The Birth of John
LUKE 1:4-25 & 57-66
© 2006 Eric Bain
NOTE: This sermon is available in audio format @ www.sanctuary-church.com
Review:
1. Luke was a great friend
2. He was an investigator and historian
3. He has gone out of his way… to make sure that we can know the certainty of the things we’re gonna learn about in his letter.
--- PRAY ---
Question: Have you ever had to deal with a major disappointment in life… you prayed to God to relieve your suffering… but he just doesn’t seem to move?
This morning as we move into the book of Luke, we’re going to be introduced to not just one such individual… but a married couple that had just this experience. Open your Bibles to the book of Luke!
Read:
LK 1:5 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 upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
Transition: OK, let’s stop here, because what we’ve just read, is the foundation of upon which Luke is going to build the rest of the story of Jesus. I mentioned to you last week that the Gospel of Luke is really nothing more than the story of the life and ministry of Jesus, as told by a historian named Luke. But here what happens is, Luke begins the story by doing two things…
1. He sets the story in time – During the time Herod was the king of Judea
a. This is not real specific. Because we know that Herod reigned for 33 years. (37 – 4 B.C.)
b. But it’s not that important that Luke be so specific, because all he’s really doing is giving us a point of reference.
2. The second thing he does… is he introduces two characters
a. Zechariah
b. And his wife Elizabeth
We’re told that Zachariah is a priest… But also, and this is important… Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron – which is really just a fancy was of saying that she too came from a family of priests…
• In other words… these guys got the priesthood in their blood.
a. ILL – The gal at Scum that was a Physician’s Assistant… but she came from a family of Doctors.
• But, to be honest, it wasn’t the fact that Zachariah and Elizabeth had this priestly lineage… that was so important to Luke… but rather it was the fact that they were both righteous people.
a. ILL – I mean we’re all familiar with… or at least we’ve all heard about… priests that aren’t very righteous people?
b. In fact, at that time, Zachariah was just one of about 18,000 priests that served in the temple… Sure there were some that were very righteous and others that were much less righteous.
• But Luke wants us to know that Zachariah and Elizabeth were righteous.
Again, look at the text… Luke says…
Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.
• Now, here’s the deal… this isn’t to say that they had no sin. The Bible clearly teaches that everyone, short of Jesus, is sinful…
• But rather, what’s going on here… is Luke is trying to counter act the fact, that most people in his time and culture would have assumed that the reason Zachariah and Elizabeth were unable to have any children was because they had some kind of hidden sin in their life – In other words, they would have automatically assume that Elizabeth’s barrenness… was the result of God was punishing them.
But Luke wants us to know, in this case, that’s not what’s going on. You see, it is true that sin sometimes has consequences that are both horrible and humiliating… But it’s also true, that sometimes horrible and humiliating things happen to really good/godly people. And that’s what’s going on here!
Point: Zechariah and Elizabeth were both good/godly people!
• He was a priest… and she was the daughter of a priest.
• But in spite of that… Luke let’s us know, that they had lived a lifetime of disappointment & shame.
• They weren’t able have a child… and yet they desperately wanted one
• Only now, it’s too late… cause they’re just too old
This would be one of those disappointments that last a lifetime…
And as if that disappointment weren’t enough… let’s not forget that they were also considered a public disgrace. Cause, it was simply assumed that the reason they couldn’t have kids, was because God was punishing them!
• And oh… you can bet that they had been praying it
• But God just didn’t answer
Are you experiencing one of those disappointments?
• One of those disappointments of a lifetime
• Maybe like Zechariah and Elizabeth, you’re trying to have children… but you can’t
• Maybe your single and you desperately want to be married… but your not
• Maybe your married… but marriage hasn’t turned out to be all you thought it would be
• Or maybe your dealing with a chronic illness… or handicap
And I can’t say for sure… but I would guess that you’ve prayed. In fact, maybe you’ve prayed, and you’ve prayed, and you’ve prayed… but God just doesn’t answer
APPLICATION: One of the things the story reveals to us is that this life is a life of disappointment… and that sometimes bad things happen to good people… and yet God remains silent!
