUNDARIES(:59-63)

3. CONVERSATIONs(:64-65)

4. EXPECTATIONs(:66)

5. REDEMPTIONs(:67-71)

6— Observing God at work implies a need for...

Expanded FULFILLMENTs(:70, 72-75)

Explanation:(:70, 72-75)

OBJECTIVE/DEFINITIVE TRUTH:

:70—“As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets Who have been since the world began,”

“As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets...”

What did God speak?...That He would visit & redeem them by a strong Savior thru the house of David.

Lk. 1:68-69—““Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited & redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,”

The promise had come thru the prophets of the Old Testament. The nature of the salvation would be expressed as salvation from Israel’s enemies. However the enemies which Israel acquires are enemies against God...i.e., when Israel is truly living according to God’s perfect will. Israel’s sin would acquire for them many more enemies opposing Israel’s fleshly pursuits.

We can’t rightly read the NT divorced from the OT, nor the OT apart from its fulfillment in the NT.

God has not left Himself without witness. We may not witness Him directly with our eyes but He is nonetheless there.

PROMISE:

:72—“To perform[show] the mercy promised to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,...”

‘The promise of mercy presupposes the presence of sin & the sentence of judgment’

“Mercy”— ‘Not giving what is deserved’—

“Covenant”=Promise

The salvation will be an act of mercy on God’s part exacted for the sake of God’s own holy covenant, as well as for the sake of the spiritual ancestors.

:73—“The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,...”

The holy covenant in question is that which God enacted with Abraham by his oath. Abraham is the ‘father’ of the nation of Israel(God’s people. by Abraham came Isaac & by Isaac came Jacob, & by Jacob came the 12 tribes of Israel.

Universal blessing—Gen. 22:16-18— :18—“And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

At this time, Abraham had no knowledge of N. & S. American continents. The mass of people therein was non-existent to him, yet they too are his legacy.

Who are God’s people?—Israel —Gentiles—All mankind

ANSWERS:

COMPLETION

&

PURPOSE:

:74—“To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,

The stipulation of the holy covenant was for the deliverance of Israel from her enemies.

The purpose of Israel’s deliverance is that she would “serve” God. Which service is to be done “without fear.” Fear originating from those who would oppose God’s true service.

:75—“In holiness & righteousness before Him all our days.”

Israel’s service is to be accomplished “in holiness.”

The service of God’s people can only rightly be done within the confines of God’s Holiness. Holy living—Separation from that which is base/common/human/purely natural.

The service of God’s people can only rightly be done within the confines of God’s Righteousness. Righteous living—Living by that which God deems pleasing & acceptable to Him.

Argumentation:

Jn. 16:7-15—““Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, & of righteousness, & of judgment: “of sin, because they do not believe in Me; “of righteousness, because I go to My Father & you see Me no more; “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; & He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine & declare it to you.”