Let’s continue with the story…
LK 1:8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
OK, it’s important that we understand what’s going on here…
• Zachariah was one of about 18,000 priests that served the temple
• These priests were divided into 24 different divisions
• Each of these divisions would serve in the temple for a 1 week stint… 2 times a year.
o ILL - So, think of it as Reserve duty… Twice a year they would leave their families and go off to serve for one week.
• (Begin to drop to a wisper) Now, inside the temple, there was a room called the Holy Place – and not just anybody could go in there. For this was the place that God would meet his people.
• And inside the Holy Place was an altar – and on that altar… twice a day, a special incense was burned (light incense)… an incense that represented the prayers of the people going up to God – as a fragrant offering.
• Now, with so many priests, what they would do is they would cast lots to determine who would get to go in and actually bun this incense. You see, before the coming of the Holy Spirit, they believed that God would reveal his choice for this sacred duty… through the process of casting of lots.
• So if you think about it, this is a maybe… once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• And if you’re chosen. It means that God has personally chosen you to come into his presence and represent his people… to burn this incense… that represents your prayers going up to him.
Well, Zechariah had a prayer… an unanswered prayer. Only now he’s been chosen by God… to go into the place… where God meets his people. (pause) What do you think is gonna happen?
(verse 11)
LK 1:11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 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. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 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 from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
So, Zechariah has this startling experience with an angel. And the first thing the angel says is…
Your prayer has been heard!
That alone ought to provide some comfort. Because, at least we know that God hears our prayers. Even though he doesn’t always respond… at least we know he’s listening.
But more than that… think of this…
• The angel reveals that God is going to use Zechariah & Elizabeth’s life long disappointment… to reveal himself in a new way!
• You see, every baby born is a miracle of life… but it’s not like the world sits up and takes notice.
• And if a couple in old age, has a child… but they’ve already had children… Well, that’s just weird!
• But if a baby is born to a couple that’s too old to have a baby… and to woman that has never had a baby before… well… that’s a miracle!
o And it’s a miracle along the lines of something God has done before. (you might want to look them up)
Abraham & Sarah - Isaac
Elkanah & Hannah - Samuel
You see, God has done these kinds of things before… It’s kind of like a calling card… And it seems to represent the fact that this baby is going to have an special relationship with God… and a very specific purpose in life!
Well, that’s just what the angel announces to Zechariah…
• This baby will be great in the sight of the Lord!
• This baby is to be special…
o He’s named by God - “John” means Yahweh has been gracious!
o He’s never to take wine or other fermented drink!
Now, this isn’t a statement against alcohol
Rather, it’s about being set apart… About being different than everyone else
o From birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Explain)
Before Christ… the Spirit would only come and indwell people for limited amounts of time… to achieve certain things in their lives
But after Christ… the Holy Spirit indwells people at the very moment they become Christians. In other words, at the very moment that they give their lives over to him. And the Spirit remains with us… to teach us… convict us… strengthen us… and give us spiritual insight that the rest of the world doesn’t have.
But John will be filled with the Spirit from birth (unique)!
o And John will have a special purpose…
He’s to bring many of the people of Israel… back to God
We’re told, He’lll have the spirit and power of Elijah
• Elijah was an Old Testament prophet… and like other Old Testament prophets, he declared God’s word
• And, what he declared was that God’s people wandering and drifting from God and they needed to come back!
If you read the OT account of Elijah, you learn that when Elijah left the earth & went up to heaven… we’re told that his successor continued in the spirit of Elijah.
• In other words… he picked up the mantel… and he continued the mission of calling people back to God.
• So, wrapped up in this idea of having the spirit of Elijah… is this sense of mission… and calling…
Well, here’s the interesting sidebar guys… The last book of the Old Testament, is a book called Malachi (we went through it about a year ago). Malachi was also a prophet… Malachi, in addition to calling people back to God… Spoke of a day when the Lord would come. But listen to the closing remarks that Malachi… the very last words recorded in the Old Testament…
MAL 4:5-6 "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers;
After these words, God became silent. And for four hundred years, there were no prophets… no messages… nothing… but silence… (long pause)
Until that day… when angel appeared to Zachariah – there in the Holy Place – the place where God meets peoples – and he said… You will have a son… You will name him John… And he will be a prophet in the spirit of Elijah… He’ll bring people back to God… and preparing them for the coming of the Lord.
You see, God used Zechariah & Elizabeth’s life long disappointment… to not only reveal himself, but to call people back to him!
APPLICATION: Maybe there’s a lesson we need to learn here. Maybe we need to recognize… that God
often uses our lifelong disappointments to reveal himself to us… to call us back to him… and to keep us looking forward!
You see… I don’t know for you… but for me…
• It’s those lifelong disappointments that keep me dependant on God.
• They keep me calling on God.
• And they keep me looking forward to his coming!
Verse 18 -
LK 1:18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
LK 1:19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
Isn’t it funny… God sends Gabriel to meet Zechariah in this Holy Place… The place where God speaks to his people… And the whole experience is so extra-worldly that it scares the snot out of Zechariah… but even with all of that… he doubts that God’s word will come true!
LK 1:21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
LK 1:23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. (Remember – Zechariah still couldn’t speak… Elizabeth must’ve loved it!) 25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
Skip ahead 9 months… to verse 57…
LK 1:57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
LK 1:59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
LK 1:61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
LK 1:62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord’s hand was with him.
What then is this child going to be?... You see, after four hundred years of silence, God has once again broken into human history… with a miraculous baby!
What then is this child going to be?... That’s the question.
• Sure, we know that he’s to be a prophet in the spirit of Elijah
• But for now, he’s just a baby… and they would have to wait… to find out
You’ll only have to wait a couple of weeks… but for now, I want to close with a couple of points of application:
The first is kind of weird…
1. APPLICATION – Are you praying for something against God?
• Are you praying that God would remove some disappointment that maybe he has there for a reason.
You see, I’m sure that Elizabeth and Zechariah prayed for a baby in their 20’s… and probably became frustrated. They likely prayed even harder in their 30’s… might’ve even become angry… but God had a purpose behind their disappointment. And I think realizing that… sort of changes things.
• Because when we realize that maybe there’s a purpose behind our disappointment… it just somehow becomes… less disappointing.
2. APPLICATION – I think the big point behind the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is that while it may appear God is silent… he is moving!
You know… Earlier this week, I read my wife this passage and asked her to give me her immediate thoughts… “Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind,” I said.
She said… It sounds like a fairy tail! It sounds like a fairy tail because this kind of stuff doesn’t happen every day.
She’s right…
• It does sound like a fairy tail
• Because it doesn’t happen every day… but that’s part of the beauty of it!
When God broke into human history on that day with Zechariah… He had been previously silent for 400 years. Oh, he’d made a promise… that he’d send a savior/messiah. But he’d been silent so long… it just didn’t seem like it would ever really happen! But it did.
After Jesus resurrected, as he went up into heaven, he promised that he would return for his faithful… Sometimes I think… because it’s been so long… we just don’t think it’s ever going to happen. Is this just a fairy tail?
APPLICATION (cont.) – God will bring to pass what he has promised
o Zachariah had to listen to God and trust that he would do what he had promised
o We need to trust… God will do as he has promised
o The day is coming that he is going to break into human history again! When he does, as we see with Zechariah & Elizabeth, the disappointments of the faithful pass away.
HOMEWORK: Go back and read Luke, Chapter 1 (I know that was your homework for last week)
• But this time focus on the interplay… and the relationship between the conception and birth of John… and the conception and birth of Jesus.
© 2006 Eric Bain
